California Dreaming: Four Contemporary Romances (33 page)

“How was it?”

“Fabulous.”

“I can’t wait to hear more, but … ” Elizabeth gestured to the back room. “I’ve got to go. Call me later? Better yet, come see me.”

They hugged and Elizabeth scurried back behind the curtain.

Annie pulled into her driveway a few minutes earlier. Her euphoria wouldn’t last too long, she realized. Soon the reality of bills would crash down on her. But for now, she wanted to be on top of the world for however long it lasted.

She brought her office boxes into the garage. She couldn’t imagine where to put the company awards that had once seemed so important to her. As for her technical books, they could stay here until she needed them for the next job.

Once her cup of tea was made, Annie took the package out of her purse and grabbed the guitar she’d dragged out of the garage weeks before. She restrung her old Martin and tried out a few chords.

After supper that night, she told David her decision to quit. “I’m not sure how long it will take me to get a job or consulting assignment, so things will be a little tight around here for a while. You’ll need to make your cleats do until fall.”

“I don’t care,” he said, throwing his arms around her. “Anything, as long as we don’t have to leave!” He hummed tunelessly as he cleared the table. “I … um … was talking to Dad about it and he suggested I apply for a job at a restaurant or something. They’re always looking for busboys, especially with the summer coming. I rode my bike to that restaurant you and Elizabeth like and filled out an application. They said they’d see, but they probably wouldn’t call until after my birthday in May.”

Annie gave her son a hug. “Thanks, kid,” she said as tears welled in her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. It was true. She didn’t have to do it alone.

• • •

“What are you having?” Elizabeth asked as they settled into their chairs at the Costanoa Grill.

“Oh, since I’ve thrown all caution to the wind by quitting my job, I’m going to have the Alfredo with prawns.”

“Sounds yum. Wanna split?”

“Sure!”

They placed the order, along with a request for two Fogarty chardonnays and side salads.

“Let’s start with the important things,” Elizabeth said. “How was your date Friday night? Tell me everything!”

“I’m not going to tell you everything … ”

“That means something happened. Did you … ”

“It doesn’t mean anything. I don’t have to tell you every detail. And, no, it doesn’t mean we … ” Annie waved her right hand.

Elizabeth studied her. “You never were a very good liar, you know.”

Annie sighed. “We had a really fun time at the concert. Ellis Paul is a great entertainer. He inspired me so much that I got strings and restrung the guitar.”

“I can’t wait to sit at your first concert.”

“It’ll be a while. I’ve got to get some calluses first. My fingers are killing me.”

“And then what?”

“Then I’ll start learning to play again. Maybe try writing a song or two.”

“Ugh! You’re impossible. I mean then what happened
after the concert?”

“Oh. All right. You’re right. He kissed me … and we … made love.”

“I can see it was good,” Elizabeth said dryly.

Annie jerked herself back to reality. “Um … yeah … it was good.” She could feel a huge smile cross her face. “Like I’m sure it’s good with you and Bobby.”

Elizabeth’s expression saddened.

“What’s up?” Annie asked.

Elizabeth picked up her chardonnay, took a sip, and placed the glass on her cocktail napkin, carefully aligning the glass’s bottom with the indentation on the napkin. She looked up at Annie, her large brown eyes damp.

“We broke up.”

“What?”

“He wants to be married, Annie, and I don’t. He’s running for district supervisor and we … I felt he’d be better off alone than with an unmarried girlfriend he sleeps with on weekends.”

“Elizabeth, nobody cares about that in Santa Cruz. Sounds like an excuse to me.”

“Maybe it is. I don’t know. I couldn’t go on with it the way it was anymore. It seemed dishonest.” Elizabeth picked up her wine again and swirled it, staring into the depths of the small eddy in the glass.

The friends sat quietly for a time. Annie thought about the upheaval in their lives as she sipped her wine. It was going to be a year of change for both of them.

The arrival of food broke the somber silence. By unspoken agreement, they changed topics and talked about Elizabeth’s business, the coming tourist season, and the best solutions to global warming.

• • •

After getting David off to school, Annie checked into her home e-mail before continuing the job search, as she’d done every morning since she quit her job.

“Yes!” she shouted as she scanned an e-mail from Arthur and Martin, one of the consulting firms she’d applied to. She sped back a response, telling them that she’d be happy to come in for an interview the following Tuesday. She danced around her office, her heart lifted with possibilities. It wasn’t a job, but it was one step closer.

She spotted a second e-mail in the queue. Beverly. She and her aunt had kept up with almost daily Facebook messages over the past few weeks. Beverly was planning a longer trip to Costanoa over the summer so she could meet her great-nephew and spend more time with them.

“I’ve got an interview!” Annie sent the message off.

Her aunt must have been online because a chat window came up. “I knew you would. You’ve been doing so great. Things will turn around, you’ll see. And you’ll be happier than you’ve ever been in your life.”

“You know, I think you might be right.”

“And how’s that beau of yours?”

“We talk every day. He’s coming to David’s soccer game on Friday night.”

“Will Fred be there?”

“Yes. But John can handle it.”

“I’m sure he can. It’s Fred I’m thinking about.”

“Good point.” Annie laughed out loud. “Got to run. Coaching call in a few minutes. Need to make some tea first.”

“Bye, sweetie.”

“Bye, Bev.”

Carol called promptly at ten. Annie was bubbling with enthusiasm.

“It sounds like things have really turned around,” Carol said when she finished catching her up to date.

“I can’t believe it. I mean, everything was against me. I was being laid off, my kid was in trouble, and it looked like my only option was to move across the country. And nothing about that has really changed.”

“Except you.”

“Except me.” Annie had to smile to herself. It was exactly what Carol had predicted weeks ago.

Carol let the silence lengthen.

“You know,” Annie continued. “I never really thought this would work. How could singing three times a week change my life? But I realize that it was simply a catalyst for other changes. Once I opened myself up to let the music back in my life, I became less rigid. It was as if I could see in color after living in a black and white movie all my life. I still don’t totally understand it, but I’m grateful. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Are we done?” Annie asked.

“I think we are.”

• • •

The sunny warm days continued through Friday. Annie packed up David, his gear, and plenty of food supplies, and drove down to the high school football and soccer stadium. He had to be at the field an hour before the game, so she brought a book to read until John showed up.

Annie’s heart lifted when she saw John climbing the stadium steps to her perch. Her smile was reflected in his face, and she knew they could only see each other. She stood when he reached her and leaned into his embrace.

“I’ve missed you,” he said, settling his lips on hers for a lingering kiss.

“Me, too,” she replied when he finally released her.

He looked around. “You’ve got enough food here to feed a small army.”

“David
is
a small army after a soccer game.” Annie felt someone’s gaze on her. She looked down the stairs and saw Fred staring up at them. He didn’t look happy.

“There’s Fred,” she said to John, nodding at her ex-husband as he stood at the bottom of the stairs. “I need to talk to him. I’ll be right back.”

“Annie.” John put his hand on her arm. “Take all the time you need. I know you’ll be back.” He lightly kissed her on the cheek.

She trotted down the stairs to where Fred waited.

“Hi,” she said.

“Who’s that?” Fred gestured up the stairs.

“His name’s John. He owns Ocean Reads.”

“He’s obviously more than that to you.”

“Yes,” Annie said. “He is.”

Fred looked at her, his face drooping. “I guess I had a fantasy.”

“What was that?” Annie asked gently.

“That if I got sober, you’d come back to me.”

“Oh, Fred,” Annie said, giving him a hug. “I’m sorry. But it’s been over for a long time. We can’t go back.”

“I feel like a total fool.”

“It took two of us. We each had issues we needed to work out. We couldn’t work them out together. But we produced a beautiful son.”

The corners of Fred’s mouth lifted. “So we did.” He gestured at John again. “So is it serious?”

“It might be.”

“Well, good for you. You deserve some happiness. David said you quit JCN. How’s the job search going?”

“I’ve got an interview next week.”

“That’s great! David’s really happy that you’re staying. All the chaos was tough on him.”

The teams began running out on the field.

“It’s starting,” Fred said. “I’m going to sit here. See you later.”

“Later.”

Annie climbed back up the stairs and sat next to John. She looked at Fred, alone on the bottom steps, bent over, his head on his hands.

“How’d it go?” John asked.

“As well as it could. I feel so sorry for him.”

“I know you do. And while he made your life miserable for a while, you loved him.”

“Yes.”

“Annie, I have to ask,” John took her hand. “Do you still love him?”

She shook her head. “No, I haven’t loved him for a very long time.”

John put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. “That means there’s space in your heart for me.”

“That’s what it means,” she said and tilted her face up for his kiss.

Casey Dawes has lived a varied life from Equity stagehand to junior high teacher to technical maven, from Massachusetts to California, all of which gives her fodder for many novels to come. She has a master’s degree in theater, spent thirty-plus years in the technical industry and is a CoachU certified coach. Currently, she lives and writes on the bank of the Clark Fork in Montana. She’s accompanied through life by her husband and two cats who think they own the joint. To learn more about Casey, visit her website:
www.stories-about-love.com
.

In
California Sunset
, Annie is stuck in the present because of things that happened in the past. She can’t find her way through her life alone. It’s only when she reaches out to a coach that things begin to shift for her. She needs another person’s perspective.

If you find you’re extremely unhappy and can’t figure out what to do, reaching out to someone else who is trained to help you examine your perspective, can change your life. Consider clergy, a therapist or a coach (begin your search with the International Coach Federation). While these solutions may seem expensive in the short term, they can accelerate change.

Annie also faces severely traumatic events. If you are living with someone whose drinking is affecting your life, consider a group like Al-Anon. If you were the victim of incest, consider Survivors of Incest Anonymous. While there isn’t a national group for parents of juvenile offenders, many communities have local groups of support.

Just remember — you don’t have to do it alone.

Avon, Massachusetts

This edition published by

Crimson Romance

an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.

10151 Carver Road, Suite 200

Blue Ash, Ohio 45242

www.crimsonromance.com

Copyright © 2012 by Casey Dawes

ISBN 10: 1-4405-6221-0