A Heart's Refuge by Carolyne Aarsen

Author:Carolyne Aarsen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2004-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The murmur of conversation faded away behind her as Becky picked her way through the trees, walking down a worn game trail. It was still light out and she wanted to grab a few moments of writing, away from people and chitchat and being perky and cheerful.

And watching out for Rick.

She lost track of how many times she’d glanced around looking for him, trying to keep her attention on the person talking to her, all the while searching out and finding Rick’s blond hair. His easy smile.

A refreshing cool slipped down the valley, pockets of it captured in the wooded area close to the creek. The late-evening sun slanted through the trees, its light softened. The noise of the group behind her grew more muffled, with each step she took replaced by the quiet sigh of the forest.

She found a large rock still warm from the sun. She kicked off her boots and socks and sat down, pulling in a deep cleansing breath. The whisper of the leaves overhead were like a gentle prayer, the gurgle of the creek over the rocks a soft counterpoint. It was always outside that she felt most inspired, and this was a picture-perfect spot.

From the notebook she had packed, she pulled at the pages she had printed. She glanced over them, reading what she had done before.

As her eyes skimmed over what she had already written, the peace she felt just a scant moment ago fell away. Once her writing had seemed lively, fresh, but now the words dropped like stones, unwieldy and overdone.

Her pen slashed across the sentences, eradicating what offended her.

Which was about half. She read and reread what she had left and after a moment’s thought scratched that out, too. Drivel. Dreck.

She set the printed pages aside and pulled out her notebook. Maybe she should just journal—maybe get some ideas for future “Runaround Sue” columns. She scribbled a few words, chasing an idea with her pen.

A thought gelled, took form.

Soon her pen was flowing across the page, her hand barely able to keep up with the ideas that burst through her mind. She had more than enough material for a couple of columns, but she couldn’t stop the energy that flowed and crackled.

“Hey, there.”

Becky’s pen jerked across the page leaving a black streak. She spun around, her heart pushing against her throat in anticipation and confusion.

Rick stood behind her, hipshot, a camera slung around his neck, his hands strung up in the pockets of his blue jeans, a half smile teasing his lips.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He strolled across the open space to where she sat, then leaned against her rock, glancing down at what she was writing. “Working already?”

Becky slapped the notebook shut, her racing heart a combination of her exciting writing spurt and Rick’s presence.

“Just noodling,” she said, willing her heart to slow. “Getting some ideas together. Just fooling around, really.” And aren’t you starting to sound like you have something to hide?

“You must be inspired.

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