by Carol Ross
“Mama, what did you get?” Scarlett asked.
Victoria stared down at her gift and tried to get her emotions under control. A promise, she answered silently. One that she very badly did not want him to break.
“A necklace,” she said aloud as Scarlett joined her.
“That’s jade,” Scarlett said reaching out to touch it. “Alaska’s state gem. It’s beautiful.”
This was all incredibly sweet, wildly romantic, and by far the most thoughtful gift she’d ever received. Her very own Alaskan promise. The only question that remained was, could she trust him to keep it?
CHAPTER NINE
NOT SURPRISINGLY, Seth heard from Scarlett first.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she shouted when he answered the call. “It’s the best gift ever!” A satisfying assertion considering he knew she possessed both an expensive tablet and a scooter that she had nowhere to ride, courtesy of her dad.
“I’m glad you like it. It’s my favorite for catching steelhead.”
“Mama told me. I can’t wait to get up there and try it out. She said maybe next summer. For real.”
Seth had every hope of moving that trip up a bit, but he knew better than to mention it. Instead, he listened and answered all of Scarlett’s questions before she handed the phone off to Corinne and then Effie, who took turns thanking him as well. Then Scarlett got back on the line.
“Mama wants to know if you’re busy or if she can call you in five minutes?”
“Yes, of course, she can.”
They said goodbye, and Seth waited a very long seven minutes before Victoria’s number flashed on the screen. Reaching down, he slid a shaky finger across the display.
“Hello,” he said into the phone.
“Hey there,” she said. “Sorry about the phone game. I, um, I wanted to talk to you in private.”
Seth managed a calm “Okay” even as tension invaded his body. It was too much. He’d gone too far. She was going to tell him to back off. According to Hazel, thoughtful gifts of this extent were second only to an outright declaration of love.
“Thank you for the necklace. It’s gorgeous. And hands down the sweetest, most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me.”
He cringed, waiting for the “but.”
“I want you to know that I want to accept it. I mean, I love the necklace, and I’m keeping it.” At the sound of her lighthearted chuckle, he felt the tightness easing a little. He exhaled.
“I’m glad.”
“But.” There it was, and he actually squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for what came next. “What I’m saying here, Seth, is that I’m already wearing it. And I don’t plan to take it off.”
Okay. Balling one fist, he solidly punched air while a mixture of relief and joy poured over him. Calmly, he said, “That makes me happier than you could ever imagine, Victoria.”
“Good. Me too. So, I’m willing to give this a go. But how are we going to manage it? Compete for this job and...date, I guess? Is that what we should call it? And what happens after, when one of us gets hired? And the other one...doesn’t.”
“We already spent three days doing exactly that. Managing it, I mean. So we continue doing that. We keep it separate. Romeo Reels on their time. Seth and Victoria on our time.”
A pause ensued, and he pictured her brow scrunched, teeth nibbling on her lip, thinking. “Okay.”
“Okay?” he repeated.
“Sure, since what I hear you saying is that you’ll be fine with me getting the job.”
He barked out a laugh. “Seriously, yes, I would. I’m not going to lie and say I don’t want it, or that I’m going to let you win. But, Victoria, I already like you enough that I’d want this job for you anyway. I mean, if it can’t be me, then I want it to be you. Does that make sense?”
“Me too,” she said quickly, so much so that Seth knew she’d already been thinking along these same lines. “I have no problem losing to someone who beats me fair and square.”
* * *
“VIC?” A MAN asked only seconds after she entered through the rotating doors of the Pike Pier Resort. Romeo Reels had arranged for a car to transport her from the airport. Henry Foster had agreed to meet her when she arrived, and she’d texted to let him know her ETA and that she was wearing a blue jacket and carrying a black backpack.
Victoria smiled a greeting. “Yes, sir. You must be Henry.”
“I am. Henry Foster. Welcome to Minnesota.” She couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t bat an eye at the name thing. “I’m delighted to meet you.”
Medium height, he had the wiry muscles of a man who took excellent care of himself and probably didn’t regularly eat her mama’s sugar-dusted beignets for breakfast. Vic estimated him to be about her mom’s age, mid to late fifties. Extremely handsome, he had short, thick silver and black hair, a pretty smile filled with even white teeth and a square jaw with a slightly off-center dimple in his chin.
“Thank you, Henry. It’s lovely to meet you, too. I’ve never been to Minnesota before, so it’s exciting for me to be here.” Victoria indicated around the lakefront resort where they’d be staying for the next three nights.
A woman in a smart-looking suit approached them. “You must be Ms. Thibodeaux?”
“Yes, ma’am, that’s me.”
“If you’d like to follow me over to the counter, we’ll get you checked in. Tony will get your bags.” A young man appeared and whisked her suitcase away.
Registration was remarkably quick, and once Vic had her key, Henry asked if she’d like to relax in her room or take a stroll around the grounds before Marissa and Gerard arrived in time for them all to enjoy an early dinner. Their day of pike and walleye fishing on the lake was scheduled to begin very early in the morning.
“I’d like to look around,” she confessed. “While there’s still plenty of light.”
“Is Vic short for Victoria?” he asked, once they were outside and strolling along the path that led to the lake. Victoria did her best not to gawk while drinking in the picturesque scenery.
“Yes, it is, and you can call me either one. It’s funny because I don’t know how Vic got put on that email that we all received, the one that outlined our fishing schedules and everything. I applied for this position as Victoria, but I’ve entered a few tournaments as Vic. In the interview, they asked me about that, if it was a nickname. I said yes, so I’m guessing that’s it.”
“My mom’s name was Victoria, and she went by Vic. So, I was kind of hoping. You know, the possibility was on my mind.”
“Seriously? I hope you like your mom,” she joked.
“Seriously,” he confirmed, and chuckled. “My mom passed away several years ago, but I adored her. She was also a heck of an angler. Single mother who taught me everything I know. Well, her and my nana.”
“No way.”
“Yeah way. My dad died when I was four years old, and my mom and grandmother raised me. We lived on a lake and fished together nearly every day.”
“No, I believe you. I meant no way in the sense that in addition to sharing her name, that’s another amazing coincidence. Made even more amazing by your follow-up explanation. I also grew up on a lake, raised by my mother and grandmother, who taught me how to fish. Both single moms. My grandfather passed away when my mom was young, and I never knew my father. He left before I was born and died a few years later.” Victoria had always known that her mother’s supportive role in her life had everything to do with her own experience.
“Huh.” Henry shook his head. “Wow.”
“I know. And now I’m a single mom teaching my daughter.”
“Does she enjoy it? Fishing?”
“Oh my gosh, yes. As much as me, maybe more, and I would never have thought that possible. Scarlett, that’s my daughter’s name, has aspirations to fish the entire world
. River Monsters is her favorite show. I often wonder how many eleven-year-old girls have posters of Jeremy Wade lining their walls?”
He laughed. “One of the most important things a parent can do is encourage kids to be whoever they want to be.” She agreed, and he said, “Well, we are fellow members of an exclusive club, aren’t we? I was a single dad, too, for most of it. My wife died when my daughter was three.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. I don’t normally share that information with people I’ve just met, but under the circumstances, I was compelled. Fishing saved my life after my wife died. I lived for my daughter but fishing also allowed me to have a life of my own. I hope that doesn’t sound horrible and selfish.”
“Oh, no, Henry, that does not sound horrible or selfish. That’s exactly how it was for me when my marriage failed. My husband didn’t die, but he nearly ruined me. Crushed my pride and my dreams. Fishing was the thing that kept me from completely breaking apart.”
He nodded as if every word made perfect sense. “To be honest with you, I was hoping I’d get sent to Louisiana.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. I’ve done a lot of fishing in Alaska because I have a brother who lives there. And I’ve been to Louisiana a handful of times, but every single time, it leaves me wanting more. I believe it’s the most underrated sport fishery in North America. Not to mention, it’s stunningly beautiful and filled with the friendliest people I’ve ever met.”
As if she weren’t already predisposed to liking the man, Henry sealed it with that statement. She beamed. “Hey, you’re welcome to come on down any time you’d like. My family owns a little resort, although I always feel the need to add that it’s not a resort anything like these standards.” She waved a hand around them. “It’s a campground and some rustic cabins. It is not flush with fancy amenities, but I can promise I’ll get you fish. Any kind you want.”
“Gar?”
“You betcha.”
“That’s on my bucket list. I’ve heard they’re as tricky to catch as muskie. You think that’s true?”
“No,” she answered quickly. “I’ve never fished for muskie, which is on my bucket list, by the way, so I couldn’t say for certain. But I highly doubt it. With gar, it’s all those teeth that make it difficult to land. From what I understand about muskie, it’s a combination of stealth and presentation, which makes them difficult to catch.”
His smile was pure approval and Victoria couldn’t help but think she’d passed some sort of test. “That is muskie in a nutshell. So, you hosted Seth last week, huh?”
“Yes, I did.”
“How did that go? I can’t believe I’m asking this, but what did you think of Mr. Alaska?”
Victoria couldn’t help but chuckle at Henry’s use of the same nickname that she’d given Seth. Unconsciously, her hand strayed to the pendant hanging around her neck.
“Well, we got off to a bit of a rocky start, but in the end, I liked him much more than I thought I would.”
“That’s good. I was hoping this experience would be just this way, as much about the people we meet as about the competition we’re in.”
* * *
“GROSS,” VICTORIA MUTTERED the following week, back at home in Louisiana, and a world away from her thrilling and successful trip to Minnesota. Shuffling through the dirty, tepid water, she tried to splash as little as possible, preferring instead to prepare for the moment when she could confront the offenders responsible for ruining her morning plans to practice for the workshop she’d be teaching at the show next week.
Inside her pocket, she felt her phone vibrate with a text. Her pulse kicked up a notch. She’d never been attached to her phone, but the last couple of weeks had her acting like a teenager in that regard. Or a romantic. Neither of which she minded much once she read a Seth message or heard his voice.
Gingerly removing her rubber gloves, she slipped the phone from her pocket and opened the text:
Hey, what are you doing?
Smiling, she tapped out a response: Ankle deep in water here. Are you jealous?
Of course! What are you fishing for?
So far I’ve caught six towels, eight plastic bags, and several rolls of toilet paper.
Three aspiring delinquent teenagers had plugged the toilets with towels pilfered from the supply room, clogged the sink drains and the floor drain with plastic bags and toilet paper, and then deliberately flooded the place.
??
Flooded restrooms.
Oh man! I’m so sorry. I wish I was there.
I don’t blame you. The life of a resort worker is a glamorous one.
Haha! I meant to help. I wish I was there to help.
She knew what he meant, and her stomach did this little flip because there was no doubt in her mind that he would help without a second thought. Unlike Austin, who’d found almost everything about this life unpleasant.
She answered: Next, I get to kick the aberrant teenaged toilet cloggers out of the park and invite them never to return. THAT will be fun.
I would LOVE to be there for that. Seriously. Call me later if you have time. I want to hear about it. And I want to hear your voice.
Oh. Another flip, even flippier than the first. See? This is why she was carrying the dang phone around. These flips were getting addicting.
I will make time.
Good because I talked to Bering and he wants to take us to dinner while we’re in Florida if we can fit it in. Hazel might be coming too. I understand if that might be too much for you, but I’d love for you to meet them.
Turned out that Seth’s cousin, Bering, the wildlife guide, was going to have a booth at the show promoting his business. Oddly, the notion of dinner with his cousin and sister made her only slightly nervous.
Sounds fun!
Okay! We’ll figure out the details later after we get our schedule for the show.
Cannot wait. Talk soon. Fingertip hovering, she hesitated a beat before adding, xox.
Only a few more days, she reminded herself, and they’d be in Florida. Together. Together and competing, she reminded herself. But like Seth had said, there would be Romeo Reels time and Seth and Victoria time. Plenty of opportunity for both.
The Pro Plus Fishing & Outdoor Expo was one of the largest shows of its kind in the world. Officially, the event lasted four days, but their schedule included an extra two days for promotional events. They’d already received a partial outline of activities they’d be participating in so they could prepare. Victoria had spent every spare moment doing just that.
Six days of interviews, photoshoots, panel discussions, workshops, demos, luncheons, parties, “promo events,” whatever that meant. And on it went. Marissa’s last email said they wouldn’t receive the final schedule until they arrived in Florida as they were still finalizing and rearranging details.
Spirits excessively lifted, she got back to work. She was going to have to disinfect the place from top to bottom, but at least she’d managed to identify the problem and remove the offending items, which meant she wouldn’t have to call the plumber.
Victoria was furious, although the anger would have to wait. It wouldn’t get the mess cleaned up any faster. And she needed to have her temper in check when she confronted the boys and their parents. Angry but controlled. Formidable. At least, she could be positive that the perpetrators were the teenaged boys staying in space B-7. Security footage had caught them breaking into the supply room and entering the restrooms.
They’d been nothing but trouble since they’d checked in. Within hours, she’d had to ask that they turn their music down. The next morning she’d had to “remind them” about the speed limit of watercraft on the lake. Later, she’d nearly called the police when she’d caught them harassing a pair of egrets. Only the intervention of an apologetic father and promises of punishment had
stopped her. She also suspected they’d stolen a half case of beer from the store.
With all the water successfully drained and her mop bucket filled with disinfectant, she was roughly halfway through the cleaning process when her phone vibrated again. This time it was a steady buzz in the form of a call. She knew it wasn’t Seth, but she pulled it out of her pocket anyway.
Austin. Victoria stared at her phone and considered letting it go to voicemail, but she’d done that once already today. And in light of the consequences from doing so last week, she answered with a flat, “Hello.”
“Uh... Victoria?”
“Yes, Austin, who did you expect to be answering my phone?”
“No one. I intended to leave a voicemail. You caught me off guard by answering.”
“I took great pains to do so. I hope it’s important.”
“Is everything okay? You sound weird like there’s an echo.”
“I’m in the men’s restroom. We had a plumbing issue.”
“Someone cleaning fish in the showers again?”
Shockingly, the comment made her chuckle as the memory came rushing back. Scarlett was only a few weeks old and her mom had just had knee surgery. Mémé was away visiting a friend in Baton Rouge, so Victoria had been on her own to manage the resort.
Desperate, she’d turned to Austin for help. The one and only time. Together, they’d dug up and cleaned out the line saving the business a huge expense. Only a few days later, she’d discovered the cheating when she’d walked in on him and Amber in their bedroom.
“Yikes. That was a long day.”
“One of the longest of my life. My back hurts just thinking about it. Honestly, I don’t know how you do it. I’ve always admired your work ethic.”
Okay, what was going on here? First apologies and thank-yous, and now compliments? “Thankfully, this is nothing quite that dramatic. What’s up?”
“I just wanted to let you know that I will be picking up Scarlett at four o’clock on Wednesday.”
Victoria felt the scowl forming on her face. “Why? Does Scarlett know?”