Carly reeled and reeled and reeled. Then, the fish made a run. Emma could hear the hiss of the line as it let back out, undoing all the progress Carly had made.
“Do you want someone else to take over?” Preston asked.
“I think so. My hands are sore.”
Preston grabbed the rod and handed it to Morgan. “Bring him in.”
Morgan reeled and reeled and reeled. It felt like it took forever, and then suddenly the fish jumped out of the water right behind the boat.
“It’s a nice rainbow,” Cap said as he leaped down from above.
She wasn’t sure his feet even hit the rungs of the ladder.
“Huh?” Emma asked.
“It’s a rainbow trout on the line. Good eating.”
How on earth could he tell what kind of fish it was when he’d only seen it for a second?
Cap grabbed the large net from its holder and moved to the back of the boat as Preston helped Morgan with the rod.
With ease, Cap scooped the fish out of the water and onto the deck, where the large fish flopped around. Effortlessly, Cap pulled the lure from the fish’s mouth and, in one swift movement, held the fish in the air with one hand supporting the lively fish under its belly and the other hand wrapped around the fish near its tail.
“Come here, Morgan. Hold your fish, and we’ll get a picture,” Cap said.
“I’m not touching that slimy thing,” Morgan replied as she stepped farther away from Cap.
Cap’s smile widened, showing his nice, straight, white teeth.
“Are you sure? Last chance before I put it in the live well.”
Morgan nodded. “Oh, I’m sure.”
Cap spun and put the fish in the live well at the back of the boat.
Preston reset the line, and they waited for another bite.
“Got another one!” Cap yelled as he yanked the rod from its holder.
He stepped toward her.
“Have you ever reeled in a fish before?” he asked.
“No,” Emma replied.
“Then this is your lucky day,” Cap said
He stepped around her, then moved the rod in front of her. His scent was citrusy with a hint of cedar. She remembered it well from when they were in the wheelhouse together. She couldn’t seem to get enough of it.
“Hold tight. I won’t let go until you tell me.”
She reached for the rod.
“Okay. I got it.”
When he let go, her arm lurched forward with the rod, and he grabbed it again.
“I wasn’t expecting it to pull so much.”
