Page 46 of New River Gorge(ous)
I smile as I pick up the light, knowing Beck left it there for me.
I let my eyes rove the note. Beck’s handwriting is surprisingly legible for a doctor. I have to laugh as I read what he wrote.
Brooke,
I wanted to make sure you had this for your first day on the job but wasn’t sure if I’d be home in time to give it to you. Good luck.
-Beck
The man of few words uses as few words as possible in every scenario, it seems. I don’t really mind, because at least it shows he’s consistent.
Pocketing the headlamp in my pink hiking bag, along with the rest of my gear for work, I focus on folding the piece of paper into tiny squares like I’m in highschool and this is a note from a boy I want to save. Scratch that—thisisa note from a boy that I do want to save, but it’s not like it was when I was in high schooland desperate for my first kiss and the attention I thought it would bring me.
Thinking about how desperate I was for my first kiss brings my mind back to Paige. When I met her, she’d never had a boyfriend, and now she’s happily married to a really great guy. It’s funny how someone like Paige, who would not have been popular if she had been in high school with me, ended up with the thing I desperately wanted and had thought popularity would bring.
I slide my phone out of my black capris pocket and fire off a text to Paige.
Brooke
Thinking of you because I’m on my way to work!
A text comes back almost immediately.
Paige
Where are you working? What happened with the cute neighbor?
Brooke
I’ll fill you in later. Here’s where I’m working.
I send her the link to Logan’s family’s rafting company website. New RAFT River Gorge is a five-star rated adventure company with an impressive website that makes it look like this is going to be a lot of fun. At least the pictures of people wearing helmets and holding brightly painted rafting paddles as they careen over a rapid make it look fun. I’m not sure if it’s as much fun in real life as it is in a still photograph, but the internet presence is reassuring.
I smile to myself as I drive to work.
“Hey, hey, new employee.” Logan straightens from where he was bent over, securing ropes around a raft, as I approach the front of the open-air rafting check-in stand.
“Hi,” I respond, a little breathless from the very steep hike up from the employee parking lot.
A girl who must be Logan’s sister steps out from under the shadow of the awning. He mentioned she would be here this morning. “You must be Brooke?” I nod. “It’s so good to meet you! Logan never hires women who aren’t family, so it’s nice to have a new work friend I’mnotrelated to here.”
“Lynette,” Logan warns.
“Yeah, sure, I know you keep business in the family,” Lynette says as she pulls her curly brown hair into a high ponytail and rolls her eyes. She drops her voice to a stage whisper. “Really, he just hits on every woman he meets unless they’re related to him, and this is a way to protect the business.”
“Lynette!” Logan scolds. Then he looks at me and says, “Sorry, Brooke. Lynette is my younger sister, and she never stops giving me a hard time.”
“Well, it’s pretty slim pickings for friends around here when you date every woman in my age group who comes through the door.”
Logan shrugs. “You wouldn’t want to be friends with the tourists anyway.”
“So why are you dating them?” she counters.
Logan opens his mouth, then snaps it shut as he fidgets with a knot, clearly uncomfortable. I’m no stranger to sibling banter,but I feel uncomfortable walking into whatever this weird conversation was.
He dusts his hands on his black athletic shorts and then gives his head a shake, but not before he scowls at Lynette. “Well, ignore Lynette, Brooke. I’d fire her, but she’s our second-best rafting guide.” He sighs. “Let’s get you set up.”
He leads me inside and shows me the computer system for reservations, the phone to call and confirm reservations the day before a party comes through, and the office supplies. It’s all standard and easy enough, and Logan makes no moves on me despite his reputation regarding women.
