“Thank you for enduring the museum,” he said.
She laughed. “It was a lot of trains, for sure. But interesting.I learned a lot. But maybe next time we can go to the aerospace museum instead. Oh, wait. Let’s visit theMidway. Noah would love that and I’d like to see it again.”
“It’s a deal. So what did you think?”
She knew he was talking about her exploration. They hadn’t had a chance to talk about it—neither of them had wanted to discuss the possibility of her moving in front of Noah.
“I don’t know,” she said slowly. “The areas I saw seemed nice. I liked the look of the schools, but it’s hard to tell anything from the outside of a building. The open house freaked me out. Property costs a lot more here than at home.”
“It’s a desirable area and a big city. Sticker shock will be part of it.”
She nodded. “Moving here would mean renting for a while. At least until I felt more settled. I don’t know what I’d do with my condo back home. Maybe rent it rather than sell it.” Although that would mean saving for another downpayment. Something that, at San Diego prices, could take years.
“Could you see yourself moving back?” he asked.
“Maybe. I’m not the wide-eyed college graduate I was when I was twenty-two. And relocating by myself would be difficult, but I feel like I have to do something.”
“Noah and I would miss you.”
She looked at him. “I’d miss you, too. So much. You’re my family nearly as much as Jax and her kids.” She sighed. “I wish there was a simple answer. That the Universe would send me a text, telling me what to do. Everything I love is in Port Palmas. Do I really want to walk away from the life I’ve built? Only there are pieces missing and I’m not finding them there. I don’t want to stagnate and I don’t want to suddenly be at the end of my life and regret my decisions.”
“For what it’s worth, you don’t look stagnant. You look very green and lush.”
She laughed. “Green and lush?”
“I was going for a plant metaphor. I guess it’s not working for me.”
“No, it’s not.” Her smile faded. “Tell me what to do.”
“Not going there. You have to decide for yourself, Ryleigh. But here’s the thing. You don’t have to decide today. Maybe let it all sit and see where you end up.”
“Tick, tick, tick,” she murmured. “That’s my biological clock, by the way.”
“I got that. Maybe ask the clock to give you a few weeks’ grace.”
“I’ll see what she says. In the meantime, thank you for coming with me. I’m having a really good time.”
“Us, too.”
Jax parked in the garage at the kids’ house and opened her car door. Instantly Gentry and Xander rushed toward her, hugging her as if they hadn’t seen her in weeks rather than less than two days ago when they’d been in the store. Not that she was complaining, she thought, hanging on just as tight.
“Mom, can we bake cookies tonight?” Xander asked.
“Depending on what you’re in the mood for, I’ll have to check to see if we have all the ingredients. But if we have all the stuff, then sure.”
“It’s going to be hot next weekend,” Gentry told her. “I checked the weather forecast. Let’s go to the beach on Saturday. We can ask Ryleigh and Alex and Noah to go with us and take a picnic.”
“Good idea.”
She collected her handbag from the front seat and slung it over her shoulder before hugging both kids close and walking across the garage.
“Is Lucy going to be all right by herself?” Gentry asked.“You said she’s been warming up to you, Mom, and now she’s going to have to sleep all alone.”
“Lucy doesn’t sleep with me, sweetie.” In fact Lucy barely tolerated her. But as the cat was going to be Ramon’s pet, Lucy’s lack of interest was fine with her. “Whoever puts Ramon to bed will check on her before closing up the store and I’ll see her first thing in the morning.”
“I hope she’s not lonely.”
“Cheryl had a big play session with her this afternoon. I’m pretty sure Lucy is going to sleep the night away.”
