Read Online Her Last Best Fling by Candace Havens - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Candace Havens
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and their experiences back home is a great one, but I’m not a writer. And you’ve been there, anyway. Seems to me you’d be perfect for the job.”
“Thanks for that. But they’d still be talking to a reporter. I feel like...” She paused. Frustrated she wound a curl around her finger. “This might be really positive for them. I’ll help you write the stories, but you need to be the one to do the interviews. How these men and women learned to assimilate back into society could be important for soldiers who are still coming home.”
“They have programs,” he said, crossing his legs. “Most branches of the military have a system in place where they work with families and do just that. Assimilate.”
“Yes, I know, but how you’d write the story would be completely different. Everyone who comes home deals with it in his or her own way. That’s why this will work. Readers will be able to say, ‘Hey, that’s the way I felt.’ Or, ‘No wonder my dad spent so much time alone in his study.’”
“It all sounds kind of therapist-like to me,” he said.
She knew exactly what he meant. “It would be if I had a psychologist writing the stories. I tell you what, how about you do one or two interviews and see how it goes? If it’s not your thing—I won’t say another word about it.”
Harley grumbled beside her and then made her way around to Blake where she placed her head on his lap. Her stomach made an appalling noise.
“Do you need me to walk her?” Blake asked as he stroked the dog’s head.
“No, she only went out an hour or so ago. It’s time for her dinner, though, and she gets two c-o-o-k-i-e-s. ” Harley’s head popped up and she immediately began to drool on his shoe. “You cannot spell!”
Blake laughed. “I’m not so sure about that. I need to get going. I’ll think about what you said. Maybe I’ll have an answer for you tomorrow when I come check your books.”
“You’ll still do that?”
“Said I would, and I always keep my word.”
“Thank you. I do appreciate it, and I promise I’ll do my best to find someone to help me on a more permanent basis.”
“There’s something else you should think about,” he said.
“What’s that?”
“The story you were about to tell me. I saw that look in your eyes. I know it well. If we eventually do this, you should share your own story with readers. It isn’t just the military that is overseas and comes back wounded physically and mentally.”
“That’s true,” she admitted. “But I’m not so sure people would be interested in my story, especially in this town. I’d kind of like to keep my head down low. Maybe at some point, fifty or so years down the road, they’ll forget I’m the new girl.”
“Like you said, the articles could shed some light on why certain people are the way they are. And how they deal with the day-to-day. I have a feeling if the rest of the town knew about what happened to you, it would change things.”
Perhaps. But dredging up old memories was the opposite of what she needed. More than anything, she wanted to start fresh. That was what moving to Tranquil Waters had been all about.
7
“H ON , I HATE to do this to you, but I need a big favor,” his mother said as he walked in the house. The talk with Macy had him riled up and anxious. He wasn’t exactly sure why. That look on her face when she thought back to her time overseas, he’d seen it one too many times in the mirror. It bothered him that she’d suffered so much. He wanted to sooth her, to help her forget.
“Blake?” his mother asked.
“Yes, ma’am, whatever you need.” He rounded the kitchen and stopped when he saw her worried expression. She had a small suitcase packed.
“Mom? What’s wrong?”
She put her hands on her hips. “Momma D isn’t doing so well. Your aunt Eloise wants to put her in a rest home, but Momma isn’t very keen on the idea. Right now she’s in the hospital, and says all she wants to do is be in
“Thanks for that. But they’d still be talking to a reporter. I feel like...” She paused. Frustrated she wound a curl around her finger. “This might be really positive for them. I’ll help you write the stories, but you need to be the one to do the interviews. How these men and women learned to assimilate back into society could be important for soldiers who are still coming home.”
“They have programs,” he said, crossing his legs. “Most branches of the military have a system in place where they work with families and do just that. Assimilate.”
“Yes, I know, but how you’d write the story would be completely different. Everyone who comes home deals with it in his or her own way. That’s why this will work. Readers will be able to say, ‘Hey, that’s the way I felt.’ Or, ‘No wonder my dad spent so much time alone in his study.’”
“It all sounds kind of therapist-like to me,” he said.
She knew exactly what he meant. “It would be if I had a psychologist writing the stories. I tell you what, how about you do one or two interviews and see how it goes? If it’s not your thing—I won’t say another word about it.”
Harley grumbled beside her and then made her way around to Blake where she placed her head on his lap. Her stomach made an appalling noise.
“Do you need me to walk her?” Blake asked as he stroked the dog’s head.
“No, she only went out an hour or so ago. It’s time for her dinner, though, and she gets two c-o-o-k-i-e-s. ” Harley’s head popped up and she immediately began to drool on his shoe. “You cannot spell!”
Blake laughed. “I’m not so sure about that. I need to get going. I’ll think about what you said. Maybe I’ll have an answer for you tomorrow when I come check your books.”
“You’ll still do that?”
“Said I would, and I always keep my word.”
“Thank you. I do appreciate it, and I promise I’ll do my best to find someone to help me on a more permanent basis.”
“There’s something else you should think about,” he said.
“What’s that?”
“The story you were about to tell me. I saw that look in your eyes. I know it well. If we eventually do this, you should share your own story with readers. It isn’t just the military that is overseas and comes back wounded physically and mentally.”
“That’s true,” she admitted. “But I’m not so sure people would be interested in my story, especially in this town. I’d kind of like to keep my head down low. Maybe at some point, fifty or so years down the road, they’ll forget I’m the new girl.”
“Like you said, the articles could shed some light on why certain people are the way they are. And how they deal with the day-to-day. I have a feeling if the rest of the town knew about what happened to you, it would change things.”
Perhaps. But dredging up old memories was the opposite of what she needed. More than anything, she wanted to start fresh. That was what moving to Tranquil Waters had been all about.
7
“H ON , I HATE to do this to you, but I need a big favor,” his mother said as he walked in the house. The talk with Macy had him riled up and anxious. He wasn’t exactly sure why. That look on her face when she thought back to her time overseas, he’d seen it one too many times in the mirror. It bothered him that she’d suffered so much. He wanted to sooth her, to help her forget.
“Blake?” his mother asked.
“Yes, ma’am, whatever you need.” He rounded the kitchen and stopped when he saw her worried expression. She had a small suitcase packed.
“Mom? What’s wrong?”
She put her hands on her hips. “Momma D isn’t doing so well. Your aunt Eloise wants to put her in a rest home, but Momma isn’t very keen on the idea. Right now she’s in the hospital, and says all she wants to do is be in
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