Page 83 of Her Brother's Billionaire Best Friend
“Laura. Think about it for a second. We can’t go back now. And if we go through the woods, we can find the path that stretches round the lake. If we get some cell reception I can call for help. Call someone, anyone who can pick us up.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“It’s our only way,” I tried to assure her. “Unless you want to try and cross the river in this. Heck, it’s probably flooded and flowing fast. No, if we go to the right and climb up the hill, we can head down towards the lake. Probably near where the boat dropped us off the other day.”
“This is crazy.”
“Or,” I added cheerily, “I can go, and you can stay here.”
Laura looked at me. Then, she looked at the road ahead.
“Fine.”
“Bet you’re glad you wore your sneakers today,” I quipped. But Laura didn’t even crack a smile.
*
Our shoes were covered in mud, and as we climbed the bank, we trailed twigs and soaked branches between our legs. Laura’s feet were almost sinking into the mud, and as we mounted the top of the gorge, I reached out to steady her. But she flinched as my hand reached towards her. “Don’t!” she said, batting away my hand.
“What’s the matter with you?” I barked. “You’re going to fall.”
Laura looked down and saw she’d been about to put her foot in the wrong place. “It’s fine,” she said, and carried on in front of me.
Was Laura afraid of me? As the booming thunder sounded up ahead, we dropped down. We were heading towards the lake now, and even if we didn’t find it right away, we’d have to come up against the river, which would take us there. But along the way, Laura said nothing as I explained all this to her.
“You’re shivering,” I said to her as the ground flattened and we came close to the river. I could hear its rushing noise up ahead.
“No kidding,” Laura said, her teeth chattering as she folded her arms around herself.
“Do you want my coat?” I’d gotten a waterproof out of the car before we left, but Laura had refused to take it.
“No,” she said. Over the thunder, it was difficult to hear her voice and I began to raise my own, out of frustration as we cleared the treeline.
“If you’re angry with me about something,” I said, “do you think maybe you could put it aside? We need to work together.”
“It’s just a bit of rain,” said Laura. “Stop being so dramatic.” We began to walk down the riverbank, trying to stay under the canopy where there might be some shelter. But keeping close to the trees meant treading on their slippery roots, and before long, I was having to step closer to Laura, catching her arm and worried about falling myself. As the riverbank grew narrower and narrower, we walked on, the sky flashing with lightning and the rain pelting us in heavier and heavier drops. Eventually, the path had narrowed so much we were holding onto slippery branches to keep our footing, as the river rushed below us, the water dark and roiling.
“This is too dangerous!” I called. “We need to go back into the forest. Find somewhere to shelter, or cut across—”
“Are you kidding?” said Laura. “I’m not staying here, Lucien.”
“We might not have a choice.”
Laura turned, and I could see that she was getting angry. “Stop telling me what to do. Stop making it out like I don’t have a choice!”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s your fault I’m out here,” said Laura. Then a look of appalling horror crossed her face, her skin made pale by the cold rain, her hair plastered to her shoulders. She gripped the branch she’d been using to corner the path. “Wait. Did you…did you make me leave?”
“Laura, we were stuck behind five feet of water back there!” I cried. “What are you talking about?” I stepped towards her. But as I moved, Laura flinched.
“Don’t touch me!” she said. “You stay away from me, okay?”
“You’re going to fall! Hang on!”
“Get—OFF—I—ugh!”
As Laura’s foot gave way, I felt time drag as she tumbled. Backwards she fell, arms outstretched, her arm kicking up mud as she tumbled from the bank, and with a splash, fell into the stream.