Angel's Rest(96)

Ali cleared her throat, then observed, “One of my husband’s friends lost his wife to breast cancer after they’d been very happily married for twenty years. He told me that letting go of her was brutal, but once he’d done that, he found a special joy in discovering an equally happy relationship with another woman. He said that once he was able to commit himself to someone new, his life was richer because he had a new appreciation for life and love that made him determined to enjoy every minute of it.”

“He sounds like a great guy,” Sarah said. “Why can’t I meet a guy like that?”

“He is a great guy,” Ali replied. “And you shouldn’t give up, Sarah. Who knows, your great guy could walk into the Trading Post this afternoon.” To Nic, she added, “I can see Gabe being like my husband’s friend.”

“Me too. Gabe is a good guy, he really is. Oh, he can be a pain, don’t get me wrong, but I am more hopeful today than I’ve been in … well … since the stick turned blue.”

Sarah’s teeth tugged at her bottom lip. “I hope you’re right, Nic. I just …”

“What?”

“Never mind. I should keep my mouth shut.”

“Yeah, right. Like when has that ever happened?” When Sarah scowled at her, Nic said, “Really, Sarah. I trust your instincts. I want to hear what you have to say.”

“Okay. But don’t get mad.” Sarah sipped her tea, then said, “My fear is that you’re setting yourself up for him to break your heart. I’m afraid you will always be second-best with him, and I just can’t see you going through life as a consolation prize. You deserve better.”

“Ouch,” Ali said.

“You’re right. I do deserve better and I won’t hold on forever. I have too much pride for that. At some point the man will have to fish or cut bait. He’ll have to make room for me in his heart, not just in his bed.”

“So do you have a time period in mind, some cut-off date? And I mean that exactly like it sounds.”

“I’ve given him until the babies are six months old to make up his mind. I won’t allow him to drag his feet any longer than that. I’m trying to maintain my patience and faith. Frankly, I am making the man happy whether he wants to admit it or not. I have to believe that once he gets past the pain, he’ll want the joy he had before and he’ll let me, let us”—she patted her baby bump—“in. You’ve seen how he is with Tiger. He talks a good game, but then he slips the dog table scraps. Do you really think he’ll be able to hold out against us?”

“As long as he gives you more than table scraps,” Sarah said.

“Oh, that is so true,” Ali agreed, her voice ringing with conviction. “A woman should never put up with table scraps.”

Sarah shrugged. “Well, you make a good point. When it comes to the men in their lives, women shouldn’t settle. Nic knows it. I just don’t want her to forget it. She needs to think about her marriage like she does Mexican food.”

“Mexican food?” Ali asked.

“We love Mexican food,” Nic explained.

“And Nic deserves the whole enchilada.” Sarah picked up her pen and grabbed her notebook. “Okay, enough about you. Let’s talk Lori and the perfect birthday party thrown by the perfect mother.”

“Not to mention,” Nic said, her heart filled with love, “the perfect friends.”





SEVENTEEN





Summer arrived with the influx of seasonal residents and a glorious trickle of tourists. The pace of life picked up as gift shops and restaurants opened their doors and all businesses extended their hours of operation. Between the return of the season and the spending by a constant parade of contractors working long hours at Angel’s Rest, the citizens of Eternity Springs enjoyed an unusually loud jingle in their pockets.

Then the second week of June a once-in-a-generation weather system moved in over the Colorado Rockies and parked for days, dumping rain and causing significant flooding throughout the state. Eternity Springs fared better than many areas of Colorado, though early Wednesday morning Angel Creek did top its banks and only concerted sandbagging effort by townspeople along with good design on Gabe’s part saved the hot springs garden from destruction. By Wednesday evening the creek returned to its banks and everyone breathed more easily while keeping a sharp eye on both the sky and radar reports.