"We haven't done this in a long time…"
Shawn ducked his head to avoid being brained by the boom, and then looked over at Jack, who was sprawled in the stern of their little sailboat, idly managing the sail and tiller while soaking up some sun.
"We wouldn't be able to do it now if not for the fact that River has all the kids…"
Jack smiled.
"He had to know that those boys were going to want to ski – and God knows I can't."
"You've tried?" Shawn asked, surprised.
Jack shook his head.
"Nah."
Shawn leaned back in the bow, enjoying the warmth of the day and the quiet time with Jack – which was so rare for the two of them. His casted foot was propped up on the side of the little boat, and he'd had quite a lecture from Doctor Fraiser before he and Jack had gone out about getting that cast wet. Enough of a lecture that he knew she meant it when she'd said it'd be a hassle to put a new one on if he ruined that one. Which made him try to be a little more careful.
"I'd like to try it some time."
"Don't break your leg next time, then."
"Hey!"
They both looked over and saw Sam and Janet Fraiser sailing close to them, Janet holding Jake – who was bundled in a life jacket (just in case, even though the day was calm) – and Sam managing the tiller and sails expertly.
"What?" Jack yelled back.
"Wanna play America Cup?" Sam asked. Shawn could see her smile even from the distance between them.
Jack snorted.
"You wouldn't have a chance."
Which of course was all it took for the gauntlet to be thrown, Shawn knew.
Sure enough, Sam's smile grew.
"Twice around the lagoon, Colonel," she challenged. "Losers sing a solo at campfire tonight."
Shawn frowned.
"Jack…"
"You're on, Major!"
Awww, man…
Shawn groaned, causing Jack to look over at him.
"What?"
"Do you really want to sing at campfire?" Shawn asked him.
"We're not going to lose, Shawn," Jack said, confidently.
"She always wins."
Sam was a much better sailor than Jack was, Shawn knew from experience. Even with the little boats at the camp.
"Then it must be our turn."
"It doesn't work like that, Jack."
"Sure it does."
Uh huh. Shawn knew better. He watched with resignation as Sam brought her little boat closer to theirs, close enough that Shawn could see the triumphant grin on both women's faces. Even Jake somehow looked smug – although it could have just been seasickness. Yeah, they were so not going to win.
"No cutting corners," Sam warned Jack.
He gave her an innocent look.
"Would I do that?"
Sam looked over at Shawn.
"Keep him honest, Shawn."
He smiled back – despite the fact that he was going to be singing in front of campfire tonight – even if Jack did manage to cheat – but before he could reply, Jack interrupted.
"Mark, set, go!"
And as if someone up there was listening, there was suddenly a gentle gust of wind that filled their sails. They were off.
OOOOOOOOO
"Now don't fall off."
Sammy shook his head, looking up at Ian, who was riding beside him.
"I won't."
To prove this, he tightened his grip on his reins and shifted in the saddle to get a more secure seat.
The little pony he was riding snorted slightly, unused to being off the string like she normally was, but willing to do whatever she was asked. Ian was watching closely from his perch on Laptop, but he didn't have anything to correct. Sammy knew how to ride – if he didn't, the wranglers never would have allowed him to ride point with Ian instead of in the string with the girls from Romania – and the pony was behaving perfectly.
"Good. I'm not sure I can drag my ass back up into my saddle if I have to stop and pick you up off the ground."
Sammy grinned.
"You cussed."
Ian scowled; he hadn't even realized it.
"Ass isn't really a swear word. It's another name for a donkey."
"I don't see a donkey in your saddle…" Sammy pointed out.
Ian's scowl deepened, but it only made the little boy smile.
"Just don't tell anyone."
"Okay. I can tell them we went riding though, right?"
Ian shrugged.
"They already know, but yeah, you can."
"How come they didn't want to come?"
When Ian had joined the others at the cabin after breakfast, he'd simply pulled Sammy aside and told him that there were a couple of extra spots in the riding group if he wanted to go riding with him. The boy had jumped at it, of course – especially since everyone else had been yelling about going skiing and riding in the ski boat.
"Because they like wedgies," Ian said.
"Huh?"
Ian looked down at Sammy.
"Have you ever tried skiing? Water skiing, I mean?"
He was pretty sure of that answer before he even asked. Sure enough, Sammy shook his head.
"If you wipe out, you do a belly flop that can be heard three states away. When you're getting up on the skis, the water pushes your shorts so far up your – well… you get a wedgie. A nasty one."
Sammy grinned again, and patted his pony's neck.
"This is better than that."
"Much. Although I do like the water. Just don't tell River I said that."
Sammy lost his smile.
"I don't."
"Don't what?" Ian asked, looking down at him. He had a feeling he knew, but figured he might as well ask.
"Like the water."
"Why not?"
Sammy shrugged, not looking at Ian, but watching the ground instead.
"I just don't."
Now it was Ian's turn to shrug.
"It's not for everyone. Just like riding isn't for everyone. Nothing wrong with that."
Sammy looked up at him, a surprised expression on his face – s if he'd expected Ian to give him a lecture about not being afraid of the water.
"Really?"
"Sure. River doesn't like to ride, does he?"
"No."
"You still like him, don't you?"
Sammy smiled.
"Yeah."
"There you go. You don't have to like everything the people around you like, you know?"
"Really?"
"Yup."
"And no one will care?"
Ian shrugged.
"Not if they're your friends. And if they're not, who gives a shit what they think?"
"You cussed again."
"I think there's something wrong with your ears…"
Sammy grinned, but by the slightly distracted look on his face, it was obvious that he was thinking about what Ian had said more than the naughty word he'd heard.