He slid his phone into his pocket. “Sorry. Didn't mean to make things less magical.”
She rolled her eyes and handed him his rod and waders.
Bran walked through the front door, though Crystal had told him he didn’t need to come until nine. The old man had always been an early riser, though, and was often waiting at the shop when she arrived.
“We’re on our way out,” she told Bran, and instantly regretted the impatience and frustration still lingering in her tone. “Thanks again for covering for me.”
Bran waved her thanks away and jerked his thumb toward Daniel. “He being good?”
Years’ worth of embarrassment threatened, ready to come rushing back if Bran brought back up the tired topic of whether or not it was appropriate for her to take men out on the water all by herself. Crystal did her best to forestall it. “Yeah, everything’s great. I just didn’t eat this morning, so I’m a Grumpy Gus. I’ll have a granola bar on the way.”
Bran turned his wrinkled face toward Daniel. “Don’t mess with her when she’s hungry.”
The corner of Daniel’s mouth twitched. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You keep in mind, too, that she knows how to take care of herself. If you try anything...” Bran stretched out his cane and hit the side of Daniel’s calf hard enough to make him stumble sideways, “she’ll knock you in.”
Crystal stifled a groan as Daniel looked back and forth between her and Bran, then said, “In the water?”
Bran cackled. “Better than a cold shower.”
Crystal turned and stomped toward her truck before her flaming cheeks could give Bran anything more to laugh about. It was one thing for him to tease her like this in private, but she couldn’t imagine what Daniel was thinking. He probably thought it was funny the old man would worry about a tomboy like her.
SURPRISINGLY, THE MORNING turned out to be a lot of fun. Though she watched Daniel for signs of soreness, he made no sign that his arms or back were bothering him, and he really seemed to be getting the hang of things. Crystal was soon able to lose herself in the flow of the water, the call of the birds in the trees above them, and the smell of fresh air heating up as the summer day wore on.
By the time they stopped for lunch, though, Daniel was wilting worse than a flower in a dry spell. “Here,” he said, handing her a parchment-paper package. “Lunch.” He opened his, and the familiar scent of turkey bistro sandwiches from the Mud St. Café made Crystal’s mouth water.
“I thought you said your chef was going to cook for us.”
“I came here on short notice. He’ll arrive tomorrow.”
“What brought you here?” Crystal leaned back on one hand, crossing her legs beneath her.
“Needed a break.”
“That's all?”
He shifted, but she couldn't tell if it was because he didn't like the conversation or because he'd sat on an uncomfortable river rock. “My doctor said I had to slow down a bit.”
Wait, he was here for medical reasons? She'd pushed him into the most tiring kind of fishing. Why hadn't he said anything?
It felt awkward to pry about the nature of his condition, but it would be nice to know if she was dealing with something that would make him keel over if she pushed him too hard.
She swallowed her food. “We should hit the lake tomorrow. Give you a taste of sitting in a boat.”
He looked at her sideways and only sounded half-kidding when he asked, “Have you been talking to my mother?”
No, but that let her know she'd made the right choice in suggesting it. “We can meet at the shop or down at the lake.”
“You mean walk out my backdoor?”
Of course he lived on the lake. “Do you have a boat?”
“Would I live on the lake and not?”
“Fine. Give me your address and I'll meet you at your place in the morning. Early morning and late evening are going to be your best times. Even at night, you just put on your boat lights and keep fishing. Some people swear by it. I've always liked watching the day wake up, myself.”
“So, morning tomorrow, night the next day?”
“Deal.”
The thought of being out after dark with him made her skin prickle just the tiniest bit. But he'd been a gentleman so far, and if needed, she could knock him in the lake as easily as in the river.
But she hoped she wouldn't have to. As much as he was impatient and condescending, he hadn't given up yet, and when his smile threatened to break out, he was really cute. Okay, he was gorgeous all the time, but if he'd just let that smile loose he'd really be a catch.
Catch and release, she reminded herself. She was nowhere near ready to be fishing for a keeper.
Chapter 7
The guard at the front gate of the Mountain Cove community gave Crystal’s truck the side-eye, but when her name apparently checked out on his list, he let her through. Then she just had to find the right driveway.
As she finally rolled up to the house, she sucked in a deep breath. “Well.”
She'd known Daniel was rich, but this? This was something else.
The drive curved elegantly in front of a massive stone building, complete with grand staircase and columns leading up to the door. There were arches everywhere, from the tops of the windows to the set of lights stretching over the front door. She did a quick count—five garage doors. Who needed five garage doors? Especially polished dark wooden ones that probably cost more than her whole shop.
Sweeping lawns and trimmed hedges looked like something out of a historical movie, and she'd be willing to bet there was a rose garden around here somewhere, in spite of how many bugs Arkansas had.
She pulled her truck over near the head-height stone wall on the side and parked. It was six o'clock in the morning; should she ring the bell? Did places like this have a bell?
Fortunately, she didn't have to decide. One half of the big, arched front door swung open, and Daniel emerged in a polo shirt and board shorts. “Welcome to The Kingfisher.” He swept a mock bow and gestured toward the door.
At least he could tell this place was over-the-top?
The front entrance had high, cut-crystal windows that set patterns of light dancing across the room. A sweeping staircase curved up, and the ceilings were at least twenty feet high, with black beams crossing the impeccable white finish. The floor, of course, was marble.
“Wow.” Good with words, wasn't she? But the single line was all she could manage, stunned as she was.
Daniel had come in behind her, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, it's supposed to have that effect, I think. I gave the architect carte blanche to design something ‘impressive and memorable.’ I didn't realize I'd end up with a manor house.”
Crystal wandered forward, past the enormous winding staircase, trying to take in all the details—the leather, overstuffed armchair, cream-colored chairs with a burnt-orange floral pattern, a stunning painting as tall as Crystal of a sepia-toned dancer. Giant picture windows looked out over the lake—but not just the lake.
“Check out that pool!” She hurried over to the window and peered out at the three-tiered pool deck with the equivalent of a lazy river winding from pool to pool. On the edge of the pool deck, a hot tub spilled off the far side, giving an unbroken view of the lake. She looked at Daniel over her shoulder. “You sure you want to go out on the lake? You pretty much have your own resort right here.”