sunglasses and fixed her gaze on him. “Come around to the other side of the booth, and I’ll fill you in.”
He obeyed, and she tugged on his arm, leading him toward Aunt Zalea’s SUV at the rear of the display. She opened the front passenger door and pulled out a cloth-covered scrapbook about fourteen inches square.
“I want to find these people. The husband is, or was, a soldier.” She held the book up to him. He took the book and opened it.
Of course he knew the name Tremonte. “I know this man. I served with Kevin Tremonte but lost track of him after I was wounded. He was sent home early from his deployment. I haven't spoken to him, though. The rest of our unit is scheduled to return in a few weeks”
Funny how people moved on. Not that they didn’t care or keep in touch. But they kept on serving their country while he’d been left to pick up the pieces.
“Well, Mart at the storage place in town was clearing out the Tremontes' unit because they skipped out on their bill, according to him,” said Justine. “I took care of the bill, and Azalea’s helped me find a few of their personal items and kept them from getting sold. But this scrapbook must be important to them. I can’t get rid of it, and it would be wrong to let Mart throw it out.”
“Did he have any contact information for them?”
“Just a cell phone number. I called it, but all I got was a voice mail. I left a message, but no one has called back.” Justine frowned. “I don't know why I didn't think to ask you sooner.”
“That’s. . . That’s a real kind thing you did for them. I’ll try calling them too. Because I want him and his family to be the first guests at Hopeful Acres.” Maybe this would encourage him to finish the renovations. All the place needed was paint and an air conditioning unit for the window.
“Good. Maybe he’ll call you back. And hey, you should tell me about your plans sometime. I’d love to hear about them.” Justine sounded sincere.
He handed the book to her, and she tucked it back inside the vehicle. “Thanks. It’s a way for me to give back and hopefully give some tangible hope to military families.”
“It’s a good idea. You know what they’ve been through.”
“Well, sort of. I mean, Tremonte had a family waiting for him to come home.”
“You did, too.”
“Right. My parents, brother, and sister wanted me home. But someone special. . .” He shrugged and glanced back toward the main market area.
“You didn’t have anyone like that?” Her voice sounded soft.
“Not really.” The image of Tamarind’s face drifted across his mind. “Not for me, anyway. She. . .”
“So there was someone, once?”
“Let’s just call it someone who might have been.” Billy shook his head. “It’s just as well, though. I’m not looking for anyone.”
“Same here.” Justine leaned on Aunt Zalea’s vehicle and crossed her arms across her chest.
“You’re not using your cane today.”
“No. I thought I’d try today without it. I’m not planning to do a lot of walking here.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“I don’t plan to.” Justine gazed across to the concession stand. “I think I’ll grab some water for Azalea and me. Would you like something?”
“No,” Billy said. “I need to find my sister.”
“I’ll see you later then.” Justine gave him a nod and limped slightly as she walked away from the canopy.
Chapter 6
As usual, something that seemed like a good idea at the time turned into a bad one very quickly. Justine regretted leaving her cane at home, and she should have asked Billy to get some bottled water for her and Azalea. Because he would have done it for her. That was the kind of man Billy Tucker was.
So why should she feel jealous at the mere thought of someone waiting for him when he came home after deployment? She hardly knew him, and she wasn’t planning on staying here any longer than necessary.
A warm breeze lifted the ends of Justine’s hair
He obeyed, and she tugged on his arm, leading him toward Aunt Zalea’s SUV at the rear of the display. She opened the front passenger door and pulled out a cloth-covered scrapbook about fourteen inches square.
“I want to find these people. The husband is, or was, a soldier.” She held the book up to him. He took the book and opened it.
Of course he knew the name Tremonte. “I know this man. I served with Kevin Tremonte but lost track of him after I was wounded. He was sent home early from his deployment. I haven't spoken to him, though. The rest of our unit is scheduled to return in a few weeks”
Funny how people moved on. Not that they didn’t care or keep in touch. But they kept on serving their country while he’d been left to pick up the pieces.
“Well, Mart at the storage place in town was clearing out the Tremontes' unit because they skipped out on their bill, according to him,” said Justine. “I took care of the bill, and Azalea’s helped me find a few of their personal items and kept them from getting sold. But this scrapbook must be important to them. I can’t get rid of it, and it would be wrong to let Mart throw it out.”
“Did he have any contact information for them?”
“Just a cell phone number. I called it, but all I got was a voice mail. I left a message, but no one has called back.” Justine frowned. “I don't know why I didn't think to ask you sooner.”
“That’s. . . That’s a real kind thing you did for them. I’ll try calling them too. Because I want him and his family to be the first guests at Hopeful Acres.” Maybe this would encourage him to finish the renovations. All the place needed was paint and an air conditioning unit for the window.
“Good. Maybe he’ll call you back. And hey, you should tell me about your plans sometime. I’d love to hear about them.” Justine sounded sincere.
He handed the book to her, and she tucked it back inside the vehicle. “Thanks. It’s a way for me to give back and hopefully give some tangible hope to military families.”
“It’s a good idea. You know what they’ve been through.”
“Well, sort of. I mean, Tremonte had a family waiting for him to come home.”
“You did, too.”
“Right. My parents, brother, and sister wanted me home. But someone special. . .” He shrugged and glanced back toward the main market area.
“You didn’t have anyone like that?” Her voice sounded soft.
“Not really.” The image of Tamarind’s face drifted across his mind. “Not for me, anyway. She. . .”
“So there was someone, once?”
“Let’s just call it someone who might have been.” Billy shook his head. “It’s just as well, though. I’m not looking for anyone.”
“Same here.” Justine leaned on Aunt Zalea’s vehicle and crossed her arms across her chest.
“You’re not using your cane today.”
“No. I thought I’d try today without it. I’m not planning to do a lot of walking here.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“I don’t plan to.” Justine gazed across to the concession stand. “I think I’ll grab some water for Azalea and me. Would you like something?”
“No,” Billy said. “I need to find my sister.”
“I’ll see you later then.” Justine gave him a nod and limped slightly as she walked away from the canopy.
Chapter 6
As usual, something that seemed like a good idea at the time turned into a bad one very quickly. Justine regretted leaving her cane at home, and she should have asked Billy to get some bottled water for her and Azalea. Because he would have done it for her. That was the kind of man Billy Tucker was.
So why should she feel jealous at the mere thought of someone waiting for him when he came home after deployment? She hardly knew him, and she wasn’t planning on staying here any longer than necessary.
A warm breeze lifted the ends of Justine’s hair
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