Page 1 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
Chapter 1
Rain pelted against the old Honda Civic’s window as Julie Chandler sucked in a breath and held it. Whoever said you couldn’t go home again was wrong. Unless they meant you couldn’t go home and expect to find a job. Since returning to the small town of Seaside, North Carolina, she’d applied for nearly every exercise-related job posted, and no one had so much as called her back.
Releasing the breath, she glanced at the folder sitting beside her on the passenger seat. It was a long shot, but she’d poured her soul into writing this proposal. If there wasn’t a job for her here, she’d simply have to make one. At least that’s what she’d decided after several glasses of cheap red Muscadine last night, right around the time she should’ve been going to bed.
She parked in front of the Veterans’ Center and checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. She’d covered up her dark circles and splashed some color on her face before driving over. She flashed the mirror what she hoped was a confident smile. The feeling of confidence evaded her these days, however, thanks to a relationship that had gone on far too long.
Every muscle in her body tightened at the thought of her ex.Damn it.She took another breath, forced another smile.
Confidence. You’ve got this.
Grabbing her umbrella and the folder on her seat, she stepped out just as a truck came splashing into the spot next to hers. She shrieked as muddy water rode up her pants leg. Then she dropped her unopened umbrella on the ground, and—oh, crap!Her proposal fell into the shallow puddle at her feet.
“Noooo!” she cried, bending down to pick it up. The golden folder was a shade darker on the corner, evidence that the water had soaked through. She yanked it up and held it against her body, no doubt muddying her crisp white shirt now, too. Then she hurried to the sheltered awning, shaking her head like a wet dog, which was exactly how she felt, thanks to the idiot in the truck.
“Are you all right?” a deep voice drawled behind her.
She ignored it because if she didn’t her cool demeanor might unravel. She was low on sleep and high on caffeine—never a good combination. Instead, she continued toward the Veterans’ Center’s entrance. The director had told her on the phone that she only had fifteen minutes to spare, and Julie didn’t want to waste any time. She hurried down the hall, turned right, and hesitated at Allison Carmichael’s office door. Maybe she could use one of those minutes to take a quick trip to the bathroom, freshen up, and settle her nerves.
Too late.
The door opened and Allison stood before her, dry as a martini. Her red-toned hair was perfectly straight and cascading over her shoulders instead of in rain-soaked chunks. “Julie!” Concern distorted her beautiful features. “What happened to you?”
Julie shook her head. Allison had been one grade ahead of her in high school. Their paths had always crossed, but never converged. And perhaps that was best today also. “I, uh…I…” She held up the dampened folder. “It’s raining outside.”
Allison nodded. “I can see that.” She laughed a little. “So, what did you want to see me about?”
Julie swallowed. “I know your website says you aren’t hiring, but I have a proposal.”
Allison’s gaze dropped to the golden folder in her hand. “Okay. Well, I was just going to make myself a cup of hot tea in the community kitchen. Looks like you could use one, too. We’ll talk there.”
“Sounds perfect,” Julie said, following her. As she did, she focused on her breath. Yes, she needed a job, but she also really believed that Seaside’s active and retired military needed the service she hoped to offer. Growing up in a military family, she’d seen how her father had always seemed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. She wanted to ease that burden for the military if she could—at least a little.
“Go ahead and sit down. I’ll just get the kettle going,” Allison said, pointing to a small wooden table off to the side of the kitchen.
Julie sat and took several deep breaths, praying that her nerves would settle.
A few minutes later, Allison set two steaming mugs in front of them. “I don’t want to rush you, but I only have a few minutes before my next meeting.” She pointed at the folder in front of Julie. “What do you have here?”
“It’s a proposal. I’m sorry, but it got wet as I was coming in,” Julie explained. “I can bring you a fresh copy later.”
“That’d be great. Looks like you dropped this one in a puddle.”
“Just for a few seconds. Five-second rule.” Julie laughed nervously. Wow. Interviews really did trip her up.
“It’s okay. Why don’t you just tell me what you’re proposing?” Allison smiled warmly at her and pushed the folder to the side. She reached for her hot cup of tea, leaned back in her seat, and crossed her long, perfect legs.
“Sure.” Julie wrapped her hands around her mug, soaking in the warmth and praying for something smart to say—or at least something halfway intelligible. “I want to do yoga with the Marines.”
Allison’s smile dropped a polite notch.
Julie sucked in a breath and continued talking. “Yoga is being used for stress-reduction programs all over the country. There have even been programs for Marines with post-traumatic stress disorder. Lots of programs, actually.” Excitement surged through her as she explained what she’d come up with last night. “It’s amazing what this exercise is capable of doing. It lowers heart rates, focuses the mind, strengthens core muscles.”
Allison nodded, appearing to listen as Julie rambled on about the benefits of yoga and how the exercise had been her lifesaver during college when her test-taking anxiety had gotten out of control.
“So you went to school for yoga?” Allison asked.
“No. I majored in business with a minor in exercise science. But I’m a certified yoga instructor. I think offering a program like this here at the Veterans’ Center would be a wonderful way to support our military men and women returning home from deployment. I’ve heard that mental health is an underserved need here. I want to help.” Julie scooted back in her chair and stood. “A few basic poses are all you really need to get started.”
