“Look over there!” she said in a hushed voice. With the majesty of the Teton Mountains looming in the background, she pointed to a moose standing at the water’s edge, grazing on the opposite bank from where they stood.
Nick’s face immediately brightened. “Let’s move closer and try to get a good shot,” he said, already adjusting his camera settings.
They crept closer, taking care not to disturb the moose. Its fur was a deep brown, thick and shaggy, almost velvety to the touch. The animal’s ears twitched as it listened for any signs of danger.
Charlie Grace motioned, and they crouched low near a rock cropping a safe distance away.
She watched as Nick opened his camera case, pulled out a lens, and quickly fastened the piece of equipment in place. Charlie Grace lifted her own camera and pointed in the direction of the sight before them.
A sudden movement caught her eye. Her breath caught as a small figure stepped out of the tall marshes. As the figure drew closer, she realized it was a baby moose, only a few weeks old.
Nick saw it, too, and began clicking off shots in rapid succession. Charlie Grace did likewise.
The sight of the little creature was heartwarming, its small size and clumsiness a stark contrast to the imposing figure of its mother. The baby moose wobbled on unsteady legs, trying to keep up with its mother’s steady pace as the larger moose moved along the riverbed.
The click of her camera shutter and the whir of the autofocus worked together to create a sensory experience Charlie Grace hadn’t experienced in a very long time. She clicked off several shots and then adjusted the focus, the depth of field, and the shutter speed until everything was just right. She took several more shots.
Her heart pounded at the thrill of captured images, the moments in time frozen by her actions. Her hands shook with excitement as she aimed her Canon for an extreme close-up of the moose and its baby, marveling at the texture of their fur, the shine of their eyes, and the details of their fuzzy velvet-like ears, all while trying to capture the perfect composition. The moose and her baby seemed oblivious to their presence, which allowed her to zoom in close enough to catch every intricate detail.
She dropped her camera to review the images and felt a rush of accomplishment and pride, knowing she had just captured something extraordinary.
Suddenly, Charlie Grace could feel Nick’s eyes on her. Her heart skipped a beat. She tried to concentrate on her images, but she couldn’t help stealing a glance at him from time to time.
“What?” she finally said.
Nick’s face drew into a slow smile. “I couldn’t help but admire the way you see the world through your lens.”
Charlie Grace felt the heat of his steady gaze.
“Do you always blush so easily?” he teased.
Despite his playful words, the look in his eyes was filled with deep respect. She saw a softness there that made her feel seen and understood in a way she hadn’t before. It was as though he was seeing her for who she truly was—not as an ex-wife, a mother, a ranch worker who struggled to keep everything afloat—but as a woman filled with wants and the need for adventure.
It made her feel vulnerable but also exhilarated.
Despite her immediate reservations—and there were a lot of reasons she should run from these feelings—she couldn’t help but be drawn to him. How he looked at her with admiration and tenderness made her feel special.
She hadn’t felt special in a very long time.
Nick seemed to realize what she was thinking. “Look, I can’t go back without telling you how much I’ve enjoyed this. I hope we can do it again…very soon.”
She swallowed. “Yes, I’d like that.” A timid smile pulled at the corners of her lips. “I’d like that very much.”
22
The cookout was in full swing by the time Charlie Grace and Nick returned. “Wow, that’s quite a group,” Nick said. “And the food smells wonderful.”
Charlie Grace was startled to see more than the number of guests currently staying. Not that she minded. Teton Trails always had the welcome mat out.
“Yoo-hoo! Hello.” Nicola made her way in their direction, waving. She wore a western-styled snap shirt in a bright floral print and cowboy boots in a shade of turquoise. Her arm was looped with her husband’s as she pulled him along. “I hope you don’t mind. I called out to see if I could drop by, and your dad answered. He said you were hosting a big shindig tonight and invited us to join.”
The news surprised her. Her father didn’t think too highly of Nicola Cavendish, often referring to her as the “drama queen of Thunder Mountain.”
“Well, we’re glad you’re here,” Charlie Grace fibbed. Knowing exactly why the woman had barged into this event, she turned to her companion. “Have you met Nick Thatcher?”
A sly smile sprouted on Nicola’s face. “No, I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.” She extended her manicured hand. “Although we’ve heard a lot about you, Mr. Thatcher.”
“Oh?” Looking amused, his eyebrows lifted. “And what have you heard?”
