The Another Try Collection

CHAPTER SIX-3

By mid-afternoon Maddie was carrying in the small bag of groceries she’d stopped and bought on her way down to the cabin. She put away the perishables, then looked around appreciatively at the small but cozy space.

A modest-sized television with DVD player and a three-tier bookshelf full of movies was strategically placed along the far wall to make any seat on the couch ideal for watching films. Another three-tier bookcase on the other side of the TV setup was crammed with paperback books.

The kitchen and little two-seater table were at the other end of the rectangular layout, and down a tiny hallway she found a double bed with a dresser to her left, and a bathroom complete with a claw-foot tub through the opposite door to her right.

This is perfect, she thought. Just what I needed. Especially since there’s zero cell phone reception in here. No one will bother me at all.

She pulled her hair up into a ponytail, tucked the cabin key in the back pocket of her faded jeans, and walked the thirty feet to where the private dock began its run out onto the water.

When she reached the end of the dock Maddie sat down on the faded wood. Too bad it’s early March, she thought. Water’s probably too cold to dip my toes in. Ah, well. Still a gorgeous view.

Her dock was situated on a small inlet, where the lakeshore tucked around itself a bit before continuing westward into the open water. A line of trees to her right concealed the gravel road she’d turned onto from the two-lane road.

To her left she could just see the dock of the next cabin over that Kathy had mentioned, and she noticed someone fishing at the end of it.

While the person was too far away for any features to be readily seen, Maddie could tell by his movements that he felt quite at home with a fishing pole in his hand. She watched for twenty minutes as her mystery neighbor executed one perfect one-handed cast after another.

Fishing. Man, I haven’t done that in years, she realized, then also realized how much she missed it.

Eric had no interest in fishing at all.

What else did I give up for him?

Now that it was all over, memories came flooding back with a vengeance in answer to that loaded question.

Overcome, Maddie stood and made her way back into her sanctuary to cry in private.