speculation and concern in their eyes. What in the world was she doing? A
year had passed since she’d made that decision. It took nine months to find a
buyer for the house, but finally they’d found one. The children had balked
against her selling, but she was determined. Her son had graduated and located
a very good job on the east coast. Her daughter was just finishing up her last
year of college and already had received some nice offers, again on the other
side of the country. It was time to move on.
Tonight would be her last night in this big house. She had
located a small apartment on the other side of town which would suit her
purposes for the time being. If she did as much traveling as she planned, she
wouldn’t be spending much time there anyway.
As Helen walked into the kitchen, she sifted through the
mail—bills, invitations, advertisements. She stopped as her gaze encountered a
bright exotic postcard. She turned it over and gasped sharply as she reached
for a chair and dropped into it.
It couldn’t be. After all this time. He must have been able
to locate her address through the Fantasy Escorts Agency because she’d never
personally provided it to him. But then he was a man of rather amazing talents
and determination.
Did she dare? She set the card on the table and re-read it
again and again. In all this time she’d never forgotten him—not a day seemed to
pass without some fleeting memory crossing through her mind. It appeared he
hadn’t forgotten her either. She read the card again, trying to absorb what he
was asking her to do.
——
Retired and living the good life in Mexico. Join me. F.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Helen stepped off the plane into bright, searing sunlight.
It had been well over a year since she’d last seen Fallon. Would he have
changed much? Would he think Helen had changed?
Walking into the terminal, she headed over to the rental car
desk and gave them her name. Thank goodness the car was outfitted with a GPS
system where she could input her destination. On the postcard, Fallon had written
an address. Luckily the system came up with the data she needed.
She was nervous, not knowing what to expect when she
arrived. She took a chance on coming, but she couldn’t have turned away from
the invitation. Helen knew there would be no second opportunity. It was a
gamble she couldn’t resist.
Driving for more than an hour, she finally reached a small
parking area near the ocean and parked her car. According to the directions, the
address Fallon provided was not far. She just wanted a little bit of time to
get herself together. Tightening her grip on the steering wheel, Helen realized
she was trembling. Was it fear or anticipation? Probably both.
Opening the door, she stepped out of the car. Locking it,
she then followed the dirt path down to the ocean. The sea breeze whipped at
her skirt and her hair, pulling it free from the updo she wore. Just before she
hit the sand, she pulled off her shoes. The fine grains felt good beneath her
bare feet.
She walked down to the water and looked out over the
expansive blue vista. Living in Nevada, she’d never had much of a chance to
spend time near the ocean. The sound of the waves breaking against the shore
was soothing to her nerves, feathering and stroking across her skin, and she
felt some of the tension begin to ease away.
Was she doing the right thing by coming here? All of his
arguments against their relationship were good ones. The difference in their
ages, their professions, their lives. All of it made for a relationship that
could not possibly work. So why had she come?
She began walking along the shore as gentle foam swirled
over her feet. She needed Fallon, needed what he could give her. He drew her
from inside her enforced shell of living and showed her there was so much more.
Her fantasies didn’t involve forever after. She was no
longer a young naïve girl expecting a lifetime commitment to make her happy.
She’d
year had passed since she’d made that decision. It took nine months to find a
buyer for the house, but finally they’d found one. The children had balked
against her selling, but she was determined. Her son had graduated and located
a very good job on the east coast. Her daughter was just finishing up her last
year of college and already had received some nice offers, again on the other
side of the country. It was time to move on.
Tonight would be her last night in this big house. She had
located a small apartment on the other side of town which would suit her
purposes for the time being. If she did as much traveling as she planned, she
wouldn’t be spending much time there anyway.
As Helen walked into the kitchen, she sifted through the
mail—bills, invitations, advertisements. She stopped as her gaze encountered a
bright exotic postcard. She turned it over and gasped sharply as she reached
for a chair and dropped into it.
It couldn’t be. After all this time. He must have been able
to locate her address through the Fantasy Escorts Agency because she’d never
personally provided it to him. But then he was a man of rather amazing talents
and determination.
Did she dare? She set the card on the table and re-read it
again and again. In all this time she’d never forgotten him—not a day seemed to
pass without some fleeting memory crossing through her mind. It appeared he
hadn’t forgotten her either. She read the card again, trying to absorb what he
was asking her to do.
——
Retired and living the good life in Mexico. Join me. F.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Helen stepped off the plane into bright, searing sunlight.
It had been well over a year since she’d last seen Fallon. Would he have
changed much? Would he think Helen had changed?
Walking into the terminal, she headed over to the rental car
desk and gave them her name. Thank goodness the car was outfitted with a GPS
system where she could input her destination. On the postcard, Fallon had written
an address. Luckily the system came up with the data she needed.
She was nervous, not knowing what to expect when she
arrived. She took a chance on coming, but she couldn’t have turned away from
the invitation. Helen knew there would be no second opportunity. It was a
gamble she couldn’t resist.
Driving for more than an hour, she finally reached a small
parking area near the ocean and parked her car. According to the directions, the
address Fallon provided was not far. She just wanted a little bit of time to
get herself together. Tightening her grip on the steering wheel, Helen realized
she was trembling. Was it fear or anticipation? Probably both.
Opening the door, she stepped out of the car. Locking it,
she then followed the dirt path down to the ocean. The sea breeze whipped at
her skirt and her hair, pulling it free from the updo she wore. Just before she
hit the sand, she pulled off her shoes. The fine grains felt good beneath her
bare feet.
She walked down to the water and looked out over the
expansive blue vista. Living in Nevada, she’d never had much of a chance to
spend time near the ocean. The sound of the waves breaking against the shore
was soothing to her nerves, feathering and stroking across her skin, and she
felt some of the tension begin to ease away.
Was she doing the right thing by coming here? All of his
arguments against their relationship were good ones. The difference in their
ages, their professions, their lives. All of it made for a relationship that
could not possibly work. So why had she come?
She began walking along the shore as gentle foam swirled
over her feet. She needed Fallon, needed what he could give her. He drew her
from inside her enforced shell of living and showed her there was so much more.
Her fantasies didn’t involve forever after. She was no
longer a young naïve girl expecting a lifetime commitment to make her happy.
She’d
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