Over lunch, she brought him up-to-date on Jonathan and Marilyn’s sons and daughters. Although they lived in different cities, while growing up, their sons—Justin, Dex and Clayton, who were also his godbrothers—had been role models for him. Okay, Clayton, maybe not so much since he’d been known as the womanizer in the group. Roman had always liked Justin’s easygoing approach to things and Dex’s serious side. Dex had a way of letting people know how far to push and if pushed too far that he would push back.
“How are you doing over there? You haven’t reeled in anything lately?” she said.
Victoria’s question made him glance over and smile. “I don’t see how you can talk when I’ve caught more than you so far.”
She rolled her eyes. “The key words are so far. Today is still young.”
Young? She had to be kidding. It was well past lunch and they’d been out here for close to eight hours. In another couple of hours, it would be time to head back to the pier.
“I meant to tell you earlier, that’s a nice fishing rod,” Roman said.
She smiled at his compliment. “Thanks. It belonged to my dad, but when he got a new one he gave this to me. He brought it to me when they came to visit a few months ago.”
“They come to visit you often?”
She shrugged. “Often enough. Like my brothers, they weren’t crazy about me moving away for a job when there are plenty of television stations in Texas. But then I heard the same thing when I left to attend college in Oklahoma—plenty of good schools in Texas. Thankfully, Aunt Marilyn came to my rescue and convinced them they’d been raising boys for so long and how different things were with girls.”
He chuckled. “Marilyn’s good at that. Forever being a peacemaker and diplomat. I think Justin got that from her.”
“I do, too.”
At that moment there was a tug on her fishing rod and he knew she’d caught something. Whatever was pulling was big. “What did you have on your hook as bait?”
She glanced at him while balancing her stance to hold tight to her pole. “Shrimp. A large one.”
He nodded. He’d had shrimp, worms and minnows, and knew she’d preferred the shrimp. It was obvious this wasn’t her first rodeo and he admired her skill as she stood firm and held tight, regardless of the pull on her fishing rod. But then, he couldn’t help noticing how she arched her back and balanced her hips, determined not to let her catch get away. Why, at this moment, did he think she looked indisputably sexy as hell? Unmistakably and unequivocally.
When she let out an expletive, he blinked. “Need help reeling it in?” he asked her, placing his own rod aside in case she needed assistance.
“I don’t know what I got, Roman, but it’s big. It probably made a meal of all those fish you threw back.”
“Whatever,” he said, moving toward her as she began playing the fish toward the boat. She hadn’t said she wanted his help, but he intended to give it to her. It was obvious whatever was on her line would be a challenge.
“I’ve never caught anything this size before,” she finally said. He heard the amazement in her voice.
“You’re doing a great job. You didn’t play him too long, so he won’t be dying from exhaustion.”
She glanced at him. “Hey, it better not die. This is going to be our dinner tomorrow.”
Our dinner... He liked that she included him in her dinner plans. He went to stand behind her. Not too close but close enough in case he needed to support her weight. She didn’t need it, although her backside did brush against his crotch a few times. She probably didn’t notice since all her concentration was on the fish...like his should have been.
“Easy,” he said as he leaned close to her ear. “Be patient. Keep your line tight. You’re doing a great job reeling him to the boat.”
“Thanks.”
“If you want, I’ll land it for you.” Moving from behind her, he went to the side of the boat. Leaning over the rail, he grabbed her fishing line and quickly yanked her catch out the water. The fish was a huge, feisty fellow, and using all his strength, Roman swung it onto the boat, making sure it stayed on the hook.
“And I did it!” Victoria said, jumping up and down with excitement. Roman couldn’t help but throw his head back and laugh when she began doing a happy dance around the boat. It did something to him to see her so happy, proud and carefree. It felt good seeing a woman who enjoyed fishing as much as he did and was proud of her catch.
“Here, Roman,” she said excitedly, her eyes twinkling with merriment as she handed her cell phone to him. I need you to take a picture of me and my fish. My brothers are going to be green with envy and Dad’s going to be so proud. This is the biggest fish I’ve ever caught.”
After helping her arrange the huge catch to be proudly displayed, he snapped the picture, definitely enjoying seeing her huge smile, which showed those dimples he loved seeing.
“I have to admit that this is the best-looking red snapper I’ve ever seen,” he said to Victoria as he put the fish on ice in the cooler.
“And I intend for it to be the best tasting. Of course, you’re invited to dinner tomorrow.”
He grinned and said, “Thanks.”
* * *
LATER THAT NIGHT, Victoria soaked her achy muscles in a hot bath. Although she enjoyed fishing, she had used muscles she hadn’t put to work in a long time. But she had gotten the catch of the day and what a prize it was.
What she appreciated about Roman was that he hadn’t been upset because she had caught it instead of him. She used to hate going fishing with her brothers. Just because she was a girl, they acted as if she had limitations. Roman hadn’t behaved that way at all. When he’d offered to help, she’d known it was to offer his assistance if she needed it, and not because he thought she couldn’t handle doing it herself. Corbin would have stepped in and tried taking over.
Sighing deeply, she dried herself off and quickly put on her nightgown. Deciding to have a cup of tea before bed, she went into the kitchen, opened the cabinet and found the canister her father had put there. It contained the Madaris tea. The special combination of herbs and spices was a secret that could only be shared between the men in the Madaris family, and only after they had reached their thirty-fifth birthday. The secrecy was due to one of her great-grand uncle’s ex-wives trying to sell the recipe for profit.
Moments later, the soothing aroma of the tea filled the room. She sat down at the kitchen table to take her first sip when her phone rang. A number of her relatives had called to congratulate her on her big catch after her father had texted around that photo she had sent him.