Lily's Valentine

By Don Wooldridge

“Don’t worry Dad,” Kim Baker said. “You just focus on getting well; I’ll finish the addition for you.”
Now she leaned back against her car, with her arms folded across her chest, looking at the half-finished addition of her father’s house, glowing in the rising Arizona sun, wondering what the hell she had been thinking. An Intensive Care Unit nurse for almost a decade, that’s where she belonged. A nurse building something? Ridiculous.
Why her dad bought this double wide house in a senior community was beyond her understanding. The noisy overhead ramp from the Broadway loop and highway I-10 to Tucson loomed only a quarter-mile away.
Her father wanted to block out the road noise by enclosing the porch to his house by himself. But, as luck would have it, he fell off the roof and was being treated for a broken shoulder and a concussion.
But, that wasn’t her problem. She’d made an overzealous commitment while visiting him at the hospital. Knowing her father’s recovery and rehab would take months, Kim blindly volunteered to finish what he’d started.
Kim wasn’t a girly-girl. Built like her dad, tall, red-headed, square shoulders and strong legs. She also inherited his stubborn streak. Sometimes it got her in trouble, like what just happened.
Lost in her thoughts she didn’t notice a truck drive by and park across the street. Not until the driver spoke.
“I heard Herman . . .”
Kim jumped with a start. “Oh! My God. Where’d you come from?”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Don Wooldridge
• Release date: Jul 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463557327

Don Wooldridge

Don Wooldridge enjoys writing in a variety of genres, and avoids vulgarity, or explicit sex in his work. To date he’s written 4 fiction novels, 2 non-fiction novella's, 28 short stories, and 1 memoir telling how he found ways to manage his bipolar disorder over 45 years.COMING SOON:SAMMY MY GUARDIAN ANGEL spring 2019.FRIENDS FOREVER, book 4 of the "Secrets of Clayton County" series, Summer of 2019.You can contact Don at [e-mail] website @ donwooldridgeauthor.com

Book preview

Don Wooldridge Lily’s Valentine

1

Don’t worry Dad, Kim Baker said. You just focus on getting well; I’ll finish the addition for you.

Now she leaned back against her car, with her arms folded across her chest, looking at the half-finished addition of her father’s house, glowing in the rising Arizona sun, wondering what the hell she had been thinking. An Intensive Care Unit nurse for almost a decade, that’s where she belonged. A nurse building something? Ridiculous.

Why her dad bought this double wide house in a senior community was beyond her understanding. The noisy overhead ramp from the Broadway loop and highway I-10 to Tucson loomed only a quarter-mile away.

Her father wanted to block out the road noise by enclosing the porch to his house by himself. But, as luck would have it, he fell off the roof and was being treated for a broken shoulder and a concussion.

But, that wasn’t her problem. She’d made an overzealous commitment while visiting him at the hospital. Knowing her father’s recovery and rehab would take months, Kim blindly volunteered to finish what he’d started.

Kim wasn’t a girly-girl. Built like her dad, tall, red-headed, square shoulders and strong legs. She also inherited his stubborn streak. Sometimes it got her in trouble, like what just happened.

Lost in her thoughts she didn’t notice a truck drive by and park across the street. Not until the driver spoke.

I heard Herman . . .

Kim jumped with a start. Oh! My God. Where’d you come from?

Not only did the man surprise her, but his appearance warranted a second look. A little taller than Kim, maybe 5 feet ten or so, there wasn’t an ounce of fat on the guy. Broad shoulders, a tight T-shirt showing off his muscular upper body, and thick thighs indicating this guy was athletic.

Sorry, ma’am. Didn’t mean to scare you. I just heard that Herman fell off the roof and wondered how he’s doing?

Let me catch my breath for God’s sake! . . . Herman is my father. I’m Kim Baker. And you are?

Rusty Dye, he said as he extended his hand.

Taking his hand for a very brief handshake, she said, And what is it you do around here?

Rusty grinned, I’m a contractor. I do remodeling projects in senior communities like this one. I even bid on enclosing this porch for Herman. Like most folks around here, he thought he could do it himself."

Well, Kim said, I wish he hadn’t been so stubborn. I’m afraid his hospital bills will prevent us from being able to hire you now. I’m here scouting out the project. I’m afraid I’ll have to finish it for him.

Rusty looked at the open framing on the new footings and thought of the hours of work needed to complete the addition. He knew this woman would need lots of help. He asked, Ever do this kind of work before?

Kim shook her head saying, Are you kidding? I’m an ICU nurse. I don’t even know where to start.

Well, I’ll be working across the street here for a few weeks. Need help with anything, advice, an extra pair of hands, tools maybe, just ask. Okay?

***

Kim’s three twelve-hour days on and four-days-off work schedule at the hospital gave her the time she needed to help her father. But, now on her second day off she hadn’t done a thing at her dad’s house. As she crossed the parking lot at Starbucks, hoping her friend Linda had some suggestions on how to tackle this project.

When Kim entered Starbucks, she saw Linda already had a table. Kim smiled and waved at her short, slightly overweight friend with her perky smile of perpetual happiness.

God, I don’t know how she does it. I need a slice of her happiness today.

Kim got in line to order. In front of her, a little girl had her head on a man’s shoulder. She had red hair and the cutest