“Too much going on to make that decision,” Vivien said. “But it’s officially summer now, and Kate’s here and Jonah, and Meredith’s coming. We’ll table the discussion for a while, I think. Oh, did you hear that?”
“Baby’s crying.”
“Yep.” Vivien grinned and rubbed her hands together. “He needs Great-Aunt Viv. I’m off to spoil him. Happy reading. Please don’t remind me about the hearts around Peter’s name and, honestly, I never cared about the bathroom. I was just jealous because you came out more beautiful every time. Still do.”
She blew a kiss and disappeared out the door.
Alone, Tessa leaned back, the purple notebook in one hand, her phone in the other. She flipped the notebook open again to the same entry.
Anyway, I gotta go. Tessa just went back into the bathroom, so I have to sit outside the door for forty minutes to keep my place in line.
The sense of déjà vu didn’t feel good, not right then.
Maybe it was time to go. And honestly, maybe it was time to consider something she’d never had before—a place of her own.
Not a rental. Not a shared room. Not a free suite at the Ritz. A real home. She wanted to put down roots for the first time in her life, and she certainly could afford something modest. She’d saved a lot from her years at the Ritz—they’d covered her living expenses and paid well— and her new business was truly booming.
Not giving herself a chance to think too hard, she tapped the phone and got on the internet browser. With one fast thumb, she typedZillowinto the bar and waited for the house-hunting app to light up. When it did, she added the zip code, vaguely aware that the hair dryer had gone off.
She began to scroll through local listings. A stunner near the water for over a million and a half. A very affordable shack not far from the marina that looked like it had survived a hurricane and not much else. A townhouse that looked a little dark and dingy.
Tessa shook her head. “Good grief.”
But then she spied a “charming coastal bungalow.” The house had three bedrooms in 2,200 square feet, and was fifteen minutes away on the other side of Henderson Beach State Park.
She clicked through the photos of a house built in the 1990s but clearly remodeled and clean. A little yard—she could get a dog!—and not terribly far from the beach. Notonthe beach, of course, but that would be asking too much.
An unexpected thrill danced over her as she scrolled through pictures, already in love with the seafoam green trim and the coastal vibe. The price? Okay, a tiny bit north of what she should pay, but maybe she could swing it.
A box highlighted on the listing got her attention.Open House!
And the date was…today. Now, in fact—well, 3:00 to 5:00 P.M.
She checked the time and got a little jolt that this might just be kismet.
“I have twenty-seven minutes,” she muttered just as the bathroom door opened.
“To do what?” Lacey asked, tugging at a towel wrapped around her torso.
Tessa looked up, her mind going blank. Lacey would not be happy if she left the Summer House—she’d join Vivien in a chorus of “you belong here” when everyone knew she most certainly did not.
“To get a proposal out for a new client,” she said smoothly, pushing up and pointing at Lacey with the hand that held thephone. “Hair and makeup is a ten, Lace. Roman’s going to swoon.”
She smiled her thanks. “It’s our last date for a while.”
“Until you go on your East Coast jaunt,” Tessa said. “And, yes, you should take time off, but only if you promise to tell me everything when you get back. When are you leaving?”
“I’m staying here an extra day because Meredith is coming, so I can go with you to meet with the retirement party client on Wednesday, have dinner with Meredith, and leave the next day,” she said. “But after that, I’m off. Are you sure that’s okay?”
“Yes,” she said simply. “Follow your heart and go fall in love with the man of your dreams.” She lifted a brow. “He is, isn’t he?”
“Yep.” Lacey beamed at her, clutching the towel with one hand and reaching toward Tessa with the other. “Thank you. I love you.”
Tessa squeezed her tight, then leaned back, her mind on the open house she now had less than twenty-three minutes to make.
“Same, sweet girl. I gotta go.” She planted a kiss on Lacey’s head and took off. She only realized she still had the diary in her hand when she got in her car.
Oh, well. Maybe it would bring her good luck.
