Colorado Sunset (Peakview Series Book 1)

by Jill Haymaker

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The next two weeks flew by as June cleaned and scrubbed the house and trimmed and weeded the yard, until she felt blisters on every finger. With Carole’s encouragement, she went ahead and listed the house for sale. The month she would be gone would provide a good opportunity for Carole to show the house without June being in the way. She arranged for Betty next door to water the plants and flowers. Betty’s teenage son, Chip, agreed to mow and trim the yard once a week.

  The night before embarking on her adventure, she made one last sweep through the house making sure everything was in its place. She applied the bottle of hair color to touch up her graying roots and finished packing her suitcases while it soaked in. Her once flaming red hair had faded over the years, but thanks to modern science she was able to restore most of the vibrant color each month. She fell asleep looking forward to the next phase of her life.

  Bright and early on the first day of September, June and Laddie climbed into the tightly packed station wagon and headed west. As she merged onto I-70, she was actually excited about something for the first time in as long as she could remember. She rolled down the window and let the summer breeze slap her in the face. The day and the miles passed by—uneventfully—broken up only by frequent stops at roadside rest areas. Laddie got some exercise and did his business, and she got some fresh air into her lungs and revived herself for more highway miles ahead.

  June crossed the state line into Illinois just as the sun now lowering in the western sky started to blind her view of the road. Time to stop for the night. She was getting close. Her excitement increased at the thought of seeing Fran, her longest and dearest friend—her BFF—as her kids called her. Fran always made her world a little brighter. A short time later, June was pulling into Fran’s driveway.

  Fran screamed as she ran out the front door and grabbed June in a huge hug. “Oh my God. It’s so good to see you.”

  “You, too. How long has it been? You look great.”

  In actuality, she had not seen Fran in person since before June’s divorce six years ago. However, thanks to modern technology and their sometimes passable understanding of how to use it, they’d kept in frequent contact, first through emails and then the last couple of years through Facebook and texting. June truly did not know how she’d have made it through her divorce without Fran’s support. Since their college days, they’d always kept in touch sporadically, but when her world crumbled—it was to this lifelong friend that she had instinctively turned.

  “Junebug, are you okay? You seem to be a million miles away.”

  “I’m fine, seeing you again brings back so many memories. I remember feeling so scared and out of place that day my parents dropped me off at the dorm at Bowling Green State University. I didn’t know a soul and then there you were—the best roommate ever. It still amazes me how inseparable we became in such a short period of time.”

  Frannie chuckled. “It was a match made in heaven. Didn’t we have fun together that first year? Well, until you met Ed, and he became your world. I don’t think I ever told you, but I was worried about him, even then. I watched you give up on getting a degree and having a career. Instead, your focus was becoming Mrs. Ed Meyers. Thinking back now, how odd that in those days getting a ‘Mrs. Degree’ was a common and acceptable thing to do.”

  June laughed at the memory. “Times have sure changed. Alexis would cringe at the thought of changing her plans to please a man. I was happy, though, really happy. Remember my wedding? It was such a beautiful June day, not a cloud in the sky, and there you were by my side as maid of honor. I remember thinking that I’d surely live happily ever after. We were off to start our new life in the huge metropolis of Hayville, Ohio.”

  “We were all so young and innocent, little did we know….”

  “But look at you, still happily married to your college sweetheart, Kevin. He sure turned out to be one of the ‘good guys.’ And now you’re a grandmother, too! At least one of us got it right.”

  Fran gave June another hug. “I thank God every day for putting Kevin in my life. But hey, there’s still time for you to get it right. Come on in.” Fran helped grab June’s suitcase out of the back of the Subaru. “Aren’t you a handsome boy,” she cooed to Laddie as she scratched his soft head.

  “I’m pretty sure that Laddie is the only male I care to have in my life right now. He has been a life saver through these past few years, as have you.” June followed Fran into the house which was filled with a heavenly, overwhelming chocolate aroma.

  June’s lips curve into a smile. True to form, Fran had been baking for her company. After getting a bowl of water for Laddie, the old friends settled down on Fran’s shaded deck for a glass of lemonade and some good conversation. Fran caught her up on the latest gossip on a few of their former classmates.

  Fran reached over and touched June’s hand, “I was so glad when you called and said you were coming for a visit. It’s been way too long. So what are your plans now that all your kids have left the nest? Are you going to stay in Hayville?”

  “I’m starting a new chapter in my life,” June exclaimed. “Something went off inside of me when I put Alexis on that plane. I thought—June this is your time. When are you going to get off your rear and do something else with your life? I realized I was nowhere near old enough to just sit in that house and grow old by myself.”

  “Good for you, Junebug. What’s first?”

  “That’s the exciting part—I don’t really know. Short term, I’m going to get to California and spoil my precious granddaughters for a few days, and then who knows? I really haven’t thought very far ahead.”

  “Maybe you should consider moving to San Diego and being close to them all the time. Paul could look out for you. I worry about you living alone.”

  There was that word again. June bristled, “I’m not alone. I have Laddie.” Hearing his name, Laddie got up from where he was laying in the yard chewing on a stick, and came over to see what was going on. “See,” June laughed, “he’s always here when I need him!”

  “He’s a great dog, but do you ever think about, oh I don’t know, finding another man to share the rest of your life? There’s something to be said for having a human being who can actually carry on a conversation with you.”

  Sweat trickled down June’s neck as her anxieties came barreling down on her. She flashed back to that pit in her stomach she had felt that first night after Alexis left. “I know you are right, Frannie. I’d be lying if I said that I hadn’t thought about it. Of course, we all want that soul mate to share our lives. It’s just that Ed was supposed to be that person and when our marriage fell apart, I didn’t even know why. Maybe I’m not good at relationships.”

  “Oh, don’t be ridiculous. You were a great wife. The fact that your idiot husband wanted someone half your age, with half your brains, is no fault of yours. There are good guys out there. How are Ed and the tramp doing, by the way?”

  June smiled, she could always count on Frannie to have her back. “I guess they’re good. You know she’s pregnant again.”

  “Ha, I don’t envy Ed having to go through that baby stage at our age. You’re better off, June. You deserve someone who truly cherishes you. He’s out there somewhere.”

  “I’m sure Prince Charming’s on his white horse right now just waiting to swoop in on me. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I believe in fairy tales anymore. Anyway, I need to figure out where I want to live and what I want to do with my life, before I even think about dating someone new. All in good time.”

  The prospect of dating, at her age, scared the heck out of her. What she didn’t need right now were any more disappointments in her life. She hadn’t enjoyed dating even when she was in high school for heaven’s sake. Maybe that’s why she had been so ready to go ahead and settle down with Ed. And now—in her fifties—dating was an even less attractive prospect. She pictured herself on many boring dates with unattractive, fat, balding men with tons of emotional baggage fro
m previous marriages. Argh. Being alone wasn’t so bad. June doubted she would ever find her soul mate—dating would only result in meeting a bunch of losers. All the good men her age were already married to someone else. This was not how she had dreamed her life would turn out. Sure she loved romance novels and secretly pictured herself with one of those dashing strangers, but was that a real possibility? Probably not, she sighed.

  “Don’t ever give up on your dreams.” Fran said. “Isn’t that what you always used to say in college?”

  “Maybe, but I’m older and wiser now.

  * * *

  June spent the next two days catching up on Fran’s life. They worked side by side in Fran’s garden and explored of some local flea markets. It was like easier times, being together again. However, June found herself anxious to get back on the road. On the third morning, she packed up her belonging and Laddie and left amid hugs and promises to not stay away as long this time.

  Behind the wheel again, June thought about her conversations with Fran. She knew she would be fine on her own and Laddie was indeed good company, but is that all she wanted for the rest of her life? Fran’s promptings shook June out of her complacency. For the first time in a long time, she felt a yearning for something more—some good old fashioned romance in her life! Where’s my knight in shining armor? June shifted in her seat; a deep, almost physical pain, gripped her heart. Where did that come from? Maybe it was from watching Fran and Kevin, still in love after all these years; maybe it was the romantic comedy they had watched on TV last night; or maybe, just maybe…it was something more, a reawakening of June’s desire to be appreciated as a woman—a sexy, desirable woman—not just as a mother and a friend.

  Two exhausting days later, she was still driving, but now through the desolate landscape of western Kansas. Her excitement about this trip was wearing thin. Her butt was numb, her eyes were dry and starting to blur, and she had listened to all of her favorite country music CD’s at least three times. Maybe driving hadn’t been such a great idea after all. She longed to be at Paul’s, just as she longed to move on with her future instead of revisiting the past. While she had thoroughly enjoyed seeing her dearest friend, somehow Fran’s stable, settled life had intensified her own feeling of not belonging. Would anyone really care if she was never heard from again? Sure her kids would…but they had their own lives now.

  “No,” she scolded herself. She had to stay positive--her life would get better. It had to. “Look out world here I come,” June exclaimed aloud, while inside she felt like a scared little child.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Around noon, June passed a big, brown and white sign welcoming her to “Colorful Colorado.” It sure wasn’t colorful out here—eastern Colorado was as drab and flat as Kansas. She glanced down at her dashboard and noticed—to her dismay—that her gas gauge was close to empty. She rolled down her window and was assaulted by a rush of hot, dry air. It must be close to a hundred degrees. She longed for the mountains ahead, where it would at least be cool. Passing a mileage sign, she let out a deep breath—still 200 miles to Denver. She looked for the next exit and pulled off to fill up. Great. There was next to nothing here, just one small rickety gas station with only four pumps—all of them in use. Apparently, other motorists had also succumbed to this less than desirable pit stop. Pulling in, she noticed that two of the four pumps were blocked by a big black truck with a horse trailer hitched on the back. There were already cars waiting behind cars on the other side, so she pulled in behind the enormous trailer. How selfish of this person to block two pumps when there were obviously people waiting to get gas.

  As she slowed to a stop, Laddie started to whine. “Hold on boy. I’ll get your leash and we’ll take a walk while we wait for a gas pump.”

  She didn’t want to lose her spot in line to the next unfortunate motorist who pulled in, so she simply put her car in park right where it was. Getting Laddie out of the car, she looked around for some grass. The only patch—if you could call that dried out area grass—was clear across the parking lot. She’d have to walk around the monster of a truck to get there.

  Growing more irritated and hot by the minute, she frowned and held tight to the leash as she circumvented the trailer by passing through the narrow gap between it and the gas pumps. When she got to the front, a tall, lean man in a cowboy hat looked up from where he was washing a considerable amount of dust off his windshield.

  “Sorry about that ma’am,” he said tipping his Stetson hat in greeting. “I guess my trailer takes up a lot of room. I’ll be finished shortly.”

  June glared back at him. “If you would’ve pulled in from the other direction, you wouldn’t have blocked two pumps,” she snapped and kept on walking. She definitely was not in the mood to carry on a conversation with someone who was that inconsiderate.

  Laddie tugged on the leash and pulled her across the pavement. Remorse hit her as she ran to keep up. It wasn’t like her to be rude to a total stranger. The fact that she was hot and tired was no excuse. She should have tried to be more civil to the idiot. She turned her back to the pumps, and tried to relax her shoulders, tense from all the driving. She stretched her arms above her head, as Laddie ran around at the end of his leash. Startled, she felt a hand touch the back of her arm.

  “The pump’s all yours ma’am. Hot out here today, isn’t it?”

  June whipped around to find the cowboy standing there with his hat in his other hand. His touch felt warm, but it sent an uncontrollable shiver up her arm. She quickly stepped back, avoiding the contact. Looking up she noticed the cowboy’s shining pale blue eyes and warm smile with dimples on either side of his cracked chapped lips. She fought the urge to grab her chapstick from her purse and hand it to him. She knew she would enjoy watching him apply it to those sexy lips… Wait—what had he just said to her?

  Regaining her composure, she looked up at those sparkling eyes, “Yes, it’s way too hot. I’ll be glad to get to Denver and a nice air-conditioned motel with a swimming pool.”

  “Well, I don’t know how far you’ve come, but if you are headed to Denver, you’ve only got another couple of hours to go.”

  June realized she was paying more attention to his smooth western drawl than anything he was saying. Still, she wasn’t about to give this total stranger any more information about herself. For all she knew, those sultry blue eyes could belong to an axe murderer. Her reverie was broken by the loud beep of a car horn. Oh my goodness, she was as guilty as he had been. Her deserted car was now blocking other motorists.

  Calling Laddie, she turned back to where she had left her car. “It won’t come soon enough for me. Excuse me, but I need to get my gas pumped and be on my way.”

  She was dismayed when Laddie wagged his tail as he passed the stranger and stopped when the man bent down to pet him. Traitor.

  “Beautiful dog. Have a nice rest of your day.”

  “You too,” she said more to end the conversation than really meaning it—no matter how good looking he was. She definitely wasn’t looking for a man in this God forsaken part of the country. She felt his eyes follow her as she turned away. She flushed under his gaze thinking of the old worn out running shorts and faded tank top she had chosen for this long leg of her trip. She always prided herself in dressing conservatively in public, but today had been more about comfort and surviving the heat.

  With Laddie safely back in the car, June stood at the side of her Subaru trying to concentrate on the pump clicking off the gallons. Still she couldn’t resist glancing back for one more glimpse of that sexy cowboy. Too late—she only caught the flash of his brake lights as he pulled out of the parking lot toward the Interstate.

  Back on the road herself, the increasing realization that she might want a man in her life hit her hard. Could she find someone to ignite her long dormant feelings of being an attractive, desirable female? Being alone was wearing thin. Surely she had a few good years left in her. When she returned home after this trip, she should start dating agai
n. If she was feeling a sexual attraction to some scruffy, arrogant cowboy in the middle of nowhere, maybe it was time to look for an appropriate man on whom to focus her attention.

  * * *

  Jeff maneuvered his truck and trailer onto the Interstate and headed toward Kansas. He had only been away from home a few hours and already couldn’t wait to get back to his small, friendly mountain community. Hopefully, in a few more days and he’d be back on his ranch with two new horses for their expanding herd. This trip had better be productive. He was getting grumpy already. He hated being away from home.

  Against his will, his thoughts turned back to the lady at the gas station. He smiled. Even though she had appeared to be somewhere in her fifties—similar in age to himself—she was definitely still petite and attractive, especially in that skimpy outfit. Although dating had been the farthest thing from his mind for the past eight years since Susan had passed away, he was not immune from appreciating a pretty female. But that was where the attraction ended. She had been so unfriendly and negative and in such a rush to get wherever it was that she was going. Females were just hard to understand. Sometimes he felt grateful to be a bachelor, but other times….

  Why couldn’t he get her out of his mind? He had noticed the Ohio license plates as he pulled away. She was probably from some big city where being rude was a way of life. He thanked God that he didn’t have to live like that. He couldn’t wait to finish up his business and get home to Peakview.

  Jeff admitted that when Susan passed away, it had overwhelmed him to be single again. It was especially hard learning how to be a single parent. But gradually, he and his sons had fallen into a very calm, easygoing routine. And he liked his life that way. No female drama for him. He was content to live out his life in romantic seclusion. He had experienced love once, and the pain that accompanied the loss of that love. No, he wasn’t about to open himself up to that kind of hurt again. Ever.