In Sheep's Clothing by Rett MacPherson Page B

noon, can’t you? I mean, you stop for lunch anyway, right?”
    â€œSure,” he said. “Not a problem.”
    And so we headed out onto the lake. I have to admit, I was a little excited as the boat zoomed away from the marina. Even if I didn’t like to fish, I still loved being out on the water. I had brought my camera along and began snapping pictures almost as soon as my butt was in the boat. Colin made me put a life jacket on. At first I couldn’t figure out what good that would do my camera if we capsized, but then I realized he was concerned for my well-being. Golly, gee. Twice in one vacation.
    It wasn’t long until Colin had a nibble, and then almost before I could get the camera aimed, he brought the fish up out of the water and I snapped the picture. An hour or so went by and I was just enjoying the lap of the water against the boat, smelling the water … and okay, the fish smell was a little irritating, but I tried not to let it bother me. Rudy finally caught a fish, and I got to snap a picture of him, too. Then I asked Colin to take one of me and Rudy. He took three or four.
    â€œHey, you should get your picture made with Colin,” Rudy said. “I don’t think there’s a picture of the two of you since his wedding.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œCome on,” Rudy said. “Get over there.”
    â€œOh, all right,” I said. I scooted over by Colin and put my arm around him. “Hi, Dad.”
    Rudy snapped the picture just as Colin rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe you share the same genetic material as my wife,” Colin said.
    â€œOh, I don’t pretend one bit that my mother didn’t get all the good genes, because she did. My mother’s perfect,” I said.
    â€œWell, as perfect as a woman can be,” he said. At first I thought he was serious and I had my fist all balled up and was ready to just knock him into the water when he started cracking up laughing. “Sorry. I tried to keep a straight face.”
    Things went back to being quiet. I kept looking through my camera lens trying to find just the right picture of the lake. I snapped a few pictures and then we were ready to head in for lunch break. As we approached the marina, I couldn’t help but notice how quaint it looked. It would have been a classic piece of Americana if it weren’t for the falling-down boat shack on the property next to it.
    We got out of the boat and I stretched and screamed. “Oh my God, I have a crick in my back. Oh, jeez, oh, jeez, oh, jeez.” Rudy rubbed the middle of my back with the palm of his hand, while Colin just rolled his eyes and waited patiently. “I’m sorry, I’m not used to sitting in one position all day.”
    I hobbled into the marina to find a different man standing behind the counter. I tried to remember how Aunt Sissy and Roberta had described Brian Bloomquist. He didn’t seem all that bad. I walked up to the counter and smiled. “Mr. Bloomquist?”
    â€œYes,” he said. “I’m Brian.”
    He was about forty or forty-five, really tall and really blond, with dark, smoky eyes. “Hi,” I said. “I’m Torie O’Shea, and I’m here from St. Louis, visiting my aunt.” Since St. Louis is the closest city of any size to my hometown of New Kassel, I always just tell people that I’m from St. Louis when I’m on vacation. It’s too hard to explain exactly where New Kassel is.
    â€œGlad to have you,” he said.
    â€œYes, and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?”
    â€œWhat sort of questions?” he asked. “You can tell Kimberly Canton my answer is still no.”
    â€œUh … this has nothing to do with that, whatever that is. This is a more personal matter,” I said.
    â€œWhat did she do now?”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œMy ex-wife,” he said.
    â€œNo, it’s not that