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“I hope you know that protein bar I ate this morning isn’t going to last me until lunch!”
I smiled. “I do have some snacks we can bring out with us.”
She folded her arms over her chest. “The moment I get cold, we’re leaving.”
“Fair enough.”
“Fine. Let’s go fishing.”
“I promise you it’ll be fun, Harlee.”
She harrumphed and stomped her foot like a little girl not getting her way.
I tried not to smile. “If you really want to go back home, I’ll take you.”
I could feel her turn and look at me. “You’d do that?”
Keeping my eyes on hers, I replied, “If that’s what you want, yes.”
She remained silent for a few moments before she said, “I don’t want to go back home.”
Smiling, I winked. “Good. I’m glad. Will you still be using your vibrator, though?”
“Ugh! Braxton!”
My heart was soaring as I watched Harlee walk from the fish shed to the cabin. She was a natural when it came to fly fishing. I would never admit it to her, but she was better than Thomas. Or even Nick. She had picked it up like she’d been fly fishing her whole life.
Once we got into the cabin, I shed my fishing garb and started to make a fire. Harlee opted to use the bathroom to get undressed.
After a minute or two, the door clicked open, and I looked up to see her standing there in sweats.
“Warmer now?” I asked.
She nodded, then made her way to the kitchen area. “Much. Coffee?”
“Please. The hotter the better.” Luckily, Nick wasn’t so much of a Neanderthal that he didn’t have some modern appliances, like a Keurig. After our morning fish, we’d gone into town to eat and pick up some food. At the top of the list was coffee.
I arranged the wood I’d brought in from the shed, neatly stacking it next to the fireplace. I’d made sure to haul plenty of extra so the fire wouldn’t go out.
“Is that our only source of heat?” she asked. “The fireplace?”
“Yep. Don’t worry, I’ll keep it going all night, and there are extra quilts in the closet.”
“I take it Nick doesn’t come up here much in the winter?”
I chuckled. “I think I use this place more than he does, no matter what time of year it is.”
Harlee turned and handed me a cup of coffee. “You really enjoy fishing in the winter? I mean, you didn’t do this simply to torture me?”
Giving her a questioning glance, I asked, “Did you not enjoy yourself?”
She grinned like a kid who’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “I had a blast. I honestly can’t wait to do it again tomorrow. How is it in warmer weather?”
“Not as peaceful.”
She chewed on her lower lip. “It was definitely peaceful with only the two of us out there. And so beautiful. I wish I’d brought my camera. It’s funny how we live here our whole lives and take the beauty surrounding us for granted.”
“Speak for yourself. I never take it for granted.”
She got her cup of coffee and walked over to the large chair to curl up in it. “You really love what you do, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I really do,” I said with a nod. “I know my parents were disappointed when I didn’t show an interest in the restaurant—really, when none of us kids did. But they’ve always been supportive. They really encouraged me to follow my dreams.”
“Was is scary for you to take such a leap? You were so young when you bought your first boat.”
I chuckled. “I was scared to death I would fail. The last thing I wanted to do was go back to my parents and say I couldn’t make it. I’m glad I never had to.”
She smiled. “I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but I do hope you realize I’m proud of you and your success with the fishing charter, Brax.”
It felt like someone reached into my chest and gave my heart a tug. “Thank you, Harlee. That means a lot to me.”
She took a sip of her coffee as she looked everywhere except at me. Finally, she asked, “Did you want to make any of the fish we caught for dinner?”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to donate it to a local family I know is having a hard time right now. I already put it on ice.”
Something moved across her face before she replied, “I don’t mind at all. How about BLTs then?”
“That sounds good. I make a kick-ass aioli. I made sure to get the ingredients when you mentioned BLTs in the store.”
Harlee stood. “Okay, you get busy with that, and I’ll get the bacon going.”
We fell into a smooth routine of making dinner together. Every now and then I stole a glance at her, and I couldn’t help but imagine spending every night like this. Harlee and me in the kitchen, talking about our day, and laughing as if we didn’t have a rocky past between us. I quickly found myself wishing the night wouldn’t end.
