“I know. It’s breathtaking, isn’t it?” She picked up a rock and turned it over, giving him a chance to take it all in, the way she had the first time she came here. She put it back and picked up another one.
“Whatcha’ doin’?” he asked when he saw her do it a third time.
“Looking to see what’s hatching.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Look at the sunlight on the water,” she said, speaking softly. “See the bugs on the surface? That’s typically what’s hatching beneath the rocks. When fish come to the surface to eat, our goal is to present a fly on the water in such a way that the fish will think it’s just another bug.”
She chose a small dry fly. “This is all we’ll need.”
Jace leaned in closer to her. He understood the reason she lowered her voice. Fishing was a quiet activity. If you got too loud, you scared the fish away.
He stepped back, and she cast the line. She did it so gracefully, she took his breath away. Her movements were…delicate, quiet, fluid. She gently laid the tiny fly on the surface, and it was immediately snapped up.
She brought the fish in as gracefully as she had cast the line. Bree was as breathtaking as the scenery surrounding her.
She held the fish gently in her hand, removing the fly from where it was caught. She looked over at him.
“I have a ritual. It’s a little, uh, embarrassing.”
“Go ahead,” he smiled.
“I talk to them.”
“What do you say?”
“Well…this is one of the bigger guys. So with him, I’ll just tell him I’m sorry, and send him back.”
“And if it was a little guy?”
“I usually tell them not to tell their mom what happened. And then I ask them to send their dad or their big brother back to me.”
If things were different between them, that would’ve made him kiss her again. As it was, Jace realized that he was going to have to leave soon, or he’d make the same mistake he had earlier. She wanted his friendship, his comfort—nothing more. Maybe she considered him more like a brother; he was her brother-in-law, after all.
They spent the next few hours in the same spot. Jace learned how to cast. He snagged his line, caught his fly on bushes, and caught about a third of the fish Bree did.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such an enjoyable day. He even forgot the ache in his leg for the most part. Every so often, he moved it the wrong way, but otherwise, he was so focused on fishing, and on Bree, he didn’t notice.
He sat down on a rock and watched her cast again. He’d be willing to bet she’d forgotten he was there. Ten minutes or more passed before she turned to look at him. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her.
“Bored?”
“’Bout as far from bored as it gets,” he answered.
“We should head back anyway.”
“Why should we do that?”
“Honestly? I’m exhausted,” she laughed. “Red doesn’t usually last this long when we go out. I’ve grown accustomed to him calling it a day long before I get tired.”
“I had a great time, Bree. Thanks for bringin’ me here.”
“It was my pleasure, Jace. And you’re welcome.”
They packed up their gear and trekked the mile back to where they left his truck. They stood next to the tailgate and watched an eagle circle above them.
“I should head home,” he said.