Chapter Six

Kate

 

Log rafts traveled back and forth across Rivers of America between the passings of the Columbia, the Mark Twain paddleboat, and the canoes.

Once on the island, we found one of the caves to explore here. “It’s been a few years, so I don’t remember what all’s in these things.”

Sam smiled. “We’ll find out.”

I blinked against the loss of light until my eyes adjusted.

It was nice to get out of the sun.

“Wow, you can’t really hear the park now,” he murmured.

“I guess most people don’t come over onto the island much anymore.” I took a fork in the path and ended up in a tighter section. “Ooops.”

I looked back and Sam was right behind me.

“This might be a dead end,” I whispered.

I didn’t mean to whisper.

“I’m in no hurry,” he replied as softly.

The dim lighting made his brown eyes dark. Neither of us moved from this spot hidden by a wall even though we should. Plenty more island to see.

“Kate—”

A couple of screaming children ran by, making me jump. Move!

A few steps and I found this segue rejoined the main path. “I see light up ahead.”

My heart thumped in my chest. Stupid heart.

He shouldn’t need to tell me to move out of the way. I shouldn’t freak out inside every time he was close to me without an audience.

I kept out of the other caves on the rest of the island.

The trails and bridges still gave us enough to see, and we stopped at the highest point of the island where he brought the camera out of his pocket.

He stretched his arm out. “Hopefully, I’m not cutting our heads off. Say cheese!”

I smiled for this memory under the trees and June sun.