“I got one,” she calls out, reeling in her line. Sure enough, a decent trout flaps around, caught in her hook. She beat me to it.
I shake my head and move closer to help her. Like a pro, she holds the fish and unhooks it. Before she can put it in a smaller cooler full of ice, it flaps wildly out of her hands and back in the river.
“Fuck,” she curses under her breath. I chuckle at her honest reaction and cock my head with a smirk.
“I thought you were a country girl,” I tease her. The honest truth is that she handled that like a seasoned fisherman.
She glares at me but says nothing, baiting her hook and casting it back into the river, damn well determined to catch another fish.
As we wait for more fish to bite, Sutton tells me about growing up in Mississippi and helping her dad on his small ranch. She was right when she said she’s a country girl.
“My parents and my brother and sister still live in Oxford,” she explains with a nostalgic smile. “It’s a great small town. Everton reminds me of it, minus the southern hospitality and a lot more cowboys here,” she giggles.
“We’re definitely the Cowboy State,” I agree.
“Oh, I got another one.” She narrows her eyes where her line is tight. This time I grab the net to help her keep the fish.
As she reels, I scoop the fish in the net and help her unhook it.
“Thanks,” she breathes out.
“Teamwork is the best way to do this.” I stare at her for a beat and then clear my throat, moving to put the fish on ice.
“You let me help you with the braids, so it’s only fair I accept your help.” A gorgeous smile grazes her lips, and I’m captivated by the light she shines. Possibilities swim between us as our eyes remain locked.
I’m breaking away from my comfort zone by spending time with her. I’m moving past the hurt so I can get to know her. I’m allowing my mind to imagine what it would be like to hold her.
Every time Sutton shoots that blinding smile at me, I’m more of a man and less of a loner father. I take notice in her the way I haven’t noticed a woman since I met Hadley. However, the pain still lingers, and the doubt presses against my chest.
Sutton breaks the spell first, looking out into the water. When I see the shy smile she wears when she thinks no one is watching, I know that I’ll make it a point to spend more time with this woman.
I’ve used excuses throughout the years to keep women at a distance, but she stirs something inside of me that has been dormant for a long time—need, want, hope.
I have to decide if I’m ready to keep those emotions growing inside of me, or if I’ll once again crush them with fear. With the way my heart rate spikes when I’m near her, I don’t think I really have a choice when making that decision.
Sutton
I throw my head back and laugh when Gavin almost slips on a rock as he tries to reel in the fish he caught. As soon as the trout is in the net, Gavin looks at me with a raised eyebrow and a tilt of his head.
“Something funny?” he asks as he steps off the rocks and toward the cooler to keep the fish fresh.
I bite down my smile and shake my head. I’m seeing a different side to Gavin today, one I knew had to exist. It’s only cementing my feelings for him more permanently.
“I don’t know. I believe I heard someone laughing.” Gavin grins crookedly.
“I’d never…” I place a hand on my chest and gasp.
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh now, but soon I’ll have caught more fish than you.”
I narrow my eyes, raising an eyebrow. “Game on, country boy.”
I reel in my line and make sure my bait is still hooked before stepping a little further into the river and casting my line. I focus on my task and ignore Gavin’s snickers coming from behind me. I feel a tug and begin to reel but lose the fish.
Darn it. Rule number one in fishing, be patient.
I let the line flow in the river and look around, amazed by nature here. When Gavin first parked the car, I couldn’t believe the way this river flowed in between such harsh-looking terrain. The mountains keep us secluded, interrupting the view of our surroundings and adding a peaceful quiet.
I glance at Gavin, now focused on the river, and smile to myself. After the mess of a morning I had, this has been the cure to my worries and stress. Being in nature, seeing more of the world than material things, allows me to realize that everything has a solution if we have patience and release the worry.
A tug on my line breaks up my thoughts, and I watch my rod, waiting for another bite. Sure enough, I feel another pull. I close my eyes and breathe, waiting for the fish to get caught in the hook. As soon as the rod bends, I reel it in. Before I say a word, Gavin is ready with the net.
I jump up and down, bragging about my catch when my foot slides on a rock below me. Unable to steady my feet, I land on my ass with a thud.
“Crap,” I call out.
“Are you okay?” Gavin’s wide eyes stare down at me.
“Yeah, yeah. The fish?” Heat prickles my neck and cheeks as his eyes scan my body. Could this be any more embarrassing? This is payback for laughing at him.
“It’s safe.” He holds up the net, and I sigh in relief.
“Here.” He leans down and offers his hand for me to take. Standing, I stretch my back and legs.
“Are
