I browse listings and find a few promising options. Without telling Jay anything, because I don’t want to get his hopes up, I tell him I need to take care of some things for a few days and plan another quick trip to look at properties.
Driving into Astoria for the second time, I see the small city from a different perspective. Tourist season has just begun, so traffic is heavier than it was a week ago. RVs and trucks pulling campers clog the roads, and more people are out on the downtown streets.
A large cruise ship dominates the marina near the bridge. I read Astoria is a stopover for several cruise lines, mainly in spring and fall.
There’s a Riverwalk by my hotel that stretches for miles; I plan to go for a run later and do more exploring.
After eating lunch, I meet with the realtor I found online.
“Mr. Amato, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Harrison,” the friendly guy greets me, dressed casually in jeans and a blue button-down.
He’s kind and efficient, just the type of person I want showing me property.
Most of the places he shows me aren’t what I’m looking for, but the last one has a lot of potential. As we enter the property, he fills me in on the details.
“This is a mixed-use riverfront building. The ground floor has three retail spaces, including a coffee shop, which the owner would like to sell with the building. The second floor features four office spaces, two of which are occupied, and the top floor has two large residential apartments. They’re both currently vacant and need some updating. The basement has several storage areas and mechanical and maintenance rooms.”
After a thorough tour, I’m convinced, but I want more time to explore. “Do you mind if I wander through the vacant spaces onmy own for a bit?”
“Of course, I’ll meet you in the coffee shop when you’re finished,” Harrison replies, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
It’s been on the market for quite some time, and I’m sure he’d love to see it sold.
I walk upstairs through the residential spaces. They’re open-concept loft-style apartments with exposed brick, concrete floors, and tall industrial windows that showcase sweeping river views. Sunlight streams in, making the rooms feel larger than their square footage suggests.
Each loft has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The fixtures are outdated, but the bones are perfect. With simple renovations, one could be a cozy home for me, and the other a reliable rental.
I take plenty of photos and videos to include with my business proposal, which I plan to present to my investment group once I return to New York.
When I’m finished, I find Harrison sitting at a table, sipping a latte and typing on his laptop. He looks up and gives me a warm smile. “So, what do you think?”
“It’s just what I’ve been looking for.”
“You mentioned you want a business to manage as well. Does the coffee shop appeal to you?” he asks.
Looking around the bright, cozy cafe, with its bistro-style tables, comfortable seating areas with plush couches and chairs, and the bustling counter where two baristas are busy making drinks, I feel a sense of rightness about the idea.
“Yeah, I could see myself running this place,” I respond. “I’m a coffee lover, so it makes sense.”
“That’s great. Let me know when you’re ready to make an offer.”
After Harrison leaves, I spend another hour drinking coffee and thinking about my future. If everything goes as I hope, I could move to Oregon in just a few months. That brings me one step closer to having the life I’ve always dreamed of.
Chapter 13
Jay
Since Aiden returned to New York, my life has been one exhausting obstacle after another. The day he left, dread overwhelmed me at the reality of facing the chaos of my life alone without him. But he needed to get back to his life and not stay here any longer to deal with my bullshit.
We agreed to be friends, and I know that’s for the best. That night on the beach—when I poured my heart out and looked at him like a lost puppy so desperate for a kiss that it made my teeth ache—haunts me during the darkest moments at night, when all I can think about are my biggest regrets. He was kind and let me down easy, even saying he wasn’t rejecting me, but I get it. I understand how much of a mess I am, and who wants to be with someone as fucked up as me.
And that part where I asked him a huge favor, not to tell me about his sex life, because I couldn’t handle hearing about it. How pathetic was that? There are still nights I wake up in the middle of the night, recalling that conversation with utter mortification. But he’s honored my request, and he keeps his activities to himself.
He’s truly committed to being friends as if it’s his job. We talk almost every day and text often, mostly jokes and funny memes.On days when I feel overwhelmed, he talks me through it and listens carefully to my rants.
Dealing with all of Ray’s bullshit hasn’t been easy. I knew he would make breaking up difficult, but luckily, Heather is a pit bull and has handled most of the details for me, so I don’t have to deal with him directly.
Today is the day of the meeting with the district attorney.
