Page 43 of Impossible Rapids

“Thanks.” Shawn smiled at that. Everybody liked to call him a Viking Warrior. With his haircut, some of the headlines he’d heard were, ‘From Cold Viking Warrior to Handsome Grieving Billionaire’ and ‘Thor’s new haircut shows he’s ready to be taken serious by the business world, but how will he fight off the droves of interested ladies?’

Whatever. He didn’t care what the media thought, and he didn’t want droves of ladies. All he wanted was Julie. She’d liked his haircut, and he loved when she called him her Viking Warrior, Poseidon, Thor, Shawn …

“I know Julie was very grateful that you dove in for her. Did she give you a ‘gob-smacking brilliant’ kiss of gratitude?” Cash smirked.

Shawn startled. “Brylee put you up to that question?”

“You know she did.”

Shawn chuckled. He liked Brylee and Cash. A lot. “She did not,” he admitted. He couldn’t admit to much in these interviews or when the cameras were rolling. Sadly, he hadn’t gotten a kiss.

“Ah. Brylee’s going to be so disappointed.” Cash stood. “I’d better go comfort her.” He winked at Shawn.

Shawn shook his head. “Married people are so uncaring.”

“Yep.” Cash slapped him on the shoulder as he walked past, but then he stopped. “You were married for a couple months. You’re telling me you didn’t give Jagger or Hays a hard time about what they were missing out on?”

Shawn’s face got hot and his neck tight. “Mercedes was very sick,” he muttered before realizing he should’ve just said no.

“Oh.” Cash was the one who looked embarrassed now. “I’m sorry. I didn’t …” He shook his head.

“No, it’s good. Goodnight. Thanks for being here.”

“Sure. It’s a great adventure. Night.” Cash headed for his and Brylee’s tent.

Shawn sat by the fire until it burned out. Hays believed Julie loved him. That was the best news he’d ever heard.

If only he could do something about it.

Chapter

Twelve

The next morning, things felt tense and yet hopeful between Julie and Shawn. Had something changed?

They got on the river and went through some terrifying and exciting rapids before lunch. She looked at Shawn before every set, and he reassured her with his confidence and the warmth in his blue eyes. Then he’d tease her to ‘woman up, baby.’ She loved it. Luckily, Julie stayed in the boat. After each rapid, she raised her wrist and she and Brylee chanted, “Woman up, baby!” It was reminiscent of the fun adventures used to have with Mercedes.

After their lunch stop, the four of them were on the shoreline pushing their boat out into the water when a crew of eight men, all dressed in black full length wetsuits with black hoods, came floating down the river, paddling into the slower-moving turnout.

The exciting day was suddenly overcast. An ominous dark cloud obscuring the sun. There was something extremely off-putting about the group. Maybe it was the hoods. Maybe it was that none of them raised a hand in greeting or shared a smile, except one large guy right up front who leered at her and winked.

“I thought we had the river to ourselves,” Cash murmured to Shawn.

Shawn stood tall from lifting the boat in, glanced at Cash, and said, “We bought out the professional guided tours, but anybody can come on the river. Let’s go meet our new friends.”

Julie stood in ankle deep water. “You want us to …”

“Please stay right here,” Cash said in an undertone.

“Okay,” Brylee agreed, easing closer to Julie.

Hays, Paul, Brett, and Theo’s boat was still up the grassy slope maybe a hundred feet. They had been waiting a few minutes to put their boat in, staying out of the camera’s view for the reality show. It was sad how little Julie thought about the reality show. Especially when she and Mercedes had spent almost two years prepping, researching, and getting all the episodes going. Shawn commandeered her brain space right now.

Cash and Shawn walked down the shoreline toward the men who rested their paddles but stayed in the boat close to the rocky shore. Shawn’s four bodyguards eased down the bank, closing in on the group. Julie saw Shawn and Hays exchange a look and knew they’d have armed backup with little more than a nod.

“Hey,” Cash called out.

“Hi,” the guy at the front of the boat who’d winked at her returned the greeting. He was almost as big as Cash and his hazel eyes moved to Julie again, trailing over her full-length wetsuit as if she were wearing a string bikini. “Absolutely exquisite scenery you’re keeping to yourselves.”