Ugh. She’d really hoped that Candace would ride in a different raft. Where was her husband? And Jasper’s new fiancée?
A muscle in Levi’s jaw jumped. So, she wasn’t the only one who was irritated by their decision to pick Keith’s raft.
C’mon, don’t be a Negative Nellie. This is supposed to be fun.
Savannah pushed past her frustration over Candace and Jasper’s proximity and focused her attention on Keith as he demonstrated how to hold the paddles properly. But she couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that hovered over her. Why was this so stressful? Sure, it had been more than a decade since she’d floated down the river, but that didn’t mean today couldn’t be enjoyable.
Still, she shot one last longing glance toward the vehicles in the parking lot nearby.
Levi gently nudged her shoulder with his own. “Last chance to bail.”
“I’m fine,” she whispered. The weight of Jasper’s gaze warmed her skin. She forced her eyes to meet his, determined not to let him see that she was anxious. Ever since their encounter at his engagement party, she’d been walking on eggshells, certain that somehow Jasper was going to unearth her secret. The real reason why she had to leave Colorado. Not that she could blame him for wanting to protect his twin brother. But she wasn’t a threat. All she wanted was a second chance. A fresh start. Was that really too much to ask?
“The Poplar River is considered Class 3 Rapids. So it’s a great place to start if you haven’t been in a raft before,” Keith said, grinning as he glanced around their circle of six. “I know some of you grew up here and probably spent some quality time near the river. For the sake of everyone involved, let’s go over our safety protocols. First, we need to talk about what to do if you have an out-of-boat experience.”
Savvy’s breath hitched. “An out-of-boat what?”
“It’s rare,” Levi said. “Especially on this river.”
“We don’t anticipate anybody leaving the boat,” Keith continued. “We have to be prepared, though.”
“Can you flip us on purpose?” Candace asked, bouncing up on her toes. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Keith grimaced. “I’m afraid not. I actually get a bonus at the end of the season if I keep all my passengers in the raft.”
Candace heaved a dramatic sigh. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Remember your tripod,” Keith continued. “Your bottom in your seat, both feet in proper position inside the boat and your paddle. Those three points of contact will keep you safe, and if you follow my instructions, you’ll have a fun, safe ride. Any questions?”
“Take us to the rapids,” Candace said, pumping a fist in the air. “Come on, it’ll be great. David’s girlfriend has never done this before. Right, Alexis?”
“Nothing like this in Oklahoma.” Alexis grinned. “Bring on the rapids. Can’t wait!”
Savannah stifled a groan. Of course Alexis had to be the fearless type. Super.
Making sure her feet were wedged in the proper spaces anchored to the floor of the raft, exactly as Keith had instructed her, Savannah swallowed hard against the sour taste stinging the back of her throat. What in the world? She’d never been this anxious near fast-moving water. Maybe her ongoing conflicts were adding to her anxiety.
“Ready?” Levi took his position beside her in the raft.
She managed a quick nod, then tightened her grip on her paddle.
Keith pushed them away from the bank, then hopped into his spot at the back. Raindrops spattered her cheeks. A cool breeze rippled across the valley, making the tree branches dip and sway. They picked up speed as Keith guided them farther down the river. David, Alexis, Candace and Jasper kept up a steady stream of conversation. Savvy tried to pay attention, but she couldn’t pry her gaze away from the water swirling around their raft.
Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people had floated down the Poplar without incident. Visitors to Opportunity rated it as one of their favorite activities. So maybe she just needed to relax. Savor the beauty of God’s creation. Exhaustion and stress had filled her head with worst-case scenarios. Why did she have to be such a worrier?
“Everybody hang on.” Keith’s instruction jolted her back to reality. The churlish water sprayed up over the bow of the raft as they dipped down into the trough of the current. Frothy white water shot up over the side of the inflatable craft. She gasped as the frigid droplets sprayed over her, sending an icy-cold rivulet down inside her rain gear.
Candace’s obnoxious laughter punctuated the air. Savannah gritted her teeth.
Hold on. You can do this. It will all be over soon.
She repeated the silent advice as she dropped her oar and clawed at the handholds attached to the raft.
“How are you doing?” Levi called out, his gaze finding hers.
But she didn’t have time to respond because the raft suddenly spun around. Now she rode backward, unable to see the river ahead.
“Oh, please, no.” She twisted in her seat and glanced over her shoulder. Disoriented, her vision tunneled. Panic welled. The raft struck an obstacle in the river. Hard. The pain rocketed through her spine. She cried out. The last thing she saw before she went over the side was the horror on Levi’s face.
He had to help her. Levi’s heart raced as he searched the landscape, looking for a way to rescue Savannah from the river. Alexis and David had both been thrown overboard as well, leaving himself, Candace, Jasper and Keith.
“Savvy isn’t a strong swimmer,” Levi shouted. “Hurry up, Keith. Take charge!”
“I am. Don’t you dare try to jump in after her. Got it?” Keith gave him a stern look.
Levi clenched his jaw and looked away. The raft tilted and he hung on, afraid they’d capsize. The water was icy cold, and Savannah had already been shivering on the riverbank before they’d set off. Angry gray clouds had rolled in. Rain spattered his face. He swiped at the moisture with his hand, then narrowed his gaze, desperate not to lose sight of her. Up ahead, the river took a sharp turn. A whirlpool churned in its center, making Levi’s stomach sink. A waterfall dropped into the river from a fissure in the mountainside, producing a heavy mist that hung like fog around them while Keith steered the raft closer to Savannah. Why weren’t they going faster? She was getting farther away from them with every passing second.
David had managed to grab a tree limb hanging over the edge of the riverbank. He’d looped his arm around Alexis’s torso and held her against him. Levi’s chest squeezed. Alexis had a gash in her forehead. David clung to the spindly branches, fear etched in his features.
“Savannah’s lost her paddle,” Levi called over his shoulder to Keith. “We need to throw her a rope.”
“There’s calmer waters up around the bend. She’ll be fine,” Keith insisted, his expression tense as he maneuvered the raft through the angry water. “Look, she’s floating—and she’s got her feet pointed up. Just like I taught her.”
Levi wrapped his fingers around his paddle’s handle. They had to push through these rapids to get back to shore. The other raft carrying Tori, her date and four other people was nowhere in sight. Levi looked back at Keith and Jasper. The trees behind them were thinning out. Keith frowned, clutching his paddle tighter as he guided the raft downstream. Levi prayed for guidance, for direction, but he knew it was up to him.
He squared his shoulders and focused on gripping his side of the raft while keeping an eye on the water ahead of them. Savannah was gulping for air, but she wasn’t flailing around and, thankfully, hadn’t lost consciousness. They had to find a way to safety without capsizing or losing anyone else.
“We need to throw the rope to David and Alexis.” Jasper reached for the bag holding the coiled rope. “They’re closer.”
