Shady Pines Resort

"I went to one of those once. It was at an old water mill that had been restored. The mill house was where we met for the work part. After dinner, we could fish or play pool or something where you threw a bag of beans at a hole in a board...corn something they called it. I was bored to tears. Why do they think we'd ever like every single person we work with?"

"Well, the consultants really don't. It's all a scam to make money. If you do exactly what they say, it'll probably work to some extent, at least until an employee needs to be disciplined for something they're doing wrong. Then the friendship thing has to get replaced with the boss/employee relationship, and that's difficult for both. If it fails, then obviously you didn't do everything the consultant said to do. The consultant can't lose."

"So, are you going to do it, advertise the place for workshops, I mean?"

"I'm still thinking about it. I'd have to have more cabins and more help to make it work. They'd want their meals furnished and snacks in the morning and afternoon as well. Maybe someday."

"Sounds like you need a wife."

I had to laugh.

"You really think a woman would want to live here through the winter? As I remember, women like to go shopping and get their hair done. I got snowed in last winter and it took me a week to dig myself out. I doubt most women would stand for that."

Wendy's voice was soft.

"If she was the right woman for you she would."

"I don't know any women who are that right, I guess."

"Maybe you're not looking at the right women."

The cabin windows cast enough light onto the porch I could see Wendy's face. She was smiling, but there was something different about that smile that I couldn't put my finger on.

"I don't know Wendy. Maybe I should be looking more, but I have so much to do here."

Wendy stroked my arm.

"I'm just saying sometimes what you want is there if you look for it. You might not think she'd like it here, but I know she would if she was with you."

I needed to get away to think. It seemed like Wendy was saying she might want to be that woman, but we barely knew each other. I looked at my watch.

"I've been sitting here talking and didn't realize it's so late. Jimmy will be up early and if I don't let you get some sleep, you'll be sleepy all day."

Wendy stood up when I did.

"Yes, you're probably right. Are you going to take him fishing again tomorrow?"

"If he wants to go, I will."

"Oh, he'll want to go. He doesn't talk about anything else. Maybe you'll catch enough fish you can have dinner with us again."

"Well, I'd like that, but I don't want to ruin your vacation by imposing like that."

"You won't. It's nice to cook for a man again."

I sat in front of the fireplace in the lodge until midnight and thought about what Wendy had said -- that the right woman would want to stay here through the winter if she was with me. I wasn't sure if I was hearing something I wanted to hear or if she was talking about herself.

It wasn't that I hadn't thought about a wife. I just still had a lot to do to get the lodge up to the level I wanted it, and didn't think I'd have time for the whole dating thing.

Jimmy had said Wendy liked me. In boy-speak that could mean a lot of things. Did it mean she felt more for me than I realized? Maybe she just liked me as a person and enjoyed the company. I liked Jimmy a lot, but after an afternoon of listening to him, I was ready for some adult company too. That must be what she'd meant when he heard her talking to herself.

But, if that was so, why had she stroked my arm? A lot of women I'd known had been "touchers" who seemed to have to put their fingertips on the person they were talking to, but it was just that -- a touch and not anything more. There was also that hug she'd given me.

When I thought some more, I realized that the summer before, she'd just been a guest and Jimmy was what made their stay enjoyable for me. Now, I was looking forward to seeing Wendy as much as I was to fishing with Jimmy. If she felt the same way about me...

When I stopped arguing with myself and went to bed, I still wasn't sure what I was going to do. I wanted her to stay, but I didn't know how to ask her..

The next afternoon I walked down to the bait house about one. Jimmy was already there and he grinned.

"Mom's going swimming while we're gone. She said to remind you she'll cook dinner for you again tonight if you want to come. You'll come, won't you?"

"Sure. Your mom's a good cook."

I dipped a couple dozen minnows into my minnow bucket, picked up my rod and reel and tackle box, and Jimmy and I started to the boat. I had to stop walking when we got to the dock. Wendy was standing knee deep in the swimming area I'd built and she had her arms wrapped around herself..

Her suit was a one-piece, but the sides and back were cut out enough to make me look to see if there was more showing that it looked like. It was cut low enough in the front, I didn't have to imagine Wendy's breasts would be full and soft.

She waved as she walked over to the dock.

"This water is freezing."

I laughed.

"Well, about three months ago, you'd have been standing on ice. It takes a while to warm up this much water after it's been frozen over."

"Maybe I'll just wade around then."

"Nah, you just need to go all the way under once. After that, it'll feel warmer."

Wendy grinned.

"If you say so, but right now, I feel like an ice cube."

The words just sort of fell out of my mouth.

"I've never ever seen an ice cube that looked as great as you do."

Wendy blushed all the way down into the bra cups of the suit.

"Thank you for noticing. Uh...I think you better go help Jimmy. He's trying to untie the boat."

Jimmy and I had good luck that afternoon. He caught three keeper walleyes and one northern that weighed almost ten pounds on my scale. He struggled a lot with that northern. It took him fifteen minutes to bring it to the side of the boat, and I though he was going to tip us over when he saw it in the landing net.

"That's the biggest fish I ever saw."

"Well, they come bigger, but not usually this time of year. You did a good job Jimmy. A lot of people would have tried to horse him in and lost him in the process."

"He's so big I don't know if I can clean him or not."

I wasn't sure Wendy would like the idea that popped into my head just then, but I was sure Jimmy would.

"Tell you what, Jimmy. I'm not sure I can clean him either, but I know a guy in town who can. How about if I take him to that guy and bring back the fillets? We'll have to take some pictures before I do that, of course. You gotta have something to show your friends back home."

The northern was almost as long as Jimmy was tall, so I hung the fish from the trunk of a birch tree outside their cabin. Jimmy stood there with a grin on his face and his rod and reel in his hand while Wendy took about a dozen pictures. I took as many. If Wendy's didn't come out, Jimmy would have mine, and I'd put one in the advertising brochure I'd been working on. When Wendy took Jimmy to clean up for dinner, I put the northern in the back of my truck and drove into town to Peterson's Taxidermy. I came back an hour later with the fillets in a bag and the ticket for the mount I'd asked Bob to do.

Dinner was as great as the others. Sitting on the porch with Wendy after she put Jimmy to bed was better.

She didn't say much at first, and I asked if something was bothering her.

"Yes there is. It's Thursday night."

"Yes it is."

"That means we have tomorrow here and then have to go back home Saturday morning. Jimmy will just cry and I'll miss this place too."

I didn't want her and Jimmy to leave either. I'd always liked Jimmy, and now I was starting to feel something for Wendy, something I'd never felt before with any other woman.

"This cabin isn't rented for next week. You could stay if you want."

"Oh, I couldn't afford to do that. I skipped a lot of lunches to afford this week."

"What if it didn't cost you as much for the second week?

She chuckled.

"It would have to be really, really cheap or I'll have to start skipping dinners too."

"Well, what if it was, say, nothing other than you'd let me take you and Jimmy to dinner a couple of nights?"

Wendy touched my arm.

"Thank you so much, but I couldn't do that."

"Why not?"

Wendy's voice was so soft I could barely hear her.

"Because...because this is starting out to be like it was with Carl and with Trey before that. I don't trust myself anymore."

I put my hand on hers.

"Wendy, I'm not Trey or Carl, and I'm not trying to push you into anything. I just like being with you and Jimmy."

I chuckled in hopes of cheering her up a little

"Who am I going to fish with if you leave?"

Wendy laughed, but it sounded a little choked up to me.

"Probably with that woman who helps you."

"Christy? She's not a woman. She's a girl."

"She's young and pretty and she doesn't have a little boy."

"Yes, Christy is young and she's pretty, but she's almost young enough to be my daughter. As for Jimmy, I know what he means to you, and he's starting to mean a lot to me too. There would be a difference, but not a bad one."

"The other men I've met didn't want to take me out after they found out about Jimmy.."

"Then they were either idiots or so blind they couldn't see what a great woman you are because they were worried about him."

Wendy looked up at me then and I could see tears filling her eyes.

"Do you really mean that?'

I put my arm around her and pulled her a little closer.

"Wendy, I wouldn't lie to you about something like that, but the only way you'll know is if you stay another week so I can show you. Maybe this will help you make up your mind."

Wendy didn't kiss me back for a couple of seconds. Then she put her hand on the back of my neck and melted into my embrace. When I pulled gently away, she opened her eyes and grinned.

"If I stay, can we do this again?"

Wendy and Jimmy did stay another week, and I took them to town for dinner on Tuesday and Thursday night. The other nights Wendy cooked for us. Usually it was fish Jimmy had caught, but the Friday before they had to leave, she cooked a beef roast that was out of this world. Although I'd made a pig out of myself, I couldn't turn down the peach pie she brought to the table.

After Jimmy went to bed, we sat on the porch in the same glider with a cup of coffee. We talked about small stuff again. Neither of us wanted to talk about Saturday morning. Sometime before noon, Wendy and Jimmy would get into her car and drive out of my life again.

I didn't want that to happen, and I hoped she didn't either. I only knew one way to find out.

"Wendy, I can't tell you how nice it's been having you and Jimmy here for two weeks."

She sighed.

"I loved it too. I hate to leave, but I have to get Jimmy ready for school and get myself back to work so I'll have the money to do it."

I put my arm around her soft shoulders and she snuggled into my chest..

"You could keep staying and put him in school here. I'd pay for whatever he needs."

"Well, I'd like that, but then he'd just have to change schools after you close down."

"Not if you stayed over the winter."

Wendy sat up and didn't say anything for a while. When she did, her voice was a little shakey.

"You mean stay here...both of us?"

"Well, not in the cabin. The cabin doesn't have heat. The lodge has three bedrooms. You could have one and Jimmy could have the other."

"What would I tell Jimmy? He'll think we're...he walked in on Carl and me once, and he already knows we like each other."

"No, he won't think that because we won't give him a reason to. I'll sleep in my bedroom and you in yours."

"What about my job? I'd have to quit and then I wouldn't have any money."

"That's true, but I'm doing well enough you wouldn't have to work unless you just want to. I could take care of everything you and Jimmy need."

"Gary, I don't know. Part of me is saying this is something I want, and part of me is saying it'll end up just like Carl. I don't want to go through that again."

I hugged her gently.

"Wendy, I don't want to go through watching you and Jimmy drive away again."

I didn't sleep much that night, and about six gave up tossing and turning. I made coffee and then took a cup with me and walked down to the dock. I thought the gentle lapping of the waves against the lakeshore and watching the mist on the water might clear my mind.

It didn't. I was trying to figure out how I was going to say goodbye to Jimmy and Wendy when someone tugged on my sleeve. I turned and saw Wendy standing there in a T-shirt and jeans.

"I've never walked out here this early before. Is it always like this?

"It is in summer. In the fall, the birch trees change color. It's still a beautiful sight, just different. Winter isn't quite as nice because it's cold and the lake is frozen over, but it's still beautiful."

"So if I stayed here, I'd get to see all that?"

"Yes, you would."

"Gary, do you think it would work? I mean, I couldn't just live with you forever. I wouldn't know how to explain that to Jimmy. I'd have to know it would be more than that if it worked."

"Wendy, are you asking if I'd marry you?"

"No, I'm asking if you'd marry both me and Jimmy."

I scooped her up in my arms and pulled her tight.

"I won't ask you now, not before you have a chance to see what that life here would be like. As for Jimmy, I wouldn't expect to have you with out him, and I can't imagine not having him around."

Wendy and Jimmy moved into the lodge that Saturday. On Monday, she called her bank and resigned. She did drive back to her home in Peoria, but just long enough to arrange for a realtor to handle renting it and to bring her and Jimmy's things back to the lodge.

Jimmy was living the life of his dreams and I enjoyed being a part of those dreams. We fished almost every day, but only kept enough for a fish dinner once a week or so. The rest he eased back into the water so, as he put it, "I can catch him again and he'll be bigger then."

As soon as school started, Wendy would drive Jimmy down to the end of the gravel drive to wait for the school bus, and drive back down to pick him up. Once it snowed the drive full, I showed her how to drive the snowmobile, and they made their daily trip that way until I could get the drive scooped clear with the tractor.

Two weeks before Christmas, Jimmy and I went out to the unused part of my property, cut down a small pine tree, and stood it up in the lounge of the lodge. Wendy had brought her decorations with her, and she and Jimmy decorated the tree while I drove into town. Bob had called me to say Jimmy's mount was done, and I was going to pick it up. I figured Jimmy would be surprised. I picked up a gift for Wendy as well, one I hoped she'd like.

Christmas Eve was straight off the front of a Christmas card. The snow was falling enough to cover everything with a fresh coat of white, but not enough to make going outside difficult. Even with the falling snow, if you looked up, stars twinkled in the night sky and the full moon lit up everything. We had Wendy's homemade eggnog after dinner and watched the fire in the fireplace burn down to coals.

On Christmas morning, Jimmy was up before both of us. He was inspecting the packages under the tree that had his name on them when I walked into the lounge. I found a couple with my name on them as well, and like Jimmy, I was trying to figure out what was in them. Wendy came out of her bedroom and told us we had to wait until after breakfast before we opened any. I think Jimmy broke the world's record for eating a helping of egg and bacon casserole, and he only beat me because my piece was bigger.

Wendy did the honors of handing out the gifts. I'd told her to save the long box for last.

Jimmy liked the new tackle box I gave him. I really liked it when he opened it and saw the dozen new fishing lures in the fold out tray. He also liked the big book about fishing Wendy had ordered through the mail.

I'd taken Jimmy to town one day in November and he'd picked out a sweater for Wendy. She held it up in front of her and said she loved it. She liked the sweater I'd picked out the same day too.

I got a new pair of gloves from Wendy, and a set of screwdrivers from Jimmy. I really did like both gifts because I needed them.

Wendy then went behind the tree and pulled out the long box I'd put there.

"Hmmm...this one says it's for you Jimmy, from your fishing buddy."

Jimmy ripped open the wrapping paper and then asked if he could borrow my pocket knife to cut the tape holding the flaps together. I'd never seen his eyes get so big as they did when he opened the flaps.

"It's my northern."

Jimmy carefully lifted the stained birch plank the fish was mounted on and held it up.

"He looks just like he did when I caught him."

Jimmy looked at me and grinned.

"That's why you took him into town, isn't it."

"Well, I figured every guy deserves something to remember his first really big fish by."

Jimmy carefully sat the mount down on the floor, then ran over and hugged me.

He'd never done that before, and I didn't know what to think. I looked at Wendy. She was smiling, but I saw a tear trickle down her cheek.

I hugged Jimmy back until he eased away and said, "Thanks, Mr. Ash."

"You're welcome, Jimmy. What would you say if we hung your fish on the wall beside the bookcase over there? Everybody who comes to the lodge would see it and read the little brass plate that has your name and the date. We'll put your picture under it too."

"And I could tell 'em how we caught him?"

"Sure could. They'd want to hear all about it."

Jimmy grinned.

"I'd like telling people that."

Jimmy started back to his fish, but I reached behind my back and pulled out the small box wrapped in gold paper.

"Wait a minute, Jimmy. Somehow this present got stuck behind me. I think you oughta deliver it. See what the tag says."

Jimmy looked at the tag and then at Wendy.

"It says it's for you, Mom."

I motioned to Jimmy to give the package to Wendy. She seemed nervous when she carefully unwrapped the small box and then opened it. She put her hand to her chest and looked at me.

"Oh Gary, I wasn't expecting this."

"I know you weren't, but I thought it was time I showed you I was serious."

Wendy started to cry. Jimmy ran over and put his arm around her.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Jimmy. Everything is just fine."

"Then why are you crying."

Wendy fished a tissue from her jeans and blew her hose.

"I'm crying because I'm happy. See what Mr. Ash gave me."

She held up the box so he could see.

"It's an engagement ring. He wants me to marry him. Would you like that? We'd be a family."

Jimmy's face was serious.

"Would I get to stay here with you?"

"Yes, Honey. You'd have to start treating Mr. Ash a little differently though. Could you do that?"

I laughed when Jimmy nodded his head.

"Now let's not get carried away here. I'm not gonna lose my fishing buddy just because I married his mom. Besides, you haven't said yes yet."

Wendy stood up and walked over to where I was sitting, pulled me up and put her arms around my neck. She looked at me and smiled through her tears.

"Yes", was all she said.

I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her.

We were married on the twenty second of May. We waited until then so both sets of parents could make it up without having to worry too much about snow. Wendy was more than beautiful in her cream dress. Jimmy looked more than a little uncomfortable in his suit and tie. After the ceremony, Wendy's folks took Jimmy back to Peoria with them for a week. Wendy and I went back to the lodge. She said she didn't want to go anywhere special since the lodge was the most special place she'd ever lived.