A Reason To Breathe Read Free Page B

his offer.
    “Ok, Just Jack.” I didn’t think it was possible, but his smile got even bigger. Oh, man that smile was dangerous to women at large.
    “Jack?”
    I turned my head and saw a beautiful woman with blonde hair, big blue eyes, and she looked pissed. Scratch that, she was pissed.
    “I see it didn’t take you long to move on, although, I wouldn’t say you moved on to greener pastures.”
    “Christ, Naomi.” Jack hissed.
    “You told me a few weeks ago you didn’t want to be tied down, and here you are cozying up to some random woman, while I’m sitting at home wondering what I did wrong?”
    “I’m not doing this here, Naomi. I already said what I had to say.”
    “You didn’t say much of anything. Eight months we saw each other, I thought we were going somewhere and then you just move on?”
    Oh, god, I don’t want to be here right now! Looking for any excuse to leave, I grabbed my bag and stood.
    “I’ll just be heading back to work, Jack.”
    “Jenn, you don’t need to leave, this conversation is over.”
    “Yes, Jenn , head on back to work.” Naomi snapped, sarcasm dripping from her words. Yikes!
    “I, um, Jack, I’ll, ah, talk to you later, ok?” Without letting him stop me, I pushed past the blonde bitch.
    Nineteen years I was married. Doug was my first everything; I hadn’t experienced much before now except raise my daughter, and write puff pieces part-time. I had no idea what to do or say in this situation; hell, I’d never been involved in a breakup. So, I hightailed it across the park and in the direction of my Jeep. Looking back once, I saw Jack’s eyes on me, as Naomi cried into her hands. I am so out of my league with this guy. He should have a warning label on his back, “Proceed with caution; smile will dazzle you.”
    “Jennifer? Are you talking to yourself now?” Screeching to halt at hearing my name, I turned to see Barry standing at his truck parked next to mine. The paper and the Sheriff’s Department shared parking space since our buildings were on the same block. In fact, that’s how I’d met Barry the first time; he’d parked next to me.
    “Ha, no,” I stumbled, trying to come up with a valid reason. “I was just, a, just reciting a song.” He didn’t buy it. Damn. I watched Barry look back across the park, watching Jack talk to Naomi. I cringed; he must have seen me scurrying away like a coward.
    “Word of advice, Jack isn’t the type of guy to settle down. He’s been on his own for twenty years, and he’s had women, but they never last. Every time he spends time with one; they think they’ll be the one to tame him, but it never happens.”
    “ Good to know. Not that I have any intention of getting involved with him.” Barry stared at me, searching for something, so I smiled and pulled my door open. “Later, Barry.” He nodded and gave me a two-finger salute, then climbed in his truck. I watched him drive off, then looked back to see Naomi and Jack in an embrace. Looks like this one might last.
     
     
    *                             *                            *
     
     
           Entering a small cafe in Crested Butte, where locals like to gather, I noted the time. McGill’s was open from 6:00 am to 2:30 pm daily. It was pushing two; so I only had enough time to order takeout. Rosie, one of the waitresses who’d been there for close to twenty years took my order, so I sat at the bar to wait.
    McGill’s is located on Elk street, in the heart of what is considered Main Street. Only mom and pop stores are allowed there, maintaining the quaint feeling of yesterday’s gone by. Ben, a longtime local, was sitting at a table drinking coffee with Gerald. Both men it their sixties, moved up to Crested Butte years ago. Ben runs a B&B on the outskirts of town, though I don’t think he actively looks for bookings; he’s always here when I come in. But still I was shocked when I learned this big