Page 170 of His Last Nerve

I twisted and looked up behind me. The sun was in my eyes, so I brought my hand to my forehead.

“I’m sorry?” I called.

There was no one behind me, just the tall, proud, sturdy trees. The sun wasn’t out today, but that was alright with me. Overcast days were my favorite. With a shrug, I turned back to my book.Pride and Prejudice. A first edition, believe it or not, that I snagged at the bookstore that recently opened beside my mom’s flower shop.

The stream in front of me was flowing, the birds were chirping, and wildflowers were blooming all around me. I don’t remember how got to this place. All I remember is coming around a large boulder and stumbling on this sanctuary.

Upon seeing it, I decided this was a lovely place to indulge in Mr. Darcy. He was a guilty pleasure of mine. Tall, broad, handsome, and grumpy. His dry humor made me laugh time and time again—it never got old. My brow furrowed as my eyes scanned the delicate pages and patterns of worn ink.

When was the last time I sat down to read? When was the last time I painted?

“You paint?”

I let out a yelp and clutched the book to my chest.

There was a woman in front of me on the other side of the stream. She was wearing light washed jeans, a navy T-shirt with an “H” over the pocket on the left side. Her dirty blonde hair was tied behind her in a messy knot at the base of her skull. She had a pink bandana over her head, along with an old camera hanging from her neck.

The woman lifted a finger and pointed to the flat rock I was sitting on. “You found my spot,” she stated. Her voice was soft, but strong.

I scrambled to my feet, brushing off the back of my blue dress.Funny, I thought I picked out the red one this morning… I shook my head and focused on the beautiful woman. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea. Honestly, I was just…” I trailed off and I could feel my brows coming together.

What had I been doing before I got here?

The woman smiled. “I’m Jane.”

I found myself smiling back. “I’m Valerie.”

She tilted her head to the trees. “What a pretty name.”

“Thank you. My mom picked it.”

I felt something tug on my heart at the mention of my mother. She was working at the flower shop, right? Did I need to pick her up?

“What are you doing here, Valerie?” Jane asked, her blue eyes coming back to my face.

I held up my book. “This spot—your spot—looked like a lovely place to read,” I explained, laughing a bit. “In fact, I can’t remember the last time I actually sat down to read something that wasn’t court papers.”

Another tug. I was a lawyer. I owned a small firm.

Didn’t I?

“Mr. Darcy is a stubborn one,” she noted, hopping over the small stream to stand beside me. I hummed in agreement.

“He is, but I think that’s a loveable quality.”

Jane looked to her feet, a small smile playing on her lips. “I have a stubborn boy—two, actually.”

I smiled. “Just two?”

Sadness drifted over her face. “The Lord only let me keep two of them. The rest…the rest had to go home.”

Silence stretched between us, and a sense of longing snuck into my chest. I had children, didn’t I? The law firm, a husband…was he stubborn? Was he broad and tall enough to make me feel small? Were the kids okay?

“What are you doing in my spot, Valerie?” Jane asked, repeating her question. I watched as she held her camera to her face, pointing it to a bushel of wildflowers in front of us, the wind commanding the bright yellows, pinks, and dark purples to dance. She snapped a few photos before looking at me, smiling again.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m just surprised to see you here.”

Confusion resurfaced. “I’m not supposed to be here, am I?” I asked, looking at the book again.

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