“Morning, Clarke.” I turned toward the melodic voice, immediately regretting my move when a series of raindrops pelted my face.
“Sugar!” I shouted, scolding myself more than the rain. I stepped back under the protective layer of wood shading the porch and only then did I wave to June. “Morning, June.”
The statuesque blonde waved back from two porches over, a bucket of cleaning supplies in her hands. “Are you finding everything okay?” Her imposing height and square shoulders reminded me of Brienne of Tarth, the tall drink of water fromGame of Thrones,aka my sister's, Viv’s, “hall pass." If Brienne of Tarth wore crop tops and pierced her belly button, that was.
“Just fine,” I told her. It was hard to imagine not being able to find something in such a small dwelling. June owned Bed of Roses, Rose City’s very own vintage trailer resort and the place I currently called home.
Home.
Maybe another sip of coffee would wash down the bitter memory. I suppressed a sigh and put on my twenty-watt, pageant queen smile.
“Have you met your new neighbor yet?” June asked.
“Not yet.”
“Just wait ‘til you see him,” she said around a smirk.
My eyes shifted to the hand-lettered sign hanging above her head.The Golden Girl.The six trailers were named after famous women and characters named Rose. Rose Nylund fromTheGolden Girls,Rose Tyler fromDr. Who,and silver screen icon, Rosemary Clooney. I’d already met the newlyweds staying inRose McGowan—their new year’s resolution was to get married in every state—and the PhD student staying inThe Riveter.Ironically, she was working on media portrayals of women in the workforce during World War II. That just left me inRose DeWitt Bukater.My life up until now had been somewhat of a sinking ship, so it was more than appropriate that I’d ended up in the Tiffany-blue tin dwelling named afterThe Titanicheroine.
And of course, the mystery man inMoira Rose.
I had a newfound appreciation forSchitt’s Creek.
“Hey, listen," June started. “Why don’t you join me and a few of my friends for drinks sometime?” She smoothed her thick-rimmed glasses back into place. Personally, I thought a round, wire frame might suit her face better, but I’d never tell her that.
Mama always told me that a “good wife” only gave her opinion when asked.
Sweet Pete, I really needed to call that therapist that Viv recommended. The two-thousand miles of distance and fresh Pacific Northwest air just weren’t cutting it.
“Or maybe dinner would be better?”
June had mistaken my silence for indifference.
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” I waved my hand toward my coffee cup and pajamas. “I’m not myself before at least two cups of coffee. But please don’t feel like you need to entertain me. I start my new job tomorrow.”
“Let me guess.” She set down the bucket of supplies, only to lean forward and rest her elbows on the makeshift porch railing. “The Roasters.”
“How’d you know?”
“Oh, I don’t know. The recent influx of hot, new residents to Rose City kind of gave it away.” She winked before adding, “You won’t hear me complaining, though.”
“Want to know a secret?” I asked, bolder than usual. Confidence was a key ingredient in my recipe to reinvent myself.
“Always.”
“This is my first job. Like, firstjobjob.”
Her eyes widened, not with disapproval but rather with interest. “Wow. Congratulations.”
“I’m a little nervous, but also very excited.”
I blamed the whirring buzz in my belly for my lack of sleep the last three nights, not the twin-sized bed my trailer offered.
She nodded. “I’m sure you’ll do great. How about my friend, Nessa, and I treat you to happy hour tomorrow? Sort of a ‘congrats on making it through your first day’ kinda thing.”
My first day.
It was hard to believe that just two weeks ago, I’d been crying into a plate of hashbrowns. What had started as mybachelorette party had ended with me updating my resume on my new friend Trixie’s phone, and applying for a social media coordinator position in a town I’d never heard of, in a state I’d never been to. I hadn’t expected to hear back from them at all. I certainly couldn't have predicted them hiring me on the spot during my first ever job interview.
