Instructions for Love

by June Shaw

  Erin fixed her plate while he strode back toward the storage room. She swallowed a sip of coffee and asked, “How did you know I was up?”

  “Saw you through the dining room window.”

  She smiled, eating while he accomplished whatever he had to do in other rooms. She liked knowing that while he’d been outside in the dark, he had watched her in here walking through lighted rooms.

  He returned carrying fishing lines. “You almost ready?”

  She hopped up and saluted. “Ready, captain.”

  He gave her the cutest smile.

  Scrunching herself up, Erin leaned forward in the passenger seat of the truck cab while he backed the boat trailer hooked behind them into the water. Fear rose inside her that their whole ensemble would slide back. She kept feeling like they were submerging. Soon the murky water would take the truck, cab, and all.

  “There we go.” Dane threw the gears in park but didn’t turn off the motor. “Ready to get out? You won’t catch your fish in here.”

  Erin glanced out. They were still at an angle, the rear of the truck slanted to the water. They had ridden straight back through the cane field, quickly this time, and reached this water at its rear. Long grasses and lots of shrubs filled the surrounding area. At least dawn had brightened the sky a little, enough for her to see what was out there.

  Gingerly, she opened her door. She stepped down, noticing he did the same. Her gaze skimmed weeds before she walked. “A snake might be hiding in that underbrush.”

  “Right. So you’d better hurry and get in the boat.”

  Her feet barely touched the ground while she dashed for it.

  Dane stood, pulling a rope that attached his small aluminum boat to the trailer, and made the boat come to the water’s edge. She stepped inside.

  He laughed. “It’s a good thing you can move so fast. All of those snakes might’ve gotten you out here.”

  She didn’t like his snide grin or his comment. She also didn’t feel too safe out in the water either, with him still out there on dry land. She shoved her hands on her hips and stood ramrod stiff. “I’ll have you know I’m not usually a scardy-cat female. But I don’t like snakes.” She let her gaze take in the bank, making sure none showed up around his feet. “And I was glad to see you could drive that truck faster than you did yesterday. Traveling fifteen miles an hour wouldn’t make anyone call you Speedy.”

  “Ha,” he responded before climbing in the truck. He slammed his door and drove away with the truck and trailer.

  Erin peered around in the water. Greenish-brown, it lay calm, with what appeared to be green algae topping its sides, overgrown with bushes. At least there weren’t waves to shake the tiny craft she stood in, its metal bottom uneven with ridges. The opposite bank was close. Good. This canal, as he’d called it, was narrow. If she fell out of the boat, she might maneuver a few strokes to reach land. Where was Dane?

  With great relief, she spied him walking to the bank. He untied a rope he’d secured to a bush and stepped into the craft beside her.

  “I forgot to ask,” he said. “Can you swim?”

  She cocked up her chin, speaking more certain than she felt. “I can take care of myself.”

  “Good. `Cause when we get in the lake, it’ll be deep.” He sat on the slender metal strip that ran across the rear of the boat, while the concept of deep water reached Erin and sank in.

  “Don’t you have lifejackets, just in case?”

  He grinned. “Do you see any?” He turned to the handle sticking out on his left from the motor behind, flipped some switches, and pulled on a rope attached to the motor that read 10 HP.

  Erin blessed the heavens for sending her into a boat that couldn’t travel fast. At least she shouldn’t fall out.

  Moments later, her heart went out to him. Dane pulled and pulled on the rope. Nothing happened. “This thing hasn’t been used in a while,” he said, face flushing as he yanked harder.

  The man could probably afford only this small thing. Its interior held little but looked filled. Another metal seat crossed its center, and the fishing lines lay to one side on the floor. A thermos bottle, water cooler, ice chest, and square plastic box took up most other spaces.

  No sign of a life jacket.

  “You might want to sit,” Dane called, right before the motor roared to life and the boat jerked backwards.

  Erin swayed. “You might want to warn people,” she yelled.

  “Sorry,” he said, but his eyes smiled. “I forgot you wouldn’t know if a boat was coming or going.”

  She tried to give him a harsh stare as she lowered her center of gravity, struggling to keep balance while sitting on the center seat. She had to raise her voice. “No, my home isn’t surrounded by swamps and bayous and the Gulf of Mexico.”

  The motor’s roar changed into a quieter hum as he steered the boat, not responding.

  She turned to look ahead. A cool breeze fanned her face while they slid through the water. A few birds flew off from the scrub bushes and trees scattered on both sides. After a few minutes, she thought the ride wasn’t too bad after all and felt brave enough to let go of the metal seat she’d been clasping on both sides of her hips.

  Only the consideration of her first phone conversation last night spoiled her mood. Trevor had been furious when he learned she was sleeping in the plantation home with a man. What would he say if he knew that today she shared this tiny boat with him? She’d told Travis that as always, she was doing nothing wrong. Of course she hadn’t mentioned how handsome Dane was and how much fun he could be when he let his guard down. But her boss should not complain about her wanting a few days off for whatever reason. He was her boss, for goodness sake. And yes, she’d been noticing he seemed to want something more from their relationship.

  Erin frowned. She shouldn’t be thinking about the rugged man sitting behind her and steering this boat. All her life she’d been determined to hold onto what she had, not tossing away relationships that should have meant more, like both of her parents had done. Why couldn’t Travis understand that she needed to stay and fulfill her aunt’s wish for this day? She needed to catch a fish.

  “Nice sunrise,” Dane called out, and without glancing back at him, she nodded. The slim orange-red bands stretching across the lower sky crept up and spread into the countless trees to create a picturesque scene.

  Maybe catching that fish would even be fun. It seemed so to the men Erin had occasionally seen on television, although their fishing looked like hard work. Those men used yachts in deep water and hooked tremendous fighting fish.

  She glanced down. Her legs were not extra long, but she spread her right foot out and touched the boat’s side. Her left foot reached the opposite one. She glanced over her shoulder.

  Dane appeared relaxed with his face up to meet the wind. His lips pulled back, not quite in a smile but in a pleased manner. His shirt pressed against his muscular chest and shoulders. His glance at their surroundings gave the impression that he was getting reacquainted with a good friend.

  He looked at her. “You’re doing okay?”

  Erin nodded. She raised her voice above the motor’s whine. “This isn’t still part of the plantation, is it?”

  He slowed their craft and turned into an adjourning waterway. “The property just ended. Now we’re running along the swamps.”

  Swamps. She’d heard of them and seen photos in magazines. She turned her head, scanning the area that emitted a distinct smell, musky with a slight tang. Moss-draped trees grew everywhere, but many of these trees stood in water surrounded by stumps. Some trees were black with bare branches, possibly stuck by lightning. Or maybe old age. Beyond them grew others too thick to see through. Up ahead, a white crane on a stump leaned its beak into the water. As their boat neared, it bent spindly legs and flew off.

  Erin laughed. More white birds took flight from hidden berths. “How lovely,” she said, glancing back at Dane.

  He wore a genuine smile and nodded.

&
nbsp; She wished more than anything at this moment, that he would inherit the plantation. Her aunt’s brother didn’t deserve it from the way he had turned his back on Tilly. And Erin wouldn’t want it, especially with no knowledge of how to run such an estate. Of course she disliked wealth. Just marry a man with money and you’ll be fine, her mother had said too many times.

  Erin faced forward, shaking her head to get rid of her mother’s words. She had led by example, but that was one parental example Erin refused to follow.

  Dane swerved the boat to miss hitting a floating log. “Sorry. You’re still okay?”

  She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a thumb’s up. He deserved to have wealth. The youthful man wearing a fishing cap happily steered his small craft, but he would look terrific in a much larger boat.

  “We’re coming up to the lake,” he said. “You’re sure you don’t want a life jacket? I have some in the bow.” He pointed to the front of their craft.

  She spied the tiny closed door, anxiety growing in her chest. She peered back at him. “You can swim, can’t you?” she asked hopefully.

  He laughed, touched his chest and gave her a grin that made him look more like a kid. “Senior lifesaver here. We’re ready to go under when you are.”

  She couldn’t help but smile. “I’m not ready to go under. But if you can grab my hand if I do, I’m good.”

  “I can grab your hand.”

  His brief statement gave her more courage for the murky water they moved through.

  They entered a much wider body of water. Their presence made scores of dark birds fly up, a lovely sight and pleasant sound of fluttering of wings.

  “Okay, we’re here.” Dane turned off the motor. “Let’s get `em.”

  Erin peered at water stretching far on either side. Flat green circular plants topped much of it, attractive purple flowers on them. “What are those?”

  “Water lilies.” He took a few steps and bent down for the fishing lines. “I’ll get you ready.”

  His movements made the boat sway. Erin grabbed the seat to hold on. Feeling their motion settle, she scanned the lilies and the water. “There aren’t any alligators out here, are there?”

  “We just passed a couple.”

  She jumped up from her seat. The boat rocked as she scrambled to Dane, grabbing his arm.

  He chuckled. “You’ll dump us over if you move so fast in here.”

  She eyed the water. Erin stared at anything protruding from it. Holding onto his firm bicep, she assured herself she saw only sticks and more plants. “You were kidding about alligators, right?”

  He didn’t reply.

  She found him staring at her hands clasping his arm. Erin let go of it.

  His gaze ran up to her eyes. “No, not kidding.”

  Her hands went for his arm again, but instinct told her not to grab him. She peered at the boat’s short side, envisioning a mammoth alligator with large numbers of huge sharp teeth climbing over it.

  Using her quietest voice and without moving so the boat wouldn’t tilt, she spoke. “Take me out of here.” She made her eyes plead with him.

  Dane chuckled. “Our gators are friendly. They won’t attack you.” He obviously noticed her frightened stare and added, “I promise.”

  She watched the water while he bent again.

  “Besides,” he said, standing, “you wouldn’t even give them a good bite.”

  He grinned, but she did not. “I’m not that small.”

  His eyes skimmed her figure, admiration filling them. “Okay, maybe a bite and a half.”

  She slowly sat and then used her firmest tone. “I’m not comfortable being with a bunch of creatures that eat people.”

  “You’ve never heard that an alligator attacked anyone here, did you?”

  She thought a moment. “No.”

  “Well then, here’s your line. I’ll cast it for you.” From the fishing pole, he loosened a tiny hook surrounded by yellow fringes with a small cork above it. He threw out the line as though he’d been doing that action all his life. He handed her the pole, his honey-colored eyes sparkling. “Just don’t get between a mamma gator and her baby.”

  Erin clasped the pole, her eyes swiveling toward the water. She looked for a large alligator on one side, searching around the lilies on the opposite side for signs of a baby.

  “How small is a baby?” she asked.

  “You’ll never catch your fish like that,” he said. Retrieving a pole from the floor for himself, Dane threw a distance from where he’d cast for her. “You need to watch your cork.”

  She peered around and after a long search, spotted her cork settled in the middle of water lilies. “Is this lake full of them?”

  He gave his pole jerking motions. “I don’t guess you mean fish. But no, all the water surrounding us is not filled with flesh-eating creatures.”

  She used her nicest tone. “Couldn’t we catch a fish somewhere else?”

  “We could go in bayous or canals, but they might have a couple of gators, too, if that’s what worries you. It’s summertime, and the gators are hungry.” He glanced at her. “But not for you.”

  She gave him a smirk that let him know he hadn’t reassured her.

  “Or we could fish from a bank anywhere or go out into the gulf. But then we’d need to use a much bigger boat.”

  A bigger boat. Surely he’d like to own one. Erin attempted a smile but knew she’d only made a weak one. “This place is fine.”

  “Are you sure? We could try someplace else.”

  She fought to stop her inner quiver from showing. “This lake is good.”

  He made a slow smile and then nodded toward her pole. “Once in a while, pop your line. The motion attracts fish.” He demonstrated with his pole. She jerked on her pole, imitating his moves. Dane watched his cork, and she watched hers. She popped her line.

  The sun had risen. Its rays glittered across the water. Erin put on her sunglasses, eyed her cork and jerked her line. All she needed to do was sit in this boat. But sitting still for as long as it seemed she would have to do to catch a fish was a penance. If she’d ever have had to sit across a screen from a priest for confessions like she’d seen in movies, this was probably what he’d make her do to atone for her sins.

  Her sins? She hadn’t been the most dutiful daughter, but she’d tried. She would not, however, agree with her mother and keep looking for a guy with money. And she didn’t like the men her mother married.

  Dane, at the opposite end of the boat, reeled in his line. He glanced at her as though making certain she was okay and then turned to the rear and cast again.

  Satisfaction oozed through Erin. He was the type man who always attracted her, a man with little income. Oh, he was one of the best looking guys she had ever encountered, especially now that he’d shed the gloom he seemed to carry. Out in this fresh air in his worn jeans, T-shirt and fishing cap, Dane appealed like he hadn’t before.

  Erin swallowed and looked away. She had to stop thinking of him. She had her job and apartment and the big city. Enticing though he was, he spent most of his day with something haunting him. Whatever pain he carried seldom allowed him to embrace pleasure. He’d shown glints of happy moments but they could sweep away in an instant. It was as though his heart was jammed, not letting him experience joy.

  Maybe it was his hoping to own her Aunt Tilly’s plantation that caused him to experience such discontent.

  Anyway, she considered, popping her line, he lived down here, and she didn’t. Too much distance between them. The North and the South in this instance certainly wouldn’t mix.

  “They aren’t biting too well today,” he said.

  “Maybe they aren’t hungry yet,” she replied without glancing back. She heard him reel in, a small splash sounding when he cast again, and her thoughts returned to where they’d headed. Contrary to her mom’s wishes, she’d chosen to date men who would have to work hard to succeed.

  Erin gave her pole more hard jerks. None of
the few guys she’d dated really interested her, and she had stopped going out with them, knowing nothing would come of their relationships. She tried to imagine any of the men she’d gone out with in New York in this tranquil setting but could not—and wasn’t sure she would want to. Without the bustle of the city creating that constant din in her mind, she reflected on where her life was heading. Not a happy place. If she could have stayed around her Aunt Tilly, she would’ve made better choices. Bubbly little Tilly, following where her heart led.

  Erin wiped tears glazing her vision. Her aunt hadn’t wanted her to mourn. Now here she was, also failing her.

  The shift of the boat made Erin glance behind. Dane was stepping close, his hand up. She felt something on her head. “You needed a hat,” he said. “I had an extra one.”

  She took it off and looked at it. A fat red stuffed crayfish with open claws sported the front of the white cap. “Thanks.” She pushed her hair back and set the cap on her head.

  Dane leaned farther down to her, and Erin’s heart sped. Warm fingers came over her hand that gripped the pole. She felt her heart sputter.

  “Can I have this?” He watched her face.

  She shook her head. Clearer thoughts filtered through, and she nodded. She let him take her fishing rod.

  “You’d reeled up against the boat,” he told her. “Not many fish are going to come that close to bite.” He cast her line. Her cork landed in a distant spot. He held the pole out to her.

  She took it without touching his hands. Erin wanted to speak, but her thought process jammed.

  He stepped away. Dane retrieved the pole he’d set down, turned and cast on the opposite side of the boat.

  The sun behind Erin felt like a heat lamp set against her back. Moments after Dane put more distance between him and her, a breeze came up. It swept across her cheeks. “I’m used to snow,” she said, “and freezing temperatures. I’ll bet you’ve never had either of those.”

  He laughed, and she glanced back. He didn’t look at her.

  Eyeing her cork, Erin found it lay still beside the floating green pads topped with lilies. The water held the same unique scent as the swamp, the smell more pleasant now. A white crane swooped down from the air and alighted on shore, making her notice the purple wildflowers scattered between reeds and palmettos. The corners of her lips lifted. Sitting out here might not be as bad as she’d imagined.