don’t spend much time at home. If I host an occasional dinner party, I have it catered. All in all it’s lucky Benny’s cousin will be here soon.” She winked at Zoey and left via the back door.
Chapter Four
Back in her motel room, J.J. repacked her bags. It was still early enough for her to phone her mother before she returned to the ranch. She hadn’t yet gotten in touch with her mom, and she wanted to arrange a time to meet for lunch or dinner prior to her flight back to New York. Bonnie Walker’s cell phone rang five times before she answered, sounding harried.
“Mom, it’s J.J. I’m in Texas on a job.”
“How nice, dear. But I can’t talk now, I’m in my ceramics class.”
“No worries. I’ll be here for several days. Why don’t I touch base tomorrow to set a time when we can do lunch or something?”
“All right, but my tai chi class starts at eight, then I have yoga until eleven. Oh, and my bridge group meets at my condo in the afternoon. Honey... I have to go. My vase is drying out.”
“Uh—” Her cell went dead before she could say goodbye. She plopped down on the bed, not sure whether to be amused or irritated. It was typical of her mother, who was totally self-absorbed. And yet, four months earlier, her mom had acted depressed, convinced her life was in the toilet. The move to an assisted-living complex had obviously been good for her, worth every penny J.J. paid. A large part of Bonnie’s concerns centered on money. J.J.’s stepdad’s protracted illness had drained their savings. They’d borrowed against their home and when the market tanked the house was worth less than Bonnie owed, forcing her into a short sale. With her barely sixty and not eligible for social security, J.J. had stepped up to help financially, even though it meant delaying her dream of leaving her current job to freelance. She wanted to go after meatier stories, like poverty in American cities or the changing agricultural landscape.
J.J. felt weighed down and alone. Her life spun along a fast track in a business where it was difficult to make and keep friends, who often sped in opposite directions. What would it be like to settle down? She shouldn’t envy women with loving husbands, who carpooled their kids around suburbia or lived in small towns like this one where the pace was way slower. But she did envy them.
Shaking herself out of her doldrums, J.J. pocketed her phone, rose and, out of habit, straightened the bedspread. She had to face hard truths when it came to her life. She didn’t stay in one place long enough to develop a romantic relationship, and her ability to have children wouldn’t last forever.
She went to the lobby and checked out, then stowed her bags in the SUV. She still wasn’t sure bunking at Turkey Creek Ranch was a good idea. Her history with Mack left her on edge. Earlier when she’d driven down the ranch road for the first time in over thirteen years, she’d been assailed by memories. She’d once dreamed of becoming his wife. She’d thought they would be partners in every way. They’d made plans, ones that evaporated in the blink of an eye that horrible evening she found out Mack had betrayed her—by getting his former girlfriend pregnant. In fact, the blow had nearly crushed J.J. Her mother had urged her to put Mack behind her, insisting she focus on her future.
Now, retracing the route to the ranch, she couldn’t stop wondering if he had made similar plans with Faith. Mack had always said he wanted three children. Meeting Zoey was maybe what hurt the most. J.J. had imagined having Mack’s children. All at once she found herself gripping the steering wheel too hard.
Relaxing her fingers, she forced her attention back to the road. Covering old ground was pointless and unhealthy. She should get rid of those old feelings. So what if her life hadn’t ended up the way she’d envisioned at twenty? She’d traveled to places others longed to visit and met many interesting
Chapter Four
Back in her motel room, J.J. repacked her bags. It was still early enough for her to phone her mother before she returned to the ranch. She hadn’t yet gotten in touch with her mom, and she wanted to arrange a time to meet for lunch or dinner prior to her flight back to New York. Bonnie Walker’s cell phone rang five times before she answered, sounding harried.
“Mom, it’s J.J. I’m in Texas on a job.”
“How nice, dear. But I can’t talk now, I’m in my ceramics class.”
“No worries. I’ll be here for several days. Why don’t I touch base tomorrow to set a time when we can do lunch or something?”
“All right, but my tai chi class starts at eight, then I have yoga until eleven. Oh, and my bridge group meets at my condo in the afternoon. Honey... I have to go. My vase is drying out.”
“Uh—” Her cell went dead before she could say goodbye. She plopped down on the bed, not sure whether to be amused or irritated. It was typical of her mother, who was totally self-absorbed. And yet, four months earlier, her mom had acted depressed, convinced her life was in the toilet. The move to an assisted-living complex had obviously been good for her, worth every penny J.J. paid. A large part of Bonnie’s concerns centered on money. J.J.’s stepdad’s protracted illness had drained their savings. They’d borrowed against their home and when the market tanked the house was worth less than Bonnie owed, forcing her into a short sale. With her barely sixty and not eligible for social security, J.J. had stepped up to help financially, even though it meant delaying her dream of leaving her current job to freelance. She wanted to go after meatier stories, like poverty in American cities or the changing agricultural landscape.
J.J. felt weighed down and alone. Her life spun along a fast track in a business where it was difficult to make and keep friends, who often sped in opposite directions. What would it be like to settle down? She shouldn’t envy women with loving husbands, who carpooled their kids around suburbia or lived in small towns like this one where the pace was way slower. But she did envy them.
Shaking herself out of her doldrums, J.J. pocketed her phone, rose and, out of habit, straightened the bedspread. She had to face hard truths when it came to her life. She didn’t stay in one place long enough to develop a romantic relationship, and her ability to have children wouldn’t last forever.
She went to the lobby and checked out, then stowed her bags in the SUV. She still wasn’t sure bunking at Turkey Creek Ranch was a good idea. Her history with Mack left her on edge. Earlier when she’d driven down the ranch road for the first time in over thirteen years, she’d been assailed by memories. She’d once dreamed of becoming his wife. She’d thought they would be partners in every way. They’d made plans, ones that evaporated in the blink of an eye that horrible evening she found out Mack had betrayed her—by getting his former girlfriend pregnant. In fact, the blow had nearly crushed J.J. Her mother had urged her to put Mack behind her, insisting she focus on her future.
Now, retracing the route to the ranch, she couldn’t stop wondering if he had made similar plans with Faith. Mack had always said he wanted three children. Meeting Zoey was maybe what hurt the most. J.J. had imagined having Mack’s children. All at once she found herself gripping the steering wheel too hard.
Relaxing her fingers, she forced her attention back to the road. Covering old ground was pointless and unhealthy. She should get rid of those old feelings. So what if her life hadn’t ended up the way she’d envisioned at twenty? She’d traveled to places others longed to visit and met many interesting
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