her. “Or is that what you’re going for?”
She flushed, and he tried to smother a smile at seeing the imperturbable Lacey O’Connor flustered.
“Well, since you clearly know more than I do, I assume you’re okay to sort yourself out while I see what has Cassie so worked up.” She handed him the first aid kit. “Kelvin said there should be something in here you can use to stem the bleeding.”
“Got it. Just give me a couple of minutes.”
Lacey stood. “Oh, and Carlisle.”
“Yes, O’Connor?”
She smiled angelically at him. “Maybe don’t stand so close next time.”
The woman had nerve. He had to give her that.
Lacey had been awesome lifting that canoe. She’d seen it in Richard’s expression as he struggled to compute the person he’d assumed she was with the person in front of him.
There had been a second when she’d worried she was going to make a fool of herself, but it all came back to her as soon as she gripped the side, even though it had been over a decade. It had been easier than she remembered. The sleek Kevlar hull was a huge upgrade compared to her father’s battered wooden canoe.
Then she’d gone and smacked Victor in the face and given him terrible first aid advice. Whatever upper hand she had gained, she’d lost in five seconds.
Whatever had excited Cassie didn’t seem to be a thing any more, as the woman perched on her pack typing furiously into her phone.
Her phone?
“There’s coverage here.” Cassie held her phone aloft. “Only one bar, but you can get messages.”
She was checking her phone while answering the call of nature? The mind boggled.
“Photos.” Cassie said defensively, as if she read Lacey’s mind. “I had it in my pocket because if I’m spending a week in Nevernever Land, I’m at least going to get some awesome photos out of it. And Brewsters have been talking about us pitching some kind of back-to-nature campaign. Thought I could kill two birds with one stone.”
“Okay.” There was no rule that said people couldn’t have their phones, as far as she knew.
“Lacey.” Kelvin appeared beside her. “We need to get moving. We don’t want to risk still being on the next lake after dusk.”
“Five minutes, everyone. Then we need to get going.” Lacey called out so everyone could hear her.
Beside her, Jen tapped her phone off. “I can’t get anything. Must be a different provider.”
“Me neither.” Louisa’s face echoed disappointment. “I was hoping to send a message to my kids. I’ve never been away this long before.”
Cassie looked to Louisa, to her phone, and back again. “Do you want to use mine?”
“Really?” Louisa’s face lit up. “That would be great, thank you. I’ll be fast.”
“No rush.” Cassie shrugged as she stood up and picked up her rucksack.
Just the thought of turning on her phone and seeing what was there was exhausting. Everyone who mattered wasn’t expecting to hear from her for days yet. And she’d be stressed and distracted the second she saw the demands from clients.
But Cassie had a point about taking photos. Since Lacey had no plans to ever return, she should at least take some photos. Lakes and trees and sunsets would be exactly the kind of thing Anna would want to see when Lacey got out of here.
“Um, Lace.” Jen had settled her pack on her back and was looking at something over Lacey’s shoulder. “Do you see what I see?”
Lacey turned around and scanned the area. Kelvin and Richard both had their rucksacks on. Victor was bent over his, tightening a strap on the top. Small waves lapped against the shore, the sun sitting at an angle that said it was about three o’clock. The trees stood sentry around them, and there wasn’t another man-made object or group to be seen.
“What am I looking at?” Jen’s expression wasn’t one of concern, so she clearly hadn’t seen anything she thought was dangerous.
“Just give it a second. Wait for Victor to stand up.”
“Is this a trick? You want him to catch me staring at him when he looks up? The man has an ego the size of Everest. You know what he’ll think.”
Jen rolled her eyes. “Fine. You look away, and I’ll let you know when to look back.”
Lacey turned back to Louisa and Cassie. Cassie was slipping her phone back into her pocket. Louisa struggled to lift her pack. “Do you want some help?”
“That would be great.”
Lacey lifted and held the bag while Louisa slipped her arms through. “Tighten your straps a bit