“I like quiet,” I said instead.
“I used to think I did too. But I think maybe I was just scared of noise.”
I didn’t ask what she meant. Didn’t want to know what had made this woman—this vibrant, funny, determined woman—afraid of making noise.
The sun was now directly over head and I noticed the pink creeping across her nose.
“That’s enough for today.” I took the rod from her and started breaking it down.
“Already?” She looked disappointed. “I was just starting to get the hang of it.”
“Your nose is getting red,” I said, nodding toward her face. “Too much sun for your first day. You’ll burn like toast if we keep going.”
She touched her nose self-consciously. “I forgot sunscreen. Kindergarten teacher fail.”
“City girl fail,” I corrected, feeling another smile surfacing. “Come on, I’ll walk you back.”
We walked back toward the lodge in comfortable silence. She’d survived her first day of fishing without drowning, impaling anyone else, or giving up. That put her ahead of about half my clients.
As the lodge where she was staying came into view, she turned to me. “Thanks. I know I’m basically your worst student, but I really appreciate you not, like, abandoning me in the river.”
I shrugged. “You’ll get the hang of it.”
A beat of silence passed between us. Then—
“Same time tomorrow? I promise not to start without you.” Her voice was soft, hopeful as if afraid she’d scared me off. I felt something I didn’t want to name settle low in my gut.
I should’ve said no. Should’ve told her to ask for a different guide. Someone with a better attitude. Someone who might take up her unspoken offer of dinner.
That thought sent a surge of anger through me. “Yeah,” I said. “Tomorrow.”
She beamed.
And I knew then—clear as the cold river behind me—that this woman was going to ruin whatever peace I’d clawed together over the last few months.
CHAPTER THREE
Ellie
I showed up to the river the next morning armed with sunscreen, a baseball cap, and what I was generously calling confidence.
Really, it was more like caffeinated determination mixed with the kind of stubborn streak that had gotten me through four years of college and six years of teaching five-year-olds. But confidence sounded better.
And today, confidence was required. Because if I wanted to be brave and bold, and possibly hook up with the grumpy fisherman, I had to stop waiting for a sign and start casting lines. Flirty ones. Possibly even sexy ones if I didn’t trip over my own feet first. Not that I was deliberately setting out to seduce Nate—I honestly didn’t think I could be that brave and bold even with lessons—but I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines anymore either.
If I’ll I got out of this vacation was a little light flirting…
Nate was already there, rigging up the rods with the kind of easy efficiency that made it look like an art form. He glanced up when he heard my steps on the loose rock. I caught something that might have been relief flicker across his face. Had he been afraid I wouldn’t show? And was he glad that I had?
He looked like he belonged out here, all capable hands and mountain-man shoulders. I didn’t stand a chance. But dammit,I’d brought my best bra and my bravest attitude. Time to use both.
“You came back,” he said.
“Did you think I wouldn’t?”
He shrugged, but there was something softer in his expression today. “Lot of people would’ve called it quits after yesterday.”
“I’m not a lot of people.” I adjusted my hat and grinned at him. “Plus, I promised my grandfather I’d learn to fish, and the women in my family don’t break promises to dead relatives. It’s like, rule number one.”
