The man smiled. “Be back in an hour.”
“Thanks, Leon,” Charlie said, shoving her hands into her pockets.
Tessa’s heart pounded as Leon walked away. Everything in the house seemed to be aligning so that shecouldstart making it her home.
Charlie raised her eyebrows at Tessa. “You know there’s no electricity, right?”
Tessa shrugged. “I’ll get it sorted on Monday. I can rough it until then.”
Charlie’s lips quirked. “You don’t strike me as the roughing-it type.”
“Oh, I’m not, but I’m going to think of this as an adventure. That’s going to be what keeps me from completely falling into a blubbering mess and eating the grocery store’s summer supply of ice cream and cookie dough.”
Charlie chuckled. “Where are you gonna sleep? The bedrooms aren’t in great shape, and I don’t imagine the dining room table is ideal. Maybe a sleeping bag?”
Tessa pulled her notebook out of her back pocket and flipped through the pages. “I hadn’t gotten that far in my plan. I know I need a bed, but I won’t find one today. Think I can get a sleeping bag at the hardware store?”
Charlie’s gaze turned serious. “I was kidding.”
“I’m not,” Tessa said.
Charlie yelled to one of the workers. “Thad, does your dad sell sleeping bags at his store?”
A lanky young man with legs like a praying mantis loped into the room. His jeans were ripped at the knees, and his white T-shirt had colorful splotches of paint from dozens of projects. His ball cap sported an Auburn logo. “Sure. Tents too. All the basic gear you’d need. You going hiking?”
Charlie nodded her head toward Tessa, and Thad’s eyes widened. He smirked and adjusted his ball cap.
Tessa huffed. “You think I don’t camp, right?”
Thad shrugged, still grinning. “I’m not one to judge, ma’am, but I should warn you that the woods are full of wild animals, and when someone isn’t used to camping, it can be an unsettling experience.”
Charlie laughed. “She’s campingin here.”
Thad made a show of wiping the back of his hand across his brow. “That’s good to hear. I certainly didn’t want to learn about you getting lost in the woods or eaten by a cougar. Then where would we work?” He lifted his cap and scratched his messy blond hair before situating the hat back on his head and walking off.
Tessa didn’t bother to tell him that she was more of a danger to herself than any cougar could have been.
***
When Tessa cranked the engine on the Great Pumpkin, her cell phone vibrated in her back pocket.Paul. Tessa blew out a puff of air and answered. “Are you stalking me?”
“That depends,” Paul said. “Are you ignoring me?”
Not exactly.“You’re not easy to ignore. I’m at the house. Some of the workers started today.”
“Really?” Paul asked. “I didn’t think they could start until next week.”
“Charlie found another crew. Some of them are here now. They’re installing a new pair of French doors in the kitchen. That way I can stay here tonight. I’m on my way to the hardware store to pick up a few things.”For my camping adventure.The phone call fell so silent that Tessa thought she’d lost service. She pulled the phone away from her face and stared at it. “You still there?”
“You’re staying in the house tonight? Why?”
Tessa’s throat tightened, but she tried to force happiness into her tone. “I’m just so excited to move in. It’s rustic for now, but the plumbing works. You’ll finally have the apartment all to yourself. I appreciate how accommodating you’ve been, but now I have a place to go. No more couch surfing for you. You can have the bedroom, at least for your last night in town.”
Paul paused again. “I don’t mind having you here.”
Tessa held her breath. His words trembled against her heart. She wanted to ask, “What about Monica?” Instead, she said, “I appreciate it, but I’ll come over this afternoon and pack up my stuff.”
“I won’t be at the apartment this afternoon. I’m going out with my parents.”
