She didn’t, not really. She’d always had a waiting list of potential clients.
Maybe it was time to give up and go home. Or worse, cash Dad’s check.
“You’d probably best find something else for the time being, except… It’s a small community, Ms. Wright, and times have been lean.”
Translation:Move along, Yankee. You’re not welcome here.
“Thank you for calling.” Delaney ended the call and stumbled toward the closest bench, where she sat and stared at nothing.Lord, what do I do now?
A chilly wind rustled leaves, casting dappled shadows across the grassy park. She’d fallen in love with Driftwood when she’d first come here. The park sat in the center of town, surrounded by shops on three sides. The fourth was lined with trees and bushes. This park reminded her of the town common back in Shadow Cove. This morning, the oaks and pines seemed to be looking down on the outsider who didn’t belong.
She was out of money. A church was funding her stay at the shelter, but she couldn’t rely on them indefinitely. The most pathetic part? She didn’t even have enough cash to fill her car with gas.
She’d come to Driftwood seeking a fresh start. It felt ironic, and slightly cruel, that when she was finally ready to give up her dream, she couldn’t even afford to leave.
Looking up past the canopy that shaded the park, she gazed into the bright blue sky. “Lord, what are You doing? What am I doing here?” She’d been so certain when she’d arrived in town after wandering down the East Coast for months on end, burning through her savings. This place felt like the Virginia version of Shadow Cove, the closest thing she’d found to home since she’d left Maine in July.
But she didn’t belong here, and apparently, she never would.
“I want to go home. Please?”
The Lord didn’t give her the go-ahead to give up her quest for independent living. He’d led her on this crazy adventure, but had she missed a turn along the way? Done something to disobey Him? Because this couldn’t be what He had in mind.
Not that going home felt like the right answer, either. She hadn’t gone back because she wanted to prove she could be independent like her confident and accomplished sisters. She wasn’t like them, though. She wasn’t smart or well-read or talented.
All she’d proved so far was that, away from Shadow Cove and her family’s good name, she couldn’t even land a job.
She slipped her phone into her purse, gaze drifting to a nearby playground, where children’s laughter carried on the sea-scented breeze. She watched mothers push their toddlers on swings. A father knelt at the bottom of a slide, catching a little boy as he squealed with delight.
Sitting here was only making her wish for things she might never find. She stood, brushing off her slacks, and turned toward the street. She needed a job. She’d just have to go into every shop and restaurant in town until she had one.
Movement at the edge of the playground caught her attention. A little girl with blond curls had wandered past the safety of the mulched bark of the play area to the hedge that stood between the park and the road. The child looked to be about three years old—far too young to be exploring alone.
Delaney glanced around, expecting to see a parent hurrying after her, but no one seemed to notice. The little girl continued along the hedge line, getting closer to the park’s exit and the busy street.
Delaney’s pulse quickened. She left the paved path and jogged across the grass, her flats sliding on leaves damp from an overnight rain.
“Hey there, sweetie.” She kept her voice gentle as she approached, not wanting to startle her. “Are you looking for something?”
The little girl turned, revealing the brightest blue eyes Delaney had ever seen. She stuck a thumb in her mouth and pointed with her other hand toward the street, where an orange tabby disappeared behind a parked car.
“What a cute kitty cat. Is it yours?”
The child shook her head.
Delaney knelt to her eye level. “I think we should get you back to the playground where it’s safe. Are you here with your mommy?”
When the child didn’t respond, Delaney stood, took her hand, and tugged her toward the park.
The girl didn’t budge.
The back of Delaney’s neck prickled, and she suddenly had the strongest sense that she was being watched.
She turned, and sure enough, a few yards away, a figure stepped behind a tree. Like someone was trying to avoid being caught. She hadn’t seen a face, just a shoulder an instant before it disappeared. She didn’t even know if it’d been a man or a woman. Whoever it was, he or she didn’t emerge on the other side of the tree.
Was someone watching this child?
Delaney’s heart pounded, fear coiling in her stomach, but she pasted on a smile. “What’s your name?”
