“Thank you. They had a twenty-month-old son who we now have custody of, and frankly, Jon and I aren’t sure we want to raise Wyatt in a big city like DC. My dad and his husband offered to take care of Wyatt for a few days so we could come here—not only for our honeymoon but to see if this might be a place we’d like to relocate to.”
“Wow, you guys have been through a lot,” Finn told them. “Sincere condolences on your loss.”
“So you’re thinking of moving here?” Clay asked.
“Very possibly,” Jon answered for them both. “We like what we’ve seen so far. I can definitely see us raising Wyatt here. And it’s not too far away from Kyle’s dad, so that’s a plus too.”
“Remind me, please. Where do your dad and his husband live again?” Clay asked.
“Westport,” Kyle said. “So only about an hour away.”
“Ah, close enough if you need them, but far enough away to be able to live your own lives,” Clay said, amusement in his voice.
“Exactly,” Kyle agreed. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my dad and Rob, but a little distance isn’t a bad thing.”
“When do you think you might be ready to make the move?” Finn inquired.
“Probably not for a while,” Jon answered. “There’s lots to do first. I’ve got a house in Phoenix that I want to sell, then we’d have to find a suitable place here. Then there’s selling Kyle’s condo in DC.”
“And we both need to find jobs,” Kyle added.
“What do you guys do for work?” Finn asked.
“I’m a financial analyst,” Kyle said, also mentioning the firm he worked for. “Jon is a paralegal for a family-law practice.”
“I don’t think either of you will have an issue getting jobs in the area,” Finn told them. “I work at Hawthorne Bank and Trust, and there’s a good chance you could get a job in our financial services department, Kyle. There are a few lawyers in town but none that specialize in family law. If you wanted to stay in that specialty, Jon, I know of at least one family-law practice in Plymouth, and that’s only ten minutes away.”
“That’s good to know,” Jon said.
“We’re hoping to see some house listings while we’re here,” Kyle added. “Just to get an idea of what types of places might be available and their price ranges.”
“You should stop by Connolly Realty,” Finn told them. “Head past the bank and take a right. It’s a large yellow clapboard building. You can’t miss it. Ask to speak with Sarah Connolly. Be sure to tell her I sent you and be honest about what you’re looking for. Sarah won’t steer you wrong.”
“Thanks, Finn,” Kyle said sincerely.
“And on that note, I need to get back to work.” Finn stood, then leaned over and kissed Clay. “It was nice meeting you guys. I hope everything works out for you.”
“So whaddya think?Can you see us living here in Hawthorne Bluff?” Kyle posed the question as he and Jon strolled back to Bradley House hand in hand after a nice dinner at Tavino’s, the town’s Italian restaurant. Jon squeezed his hand.
“Yeah, I can.” Kyle could hear the sincerity in Jon’s voice. “This town has so much going for it. Everyone is friendly, and it feels so comfortable and safe here.” He lifted their joined hands. “Plus, I’m not afraid to hold my husband’s hand while we walk down the street. Think about it. When Finn left Cuppa Joe’s earlier, he kissed Clay goodbye, and no one had a problem with that. And let’s not forget that your dad and Rob really liked it here too. The fact that we’d be accepted here as a family means a lot.”
“I feel the same way. I think this is the perfect place to raise our son. But I still want to find the realtor that Finn recommended. Maybe we can meet with her tomorrow and learn more about property here.”
“Anything you want.”
Chapter 20
Jon
After breakfast, they set off toward the bank to find the realtor that Finn had recommended. Just as he’d described, they found the lemon-yellow structure with a Connolly Realty sign at the curb. They entered a bright reception area, decorated in pastel shades of yellow and green.
“Welcome to Connolly Realty,” the receptionist greeted them. “I’m Diana. How may I help you?”
Jon took the lead. “We were wondering if it’s possible to meet with Sarah Connolly.”
“Ms. Connolly is out this morning, showing some property. Her schedule is rather full at the moment. Perhaps I can set something up with another one of our realtors for later this week,” she told them. “It would be helpful if you could let me know what you’re interested in.”
“Actually,” Jon said, “we’re only in town for a few days, and Finn Reynolds recommended that we speak directly with Sarah.”
