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“I will indeed.” Thad crossed the kitchen to pick Chloe up and swing her around the room. “But not today. Some other time, I’ll take you and your mom fishing. That is, if your mom says it’s okay.”
Sammie turned to busy herself at the sink, a flush rising to her cheeks. “Sure. We’d like that.”
I caught Soren’s eye. He nodded ever so slightly in agreement. Sammie liked Thad. For whatever reason, she was holding back. Who could blame her, though? She had Chloe to think about.
“I don’t like the attorney.” Thad shoved his hands in his pockets. “She’s perfectly fine but not for me. Sammie’s right. I shouldn’t ask her out for a second date.”
“I had a feeling you’d come to that conclusion.” Soren put his coffee cup in the dishwasher.
He wasn’t the only one.
Around noon,Elliot and I spread a blanket out on the grass under a cottonwood tree. Temperatures had spiked into the low eighties, making it feel more like August than late May. Waters ran swift in this section of the river, bubbling over rocks near the edges but more violent in the middle where the roar of rapids reminded me of their strength. Flies and bees flew in circles and zigzags above the river, creating a buzz and hum that mingled with the ever-present sound of rushing water. Birds sang from the cottonwoods, aspens, birch, and pines that grew along the bank. Breezes fluttered the aspen and cottonwood leaves and whispered through the pines. Fish dwelled unseen in the rapids and undercurrents of the river, swimming up to the surface in the mornings and evenings to gobble a winged treat. Occasionally, a cutthroat trout jumped, making a splash while showing us his red mark just beneath his jaw.
These were the sounds and sights that had once been the rhythm of my boyhood. Being here transported me to another time. The brash ugliness of the human existence ceased here. Worries went dormant. The impossible seemed possible.
As boys, we’d fished and swum in this river without noticing the frigidity of the water. Now, it had to be August before I would dare venture into the icy river unless I wore my waders. We hadn’t swum in this particular spot, as it was not safe because of the rapids. There was a spot farther up where we’d spent many hot summer days.
I unfolded two portable chairs and encouraged Elliot to sit. The hike into this particular spot wasn’t strenuous, but it was a good five minutes back to the dusty parking area were I’d left my truck.
I adjusted my hat to shield my eyes from the sun and sat next to Elliot.
“You are of this place.” Elliot stretched her long, tanned legs out in front of her. She wore a blue cotton sundress and flat sandals. Straps of a bikini top were tied behind her neck.
“How so?”
“It’s hard to explain.” She placed her fingertips against my bare forearm for a few seconds, as if to gather her answer. “You seem comfortable here. Like a man who belongs to something bigger than himself.”
I brought her hand into my lap, stroking the soft skin above her knuckles. “It’s true. This land runs through my blood. For my brothers too. We’re all so different, but we all love this land.”
“I’m starting to understand now why you had to keep it.”
“That’s right.” I lifted my hat to run my fingers through hair made damp from the heat.
“I spent a lot of happy times here with my brothers and Pop.” I chuckled at the memory of teaching Pop the intricacies of fly-fishing. “Atticus and I schooled Pop on how to fish. He was a city boy when he came to us.”
“Your mother told me something about Italian loafers,” Elliot said, turning to gaze out over the water. “It’s not quite the same, but Alki Beach in West Seattle holds happy memories for me. Aunt Biddie and I spent almost every sunny weekend there. It doesn’t matter if you’re poor at the beach. The views have no fees. Nature is the great equalizer.”
“I never thought about that, but you’re right.”
We were quiet for a moment until I heard her stomach growl.
“You hungry?” I asked.
“Starved. But do you fish before lunch? I don’t know the rules.”
“There are no rules, but it’s true that fish don’t bite this time of day. Too hot. A fool like me never takes that into account. If I have the time and the weather cooperates, this is how I’d choose to spend an afternoon.”
“Before I came here, I had no idea what to expect,” Elliot said. “But nothing could have prepared me for the beauty of this place. But it’s in everything you do and say. Every dish you prepare, it all comes from here.”
Touched, I had to look away to hide the tears that pricked the backs of my eyelids. No one had ever said anything close to what she’d said. Was it possible she could understand me? Really see me as I was?
“What’s for lunch?” Elliot asked softly.
“Right, lunch.” I grabbed the picnic basket stuffed with food. I’d packed sandwiches, fruit, and chocolate oatmeal cookies for lunch, along with a six-pack of cold beer. First, I flipped the top off two beers and offered her one before putting the other in the cup holder on the side of my chair.
“This is a heck of a first date, Caspian Moon.” Elliot accepted a roast beef and cheddar sandwich from my outstretched hand.
“Roast beef okay?” I asked.
