It’s just damn awkward.
But June is my ride, so I sit next to her and quietly listen to the story of Tanner’s aunt. I liked Aunt Becky a lot when we were dating. She was always very kind to me.
I check my watch and sigh, and June’s gaze turns my way.
“You okay, Sarah?”
“Sure.”
“I think she’s tired,” Tanner replies and stands. “I’ve kept you long enough. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on all of Aunt Becky’s kitchen mishaps. Have a good evening, ladies.”
He nods and leaves, and I immediately stand.
“You know, I could go for a milkshake to go,” June says. “I mean, sure, I shouldn’t because that’s a lot of calories, but I’ve been busting my ass lately.”
“June, I’m going to say this in the nicest way possible. Please, for the love of all that’s holy in this universe, take me the hell home.”
“Oh, sure. Hey, I’m sorry. Let’s go.”
We walk out to June’s truck, and I sigh in relief when I sit in the seat.
“You’ve had a long week, haven’t you?” June asks.
“Yeah, a lot of hours at the diner. But, I’m grateful for the job, so I won’t complain. Sunny just gave me tomorrow off.”
“Awesome. You should—”
“Nope.”
She glances my way as she turns to drive up the hill to her grandmother’s house. “Huh?”
“I shouldn’t do anything except sleep late, go walk the beach, snuggle Petunia, and write in my journal. Maybe paint a little.”
“So, I shouldn’t ask you to help me with garden prep, then?”
I wince and look out the passenger window. “Please don’t.”
“You deserve a day of rest and pampering,” June says, patting my leg. “I totally get it. I’m just too antsy for those days, so it never occurs to me, you know?”
“I know. I really need a quiet day.”
“Then a quiet day you shall have.”
She parks in her spot near the house, and my feet ache as I slide out of the truck onto the gravel below.
You would think that after six months or so of constantly being on my feet, they’d be used to it by now, but they’re not.
“I need to soak my feet,” I mutter and hobble my way up the steps to the front door.
“You need better shoes, too,” June says as she opens the door, and we walk inside.
She’s not wrong, I likely do need better footwear, but I’ve been hoarding my money away so I can rent a place to live.
Shoes don’t fit into that budget.
“I’m going to go see Petunia,” I tell June and set off up the stairs. “I’ll come help you in a bit.”
“Thanks,” June says. I hear her walk into the heart of the house, likely looking for Annabelle.
When I open the door of my bedroom, Petunia stretches lazily on my bed, blinks her bicolored eyes, and, with great effort, lifts herself up to come over and get some attention.
“Hi, beautiful girl,” I whisper and pick her up into my arms. Petunia is a big tabby cat that I rescued shortly after I moved to town. She looked a little worse for wear at the time, but she’s doing better now.
Of course, no TLC in the world will repair the ear that she lost somewhere along the way, but she’s happy and spoiled, and we love each other.
I’ve just sat down with Petunia in my lap, when I hear the yelling start.
I love June and Annabelle with everything in me. Annabelle is the grandma I always wanted, and June is like a sister to me.
But, oh God, I can’t live here anymore. I’m tired, I’m frazzled, and I’m too old for roommates.
It’s time I found my own space.
“Sarah, can you come look at this please? This old lady has lost her mind.”
“Lost my mind, have I? Well then, why don’t I just call the lawyer and have my will changed.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re just full of it.”
I stare down at Petunia and sigh. “Let’s look through the for rent ads, shall we?”
“This just became available a couple of days ago,” Grace, the nice woman from the rental agency, says as we step out of her car. She was kind enough to pick me up for this little excursion. “It’s a honey of a place, and as of right now, it’s still vacant. Come on.”
I’m doing my best not to get my hopes up. This place is perfect. I can feel it, and I haven’t even gone inside yet.
The main house sits near the ocean, with a long staircase down to the sand. I’ve walked past this house hundreds of times over the years.
Walking the beach is my favorite thing in the world.
I didn’t know, however, that the small building just behind the main house was part of the same property and was also a guesthouse.
“The owner has had this place for a couple of years now,” Grace says as she unlocks the front door, “and he’s always rented out this space. It’s a small, one-bedroom guesthouse with a nice bathroom and an extra space that you could use for an office. It has a full kitchen, as well, and a little back patio where you could sit out with your coffee in the morning and look at the mountains. Unfortunately, there’s no front porch to look out at the ocean that’s only a couple of steps off the front door.”
“There’s an ocean view?” My heart leaps when I walk past Grace into the living space and stand at the windows, staring at the little peek of ocean through the trees.
“It’s not a great view because it’s obstructed by the trees, but yes. You can see it.”
“Ocean view,” I whisper and feel like wrapping my arms around myself in a big hug. “Will he let me have my cat?”
“That might be the stinger,” she says with uncertainty. “I’ll have to run it by him. He usually doesn’t accept pets, but he might make an exception for you.”
“If he will let me have Petunia, I’ll take it.”
I turn back and am startled to find Tanner standing in the doorway.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he says with a half smile. “I thought that was you, Sarah.”
“Tanner, this is Sarah Pederson, and she’s interested in the rental,” Grace says with a smile.
“I know Sarah,” he says with a nod, never taking his eyes away from me. “Would you please give us a moment, Grace?”
“Oh. Well, I suppose so.” Grace clears her throat and slips out the front door, past Tanner. “Just call for me when you’re done.”
“I didn’t realize this was your place,” I say when she’s out of earshot. “If I’d known—”
“You wouldn’t be here?” He tips his head to the side. “Why?”
I shrug, shaking my head. “You know why. It’s just awkward, that’s all.”
“Do you like it?”
I love it.
“It’s a nice place. Does it come furnished?”
“It does, but if you didn’t like something, I can take it out.”
I bite my lip. Why does he have to own the most perfect rental for me in town? I need a furnished place because I lost everything in the fire. And it has an ocean view.