out of this adventure? This cowboy?
Bottom line, she liked JD. She pressed the button down on the reel. Their night together had been beyond amazing. She had never had a man speak so freely about his dreams and aspirations. He wanted to increase the stock, maybe start breeding his own cattle and horses.
Cocking her arm, she pondered the idea of what he would look like in a suit and tie. Without a doubt she knew it would kill his spirit. He loved Montana, his ranch, and he hated New York or anything big-city.
She watched him sneak up behind Trevor and tackle him to the ground. Harrison and Chucky dropped their poles to dog pile atop JD. Their laughter was contagious. Hers bubbled up and spilled out. Stella wasn’t even aware that she had flicked her pole forward, releasing her thumb, until she saw the line soar high and at least ninety feet before her.
Eyes wide with amazement, she cried, “Ohmigod. I did it.” At the last minute she remembered to reel in the line, listening for the click.
JD and the boys stopped what they were doing and streams of approval came her way. Her chest squeezed with excitement. She had actually cast her line without making a total fool of herself. But her enthusiasm died when a firm tug almost pulled the rod out of her hands.
Her fingers tightened around the pole. “Help,” she squealed like a girl.
“You got one,” Harrison yelled. The boys flocked toward her like a gaggle of geese, each chattering and throwing out suggestions as she stood frozen, feet rooted to the ground. Her line zigzagged from one side to the next.
“Fish or reel your lines in,” JD ordered. The boys screeched to a halt and turned, running back to their poles. Chucky and Harrison reeled their lines in and joined JD on his way toward her.
The tension in her pole relaxed and she breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived when the line jerked once again. “What do I do?”
She thought she heard Clifford snort, while Harrison and Chucky yelled in unison, “Reel it in.”
When JD was beside her she pushed the pole toward him, but he held up his hands. “It’s yours, darlin’. Hold the rod with one hand and reel that fish in.”
“Reel?” She glanced down at the lever thingy and mentally shook her head. What an idiot. Heat flared across her cheeks. The tenderness in his eyes and his encouraging smile renewed her confidence.
I can do this.
Gripping the rod, she began turning the handle. The resistance was immediate, surprising her with the strength of the creature on the other end. The pole bowed lower and she feared it would break.
“It’s a big one,” Harrison yelled.
Her heart nearly stopped when a rainbow of color broke the water and leaped into the air. Her breath caught. The beautiful sight was something straight from the wildlife channel minus the symphonic arrangement. The animal gracefully soared through the air, twisting and turning, before diving. A splash three times its size was the result.
It was the coolest thing she had ever witnessed. A girlish giggle bubbled from her throat. “What now? What do I do now?”
The fish fought desperately, slapping the surface of the water before submerging and pulling the line tight. All the while she continued to crank the shaft.
“You’re doing great,” JD said encouragingly.
By the time the fish was up against the bank, Harrison reached out with a net and scooped it out of the water. She hadn’t known she was smiling until her cheeks began to ache. It was the most astonishing feeling of success.
She had caught her first fish.
JD watched with amusement. Stella widened her hands and swayed her body, reliving the excitement of capturing the fish. All grins and nods, the boys were captivated by her story, which was quickly becoming a fable. The size of the animal became larger and larger, even though the real proof of her catch now swam confined just below the crystal waters.
Yet it was the woman who held JD’s attention. Rays of
Bottom line, she liked JD. She pressed the button down on the reel. Their night together had been beyond amazing. She had never had a man speak so freely about his dreams and aspirations. He wanted to increase the stock, maybe start breeding his own cattle and horses.
Cocking her arm, she pondered the idea of what he would look like in a suit and tie. Without a doubt she knew it would kill his spirit. He loved Montana, his ranch, and he hated New York or anything big-city.
She watched him sneak up behind Trevor and tackle him to the ground. Harrison and Chucky dropped their poles to dog pile atop JD. Their laughter was contagious. Hers bubbled up and spilled out. Stella wasn’t even aware that she had flicked her pole forward, releasing her thumb, until she saw the line soar high and at least ninety feet before her.
Eyes wide with amazement, she cried, “Ohmigod. I did it.” At the last minute she remembered to reel in the line, listening for the click.
JD and the boys stopped what they were doing and streams of approval came her way. Her chest squeezed with excitement. She had actually cast her line without making a total fool of herself. But her enthusiasm died when a firm tug almost pulled the rod out of her hands.
Her fingers tightened around the pole. “Help,” she squealed like a girl.
“You got one,” Harrison yelled. The boys flocked toward her like a gaggle of geese, each chattering and throwing out suggestions as she stood frozen, feet rooted to the ground. Her line zigzagged from one side to the next.
“Fish or reel your lines in,” JD ordered. The boys screeched to a halt and turned, running back to their poles. Chucky and Harrison reeled their lines in and joined JD on his way toward her.
The tension in her pole relaxed and she breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived when the line jerked once again. “What do I do?”
She thought she heard Clifford snort, while Harrison and Chucky yelled in unison, “Reel it in.”
When JD was beside her she pushed the pole toward him, but he held up his hands. “It’s yours, darlin’. Hold the rod with one hand and reel that fish in.”
“Reel?” She glanced down at the lever thingy and mentally shook her head. What an idiot. Heat flared across her cheeks. The tenderness in his eyes and his encouraging smile renewed her confidence.
I can do this.
Gripping the rod, she began turning the handle. The resistance was immediate, surprising her with the strength of the creature on the other end. The pole bowed lower and she feared it would break.
“It’s a big one,” Harrison yelled.
Her heart nearly stopped when a rainbow of color broke the water and leaped into the air. Her breath caught. The beautiful sight was something straight from the wildlife channel minus the symphonic arrangement. The animal gracefully soared through the air, twisting and turning, before diving. A splash three times its size was the result.
It was the coolest thing she had ever witnessed. A girlish giggle bubbled from her throat. “What now? What do I do now?”
The fish fought desperately, slapping the surface of the water before submerging and pulling the line tight. All the while she continued to crank the shaft.
“You’re doing great,” JD said encouragingly.
By the time the fish was up against the bank, Harrison reached out with a net and scooped it out of the water. She hadn’t known she was smiling until her cheeks began to ache. It was the most astonishing feeling of success.
She had caught her first fish.
JD watched with amusement. Stella widened her hands and swayed her body, reliving the excitement of capturing the fish. All grins and nods, the boys were captivated by her story, which was quickly becoming a fable. The size of the animal became larger and larger, even though the real proof of her catch now swam confined just below the crystal waters.
Yet it was the woman who held JD’s attention. Rays of
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