Page 108 of Love in the Wild

The kid pointed toward the table off to the side where some of the folks from the church were handing out equipment and baits. “I’m gonna go get another one until you finish that.”

Wait a minute. How’d he get stuck with this rat’s nest? After inspecting the reel, it looked like a better option to cut it out and put new line on it. He walked over to the table and showed the mess to Mr. Chambers. “What do you think?”

The older man huffed. “Cut it out.”

Gage picked up the scissors and got to work. He’d stripped the old line from the reel just as the preacher walked over and cupped his hands around his mouth to be heard above the chatter.

“Lunch is almost ready! Make your way over to the tent for hamburgers and hotdogs!”

Kids grumbled, and parents herded their kids over to the equipment and bait area. Gage put down the reel he’d been working on and started accepting rods from the kids and securing the lines and hooks so they didn’t get tangled together.

Yeah, Gage wasn’t taking up fishing anytime soon. He hadn’t experienced the peacefulness of the hobby yet.

When the last of the rods were collected, Gage and some of the men made their way over to the tent for lunch.

Grady stepped up beside Gage and slung an arm over his shoulders. “What do you think?”

“I think fishing is more trouble than it’s worth.”

Grady let out a hardy chuckle. “It’s not so bad if you’re by yourself or with a pal.”

“If you say so.”

Gage had seen the older man who owned Grady’s Feed and Seed many times when he stopped by the store, but other than polite greetings, he didn’t know the man. After today, Grady felt like an old friend. Helping a herd of kids all day could really bind you to someone. It was the same connection that came from surviving a difficult situation together.

The older man released Gage’s shoulders and walked over to talk to someone else. Parents and kids were everywhere, and between the laughing and hollering, the whole thing was overwhelming.

Brett stood at the entrance to the canopy area welcoming everyone in and directing them to where they could line up for food. The guy seemed to be everywhere Gage looked. He drove older folks and small children to the river on a four-wheeler, set up the tables and chairs, taught the kids how to cast, untangled countless lines from trees and brush under the water, and now he was shaking hands with a smile on his face. How did he have that kinda energy?

Despite the hard work, Brett seemed happy all day long. Gage had been watching the Patton siblings all day, and neither one of them had so much as grumbled about the work.

Gage walked up to Brett, who extended a hand to him. “Hey, man. Grab a plate and we’ll say the blessing in a little bit when everyone gets here.”

“Thanks.” Gage shook the hand and scanned the shaded area under the tent for Hadley.

He spotted her almost instantly carrying an armload of juice boxes to a big cooler. Gage ran over to her and took the drinks from her. “I got it.”

“Thanks. I’ll go get more,” she said as she turned back the way she came.

Did she ever stop? She’d been cooking since before the sun came up, and she spent half the night before helping him load tables and chairs from the church into the back of his pickup. He shoved the juice boxes down into the cooler full of ice and turned to meet Hadley as she approached with another load.

“Let me handle this. You go get something to eat,” Gage said.

Hadley wiped her brow and propped her hands on her hips. “That’s the last of it. I think we can both sit down.”

Gage put the rest of the drinks in the cooler and closed the lid. “If anything else comes up, let me do it.”

Hadley waved him off. “I’m fine. Thanks for helping though. How were the kids at the river?”

“Wild, needy, and happy.”

That was one thing that kept him going today. All of the kids were smiling. Well, except one little boy named Judson who claimed a trout bit him.

She laughed as she slid her hand into his, linking their fingers together. “That’s par for the course.”

Gage lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

He followed her through the food line and to a seat at an empty table. Before long, Dawson and Olivia came over, followed by Anna and her boyfriend, Dean. Hadley introduced herself, and Gage did the same. He’d seen the guy a few times at Beau’s garage but hadn’t actually talked to him before.

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