The Secret.

Meeting Matt.

Nicole was 27 years old, she lived in Hoonah, but did a lot of hunting on Chichigof Island, she was the only one that could provide fresh meat for her family because her dad was ill with cancer, and her mom had died a few years back in a car accident, she was an only child, so she had to carry the weight of providing adequate food, taking care of her ill father, and trying to hold down a part time job. Life at the moment was rough, but Nicole kinda liked it, it made her feel useful.

Nicole had taken her fathers now retired skiff, that he used for fishing and crabbing in the past, out on the water to Chichigof Island, to make one last deer hunt before winter brought its brutal cold, she was completely alone, nothing but the soothing hum of the boat Motor, and her thoughts, before she knew it she was there, she tied the skiff to a sturdy tree, grabbed her fathers shotgun and headed for her homemade tree stand, on her way to her stand, she heard something rustling in the leaves just ahead of her, she grabbed her gun from her back, and peered through the scope, it was hard to make out but it looked like a deer, she squatted down to get a better look, she adjusted her grip on the gun, and took it off safety, ready to shoot. Right before she squeezed the trigger, a man walked out from behind the tree, she had him in her cross hairs, she picked up her head, then lowered her gun, he didn't see her, she stood up and called out to him "hey, dude I thought you were a deer... I almost shot you!" his salt and pepper hair was all slicked back, he was wearing a big brown coat, and a grey shirt with black jeans, he had his rifle on his back, he looked a bit startled trying to find where the voice was coming from, his blue eyes searched the bush all around him till he made contact with her eyes, he smiled and called back, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize anyone was hunting out here!" She threw her gun over her shoulder and started towards him, he started walking towards her and met her halfway, he held out his hand, "I'm Matt...Matt Brown." She shook his hand firmly and said "Nicole...nice to meet you Matt Brown." She looked deep into his eyes and caught herself before making it awkward she smirked and looked at the ground "Umm...haha...sorry for almost shooting you..." he chucked and said "ahh no worries, it's not the first time it's almost happened." He looked at her gun and asked "so whatcha hunting for?"  She smiled and tucked her long brown hair behind her ear and said "deer, for me and my father for winter, you?" He pulled some pink meat out of a little leather bag that was hanging by his side and held the once living animal out by its foot. "Rabbit!" He said with a smile, she chuckled and looked at the ground and said "well I better get going, I have a deer stand just up the way." She started walking away, and before she turned around completely, Matt blurted out "uhh Nicole! I was just thinking maybe we could like go out sometime?" Nicole stopped and turned back smirking at him, he laughed nervously and said "sorry, it's just... we don't get very many pretty women like you out here in the bush." Nicole laughed and said "no...no... it's fine... umm yeah, I would love to go out with you." He nodded his head, "alright then it's a date! Uhh, can you meet me in Hoonah, by the docks for 6?" Nicole involuntarily licked her lips, "yeah, 6 is great!" He waved goodbye and said "awesome see you at 6!" She waved back and continued on her way to her deer stand. As she was walking she couldn't help but think about him, I mean he seemed like a great guy, very well mannered, funny, and handsome too.

She looked down at her watch it was already 4:30 and she hadn't seen anything other than a butterfly and a young doe, and bit disappointed she climbed down her tree stand and made her way to her fathers skiff, she started the engine and made her way back to Hoonah, she tied off her boat, and headed home, when she walked through the front door of her house, she could see her ill father asleep in the recliner in front the tv, he was watching Rambo, (his favorite) she walked past him and to her room, she showered and got dressed for her date with Matt, she put on her mothers perfume, and was ready to go, she looked at her self in the mirror and said "...you got this... don't screw it up." She grabbed her purse and coat and headed out the door, kissing her sleeping fathers forehead gently before leaving.