“Hello, gorgeous,” I said to the fish as I caught it in my net. He stared at me with big wide eyes. I took out the hook and held it in my hands, admiring its silvery scales in the morning light. “Looks like we both got hooked this week. And looks like we’re both getting let go.”
I gave it a kiss on its head before putting it back in the water. I stayed knee deep in the river, letting the cold water rush around me.
It wasn’t long before I heard footsteps on the rocks behind me, heavy boots that I’d know anywhere. My heart did a stupid little skip, but I forced myself not to move.
“Nice cast.”
I didn’t turn around. “Thanks. I had a good teacher.”
The silence stretched between us, heavy with everything we weren’t saying. I could feel him watching me, could sense thetension radiating from his body even though he was still ten feet away.
“Ellie, we need to talk.”
“Do we?” I finally turned, fixing him with the kind of look I usually reserved for five-year-olds who’d been caught putting glue in someone’s hair. “Because I’m pretty sure you said everything you needed to say by sneaking out of my bed this morning.”
He flinched like I’d slapped him. “I didn’t sneak—”
“What would you call it then? Making a quiet, dignified exit? Sparing me the awkwardness of morning-after conversation?” I started breaking down my rod with practiced ease, my movements sharp and efficient. “Very considerate of you.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“It’s exactly what I think.” The rod came apart in my hands with a satisfying snap. “You got what you wanted, had your fun with the naive city girl, and now you’re ready to go back to your hermit life. Mission accomplished.”
“That’s not fair, and you know it.”
I did, but that didn’t stop me from being angry and lashing out. This was not the fairy tale ended I wanted for my story. I clenched my hands to my sides. “I know. But I wish. I wish I hadn’t let myself fall—”
I cut myself off before I could finish that sentence. Before I could give him that much power over me.
“Finish the sentence, Ellie.” His voice was quiet, dangerous.
“No.” I shouldered my gear bag. “Doesn’t matter now.”
“Like hell it doesn’t matter. Finish what you were going to say.” He caught my arm, his fingers gentle but firm. “Ellie, please. Just listen to me for one minute.”
I looked down at his hand on my arm, then back up to his face. His eyes were dark, conflicted, and for a moment I wavered.For a moment, I wanted to listen. Wanted to believe whatever explanation he was about to give me.
But I’d already given him everything. My body, my trust, my heart. I couldn’t give him the power to destroy me too.
“Let go,” I said quietly.
He did, immediately, his hand falling to his side. “At least stay until you catch a fish.”
“I caught it, kissed it, and let it go.” The metaphor hung in the air between us, and I saw the exact moment he understood what I was really saying.
His face went carefully blank.
“Look, Nate,” I said, proud of how steady my voice sounded. “I understand. Really. It was, um, nice, the time we had together.”
Nice. Like he was a pleasant dinner or a decent movie. Like he hadn’t turned my entire world upside down and shown me what it felt like to be truly alive.
I saw him flinch. Just a little, but I saw it.
“Nice,” he repeated. “That what it was?”
“Don’t worry. I’m not asking for anything. I get it. You’re not built for more.”
He stepped forward, jaw tight, like he was going to say something—do something—but I turned before he could.
