Chapter Nine
Aspen
I drag myself into the kitchen and make a beeline for the coffee pot. Lexie is already up and dressed which is not like her. She loves to sleep in.
“Couldn’t sleep, either?” I ask her, filling my mug to the brim.
“I slept great. Didn’t you?”
I sit down at the table with my steaming cup of coffee. “Grandma snored like a lumberjack.”
It’s only a half-lie. She did snore annoyingly loud last night, but it was Maddox not kissing me that kept me awake. I still haven’t figured out why, but maybe it’s for the best. We have no future together, no matter how much I like spending time with him. He lives miles away from me, and I don’t believe in long-distance relationships.
“Why are you up so early?” I ask my cousin.
Lexie shrugs. “Devon wants to go fishing. He says he needs some extra practice for the competition this weekend. He’s dead-set on winning.”
Ugh. If she’s going to talk about Devon this morning, I’m going to need an extra cup of coffee.
Lexie takes the seat across from me and shoots me a smile. “I’m sorry about bringing him here, Aspen. I didn’t know he was the podcaster dumper.”
“As long as you’re happy with him.” When she doesn’t reply, I ask, “Are you?”
She flashes me a lukewarm smile. “Devon’s been great.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Really? You don’t mind his attitude when it comes to me? I seriously don’t understand why he’s being so rude. I didn’t do anything wrong. He was the one who dumped me, not the other way around.”
“You’re right, it’s wrong, but he doesn’t know how to act around you. He’s not normally like this,” she says.
I don’t believe her one bit. I know my cousin. Whenever her lip twitches like it’s doing right now, she’s holding back.
“Are you sure? Lexie, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?”
She looks down at her hands, nervously twisting a ring on her finger. “It’s just… I don’t know. He’s been tense lately. He claims it’s because his job stresses him out, and I know it’s not an excuse, but…”
“You don’t deserve to be treated poorly, no matter the amount of stress he’s under,” I interject. “You deserve to be treated like a queen, nothing less. Did he do something to you?”
“No, it’s not like that,” she says. “Spending so much time with him these last few days has made me realize he has the depth of a kiddie pool during a drought. It pains me to say this, but the guy is boring and superficial.”
I can’t believe this. I mean, I can, because I don’t exactly feel warmly about Devon, but Lexie looked so happy with him when she arrived.
She lets out a sad laugh. “I know I brought this upon myself. I brought him with me, wanting to spend every waking second with him, and now I don’t know how to get away from him.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Are you telling me you want to break up with him?”
She leans in closer and whispers. “I’m not sure. Maybe it’s the environment that’s bothering him? When we’re in the city, he’s never like this. Perhaps I should give him another chance?”
I snort. “The sunny, relaxed vibes of Fog Harbor are getting on his nerves? Does he hate sipping cocktails and going sailing or eating lobster? And if so, then what? The whole family vacations here every year!
She sighs and slumps in her seat. “I know. That expression about fools rushing in is me to a T. I should’ve gotten to know him better before impulsively taking him on a vacation with me. Why am I like this? And more importantly, how do I get myself out of this mess?”
I grin at her. “You can always push him off the boat when we go sailing this afternoon. Let the fish deal with him.”
She puts a hand over her mouth as she laughs. “Oh, you’re evil.”
“It’s just a joke. I wouldn’t ever physically hurt him,” I say. “Anyway, I hate to cut our conversation short, but I have another fishing lesson this morning. We can talk more after I get back.”.
“Thanks, Aspen. I really appreciate it. When I realized Devon was your ex, I was afraid you’d hate me.”
“I could never hate you, Lexie. You’re family.”
I shoot her an encouraging smile before grabbing my bag and heading out the door. The morning fog over the lake is already lifting. It’s going to be another warm and sunny day, but that’s not why I’m walking with a skip in my step. I’m excited to see Maddox again, despite the nervous jitters rushing through me. He’s got this pull on me that I can’t put my finger on. Even though we didn’t kiss last night, I still find myself being pulled into his orbit without ever wanting to leave.
We’re going fishing at Clearwater Creek this morning, a spot not too far from our rental, so I told Maddox I’d see him and the others there. I’m glad I did, because I can definitely use a morning walk to gather my thoughts and breathe in the fresh, salty air.
By the time I arrive at the agreed-upon spot, Maddox is already setting up shop at the water’s edge, together with Stan.
“Morning, Rookie Ralph,” I greet the old guy as he takes his belongings out of the van.
“Good morning, Amateur Aspen.”
“Where are the others?” I ask, scanning the premises.
“Ethel’s making sure the coffee is piping hot to start the day off with a kick of caffeine. Maddox taught her how to make coffee over a campfire. Isn’t that something? And Stan’s over there trying to untangle his line while Gertrude is already in the bushes somewhere. Felt the call of nature right after spilling out of the van.”
“What about Harold?”
He grins. “Harold is hovering over Ethel, of course.” He leans in conspiratorially. “He has a crush on her. Says he’s going to ask her out after today’s lesson.”
I laugh. “Wow, he sure doesn’t waste any time making a move.”
“The guy’s in his seventies. He’s right about not waiting. The time to act is now, not later. I’m sure you’ll understand once you’re our age.” He puts his hands on his hips and looks at me expectantly. “What about you and our teacher, huh?”
“What about it?” I say, waving away his question as if it’s the most ridiculous thing ever.
He chuckles. “Come on, Aspen. It’s obvious you’ve got a thing for Maddox.”
I feel a blush creeping up my neck. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you do.” He nods knowingly. “You’ve been sneaking glances at him ever since arriving here. You did the same last time too. I might be old, but I’m not blind.”
I glance over at Maddox again, who’s patiently helping Stan untangle his fishing line. “He’s just a good teacher,” I protest weakly.
“Uh-huh. That’s what they all say.” Ralph winks at me. “Anyway, if Harold can muster the courage to ask Ethel out, you can muster the courage to ask Maddox to coffee after this.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I say, omitting the small detail about Maddox and I already having spent the evening together yesterday.
Then again, it wasn’t an official date, so there’s nothing to tell, right?
I grab the last bit of gear that’s standing next to the van and head to the water’s edge to join the others. Maddox glances my way and his face lights up with a dazzling grin when he sees me.
“Hey, you.”
“Hey, yourself,” I say, unable to wipe a huge smile off my face.
I quickly avert my eyes and see Ralph winking at me. Gah, now he definitely won’t stop teasing me about swooning over Maddox.
We all grab a fishing rod and gather around to listen to Maddox’s tips and tricks. Now that he’s about to talk to us, I can look at him unapologetically. After all, not looking his way while he’s teaching would be rude, right? He looks so good in his flannel shirt and his leather boots.
“Good to see everyone back for another lesson,” he starts, adjusting his own rod with a practiced hand. “Since you all know the basics by now, we’re going to work on some advanced techniques to up your fishing game.”
Harold nods enthusiastically. “Bring it on.”
Maddox grins. “Alright, let’s start with casting accuracy. It’s not just about getting your line in the water but placing it where the fish are actually biting.”
He demonstrates a smooth, controlled cast, aiming for a specific spot near a fallen log in the creek. Notice how I use a flick of the wrist to get precision,” he explains.
Gertrude frowns. “But how do we know where the fish are?”
“Well, you can look for signs like ripples in the water, birds diving, or even the way the surface breaks. Fish are creatures of habit, and once you understand their patterns, you’ll improve your chances of catching one.”
Ethel raises her hand. “What about bait presentation?”
Maddox nods. “Great question. I’m impressed you even know about that.”
Her cheeks color red. “Harold told me about it. He’s been reading those fishing books they have at the library.”
Stan and I exchange a knowing glance. He’s right about those two. They are totally smitten.
“Well, Ethel, sometimes the way you present the bait can make all the difference. Let me show you guys a trick with the bobber placement.”
I watch as he explains all of it and release a dreamy sigh. Is there anything he can’t do? When I catch Stan smirking at me, the coin finally drops. This isn’t some silly crush. This is not me hoping for a kiss from a holiday fling. Like Ethel and Harold, I’m totally, completely, irreversibly smitten.