Renee sat at her desk with the number to the clinic in front of her. It had been six months since she lost the baby and she felt she was healthy enough to try to do the in-vitro. The lost baby plagued her. They claim they couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl yet, but she knew better. She was back in the same apartment complex different furniture and an upgrade to her TV. She had been comfortable there, but she knew she needs to find a house and have a garden again. She had enjoyed growing things.
The people who owned the island home freaked out when she called and told them what happened. She apologized for leaving the place a mess, but the police wouldn't let her go back. Knowing the islander's as she did, they probably went back and stole everything else. She met Keith's parents a month after she got home when the Belize Prosecutor released the body to the family. They were standoffish but nice to her. Monica went with her on that trip acting as a bodyguard. Renee was not sure how she would react to seeing his family.
She had no problem he was nothing like those people. They were arrogant and stand-offish snobs nothing like the friendly sexy man she knew. Tomorrow took the news badly as she expected and begged her to come and see her soon, she would always have a free room.
She did receive Keith's laptop three months ago. She found the information on the publisher and sent him the book via e-mail. She apologized to him also for it not being ready for print and explained what happened to his friend. She cried as she read his book. She could feel the loss of his friend explained so well to the world. They were together now Monica explained that the trip to DC was for her, so she felt better for them.
She did find a will on his laptop, and he left everything to her, but it was not legal according to Dusty. It hadn't been signed. At least she knows he was thinking of them. Dusty was shocked when she tearfully told him her sad tale and they spoke about her bad luck. Not so much with men as with life. She wondered where her perfect world was, and if would she ever find it. Having a baby may be her way of creating her perfect world.
Tapping her card on her desk trying to decide if she was ready to start a family and be alone forever with her child. She looked up and saw a man walking towards her office. She never thought she would ever see him again. This is crazy but he would make a good baby daddy. He is handsome and has a smile that would curl your toes. Was someone trying to tell her something? Maybe there was something about that God Monica kept harping on.
"Adam what on earth are you doing here."
"Wow you remembered my name," Adam said and flashed a dimpled smile. "I was injured at the rodeo. I'm a bull rider," he said and watched Renee's eye grow to saucer size. "If you had given me a few minutes of your time I would have told you. Anyway, I was nursing a broken shoulder and a few other things and was watching TV and there you were advertising for a car dealership. I got all excited and called to talk to you, but you haven't been here for a long time.
"I told them to say I wasn't here. I have been back for a while," she told him. She just didn't want to deal with the press anymore. She realized he hadn't looked her up on the internet or he would have an eye full. The local news ran with her story for a week. They even sent reporters out to the island before it was cleaned up. The gulls had picked Lucy's body clean she noticed only bones and broke down crying as they panned the island. She noticed her vegetable garden had grown well. Her sweet baby was gone just because she was trying to be friendly. She also knows if they hadn't shot her, she would have led them straight to her. So, in a way, it was a blessing. How they found out she didn't know but they got that story quickly. It had to be Monica or her kids talking and someone and they called into the tip story line.
*
"Come on in and sit down and tell me what you have been doing," Renee suggested leading him back to her office.
"I just live down in Buda, but I never watch TV I'm always out doing. With my injuries I had to slow down and like I said there you were telling me to come on down, so I did."
"So, you're all better now," Renee asked with a smile of her own. The man was full of energy and very happy to see her. That made her smile everyone around here walked around as if she was glass not wanting to set her off. She will admit she can break down at the drop of a hat or a loud noise has her dropping to the floor.
"Yes and no. My shoulder is better, but I damaged my eye at the same time and the doctors say I can't ride anymore. One more bad hit and I'll be blind. I'm at a loss of what to do with myself."
"So, are you job hunting?" she asked wondering just exactly why he was here.
"No, I won the championship. After the eight-second ride, I came off hard and the bull kicked back and caught me. I have money, lots of money. I'm here to see if you're still single."
Renee flushed red at the question. "I was in a short-term relationship but that is over now," she told him and watched a smile flash across his face. He is so sweet and young. She hoped he could bring her back to life. She has been feeling lifeless lately lost in despair.
He could tell she was not happy that it was over, but he pushed forward. All he needed to know was that it was over. "Well could I interest you in going to dinner sometime soon?" he asked still concerned it may be too quick. Something has her sad that beautiful smile was hard to find.
Renee looked at him and thought why not? "Sure, let me give you my number so you can call me, and we can figure out where and when," she said and wrote the number on a pink While You Were Out pad. Now she must decide if she is ready to start going out again. She'll see how the conversation goes. She did know she could save fifty thousand after a few dates and turn into a bitch and run him off if she decides he is not what she wants. He would never know what she had done. She knew topping Keith would be difficult, but it would be difficult for any man to top him.
"I have thought about you more than any other woman in my life. I drove Blake crazy talking about you after you left."
"Sorry did I mess up your night with the girls at your table," Renee asked teasingly.
"Her? I didn't want her and neither did Blake, but she wouldn't leave her friend, so he took them both on."
"Sounds like he had fun," Renee said and raised her eyebrow.
"Not really they became a pain in the butt. They kind of ruined the vacation hanging around us the whole time."
"Ok well call me and we'll finish this story at a later time," she suggested not wanting to hear about someone double-tagging some girls. He was cute and seemed embarrassed he even brought them up. It had been close to a year since they met on that island. Brief as it was, she must have made an impression for him to remember her for that long. It was just minutes after Keith left and she probably had the freshly fucked look men love.
"Sounds good could I call you tonight?"
"Sure, I'll look forward to your call," she told him. What the hell is with the men from that island? She will have to give him a chance she didn't before. Maybe she wouldn't cry for Keith every night so lonely she could barely stand to get in bed. It's not like her tears would bring him back.
She watched as Adam left getting into a beat-up pickup and smiled. She put the clinic card back on the desk. "Let's see how this goes first," she whispered and watched him drive away. She wondered if he would be interested in living with a view of Lake Travis. She has no plans to leave the country ever again.