There was a knock at the front door, and Marin tensed. Already frazzled and in pain, she wasn’t in the mood for company, and who could it be? She didn’t have any nearby neighbors who might want to stop by and introduce themselves. In fact, she couldn’t see a single house from here. The privacy was one of the things she loved most about her new home.
She failed to hold in her groan as she stood, sending a bolt of pain all the way to her toes. Aware she had cleaner and probably pee on her hands, she rushed into the bathroom to wash up, then hurried to the door. Where was the puppy now?
But Ember was sitting at the front door, staring through the pane of glass beside it at whoever waited outside. Her tail was wagging, and hopefully that was a good sign that Marin would be happy to see whoever it was too.
Charlotte? Her heart gave a hopeful leap, and she hurried the last few steps to the door. But it wasn’t Charlotte. Marin absorbed a moment of disappointment before her smile rebounded because Audrey and Michelle were on her front porch, and she was actually thrilled to see them.
She opened the door, running a hand through her hair. “Hi! Sorry it took me a minute. I was in the middle of cleaning up puppy pee when you knocked.”
Audrey burst out laughing while Michelle’s nose wrinkled. Both of them looked down at the puppy, who’d dashed out the door to circle their feet, bouncing and wagging enthusiastically.
“You must be Ember,” Audrey said, sounding amused. “Did you make a mess in your new house?”
“She did. I’ve disrupted her routine, I guess, but ... anyway.” She waved a hand to invite them inside. “Come in, and yes, this is Ember. She’s about three and a half months old now.”
“Hi, Ember,” Audrey cooed, crouching to greet the puppy. “Aren’t you adorable?”
“We wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood, so to speak,” Michelle said in her crisp British accent. “We’re only, what, three miles down the road?” Her lips quirked.
“Around here, that practically makes us next-door neighbors, and I’m really glad about that, by the way. I’d love to have you both for dinner now that I’ve got room to host.”
“We’d love that.” Audrey stood, holding out a blue-and-green-painted vase filled with white flowers, peonies, Marin thought. “A housewarming gift for you.”
“We also brought champagne for a toast and a lasagna you can put in the oven later in case you haven’t shopped yet,” Michelle added, holding up a bottle and a covered dish.
“Oh wow.” Marin pressed a hand to her chest. “That’s really nice of you. Thank you so much.”
“Our pleasure.” Audrey beamed, still holding out the vase.
Marin took it from her and held it up to admire it, realizing it was likely handmade, since Audrey was a potter. “Did you make this?”
“I did,” Audrey confirmed. “It’s my standard gift when I visit someone’s home. I love giving out ceramics. If there’s a certain color scheme you’re going for in your new house, I’d be happy to make you something to match.”
“Oh goodness.” Marin examined the vase more closely. It was gorgeous, with a delicate design carved into the clay that added texture and style. “This is such a unique and thoughtful gift. I love it, and the colors are perfect.”
“Keep hanging out with her, and you’ll probably receive more,” Michelle said, gazing around the entranceway with interest. “She does love to give out ceramics.”
“Well, I have a whole house to decorate, so I won’t complain. Thank you, Audrey. This is wonderful, and the champagne and dinner are much appreciated too. I haven’t shopped yet, so I wasn’t sure what I was going to have tonight.”
“I suspected as much when I talked to you this afternoon at the Pride Coalition meeting,” Audrey said.
“Come in and have a look around,” Marin invited, turning to lead the way toward the kitchen. “If I can find glasses, I’d love to share a toast while you’re here. I’m really glad you two live nearby.”
“We’re glad too,” Michelle said. “And if you need help decorating these walls, you’ve got two art historians here who’d love to make recommendations.”
“God, yes,” Marin said. “I could use some help. I haven’t picked out much artwork on my own. What do you think?” She gestured around herself at the mostly empty house.
“I think we bought our houses for the same reason,” Michelle said with an approving nod toward the back windows. “The views and the solitude. That porch and fenced-in yard will be wonderful once the weather warms up.”
“I can’t wait to sit out there with Ember,” Marin agreed. “The views and the space definitely sold me. The house itself is small, but well, I’m only one person.”
“No progress on the dating front?” Audrey asked, and Marin must have been losing her touch when it came to hiding her feelings, because Audrey gave her a knowing smile. “Looks like you might have something to share after all.”
“It’s complicated.”
Michelle snorted. “Isn’t it always?”
“I guess.” Marin shrugged helplessly. “I don’t have much experience dating. I met Andrew in college, what feels like a million years ago, and we only divorced last year.”
