Chapter 202
DAMIEN’S POV
For a second, I thought about lying—but what was the point? She could probably see right through me anyway. I let out a sheepish laugh, raising my hands slightly in mock surrender.
“All right, you caught me. He might have given me a little… advice,” I admitted.
She rolled her eyes, but I noticed the corner of her mouth twitch, almost like she was fighting a smile. “Of course he did,” she said. “Julian’s practically the only one who remembers I like canoe rides. And since this is your first time, it all pieces together.”
She stepped closer to the canoe, glancing at me and then at the boat like she was weighing whether or not this was really worth it. “Well, since you dragged me all the way out here–and dragged the poor boat too–I guess I’ll teach you.”
I let out a quiet sigh of relief and grinned. “Deal.”
Carefully, I stepped into the canoe, gripping the sides to steady myself. The boat rocked gently under my weight, the water lapping against it in small ripples. For a moment, it felt like the lake was testing us–asking if we really belonged there.
Olivia stepped in next, her movements surprisingly practiced, and settled across from me. A few strands of her hair caught the breeze, brushing lightly against her face before she tucked them behind her ear. Even in this casual outfit–simple shorts and a crop top–she looked effortlessly striking, her expression calm yet guarded.
She picked up her paddle, the worn wood smooth under her hands. “First rule–don’t try to paddle too hard or you’ll just spin us in circles,” she said, demonstrating a steady, even stroke on one side of the canoe.
“Like this?” I asked, mimicking her motion. My first attempt splashed a little water between us, but the canoe started to move forward, gently rocking
from side to side.
She nodded, the edges of her lips softening into something that wasn’t quite a smile but wasn’t far from it either. “Better. Just keep it slow, Damien. It’s
not a race.”
The canoe pushed off the shallow bank and glided farther into the lake. Around us, the air felt fresher, cooler. Trees along the shoreline swayed gently, their leaves rustling in a calm, rhythmic sound. Even the ever–present hum of New York felt distant here, softened by the water.
“Okay, we’re not sinking, so that’s progress,” I joked, glancing around.
She let out a quiet laugh–barely more than an exhale–but it felt like a small victory. Then my gaze drifted back toward the shore, to the two men in black suits standing watch, their postures alert and eyes scanning the area.
“Was there any need to bring them along?” I asked. “I mean, it’s not like they’re going to paddle after us in another canoe.”
She didn’t immediately look at me, focusing instead on guiding the boat forward with another slow stroke. “I’d prefer to keep them close, even if they I can’t follow us out here,” she said. “Back in this city… You never know what could happen next.”
Her voice was calm, almost matter–of–fact, but there was something deeper beneath it–a weight she carried so naturally that I wondered if she even
noticed anymore.
She met my eyes for a moment, her paddle pausing mid–stroke. “Not anymore,” she said quietly. Then, as if catching herself, she turned her attention back to the water. “But today, let’s just keep going forward, okay?”
“Always make sure your paddle isn’t sideways,” she added, her voice calm but firm, like a teacher patiently guiding a distracted student. “That way it comes in contact with enough water to give the boat direction.”
I nodded, adjusting my grip on the paddle and turning the flat side fully into the water. To my surprise, it worked almost instantly–the canoe steadied itself, gliding forward more smoothly, Just like that, the jerky drifting from before softened into a gentle, almost graceful movement
“You see?” Olivia said, her lips curving into a small, satisfied smile. “It’s not as complicated as it looks. Just keep your strokes even.
I grinned back at her, trying not to look too smug about finally getting it right. “Noted. Left, then right… got it.”
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