“Maybe. Or maybe I really just don’t have a second book in me.” Laura stared past her for a moment, then met her gaze. “I’m not a writer. It took me eight years to admit it, but that’s the truth. And honestly, since I’ve been taking a break from writing, my temperament has changed.” She grinned. “You probably can’t notice since I’ve always been so nice to you, but I feel like I have no more stress.”

Cassidy laughed. “Yeah, right. You were Miss Sunshine when we first met.”

“I know. I may have been a little moody with the whole mowing thing.”

“I called you a bitch.”

Laura laughed. “That pissed me off.”

“Sorry.”

“So, anyway, I was thinking that I’m little more than a slug…living with my mother, no job.”

“You take care of your mother, that’s a job.”

“It’s a job with no pay and no benefits. But my mother can’t live alone and we can’t afford care for her. I mean, realistically, she could probably handle things at night okay. They have services that will come during the day, cook meals, do light housework, that sort of thing,” she explained. “If I was working again—and I gave up a really nice salary when I quit—we could swing it.”

“Or if you got a job close by, you could still live here and be here for her at night.”

“Yes. But there are no jobs close by so I’d end up working in the Metroplex somewhere and no way am I making that commute every day.”

“So yard maintenance it is.”

Laura smiled. “Like I said…I’ve decided I’m not a writer. I’m a yard girl. I had that revelation while sitting in the leaning tree.”

“You found it?” Then she smiled. “Trespassing again, huh?”

“Yes. And I literally stumbled upon it. It had grown up around there, but I could still climb the tree. I sat there for a while, absorbing the quiet, the sounds of the woods.” Laura’s voice took on a faraway tone and Cassidy knew she was going back there in her mind. Then Laura sighed and looked at her. “Anyway, I need to do something. I’m going to get fat and lazy if I don’t.”

“I’ve seen you work. There’s nothing lazy about it.”

“Now that the flowerbeds are built, there’s nothing to sitting on a riding lawn mower. Weed trimming takes the most effort, that’s it.”

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. And you’re not anywhere near fat.”

“Compared to your skinny model types, I’m huge!”