Book Lover, The (26 page)

His long blond hair was shaved to a stubble, barely visible beneath the beret. He sat there a moment looking at her, in the green jacket with brass buttons and gold braid, with a crisp white shirt and black tie, so formal and handsome in his dress greens. There were emblems and badges, but she had no idea what they were for. He was a soldier, going to pay his respects for another soldier.

She watched him, realizing that the Colin she knew, the Colin she’d become friends with, was just a small part of who this man really was.

                            
27

T
WO THINGS KEPT RUTH FOCUSED, and able to ignore the things she simply didn’t want to think about—the midnight release party for the new vampire novel, and the plans for Hazel’s café. It was time, too, to start putting some real thought into the anniversary celebration for the store. Although it was still a few months off, Ruth knew it would be here before she knew it.

That morning she’d held a staff meeting to bounce around ideas. Everyone had great suggestions, especially Megan, who looked as if she’d combust from excitement, guaranteeing it would “blow their feckin’ doors off.” But when she wouldn’t share yet, Ruth was afraid it was going to be another money drain, and she’d have to say no.

But Ruth, too, had a surprise she wasn’t able to share. Larry Porter was going to propose to Angela right there in the store on the day of the anniversary party. So there was no chance of her finding out, Ruth promised she wouldn’t let her staff in on it until right before the event. It was utterly romantic and brought a smile to her face every time she thought of it.

She wished Colin had been able to share in the planning, but he had an appointment with the V.A. doctor. It was just routine, he assured her. She hoped so. Colin, she knew, kept a lot to himself, reluctant to worry her. But she was worried. When he’d come in the other morning with his head shaved, her eyes had filled with tears and she had to turn away. He hadn’t looked like that since before his accident. In that moment a rush of emotion hit her like a tidal wave. After what he’d gone through, he deserved every good thing that was possible in life. And yet there he was, still alone. Gloryanne’s visits to the store had come to a sudden halt.

And then she realized, Lucy was right there keeping an eye on things. If anything was wrong, maybe she’d know about it. Besides, except for a few e-mails, they hadn’t talked in weeks, so they could catch up, as well.

Lucy answered her cell on the first ring.

“Oh, Ruth, you must have ESP, I’ve been thinking about you all morning!”

“Well, it’s been a while, and I remembered you had your first book club meeting this week, right? How’d it go?”

“Actually…it was weird at first,” Lucy said with a little laugh. “I mean I was with all these lovely women who all knew each other and chatted about kids, and little league and cheerleading, and I felt so, I don’t know, out of place I guess. I mean I had nothing in common with them, so I grabbed some wine and nibbled on appetizers and kind of watched from a quiet corner. Then we went and sat in the family room to discuss the book and I have to tell you, that was intense.”

“I should have warned you. Some book clubs, and some women, can be difficult. We did a role-playing seminar at our last convention about The Perils & Pitfalls of Book Clubs. It was a hoot.”

“I felt like I was getting the third degree as they questioned my character’s motives and decisions, which obviously were my decisions as the author. I guess I was assuming they were questioning the validity of some of what I wrote, but they were really trying to understand why I did what I did as the author.”

“So they liked they book.”

“We had quite a heated discussion, and a few women didn’t quite buy some parts of it—like how could Hope really not have known he was gay—but they told me it was the first time they unanimously agreed they liked a book. So I felt better when I left. I know I need book clubs, Ruth, but that’s going to be a huge investment in nervous energy.”

“You’ll handle it. And I hear from Rob at Clinton Books that you’ve got a few of theirs on board, too.”

“Actually, Ruth, I’ve got more than fifteen book club requests now, from eight different states. I’ll be doing some via Skype. Can you believe it?”

“Word’s getting out, as I knew it would, because it’s a wonderful book.”

“And yet your sales rep didn’t think so.”

“He told me he’d e-mailed you directly. I’m sorry, but it’s just one opinion. Don’t let it get you down.”

“I know, I’m trying. But then there are some pretty bad reviews online. I have to tell you, some days I’m up and down more times than a yo-yo.”

“Well, I have to be honest, Lucy, there are no certainties in this business. I know I’m encouraging you to go for it, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

“Oh, Ruth, of course I know that. And if nothing happens, well, it’s getting me through one of the toughest times in my life. And, I’ve got the pleasure of getting some wonderful e-mails from readers. My words, my characters, are moving them.”

“That must be a great feeling.”

“It’s the best. But it’s not just the book, Ruth. I want to thank you for everything else you’ve done for me, especially my staying at the cabin. It’s giving me the time to start making peace with the past, and to really start thinking about the future. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to stay until fall.”

“Well, that’s not far away at all. You can stay longer if you want, it’s only going to sit there empty. But please, no more rent. What you’ve paid me so far is more than enough.”

“Sorry, Ruth, I can’t make any promises there,” Lucy giggled.

Just then four teenage girls came in the door, no doubt to sign up for the midnight release party in a few weeks.

“Listen, Lucy, before we hang up, I just wanted to check. Does everything seem all right next door? You know, with Colin?”

“Oh…yes, everything’s fine. He was a bit shaken by his friend’s death, but he seems better now. I think his volunteer work at The Raptor Center is helping.”

“Have you seen Gloryanne visiting him?”

“Just that one time, right after I first moved in. Why? Is something wrong?” The girls were huddled at the counter now, waiting for her to get off the phone.

“No, nothing at all. I have to run, Lucy, but keep me posted on all your book news.”

“Will do, Ruth. Bye.”

Ruth pulled out Megan’s sign-up sheet for the party and gasped out loud. They already had one hundred and fifty kids registered, an all-time high. That must be the news she was holding back. Ruth thought of the backlog of unpaid bills, her ridiculous new rent, and the cost of the convention. And the dreaded meeting with her accountant coming up.

Suddenly it all didn’t seem so disastrous. And maybe she wouldn’t have to find someone to share a room with at the convention after all.

* * *

LUCY COULDN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT RUTH. In their last few talks there was something missing in her voice. She wondered if it had to do with Thomas. Ruth hadn’t mentioned him since the day of the book signing, when she told Lucy he was getting out on parole. And what he’d done.

As she waited for Colin, Lucy went outside and sat on the porch, watching the lightning flicker above the mountains. Everything was so still and steamy, so green and incredibly lush. Orange tiger lilies lined the roads now and Jersey sweet corn and tomatoes were for sale at farm stands and pickups all over the countryside. It was summer at its best, and how she’d grown to love it here. Ruth, she knew, would probably let her stay on indefinitely, but she would never take advantage of her kindness. She was still trying to find a way to thank Ruth for all she’d already done. Once again, her thoughts drifted to Ruth and this cabin and the nagging feeling that there was something besides being too busy that was keeping her away.

When she had mentioned it to Colin the other morning after his swim, he told her he thought it just seemed too painful. “This place embodied my Dad. A few times Jenny talked about making some changes, you know, redecorating a bit so it wasn’t so hard for her to be here, and it looks exactly like it did back then, but…it never happened.”

As she thought about his words now, it suddenly hit her! She couldn’t believe it hadn’t come to her sooner. As Colin’s jeep pulled in the driveway and he honked the horn, Lucy knew exactly what she was going to do to thank Ruth. And she wanted it to be a huge surprise. So she kept her mouth shut on their way to The Raptor Center, despite the fact her mind was humming with ideas.

They were going to check the progress of their wounded eagle. He had a name now, Kit, since he was found near the Kittatiny Range. Colin barely said a word, either. She knew he was still reeling from Danny’s death.

She sat there looking at him for a long moment. With his hair shaved he looked so much younger. It was easy to picture the towheaded little boy jumping off the dock in freezing April water, the “runt” as his father had called him, trying to impress them all with his feats of daring.

When they pulled into the lot Colin told her to go ahead while he checked in at the education building. He was going to be helping with a program on Lady, the great horned owl, that weekend. As she headed into the wooded path, she stopped at the plaque she’d only glanced at before.

The Raptor Center’s philosophy is a belief that all living things are important and if, because of humans and human activities, injuries and injustices befall wild creatures, then humans have a responsibility to help heal the injuries and attempt to correct the injustices. And if, through education and understanding, many of the injuries and injustices can be prevented, so much the better for us all. And by living in this manner, The Raptor Center tries to provide a humane example for others.

What a beautiful philosophy, she thought. She was so excited to be writing about it. She’d learned a lot about the center from her research on their website. It began as one man’s passion to rehabilitate wild birds, in the laundry room of his home on the far side of these twenty-five acres where he still lived. Now there were seventy aviaries and exterior cages, and a complex of buildings that contained a medical infirmary, education classrooms, offices and a gift shop.

She heard Colin approaching and turned.

“Susan’s going to be a few minutes, so how about we go see Lady and I’ll practice my spiel on you.”

“I’ll try not to throw tomatoes if you flub up.”

It was nice to see him laugh.

“So how many birds are here anyway?”

“Right now there are about sixty hawks, a handful of eagles, including a few golden, as well as the two bald eagles, which includes Kit. And there are about twenty different owl species. But if you count all the songbirds and nestlings, this time of year there could be several thousand birds.”

“That’s incredible,” she said, thinking of that original laundry room and how it had become this amazing place.

They stopped in front of Lady’s cage. Lucy looked at the beautiful owl sitting there so quietly amidst the branches—its soft brown feathers, the horned ears that gave it its distinct look.

“So, let me begin,” Colin said, clearing his throat with a hint of drama. “Besides using these birds for education programs and public viewing, the unreleasable raptors are used for captive breeding, or like Lady here, foster parenting. A huge part of our work here is in raising young birds that were separated from their parents during nesting season, or orphaned.”

“You mean Lady will take another owl’s young to raise?”

He nodded. “Every winter she lays two eggs. Obviously they’re infertile because she doesn’t have a mate. But her hormones trigger a mothering instinct. Of course her own eggs won’t hatch, but when the time is right, we swap those eggs for healthy babies who need a mother. She’ll begin caring for them and keeping them warm. As soon as those babies begin to beg for food,

Lady will gently begin to feed them, as if they’re her own. Not only that, they learn essential owl behavior from her that’ll help them survive in the wild even though she can’t.”

“Oh Colin, that is so touching.”

“Lady’s been fostering baby owls here for nearly twenty years, over three hundred of them. The woods of New Jersey are filled with Lady’s chicks.”

She looked at Lady, asleep on the branch, nearly thirty years old now, and felt her eyes fill, imagining her feeding and caring for one baby after another, year after year, as if they were her own. It was an incredible story.

“No wonder she’s so tired,” she joked, turning to Colin. “I think that was a great spiel.”

“I’m getting there. It rambled a bit, but I guess you got the gist.”

They headed toward the infirmary, a red barnlike building where Susan was waiting.

“Susan, I had a question,” Lucy said, since they had a few moments. “I read that lead shot was banned. So how did Kit get lead poisoning?”