He stepped away from the tailgate, his heavy wading boots kicking the loose gravel on his way down the boat ramp. Every step carried the confidence of someone who knew every inch of this canyon by heart.
“Evening,” he said, pausing just where the dry rocks met the lapping edge of the current.
He didn’t look at her right away, but his eyes were waiting for the perfect moment he could just stare. She stood at the bow of the boat, awkwardly pretending to help me. He gave me a slow nod—a rare sign of genuine appreciation from a guy who was usually guarded and reserved.
“Hi, Arden,” he said, though his eyes drifted back to her for a split second before returning to me. “I was hoping it was your boat pulling in. I’ve been hearing your name all over the river this week. Ran into a couple of guys over at the fly shop yesterday who couldn’t stop talking about how you put them on twenty-inch trout when nobodv else was seeing a single rise.”
I gave a modest nod. “The river was kind to us today.”
“Good. It’s always nice to see more women getting out here and enjoying the river.” As he spoke, his attention finally was able to study her entirely. He stepped closer to the boat, his expression shifting from casual small talk to an intensity that made the rushing sound of the river feel miles away.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” his voice just above a whisper with the rest of the canyon obsolete in that moment.
“I’m Brody. And you must be the lucky angler who got the best guide on the river today.”
She hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the cork grip of her fly rod before she reached down to take his hand.
The contrast was stark-his palm calloused and dark from the sun, hers pale against the
evening light. 
“Sarah,” she said. Her voice lacked its usual sharp confidence, softened by the sudden weight of his attention. “And yes, Arden earned every bit of that praise today. I lost count of the fish we brought to the net.”
Brody smiled but couldn’t let go of her hand. 
“Usually, people come out to these canyons to hide from the world, not to break records. What brings a city girl out to the middle of nowhere to chase trout?” Brody had a teasing tone.
“Maybe I wanted to see if the stories about this river were true,” she replied, stepping closer than necessary as her boots settled into the rocks.
“The river lived up to the hype, but the jury is still out on the locals.” Sarah said.
Brody let out a short, quiet laugh, finally releasing her hand but staying well within her personal space. “Fair enough. Central Oregon can be an acquired taste. But if you’re staying down at the lodges, the hospitality usually picks up in the evenings.”The sun was receding behind the canyon walls, leaving the river in a deep, slate-blue shadow.
Is that a promise Brody or a sales pitch?”
She was trying to flirt treading lightly still unsure of his interest.
“A guarantee, if you know where to look.” Brody said softly.
I put my hands into the pockets of my sun hoody. The romantic tension bouncing between them was thick enough to choke on, but the reality of a long day on the oars was settling deep into my lower back. I love the river, and I love a good story, but right now, my drift boat was scraping rock. The gear was a mess, and the truck was waiting up top.
“Well, as much as I hate to break up this fun meeting,” keeping my tone light “I still have to load up the boat.”
Brody finally broke eye contact with Sarah, to look at me with a guilty grin that proved he’d completely forgotten I was standing there.
“Right. Sorry, Arden,” he said, stepping back to shore. 
I pulled up the anchor and unhooked the bow line. Then hauled myself up the steep gravel incline toward the truck, I glanced back over my shoulder. Brody was taking his sweet time.  
“Do you need a hand with teardown?” Brody desperately wanting to spend just one more moment with her.
“I’ve got it,” 
“But you can make yourself useful and grab Sarah’s rod tube from the side tray so it doesn’t get banged up while loading the boat up in the trailer.”
“Consider it done,” Brody murmured.
The Central Oregon night was moving in fast, and the canyon was about to get really interesting.
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