Ty couldn’t control which students went to school with Lucas or how they might perceive the thoughtful, rather introspective boy who preferred drawing sports cars in his notebook to playing on the playground. But shecouldhelp Lucas understand that kids who hurt others were likely nursing wounds of their own. She could assure him that every person was unique, and that it was okay to be different.
Of course, Ty had encouraged Lucas to be physically active during recess, but she knew that his objection to sports had more to do with feeling inadequate than anything else.
Let go, and let God,she reminded herself with a deep exhale.
Her limbs went loose as she envisioned the weight lifting off her shoulders. She inhaled deeply, slowly, thanking the heavens for calming her nerves. Asking, in the next breath, for help in making a good impression. If she got this job, she’d no longer have to worry about vacant spots in her appointment book. She’d no longer have to text or call her old clients and see if they’d like to come in for a discount massage.
She stayed in that mode, focusing on gratitude and hope, while she made her way to The Homestead Inn. She’d stayed here only once, when Holly and Margo gifted her a night’s stay for Mother’s Day. They watched Lucas for her that night and packed an overnight bag complete with two novels by her favorite author and a stash of her favorite treats—baby dills, salted cashews, and chocolate-covered coffee beans so she could stay awake all night to read if she wanted.
Her stay at the charming inn had been like a dream. Not only had she read well into the night, taking a bubble bath between books, Ty had woken up to a wonderful breakfast buffet with menu items she rarely took the time to cook for herself.
To have a job there would be a dream come true. According to Andie, the woman responsible for adding The Homestead’s brand-new spa, the position would include living accommodations for her and Lucas as early as December. Not only would Ty have a guaranteed baseline paycheck no matter the bookings, she’d no longer have to pay rent. Finally, she’d be able to build up a nice college fund for Lucas.
A burst of exhilaration filtered through her, morphing into a near desperation as she rounded the circular drive in front of the picturesque inn. Colorful leaves clung to the branches of the surrounding trees. Others had recently toppled to the ground where they decorated the spacious yard out front. Bright sunflowers stood tall beside an old wheelbarrow boasting apples in shades of red, green, and gold. A sign reading“please, take one”hung on the banister above, while a chalkboard propped against one of the rusty wheels had a message of its own.
Ty slowed enough to read the quote while circling the drive.“You’ve got to go out on a limb sometimes because that’s where the fruit is.” Will Rogers.
She grinned, liking the sentiment behind the quote. It went well with her theme of the day. Just being there at the inn helped Ty realize why she’d begun to unravel over the last few days. The stakes were high.
Once parked in the temporary parking area, Ty pulled up the latest text she’d received from Andie. She was to give two types of massages to two different individuals who helped run the inn. One basic massage as requested by the average guest, and a more therapeutic massage for a member who’d been injured and was undergoing physical therapy.
Ty silenced her phone, yet just before she tucked it back into her purse, a text popped in from Margo.
Find a sexy guest at the inn for both of us, will you? Just kidding. Good luck on your interview. Oh, and I’m not actually kidding about the sexy guest thing. I’m sick of being single.
Ty grinned knowingly. She’d been content in her lot as a single mother for years, but for the first time in a long time, Ty was growing sick of being single too. It’s not something she’d admit to Margo, but the truth was, single parenting was lonely.
The quote she’d seen ran through her mind once more.You have to go out on a limb sometimes because that’s where the fruit is.In a sense, Ty had agreed to do that very thing. She’d promised Holly she would step onto that limb. But Ty needed a very specific kind of fruit. One that would endure all that came along with her single parenting life. How many limbs would she have to step onto to find it?
