Bree had spent most of the past couple of months with Blythe, Tucker, and the baby. The camaraderie of being with her sister had been good for her in some ways, and not good in others.
“She’ll spend all her time out on that river,” she overheard her father say.
“She needs to, Mark,” her mother answered. “She knows what she’s doing.”
Her mother told him Bree needed this time to mourn the loss of her husband. Zack hadn’t been gone very long when Blythe was in a terrible car accident, one in which she’d almost lost her life. Shortly after, Blythe realized she was pregnant.
Instead of grieving her husband’s death, Bree took care of her sister. She let herself get caught up in the drama that swirled around Tucker and Jace Rice. Consequently, she hadn’t spent any time dealing with her own.
“Thanks for understanding, Mom,” Bree said as she hugged her mother on the curb at the airport drop-off.
“I do, baby. Otherwise, I’d be going with you.”
It wasn’t until the plane was in the air that Bree felt truly alone. It was a feeling she’d been craving. No one on this plane knew her. She doubted anyone at Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch, where she was headed, would remember her, and that was the way she wanted it.
Instead of staying in the main lodge, Bree booked one half of a two-sided cabin for the month of June. July and August were busier months, although the ranch manager had assured Bree she could stay longer if she decided she wanted to.
Bree’s parents needn’t have worried about her being off on her own too much, since her only option for meals at Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch was to join the other guests and ranch hands in the main dining hall.
“Mind if I join you?”
Bree looked up into the greenest eyes she’d seen since the last time she saw Jace Rice. “Of course,” she answered, moving her tray out of his way.
“Red Dugan’s the name.”
“I’m Bree, uh…Fox.”
“You sure ’bout that?” he chuckled.
“Yes, sorry.” Bree extended her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Dugan.”
“It’s Red, young lady. I heard a rumor somewhere that you’re heading out to do some fishing later this morning.”
“Not much later. In fact, I planned to leave in a few minutes.”
“If you can wait until I finish my oatmeal, Miss Fox, I’ll take you to one of my secret spots.”
“Please, call me Bree, and sure, that would be…nice.”
“You’re saying you can keep a secret, then, right?”
Bree rolled her eyes. “I think I’ll be able to.”
Red reminded her of someone’s sweet grandpa, and as much as she’d prefer to be on her own, tomorrow would be a good enough day to start her sabbatical.
Bree climbed in Red’s truck after he put her rod and other gear in the back.
“You sure I can trust ya, girl? Could always blindfold you on the drive over if you’re afraid you’ll tell.”
“I promise,” she crossed her heart, “that I will never divulge your super-secret fishing spots.”
“Good thing, since the only thing I could’ve blindfolded you with is this old bandanna that’s been in this truck since the day I bought it. We’re talkin’ twenty years or so.”
“Ew,” Bree cringed and looked out the passenger-side window.
Red didn’t speak again until he pulled off the main highway onto an unmarked dirt road.
“There’s been some talk about naming this old road Dugan’s Way, but I put the kibosh on that brilliant idea.”