“Of course,” she enunciates the words like she’s some big city debutante, “I know how valuable your time is.”
“I appreciate it,” I bite out the words, more than done with this conversation.
“Of course you do, darling,” she coos the words like they’re precious. They’re not. “Now, I was calling because I would like you to take care of a few things for me. The biggest thing is thatI would like to redecorate the house here. I want you to contact someone who can take care of everything.”
My eyebrows pull together and dread curls in my gut. “You want to redecorate the house?”
“Why, yes,” she agrees. “I think it’s time, don’t you? Decorating trends move so fast and this interior is over three years old now. I think it’s time for it to be freshened up to reflect the new year, and I just don’t think it’s quite luxurious enough. We can do better.”
I let out a slow breath, surprisingly relieved when I realize she’s not talking about the Sagebrush farmhouse. My house. Even if I haven’t made any changes.
I’m seriously rethinking that. Maybe it’s time I made some changes.
Or maybe you just need the woman writing the letters to step out of the shadows.
I’ve argued with Mom before about how much money she spends and what her lifestyle is costing us. She doesn’t care. Not even a little bit.
“You’ll make it happen. I think Crystal and I will take a trip to New York for some spring fashion shopping while it’s being done. I’ll get our travel all set up with our agent and I’ll let you know so you can schedule the decorator.”
I’m about to tell her all the reasons why I won’t be doing her bidding, but the words get lodged in my throat. I might not like her, or Crystal, but they’re the only family I have left. If I turned my back on them, Dad would be so disappointed in me.
My stomach churns and it feels like I’m drowning. It always does when I talk to Mom.
Before I can agree, disagree, or say anything, the line goes dead. She didn’t even bother saying goodbye. I’m not sure why it bothers me. It shouldn’t; it’s been this way for years and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.
When I look down into my bedside table’s drawer, Sunflower’s letters are sitting there. Not judging. Not expecting. They’re just words on a page from a stranger.
But they mean a lot to me.
I reach in and pull out the first letter and start to read it again. No one else may see me, but she does. If only I knew who she was; I think I’ve been waiting for her my entire life.
CHAPTER 2
ARDEN
Dear Cowboy,
It’s almost the day. Almost your birthday. Since it’s not the day yet, I’m saving my birthday wishes. For now.
I won’t forget to send them your way, though. I promise.
Since we won’t talk about this when it rolls around, it is almost Valentine’s Day. What an odd holiday, don’t you think?
I’ve done my research and I learned about the ancient Roman fertility festivals that were then altered as Christianity rose in influence. That’s when Saint Valentine came into the picture. I won’t even get into that, but there’s a saint for just about everything. Isn’t that kind of comforting? Or maybe it’s just strange. I haven’t decided.
It didn’t become a romantic thing until Chaucer. Can you imagine the kind of influence a writer has to have to change the course of an entire holiday? It makes me wonder about those transition years between something changing and then gaining popularity.
Then I think about things that are popular now that weren’t a year ago. But now we have television and newspapers almost everyone can read. How did it change back then? Was there just a swarm of carrier pigeons spreading little romantic stanzas? A town crier?
Was that even really a thing?
I don’t know, but it is kind of amazing how it all happened and now we’re here. And every year the commercials change and all the shows have episodes where a date went wrong, or right. Is all of it just to sell things?
Because, I have to be honest, I’m not seeing a lot of romance when the day comes around. I see flowers and chocolates.
Oh, not for me. I wasn’t trying to toot my own horn. It was just an observation.
Anyway, I have to wonder if those are things people need. Who are they really for, and what about all the other days of the year? Do they show up for each other? Do they listen to each other?
