Chapter 15 #2
Everyone loaded into some jeeps and began what turned out to be a drive up some rough terrain.
“I thought we’d be closer,” she said, bouncing in her seat.
“They’ll do a safety briefing first.” Rafe steadied her. “They have to get us up so we can zip down.”
Once there, a guide went over their instructions. Ahri tried to review the things he said. What if she forgot something important?
“I don’t know if I can remember all of this,” Francie whispered.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Ahri agreed.
“There will be guides at every platform, so don’t worry.” Alex put an arm around his wife’s shoulders which seemed to buoy up her courage.
“What if I get up on one of those platforms and then find I can’t do it?” Ahri held her arms to her stomach.
“You’ll do fine.” Rafe rubbed her back the same way he did Lessa’s when trying to comfort her. “You’re braver than you give yourself credit for.”
“They don’t just hook you up and send you on your way,” Alex said. “You’ll get a chance to practice first.”
“And I can control how fast I go, right?” Francie asked.
“Yes,” Alex said.
“Just don’t brake too much so you get stuck short of the platform,” Rafe added.
“What?” Ahri stared at him, her mouth dry. Grinning, Rafe gave her chin at gentle nudge.
“Don’t worry if you do.” He shoved his hands in his pockets again. “It happens all the time, and y’all will have your harnesses on. It’s easy enough to tow yourself to the platform. Now, Ma, don’t look at me like that. Would Alex let you do this if he thought you’d get hurt?”
“Well, no.” Francie glanced at her husband.
“It’s just a matter of learning how much to brake to keep from going too fast but not braking too much.” Alex gave her an encouraging nod.
“Have you been working out?” Rafe asked Ahri. “I know Ma lifts weights with Alex a couple times a week.”
“Yes. Why?”
Rafe lifted up his right arm and tightened his bicep. Ahri stared at him, her eyes wide, fighting to keep a neutral expression. He seemed to realize what he’d done and dropped his arm with a cough.
“If you’ve been lifting weights,” he said, “you’ll hurt less tomorrow, both arms and hands.”
“Oh.” Ahri had to resist the impulse to fan herself. “I guess I’m glad I didn’t already do my workout this morning.”
The short test run looked like a child’s version of the longer zip lines and reminded her of the shorter, simpler water slides in Phoenix. Once she’d done one, she’d felt enough of a rush that she’d have been happy doing those instead and could only hope the zip line would be the same.
“Can we stay here and just do these?” Francie asked.
“Brilliant minds think alike,” Ahri said with a laugh.
“No, Ma.” Rafe didn’t quite roll his eyes, and Ahri gave him a soft jab in the ribs.
“The first lines are the easiest ones, so you can get used to them,” Alex said.
“The first time could be the last time,” Francie said, wringing her hands again.
Alex pulled his wife into his arms and held her, whispering. Not wanting to intrude, Ahri turned and found Rafe watching her.
“You sure you’re okay to do this?” he asked. “I think you’ll enjoy it, but I probably shouldn’t have pressured you.”
“I won’t let Francie down.” Ahri took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
“That’s my girl.” Rafe reached over and ran his knuckles down her cheek in a gentle caress. Her breath caught, and she found herself leaning into his hand. He held it there for a second longer before dropping it and putting his hands back in his pockets.
“So, is this going to be like going down the bunny slope when skiing?” Ahri asked. Not that she’d ever been. That might be something else to look forward to, skiing in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“I guess. Hadn’t really thought about it,” Rafe said. “Looks like we’re next.”
Rafe watched over Ahri while his stepfather kept an eye on Ma. Alex had worked on her for weeks to convince her to come along this year. His mother wanting to include Ahri had been the frosting on the cake as far as Rafe was concerned.
Ahri. That girl got under his skin like no woman he’d known. He hadn’t had such a fun summer in years. Too often he caught himself wanting to take her hand. He’d found it safer to keep his hands in his pockets, so he didn’t forget himself. Now, if he’d just remember to keep them there.
After his stepfather’s comment, Rafe had been haunted by the big question of whether or not she was nice to him only because he was her boss. Alex was right. Rafe needed to make himself scarce for a while.
The ugly little voice in his head whispered that she was only putting up with him because she needed the job, that if she had a choice it wouldn’t be him. Over the years, he’d had several girlfriends, though none of the breakups had scarred him the way the one with Tess had.
Maybe he’d have gotten past it better if his life hadn’t turned upside down with the change in his fortune a few weeks later.
At least when he’d dated in high school and college he’d known they wanted him for himself, in spite of being the poor kid.
Suddenly he was the face of the Billionaire Boys, and women were throwing themselves at him. Or at his money.
Ahri wasn’t like them. She had a billionaire brother and had refused to take money from him. Rafe needed to stop the self-doubt and enjoy this time with her.
“You ready for this?” he whispered to Ahri.
“Am I ready to leap to my death, you mean?” She did look a little green.
Rafe chuckled. She could give Lessa a run for the crown of martyr queen.
“How shall we do this?” he asked the group.
“Well, I’m sure not going first,” Ahri said.
“I will,” Alex said. “Then Francie.”
“Okay.” His mother took a deep breath, and Alex put his arm around her again. He glanced at Rafe and Ahri.
“I’ll go after Ahri,” Rafe said.
“Why?” Ahri looked up at him. “So you can listen to me scream all the way down?”
“Do you scream on roller coasters?”
“Yeah. Why? It’s part of the fun.”
“Then scream to your heart’s content on this. I did—just like a baby the first time I went.”
“Did you really?” Ahri grinned, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. She glanced to where her brother and the other guys were waiting.
“Yes, and they all know it since they were there so don’t think you can use it against me.” Rafe pointed to the launch station. “There goes Alex.”
She let out a little moan and stepped beside his mother. Rafe watched as they clung together. He loved the way Ahri and Ma looked out for each other.
Then it was his mother’s turn. He moved beside Ahri and together they offered comforting platitudes. Ma let out one initial scream and then went silent. Hopefully, it was a good sign.
“You ready?” he asked softly.
Ahri looked up at him, her eyes terrified and her hands shaking. “Promise me I won’t die.”
“You won’t die.”
“Lighten up and just enjoy the ride,” Kayn said in his most condescending big-brother tone from behind.
Ahri seemed to steel herself and stepped to the mark. She put her hands on the brake over her head, listening to last-minute instructions from the guide. Then she was off.
Her scream was as much frightened as it was a thrilled whoop. She made him proud with her northern equivalent to a Rebel Yell. He’d make her into a Southerner yet.
“I didn’t think you’d get her to do that,” Kayn said.
“Nah. It wasn’t me.” Rafe looked at his friend. “It was Ma.”
“Now we’ll see if she’ll ever do it again.”
“Next,” the guide said.
Rafe stepped up and took the familiar position.
When it was time, he heaved out a breath and launched himself from the platform, embracing the thrill.
As he sailed over the canopy of bright green forest, he listened for the rustling of the trees over the sound of the zip line.
He wondered if Ahri had been able to hear it with all her screaming.
She waited for him on the platform, almost dancing with anticipation as he approached. He landed easily, and the guide unhooked him from the zip line and reconnected him to the tree wire.
“You didn’t die,” he said.
Ahri threw her arms around his waist, and he embraced her. She trembled, but he didn’t know if it was from excitement or residual adrenaline.
“I thought I was going to a couple of times.” She looked up at him. “It was epic and one of the most frightening things ever.” She blinked, seeming to realize what she’d done. Her cheeks colored, and she moved to step back. He didn’t want to let her go but did.
“Now just six more to go,” he said.
Ahri groaned.