Free The Letter by Sandra Owens Page B

did, but why did it matter? It shouldn’t. His future plans did not include her. He laughed away his uneasiness and began his own bragging of the size of the fish he would catch.
    After spending time showing Jamie how to use the fishing rod, Michael turned him over to Obadiah’s capable supervision. The old man and boy left hand-in-hand to go further downstream to a secret place where Obadiah promised the biggest trout were.
    It took considerable effort, but Michael convinced Diana to give it a try. He stood behind her with his arms around her, being careful not to press against her back. With his hands covering hers, he showed her how to cast the rod. When he drew her arm up to throw, she backed against him and he grew hard, instantly responding to the feel of her soft bottom pressed against him.
    The devil.
    He took a quick step away and hoped he had done so before she realized what was happening. She didn’t give any sign of noticing and seemed to be intent on her task of casting the line. The trout fly hit the water very close to the spot he told her to aim for.
    “Well done,” he said.
    She looked at him over her shoulder and gave him her second true smile of the day. Another bounce of his heart. He might be willing to walk over hot coals to keep that smile on her face.
    The very devil.
    ****
    Well done, he had said. Warmth flowed through Diana. With each passing day, she grew more comfortable being with him. She even liked holding his hand. When his fingers clasped hers, she felt protected, something she desperately craved.
    Something tugged on the line and she almost let go of the rod. “Michael!”
    “I’m right here.”
    He talked her through reeling in the trout. When she managed to get it close enough, he scooped it up. With a big smile on his face, he held the net up so she could see her prize.
    “A magnificent catch, my lady.”
    “I was so surprised when he first took the line that I almost dropped the rod. I didn’t think I would catch anything.”
    He put the fish in the basket and then took the rod from her. “Well, you did and I predict he will be the biggest one caught today. Now that you have your dinner, let me see if I can put one on my plate.” He expertly cast the line into the stream.
    “Who taught you to fish?”
    “Obadiah. He took a confused and hurting little boy in hand and gave him other things to think about than the loss of his father.”
    She remembered then that his father had died when he was only five years of age. “You were fortunate to have him.”
    “I was.” His eyes focused on her, his gaze burning with intensity. “I was also fortunate to have you, and then I went and made the biggest mistake of my life.”
    She didn’t want to hear this, not now, wasn’t ready for it. It was a discussion she wanted to have with him, but she needed to be better prepared, needed to be stronger. She held out her hand to stop him. “Please, don’t.”
    “No, you’re right. This isn’t the time or place. My apologies.”
    He turned away, but not before she caught the sadness in his eyes. So he was sad. Why should she care?
    “I have one,” he exclaimed, reeling in the line. He held it up and studied it. “Not as large as yours so it is up to Jamie to best you.”
    She forced a smile, but the enjoyment of the afternoon had been lost, along with the feeling of peace that had been slowly growing for the last several days. He had told Jamie that he had been young and a fool. That, she could whole-heartedly agree with. He had also said he would regret for the rest of his life not having trusted her. Was that the reason for his appearance now? Was he trying to assuage his guilt by taking them into his care?
    “Mama, look!”
    Jamie ran to her and opened the basket he carried. Inside were three fish. Relieved to have her thoughts interrupted, she praised his catch.
    “Obadiah caught one and I caught the other two. Obadiah said I was a natural.”
    Diana picked up the basket and