Again, Eddie nodded.
“Did you tell Ava?”Fred asked.
Eddie shook his head.“Nope.Not yet.”
“Hi.I made it, and Will just pulled in behind me,” Tiffany said as she entered.“Hey, Ava.What do you think of the place so far?”
“It’s a much better flow than it was before.Nice and open.I like it.”
“Enough to live here?”Fred asked.
Ava turned toward him slowly.Confusion was written all over her face.
“I mean, as a girl.Do you like it enough that you’d be happy to live here?It’s not too masculine or something?”Tiffany had assured him that all his choices weren’t going to put buyers off in the future, but then, she didn’t know that the future might be sooner than Fred had expected.When he purchased this place, he had envisioned living here forever or close to it.Now?Well, now, he might not even spend one night in the place.
“No.I think the design choices I’ve seen would work for a wide range of people.”
“Will you trust me now?”Tiffany asked.
“It’s not that I didn’t trust you,” Fred said.“I just… well… I might be selling sooner than I thought.”
“You might be what?”Will asked from the doorway.
“Selling.Or renting it out.Or something.”Fred rubbed the back of his neck with the hand not holding his coffee.“I have a job decision to make in the new year.Drummonds is opening an automotive center at their Marydale store, and I’m going to help get it set up and staffed.They’ll need a manager once it opens, and Mr.Drummond would like that manager to be either Scotty or me.”
“You’re thinking of leaving Hatfield Falls?”Will didn’t even try to hide his surprise at such a thought – or if he did, he did a deplorable job of it.However, it was understandable.Of all his brothers, Fred had been the most adamant that he was a forever resident of Hatfield Falls.Leaving seemed wrong.It still didn’t feel altogether right.
“I am, though I really don’t want to.”He shrugged.“But it might be best.”Marydale wasn’t too far away.He could easily visit any day of the week.But the distance would be enough to give Esther and Steve time without him around to mess things up for them.
“How soon would you be going if you take the job?”There was genuine concern in Tiffany’s voice.
Fred shrugged.“It could be as early as February – after Henry’s wedding.But I’ll be working there before that.”
“But what about Eddie?”Ava asked.
“We need to know what would be best financially for Fred,” Eddie answered.“I can find a place.Trish’s place might still be open, or Will, Nate, or Tiffany might know of a place for me.”
“The first question is: Do I need to make any changes to my plans now, if selling in a couple of months is a possibility?According to the schedule, today’s the last day to make them.”Fred directed this question to his brother and Tiffany.
“I wouldn’t think so,” Tiffany replied.“What do you and Nate think, Will?”
Nate shook his head.“It would cost more at this juncture to make any large design changes.And the only thing that might make this place a bit less widely popular are the tool chest drawers you’re using for the kitchen island.But I wouldn’t change them.”
“You weren’t planning to build the garage until spring, so those plans, along with a quote from Nate and me, could be included with a sale,” Will added.“And if you rent, that cement slab could just be a nice patio for the renter unless you’d still like to build the garage.It would make the property more desirable.”He shook his head, looking for all the world like he did not want to be making the suggestions he was making.“But Marydale isn’t that far of a drive.You could live here and commute.”
Fred’s lips tipped up on one side.“Sure,Ican drive it daily, but you thought it was too far for Lacey.”
Will laughed.“Well, that’s different.”
“He doesn’t want to kiss you,” Nate added with a laugh of his own.
“That’s a good thing,” Ava muttered, sending everyone into a tension-breaking chuckle.
“I’d hate to see you go if you do,” Will said when the laughter had faded.“But if this is what God has for you…” He let the rest of his thought trail off.
Fred understood that feeling.“I don’t know what God wants.”He shook his head.“I’ve been listening and trying to figure it out, but it’s not clear yet.I thought maybe just getting some ideas about what the possible options are might help me with that.”
“Yeah,” Eddie inserted.“One of the options might come with some peace after it’s been prayed over.”
