Page 13 of Double Booked
“What were you taking pictures of?”
“Elk. It’s almost the rut.”
She’d just taken a drink of water, and she almost spit it out. She quickly grabbed a napkin and dabbed her mouth.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded vigorously as she swallowed.
“Are you familiar with the rut?” he asked, his lips curling into a grin.
“I get the basic idea,” she said.
“But have you ever seen it?”
He seemed to be enjoying this conversation a little too much. “Not in person.”
“Well, it’s quite the spectacle. You should see it while you’re here.”
She pushed her plate away. “How does one go about seeing it?”
He chuckled. “It’s pretty easy this time of year. All you have to do is drive into the park, and you’ll probably catch a glimpse.”
“I’m not sure how badly I want to see two animals—”
“Copulating,” he finished.
She clutched her water glass like it was a lifeline. How had this conversation gotten away from her? “Right, that.”
“It’s not just the act itself, but how the bull elk behave around the cows.”
“Kind of like men at a bar,” she blurted out.
He burst out laughing. “Yeah. Kind of like that.”
“Well, I might have to take your word for it.” She rose and took her empty plate to the sink, hoping it marked the end of the conversation.
“You should come with me some time,” he offered.
She whipped her head around and stared at him.
“Or not. It’s up to you.”
She was silent while she rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Then she turned and leaned back against the counter. “So, how does it work?”
His eyes widened, showing every striation of brown and green therein.
She scowled. “Not that! I meant where do you go to take pictures? How close do you get?”
“It depends. There’s a picnic area just inside the park, and the elk like to graze in a field across the road. It’s usually pretty crowded unless you go at off times.”
“What else do you take pictures of?” She couldn’t help it. She was truly interested in his job.
“All kinds of things: trees, flowers, birds, lakes, sunsets. Just about anything that catches my eye.”
“Except people.”
He chuckled. “Usually not.” He stood and brought his plate into the kitchen.
