know the area. If something happened, they could be stuck, far from help.
Gordonâs last checkup had gone well, but he wasnât a young man anymore. The thought chilled him. Once his father was gone, Evan would be the only one left. Feeling his gaze pulled as though by a strong magnet, Evan looked at young Jimmy. The only one left in his family.
Why had Spencer and his wife insisted on reopening that abandoned factory? Wainwright had told Evan that the newly refurbished machines ran on clean energy, apparently a fervent cause of Spencerâs. And, he intended to employ peoplewho had been jobless through no fault of their own. It was a noble cause. But the cost?
Bailey nudged his muzzle into Evanâs hand. Absently, he petted the goldenâs head. Next to the shore, Jimmy stood between Chloe and Gordon. The boy had taken a shine to Gordon. But then Jimmy hadnât really had a grandparent relationship before. His maternal grandfather had died when Jimmy was a toddler, that grandmother suffered from late-stage Alzheimerâs.
And, Evan wondered if the child had ever even met his paternal grandparents. Obviously, Spencerâs parents hadnât changed since Spencer was a child. Devoted to their archeological dig, they had tunnel vision when it came to anything else in life. He supposed they loved Spencer in their own way. But they had seen nothing wrong in letting him grow up virtually alone. When Evan was young, he had overheard his parents disparaging over why they had ever had a child since they didnât seem to want to be parents.
His gaze roved toward Chloe. He had expected her to be a typical city woman, squeamish and ill at ease. Instead, she eagerly baited Jimmyâs hook and now stood next to the hill country river as though sheâd done so a hundred times before. In the sunlight, her long hair gleamed like spun honey. And Chloeâs laughter was easy and often. Yet she still wore her mother-bear persona, keeping Jimmy under her watchful eye.
Only a week and a half before Thanksgiving, the mild hill country weather was holding true. The changing leaves proved autumn had arrived, but the bite of winter wasnât yet in the wind. It wouldnât be long though, bringing the holidays he now dreaded.
As Evan watched, his father sat down in his camp chair, something he usually didnât do until he had fished for several hours. Theyâd only been at the river about two hours.Although Gordonâs fishing rod still rested in the river, he wasnât casting it any longer.
Frowning, Evan studied his face. The niggling worry resurfaced. He walked casually over to Gordonâs side. âRiverâs running low. Probably wonât catch much today.â
Gordon nodded toward Jimmy. âNever know.â
Clearly, his father wanted Jimmy to have a good time and Evan knew better than to suggest they go home early. His father would dig his feet in and not budge. But if he helped Jimmy catch a fishâ¦
Sighing, Evan reached for the thermos, poured a hot cup of coffee and handed it to his father.
âThanks, son.â Gordonâs voice sounded weary.
There was a second thermos with hot cocoa for Jimmy, but the youngster was so absorbed in the new sport that Evan could tell he didnât care about refreshments at the moment. Manners drilled in by a determined mother couldnât be ignored. âChloe? Coffee?â
Chloe turned, her mouth wide with a smile, sunshine illuminating her face. âThanks, no.â Their gazes still connected, she hesitated for a moment before turning back to the river.
It was a terminally long moment, yet not nearly long enough.
Evan frowned, then shook his head. Trick of the light, he decided. Nothing more.
Yet he continued to watch as she gracefully arched her back as she prepared to cast her line into the river. It plopped into the water perfectly. She must have gone fly fishing with her father as well as ice fishing. It took
Gordonâs last checkup had gone well, but he wasnât a young man anymore. The thought chilled him. Once his father was gone, Evan would be the only one left. Feeling his gaze pulled as though by a strong magnet, Evan looked at young Jimmy. The only one left in his family.
Why had Spencer and his wife insisted on reopening that abandoned factory? Wainwright had told Evan that the newly refurbished machines ran on clean energy, apparently a fervent cause of Spencerâs. And, he intended to employ peoplewho had been jobless through no fault of their own. It was a noble cause. But the cost?
Bailey nudged his muzzle into Evanâs hand. Absently, he petted the goldenâs head. Next to the shore, Jimmy stood between Chloe and Gordon. The boy had taken a shine to Gordon. But then Jimmy hadnât really had a grandparent relationship before. His maternal grandfather had died when Jimmy was a toddler, that grandmother suffered from late-stage Alzheimerâs.
And, Evan wondered if the child had ever even met his paternal grandparents. Obviously, Spencerâs parents hadnât changed since Spencer was a child. Devoted to their archeological dig, they had tunnel vision when it came to anything else in life. He supposed they loved Spencer in their own way. But they had seen nothing wrong in letting him grow up virtually alone. When Evan was young, he had overheard his parents disparaging over why they had ever had a child since they didnât seem to want to be parents.
His gaze roved toward Chloe. He had expected her to be a typical city woman, squeamish and ill at ease. Instead, she eagerly baited Jimmyâs hook and now stood next to the hill country river as though sheâd done so a hundred times before. In the sunlight, her long hair gleamed like spun honey. And Chloeâs laughter was easy and often. Yet she still wore her mother-bear persona, keeping Jimmy under her watchful eye.
Only a week and a half before Thanksgiving, the mild hill country weather was holding true. The changing leaves proved autumn had arrived, but the bite of winter wasnât yet in the wind. It wouldnât be long though, bringing the holidays he now dreaded.
As Evan watched, his father sat down in his camp chair, something he usually didnât do until he had fished for several hours. Theyâd only been at the river about two hours.Although Gordonâs fishing rod still rested in the river, he wasnât casting it any longer.
Frowning, Evan studied his face. The niggling worry resurfaced. He walked casually over to Gordonâs side. âRiverâs running low. Probably wonât catch much today.â
Gordon nodded toward Jimmy. âNever know.â
Clearly, his father wanted Jimmy to have a good time and Evan knew better than to suggest they go home early. His father would dig his feet in and not budge. But if he helped Jimmy catch a fishâ¦
Sighing, Evan reached for the thermos, poured a hot cup of coffee and handed it to his father.
âThanks, son.â Gordonâs voice sounded weary.
There was a second thermos with hot cocoa for Jimmy, but the youngster was so absorbed in the new sport that Evan could tell he didnât care about refreshments at the moment. Manners drilled in by a determined mother couldnât be ignored. âChloe? Coffee?â
Chloe turned, her mouth wide with a smile, sunshine illuminating her face. âThanks, no.â Their gazes still connected, she hesitated for a moment before turning back to the river.
It was a terminally long moment, yet not nearly long enough.
Evan frowned, then shook his head. Trick of the light, he decided. Nothing more.
Yet he continued to watch as she gracefully arched her back as she prepared to cast her line into the river. It plopped into the water perfectly. She must have gone fly fishing with her father as well as ice fishing. It took
Similar Books
