AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s good. I have some loose ends to tie up here before I leave. I’ll let you know when I’m getting ready to head your way.”
***
Camille came down the stairs still in her robe. “I sincerely hope you’ve made a pot of coffee, Will, if you’re up this early.”
“Yes, ma’am, I’ve got it all ready for you…in your favorite cup, even.”
She took the proffered cup and sat on a stool at the kitchen island. As she looked at him over the rim of the cup, she asked, “What are you grinning about?”
“Truthfully, I never went to sleep last night. My mind was way too busy.”
“I had trouble sleeping too but probably for different reasons.”
“You tell me your reasons and I’ll tell you mine,” he said in a little boy voice.
“You’re entirely too happy. Did you spike the coffee?”
He shook his head. “No, I didn’t. I’ve done a lot of self-introspection and made decisions based on what I discovered.”
“Can’t say I was immersed in psychological introspection. I was mostly thinking about Barbara’s letter.”
“Yeah, that was part of my thinking, also. But I have to thank Lorna for my new-found outlook on my life.”
Camille rolled her eyes and took another swallow of coffee. “Please…spare me. Lorna doesn’t seem to have any positive effects on anyone she comes in contact with.”
“Ahhh, but you see, when I had to spend time with her, I became aware of the fact I was slowly becoming more and more like her and I didn’t like what I saw. Self-absorbed, no regard for others, hurting people, getting ahead at all costs…you know, all those sterling traits.”
She nodded and refilled her cup. “Yes, I do know and you could be describing me, also. Do you have a solution to our despicable characters or should we accept our faults and revisit our relationship, since no one could possibly love either of us…except each other?”
He reached for her hand. “As inviting as that sounds, my love, I don’t believe it would work any better this time around than it did the last time, even without interference from your mother. And in your heart, you believe that too. I feel as though Barbara’s advice about life has lifted a big burden from my shoulders. I’m going to pursue a path in cooking, as you’ve advised me to do for many years. When I was in Bozeman, I filled in for a sick grill cook for an evening and remembered how much satisfaction it gave me.”
“You’re surely not going to be able to survive on a grill cook’s wages. That can’t pay more than minimum, Will.”
“I know, but the adrenaline rush of having to have everything ready at the same time, make it look good and remembering all the details plus be fast at it…that was exhilarating. I think I’m going to go back and see if I can at least fill in for a few weeks at The Branding Iron while I decide how far I want to go with this idea.”
Camille threw her head back and laughed. “I don’t suppose that delicious redhead named Maggie has anything to do with this momentous decision, does she?”
Grinning, Will answered, “That might have swayed me a bit.” More seriously, he added, “Why don’t you come with me, Camille? You have a home there now and no one at the magazine knows you’re back. They will never know you even came back to Missouri.”
She looked thoughtful. “I suppose I have to return at some time to file papers on the property, transferring it to my name, although Barbara, in her efficiency and control mode, probably already took care of that.”
“I never asked how your secret project went or exactly what it was or if it’s finished or what?”
She sighed. “It went famously well. I was writing articles from the field of actual online dating experiences. All kinds but with emphasis on the ‘cougar’ type: you know, older woman, younger man. It was actually a lot of fun and very enlightening. I had no idea the expertise it requires to separate the authentic people from the fake. It’s amazing how many scammers are out there, waiting to prey on unsuspecting women. There’s always the good news, I guess, that a woman could find someone they were attracted to and fall hard for him.”
“Is that what happened to you, Camille?” Will asked softly.
She waved her hand to indicate he was way off base. “No…well maybe. But the age difference is too great. It would never work.”
“Wait a minute. Isn’t that what you were writing about? I read some of your articles on the plane…yes, I bought a copy of Mavis’ Mag…and you seemed to be encouraging women to fall in love with the right guy, no matter what the age difference. Obviously, you aren’t taking your own advice.”
“I don’t know, Will. I think it may have worked before he discovered I’d been lying all along. That’s not a good foundation for a relationship.”
“True. But do you want to accompany me to Bozeman or not? This is the perfect time since you aren’t expected or needed at the magazine.”
“And you’d have a place to live, right?”
“You are so suspicious but yes, perhaps I could live in your house until I got a paycheck of some kind. I can pay rent and this time, I really will. Despite what I told you about living here, I’m not destitute.”
