The final straw was the backyard. The space was generous, but the fence was on the verge of collapse, and the garden shed looked as if it hadn’t been opened in years. Daniella stepped onto the grass, only to find it spongy and damp. Not a great sign when they hadn’t had any rain in over a month.
She turned to Harrison, her eyes searching for an answer they both knew but didn’t want to admit. “I wanted to find a place quickly, but I didn’t expect... this.”
Harrison placed a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to live in a house that should be condemned. Unless the landlord’s willing to spend a lot of time and money remodeling the house, I wouldn’t touch it.”
Ellen cleared her throat. “I understand your misgivings, but it’s close to town and the lake. And it’s under your budget.”
Daniella sighed and looked back at the house. “Thanks for showing us the property, Ellen. I’d appreciate it if you could find out what the trust is prepared to do. Otherwise, I’ll keep looking for something else.”
Ellen didn’t try to change Daniella’s mind. “Other properties will come on the rental market. The only issue is timing. We might not have anything suitable until September.”
“I can always pitch my tent in Mom and Dad’s backyard until then.”
Harrison held her hand. “Honestly, a tent would be a hundred times better than this property. Apart from the obvious issues, a water pipe’s definitely broken in the backyard. The house still has its original wiring from when it was built, and I doubt anyone’s added insulation to the walls, attic, and floor. You’d be constantly sick if you moved in here.”
Ellen snapped her iPad cover into place. “I’ll do my best to find you something else, and I’ll let you know what the trust says.”
As they followed Ellen back to her car, Harrison kept a protective presence beside Daniella. He could see she was disappointed, but living here would be horrific, especially if it was more than water leaking into the backyard.
After Ellen drove away, Harrison stood beside Daniella’s truck. He wanted to find a way to lift her spirits, to assure her she’d eventually find the right place. He stepped forward and held her hand. “Don’t worry, we’ll find something better. How many houses have you looked at?”
“Including this one, three.”
“What were the others like?”
Daniella frowned. “Better than this house. I should have taken the last one. At least it was clean and tidy, and had a functioning kitchen and bathroom.”
“Hindsight’s a wonderful thing,” Harrison told her. “This property must be the worst rental in Sapphire Bay. It might make you feel differently about the other homes you’ll see. ”
“That’s true.” The optimism in Daniella’s voice was good to hear. “Thanks for coming with me. I wouldn’t have gone inside if you weren’t with me.”
Harrison grinned. “That might’ve been a good idea. When I saw the kitchen, I was tempted to ask Ellen for a hazmat suit.”
“I don’t think she’d have three of those in the trunk of her car,” Daniella said with an answering smile. “But, after today, she might want to include them. I’d better leave you to enjoy the rest of your day.”
Harrison shrugged. “I didn’t have anything else planned. Do you want to find somewhere to have a cup of coffee?”
Daniella thought about his suggestion. “Okay, but I’m buying our drinks. It’s the least I can do.”
He wasn’t arguing. Especially when he was enjoying holding Daniella’s hand.
* * *
The following week,Daniella drove out to the property that was being transformed into The Horseshoe Adventure Camp. It was twenty minutes from town and a vision of endless green fields and rustic charm.
Beside her, Harrison gazed through the window, taking in the landscape that seemed to be different each time she drove here. She could sense his curiosity and knew how he felt. When Aidan, Jackie’s fiancé, had asked her to help organize the camp’s opening day celebrations, she hadn’t known what to expect either.
She’d been blown away when she saw the architect’s plans. Someone with imagination and skill had put a lot of effort into creating an outdoor adventure camp for children who wore prosthetics. They’d thought of every conceivable activity the children would adore and designed facilities catering to different physical abilities.
Pulling into the ranch, Daniella parked near the barn. The kitchen, dining room, additional accommodation, and an events area were inside the three-story building. It was the hub of the camp and somewhere everyone would feel comfortable.
“We’re here,” she announced, her voice tinged with pride and fatigue.
Harrison stepped out of the truck, stretching his legs as his eyes swept across the ambitious project. “This is incredible. When you told me about the camp, I thought it’d be much smaller.”
“Aidan and Peter wanted something that could grow with the camp’s popularity. There aren’t many places children with prosthetics can go and know they’ll be safe.” She led him to a large map inside the barn that detailed the project plan.
Today’s tour was about showing Harrison what she’d been working on when she didn’t have events in The Fairy Forest. Her finger traced the paths and activity zones, explaining how each station would work and how the volunteers would interact with the children and their families.
