Page 50 of Forbidden Kisses
Grace blanched. “I can’t…I don’t know…”
“Relax. We’ll give you a hand,” Jack said, his gaze snagging on hers. He’d given her more than a hand last night. By the way her cheeks filled with a rosy pink color, he could tell she remembered.
“Just enjoy the ride until we get to deeper water. This is going to be one of the best days of your life,” Noah told her.
Jack laughed. “The day we caught a big one may have been the best day of our lives, but Grace doesn’t have fishing in her blood.”
Noah winked at Grace, which only annoyed Jack a little bit. “Trust me, sis. Best day ever.”
—
There was a loud clicking noise from one of the metal rods lined up along the stern of the boat. Everyone on board theSummerlystood at attention.
“We got one!” Jack yelled, high-fiving his brothers.
Grace stood back and watched them for a moment, intrigued by the boyish nature they’d suddenly taken on. They were like little kids at Christmas, with Jack being the biggest one. He loved fishing. It was so obvious. How could he give this up?
Noah grabbed Grace’s arm and pulled her over to one of the fishing rods. “This is all you, sis. Your big moment.”
“Oh, okay.” A little excitement sparked inside her as well, although she wasn’t about to start jumping up and down. Jack slid in beside her and that little spark turned to a wildfire.
“Here. I’ll guide you,” he said, leaning in to her ear to speak over the low roar of the wind that tangled with her hair.
The brothers moved to the edge of the boat, with a gaff and net in hand.
How barbaric, she thought, knowing that people had been doing this for ages. This was a means for food. It had been a way of survival back in the day when there were no Walmarts or Harris Teeters to supply them.
Jack’s hand guided hers as they reeled in the line together and then gave the fish some slack so it wouldn’t break free. The fish on the line resisted until it grew tired, and then they reeled again, repeating the process for nearly an hour until the fish was suspended out of the water.
“Score!” Sam said triumphantly.
“You got it?” Jack asked, that same excitement evident in his voice.
The men, including Pete at the helm, cheered.
Grace laughed out loud, getting a rush as well.
It took all three brothers to get the yellowfin tuna on the boat’s floor. Its skin glistened against the sun, silver and blue, and absolutely breathtaking. The yellow diamonds were like work from an artist’s hands.
“She’s beautiful,” Grace said, bending low and sliding her hand over the fish’s belly.
“It’s a great feeling, huh?” Jack squatted down beside her.
With him so near, a new feeling rode up in her chest. A better feeling. She wanted to turn and kiss him, celebrate the moment. Instead, she turned and smiled. “Yeah. I didn’t expect it to feel so…” She shook her head, unable to find the right words.Goodwas too cheap a word for this moment.
“It’s indescribable, isn’t it?”
She nodded. “Now I know why you guys rushed out every weekend when I lived with you. I wanted to sleep in and you guys wanted to fish.”
Jack nodded, his gaze lowering for a moment.
She guessed he was thinking about the cruel twist of life that had stolen this joy from him. Grace reached out and touched his arm. Jack met her gaze and held it, a million indescribable words between them for this moment, too.
“All right, Grace,” Noah said, walking up.
Grace snatched her hand back, seeing the muscles along Jack’s jaw tighten as she did.
“Now to show you what happensafterwe catch the big one.”
