Whispers of the Heart Read Online Free Page B
Author: Barbara Woster
you a prescription...”
“I don’t need Valium. The Melatonin is working just fine.”
“So you are still having trouble sleeping.”
“Only a little.”
“Well, at least you finally admitted it, but you know kiddo, running from your nightmares won’t make them go away. They have a nasty way of showing up no matter where you are, unless you give them the boot. Maybe you should see a shrink. You never did talk things through with anyone. Not really anyway.”
“That’s because I don’t need to. I’ll admit that my heart still hurts around this time of year, but I expect that’s normal. At least I can talk about it without falling apart like this time last year.
“True enough.”
“I just need a vacation, Janet. In eight weeks, I’ll return to my writing just as if I never left, I promise. Who knows, the trip may just inspire another best-seller.”
“Hmm. Music to my ears.”
“I figured as much.”
“Hey, I have an idea. Before you go, why not get laid by the cute police officer you told me about that’s been sniffing ‘round your door. What’s his name?”
“Kieran O’Sullivan, and no, I’m not interested in him like that. We’re just friends. Besides, even if I were, it would simply be too awkward. He was Robert’s supervisor.”
“Yeah, and if he wasn’t his supervisor, he was a drinking buddy, or he was an uncle of one of Robert’s drinking buddies...there’s always an excuse for intimacy avoidance.”
“Well, Robert had a lot of friends,” Kat said lamely.
“Yes, well, you can’t sit there and tell me that strangers haven’t hit on you.”
“Have you ever thought that perhaps that’s all I’ll ever want from a man – friendship?”
“Sweetie, you are twenty-seven, sexy as hell, appealing to the eye, and extremely successful.”
“Careful, you’re making me blush,” Kat teased.
“Oh! Do hush! All I’m saying is that for most women, that would be enough, but God designed you to be a part of a twosome. You do well in a relationship.”
“So, what you’re saying is that I’m not meant to be single.”
“Right. That in itself makes you a rare breed, aside from your other attractive qualities.”
“You should be my publicist as well as my publisher. Still, have you forgotten that I wasn’t single; that I was contentedly married for five years? I didn’t ask to be single, and you’re right, I didn’t want to be single. I liked being married, but just because I am involuntarily single right now, doesn’t mean that I’m so horny that I have to jump in bed with every man who looks my way. You, of all people, should know that isn’t me.”
“You’re right. My bad. You shouldn’t go to bed with someone you know. It wouldn’t work. So while you’re out west, find a sexy stranger and release some of that pent-up sexual frustration that has you snapping my head off.”
“It’s like talking to a stone slab. You’re a piece of work, you know that?”
“So you’ve said. Now, while you’re gone, I’ll get busy lining up some appearances for the couple of weeks after your return, and while you’re gone, I’ll push to get your book noticed. I hope that it’ll be enough to keep your name in the limelight until you get back. Then we’ll really have to work the media to rekindle the spark of interest. Eight weeks. Damnation! You had to make it eight weeks. That’s a freaking death sentence in this industry.”
“So you’ve said. I’d apologize, Janet, but it wouldn’t be very sincere.”
“Well, humor me and do it anyway.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, shut up!”
CHAPTER SEVEN
March 2061
Wind River, Wyoming
“Welcome home, Dalian!” Marsha shouted, coming around the side of the house.
“Good Lord, girl,” Dalian sighed in exasperation, “do you have a built-in radar that lets you know when I’m going to be here?”
“Hardly, silly,” Marsha laughed. “One of our ranch hands saw you coming through town and rode out to
“I don’t need Valium. The Melatonin is working just fine.”
“So you are still having trouble sleeping.”
“Only a little.”
“Well, at least you finally admitted it, but you know kiddo, running from your nightmares won’t make them go away. They have a nasty way of showing up no matter where you are, unless you give them the boot. Maybe you should see a shrink. You never did talk things through with anyone. Not really anyway.”
“That’s because I don’t need to. I’ll admit that my heart still hurts around this time of year, but I expect that’s normal. At least I can talk about it without falling apart like this time last year.
“True enough.”
“I just need a vacation, Janet. In eight weeks, I’ll return to my writing just as if I never left, I promise. Who knows, the trip may just inspire another best-seller.”
“Hmm. Music to my ears.”
“I figured as much.”
“Hey, I have an idea. Before you go, why not get laid by the cute police officer you told me about that’s been sniffing ‘round your door. What’s his name?”
“Kieran O’Sullivan, and no, I’m not interested in him like that. We’re just friends. Besides, even if I were, it would simply be too awkward. He was Robert’s supervisor.”
“Yeah, and if he wasn’t his supervisor, he was a drinking buddy, or he was an uncle of one of Robert’s drinking buddies...there’s always an excuse for intimacy avoidance.”
“Well, Robert had a lot of friends,” Kat said lamely.
“Yes, well, you can’t sit there and tell me that strangers haven’t hit on you.”
“Have you ever thought that perhaps that’s all I’ll ever want from a man – friendship?”
“Sweetie, you are twenty-seven, sexy as hell, appealing to the eye, and extremely successful.”
“Careful, you’re making me blush,” Kat teased.
“Oh! Do hush! All I’m saying is that for most women, that would be enough, but God designed you to be a part of a twosome. You do well in a relationship.”
“So, what you’re saying is that I’m not meant to be single.”
“Right. That in itself makes you a rare breed, aside from your other attractive qualities.”
“You should be my publicist as well as my publisher. Still, have you forgotten that I wasn’t single; that I was contentedly married for five years? I didn’t ask to be single, and you’re right, I didn’t want to be single. I liked being married, but just because I am involuntarily single right now, doesn’t mean that I’m so horny that I have to jump in bed with every man who looks my way. You, of all people, should know that isn’t me.”
“You’re right. My bad. You shouldn’t go to bed with someone you know. It wouldn’t work. So while you’re out west, find a sexy stranger and release some of that pent-up sexual frustration that has you snapping my head off.”
“It’s like talking to a stone slab. You’re a piece of work, you know that?”
“So you’ve said. Now, while you’re gone, I’ll get busy lining up some appearances for the couple of weeks after your return, and while you’re gone, I’ll push to get your book noticed. I hope that it’ll be enough to keep your name in the limelight until you get back. Then we’ll really have to work the media to rekindle the spark of interest. Eight weeks. Damnation! You had to make it eight weeks. That’s a freaking death sentence in this industry.”
“So you’ve said. I’d apologize, Janet, but it wouldn’t be very sincere.”
“Well, humor me and do it anyway.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, shut up!”
CHAPTER SEVEN
March 2061
Wind River, Wyoming
“Welcome home, Dalian!” Marsha shouted, coming around the side of the house.
“Good Lord, girl,” Dalian sighed in exasperation, “do you have a built-in radar that lets you know when I’m going to be here?”
“Hardly, silly,” Marsha laughed. “One of our ranch hands saw you coming through town and rode out to
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