AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sue Ann scrunched up her nose and shrugged.“Like the view?”
“No, silly.Likelife.” Maureen held out her arms and spun around while her friend looked on in confusion.“I’m finally ready to understand what love feels like.And Iamin love.”
“With…”
“The lake.”Maureen was quickly growing impatient with her friend’s complete lack of understanding.“This place.I feel it in my bones.This place is special.”
Her friend raised her eyebrows in question, so she continued.
“And now I want more.I want to feel the love of—”
“Don’t say it.”Sue Ann held up a hand.“Donotsay a man.”
“Why not?”Maureen dropped her arms.“It’s true.I’m done with boys.I’m ready for a man.”
“You’re done with boys?”Her friend laughed.“How can you possibly be done with boys when you’ve never even had a boyfriend?”
Just because it was true didn’t mean Maureen wanted her best friend to point it out.Besides, Sue Ann was very quickly ruining her mood.She’d woken up on the first day of summer, ready to take on the world as awoman.Which, of course, meant she was going to need her best friend by her side.No one should be a woman on her own.Not when you were only eighteen.
“The reason I never had a boyfriend was because all the boys back home are just that—boys,”she said matter-of-factly.
“I’m pretty sure there were men back home, too.”
Maureen ignored her.“Like I said.I’m ready for aman.”
“Whatever.”Sue Ann groaned.“I don’t know about anymen.But I’m sure hoping there are some cute boys at the dance tonight.I need you to help me pick which dress to wear.I have that black lace one that’s just like the one Madonna wore.Or maybe the pink one.It’s hot pink.”
Her earlier attempt at grown-up seriousness forgotten, Maureen linked her arm through Sue Ann’s and pulled her friend into the house and up to her bedroom, where they spent the afternoon trying on dresses, teasing their hair, dancing to Bananarama and dreaming about boys—ormen—and giggling loud enough to earn more than one warning to be quiet from Maureen’s mother before she finally kicked them out of the house altogether and sent them down to the lake to play.
As it turned out, as mature and serious as she’d been about being inlovewith the place, Maureen still wasn’t too old to run and jump off the dock the same way she had every summer previously.
ChapterTwo
Almost One Year Ago
New Year’s Eve
“Happy New Year, Mom!”Cal, Maureen’s youngest son, grabbed her around the waist and spun her around, causing her to shriek.“It’s going to be a fabulous year, don’t you think?”
Maureen couldn’t help but laugh.She scanned the room.She was surrounded by all four of her boys and their partners, all beautiful and kind women.Along with two pseudo daughters who she’d never expected.Amber and Chelsea were her sons half-sisters and her ex-husband’s illegitimate daughters.Maureen had spent far too long avoiding the young women who were a living reminder of her husband’s betrayal for so many years.
It wasn’t their fault that their father made poor life choices.It took some time, but once she’d gotten to know the girls properly, she could see what lovely young ladies they were, and it wasn’t hard to welcome them into her life with open arms.
There was nothing but love and happiness surrounding her.She’d moved back to Cedar Springs, the mountain lake community that had always felt like home to her, and she had a grandchild on the way.What else could she want out of life?
“Yes,” she answered Cal.“It’s going to be an absolutely amazing year.”She kissed her movie star son on the cheek.“Happy New Year, son.”
His eyes sparkled.He reached an arm out and welcomed his girlfriend, Milena, into their little circle.
“Happy New Year, Mrs.— Maureen.”The girl blushed and dipped her head a little.Her sweetness was a perfect complement to Cal.And judging by the way he looked at her, Cal couldn’t agree more.
A voice behind them pulled Maureen’s attention, and she was quickly led away for more New Year wishes from the rest of her family.Finally, she was able to extricate herself from the joyful crowd and retreat to a quiet corner, where she pulled the envelope out of her pocket.
She stared at the handwriting.It was somewhat shakier than her memory recalled, but that was to be expected.It had been almost forty years since she’d seen the still familiar handwriting.Her hands trembled, the paper shaking.
Adam.
She hesitated and finally stuffed the envelope away again.
