“Only three pounds? It felt like fifteen,” I grumble, recalling how it felt so heavy pulling against me while I reeled.
He crouches down in front of me and flashes a grin. “Wanna bait your hook and do it again?”
I nod eagerly.
This time, baiting the hook goes a little smoother, as does the cast, and we spend the next hour sitting in his favorite spot, watching the water, and feeling the light breeze on our faces. It’s, without a doubt, one of the best days I’ve ever had.
And it all started with a fish.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
Cade
I never thought taking a woman fishing would be so damn fun. Sure, I’ve been fishing with women before, but not one-on-one like this and never enjoying it as much as I am. We’ve been sitting here for almost an hour and have caught three fish. Each time one is reeled in, I see the internal struggle in Oaklee’s eyes. Just when I think she’s about to agree to take the fish off the hook, she chickens out and backs away.
It's so fucking adorable.
“So, tell me about the military. I mean, you might not want to talk about it, and I’d totally respect that, but I was just curious about it. A few people I went to high school with went in after graduation, but no one I was close with.”
“I don’t mind,” I tell her, glancing down at my pole to make sure all is still. “I chose to enlist in the Marines, even though Collin had already settled on the Air Force. He knew he wanted to be in their firefighting program, which is the best in the world. I wasn’t as into that as he was and after talking to a recruiter, was drawn toward combat engineer.”
“What is that?” she asks, turning slightly in her seat to face me.
“Well, it’s a boots on the ground group who work ahead of the troops to clear the path. It can include moving obstacles, like cars or rubble, and even buildings.”
Her eyes widen. “You took down buildings?”
I nod. “At times, yes.”
“That’s kinda cool, actually.”
“It was a very interesting job, that’s for sure, and I enjoyed it. I was enlisted for six years. When I got back home and was trying to decide what I wanted to do with my life, I knew I was good with heavy equipment and machinery, so I checked into joining the union. I started as an apprentice and quickly moved through the program, landing at the company I still work for to this day.”
“I know I said this before but thank you for your service. I’m sure it wasn’t always fun and not always easy. It takes the right individuals to do what members of our armed services do on a daily basis.”
“What about you? You went to nursing school. What was that like?”
I notice her fidget a little, but she jumps right in to telling me about her past, so I’m not sure why the little uneasiness. “Well, I was living with my grandparents, working as much as I could as a server at a little restaurant a few miles from their place. I was able to get some scholarships to help cover the cost, but with their limited means, I was kind of on my own for college. So, I worked as much as I could, usually five or six nights a week, depending on when they needed me.”
“While you went to school during the day?”
She shrugs and nods in confirmation. “I knew it was temporary, so I did what I had to do to be able to pay for my education and help them as much as possible.”
“RN is two or four years?” I ask, wishing I knew more about the profession.
“I went through the four-year program. They do offer two-year RN degrees, but I…uh, felt the four-year option was best for my future.”
There it is again. The fidget. Something about this conversation makes her a little anxious.
“Anyway, right before the start of my third year, I was able to move into a little apartment with a friend. She was working full time, having just completed an associate’s degree in radiology and was working at the local hospital. She also knew Allison, who was in school with me, so we all hung out when we could, which for me, wasn’t that much. I still worked as much as possible at the restaurant. I basically went to school, worked, and ate and slept when I could.”
“I bet that was tough.”
She lifts her shoulders, as if it was no big deal. “Like I said, I knew it was temporary and was willing to put in the work.”
“Working toward the dream. I get it.”
