With no reason to stay in bed, I sat up and checked the time. The late night had me getting up later than usual, but I’d take it. It was a blast being out there with so many people who seemed so accepting.

It was just after eleven, which meant there was still plenty of time to go on a hike. I even had time to make a fire and cook something up if I wanted, though I was actually feeling fishing more than hunting down a rabbit or bringing raw meat with me. There was a long creek that I had stumbled on before, but I’d only had my phone camera with me, so I rummaged through the closet to grab the real one.

With the camera in tow, I grabbed my hiking bag and staged everything by the door. With a quick shower, a plate of eggs and toast, and a big, strong mug of coffee and I was ready to go.

I drove down to the entrance where I remembered exploring and finding the creek, parking a little way off so I kept the main spots open for anyone else that wanted to go there. I had a fishing rod broken down and tied to the bag and a tackle box in my hand as I started down the path, enjoying the afternoon sun.

I got down to the creek and put my stuff down, pulling out the camera and trying to find the spots I had taken pictures of with the phone before. I knew there were phones with cameras that were incredible, but nothing beat my old Canon on film. Digital pictures just lacked that extra depth. I crouched down and took a shot of an interesting flower and then moved on, looking back to where my bag was to orient myself.

A sound in the distance made me stop. Usually on trips like these, I was alone in the woods. For safety reasons, I kept a knife in my belt, but Ashford was known, as much as it could be known, as being exceptionally safe. If I was joined in the woods by anyone, it was more likely to be someone like Gerry than someone harmful.

But this sound was different. It wasn’t the normal hiker roaming through the woods, nor was it something sinister I needed to reach for my knife for. It was playful and excited. A child. A little kid, splashing in the water just ahead.

I walked around the large bush that separated me from that end of the creek and saw them a few dozen yards away. I couldn’t believe it. It was Wendy, sitting on a rock, seemingly sunbathing in a tank top and shorts while a little boy splashed and made noise beside her. He was digging in the shallow water while his mother watched him with a smile on her face and then pulling whatever he found out to show her.

I wasn’t a really big believer in signs, but if the Universe was going to put us both in the same place in the secluded woods by a creek that I’d found by stumbling into it, then I wasn’t going to argue. I raised my hand, and she seemed to notice me, pulling her sunglasses up to get a better look and then waving back tentatively. I waved them over, and she looked down at her boy, then back at me, holding up one finger.

I ducked back around the bush and walked over to where my bag was. When I heard them coming, I pulled out the stuff to make a fire and set it aside. Maybe I could make them lunch? Maybe I could show off in some way that would impress her?

What was I doing? No woman had ever had me so… flustered.

Her little boy came into view first, holding a branch aside for his mother. She ducked through and looked up to see me, a smile stretching across her face. I waved, and she waved back, pushing on her little boy’s back so he would walk ahead of her. He stopped almost immediately to pick up a rock and show it to her.

“Hey there,” I said.

“Hi,” she responded. “Fancy running into you out here.”

“I know, right?” I replied. “I stumbled onto this place not too long ago and wanted to come out and take some pictures and maybe do a little fishing.”

“Cool,” Wendy said. “I actually saw this place while I was working last week. Apparently, it’s on county land, so we can’t work it for several miles down that direction.” She pointed further down the creek into the woods. “But this place seemed so nice and quiet, I thought Olly would love it. Did you meet Olly at the bonfire?”

“Sort of. You had him with you when you talked to me.”

Tags: Natasha L. Black Romance
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