‘Not nicer than me though, right?’
‘Of course not. That’s not possible.’
‘Correct answer. OK, so if it wasn’t a faulty alarm, whyareyou running late?’
‘It’s this place, Holly. The sunrises are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Colors that I didn’t even know existed in nature. And the ocean, the beach. It’s all right there. I’m literallyrighton the shore. This morning, I took my coffee out to the front porch and I sat and watched the sun come up over the water and I just couldn’t believe that I’m really here. I was so caught up in how amazing it all is that I completely lost track of time.’
‘Sounds incredible.’
‘It is.’
‘Ijust got off a night shift where I was puked on, propositioned for sex and blamed by a man for the death of hisgirlfriend who overdosed on fentanyl thatheadministered,’ she said, ‘so I guess we’re both living the dream.’
‘I don’t miss that at all.’
‘But you miss me though, right?’
‘Always. But I’vereallygot to go.’ I blew her a kiss and disconnected the call.
I had one last, quick look around the cottage to make sure I hadn’t left anything open or forgotten anything I needed to bring with me, then pulled the door shut behind me, hurrying down the steps to my car. The new tires mocked me as I unlocked the door and threw my purse over the passenger seat.
Six days. Six days since I’d arrived in Pine Harbor and met Jonah. That whole night now seemed like a dream, or something that had happened in a parallel universe but had somehow intruded intothisuniverse’s memories. I hadn’t heard from him since that night, although he’d at least kept his word and sorted out his friend Connor to come and put studded snow tires onto the car for me, which I appreciated. I’d tried to subtly probe Connor for information about Jonah while he’d worked, but the man was an impenetrable rock. In the hour that he was here, he’d said maybe twenty words all up, fifteen of which were: ‘you’re damn lucky you didn’t drive off the road in that snow the other night.’ He’d frowned at me like I was an idiot, and after that I’d retreated into the cottage and stayed out of his way.
The cottage was everything the photos promised it would be, and more. Simple, with a navy and white wooden exterior. It wasn’t very big, but I didn’t need big. All the necessities were there, just compact. Just 228 square feet, according to the real estate brochure. The interior was tastefully decorated in a beach theme, with white pine walls and white and blue accessories, and consisted of a small bedroom with a king-sized bed, a bathroom with a stand-up shower, toilet and small vanity, and a lounge/dining/kitchen that was small but functional, with allthe modern essentials I needed to cook meals, that is once I managed to find the supermarket and do a big shop. For the last few nights I’d eaten boil-in-a-cup noodles, thinking wistfully of the lobster stew that Jonah and I had eaten my first night in town.
I typed the address of my first job of the day into my phone and hitstart, swearing when it told me how long the journey was going to take. It wasn’t that long, fourteen minutes, but considering the fact I was supposed to have been there two minutes ago, I was most definitely going to be late. Not a good start on my first day on the job.
I followed the voice directions through town and out the other side, up a hill on a on a road nestled between plantations of pine trees that filled the air with the scent that reminded me that Christmas was almost here.
I loved Christmas. I loved everything about it. The lights, the tinsel, the baubles in all the shops and houses. The carol songs that drove everybody mad through November and December but which I never tired of. Curling up on the couch with a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and watching cheesy Christmas movies without an ounce of guilt. Usually I’d spend the day with my sister Casey, her husband Alastair and my nephews, Logan and Blair. Our parents would also be there; flying out from Florida and staying with her for a few weeks every holiday season. My sister was an incredible chef and would effortlessly rustle up cinnamon buns for breakfast and a Christmas lunch that would rival any top restaurant. My contribution was always my signature sundried tomato and bacon pasta salad, about the only thing I knew how to rustle up with any great confidence that was dinner-party-worthy, and a packet of buffet rolls.
This would be my first Christmas without them. The thought made me feel like crying, so I pushed it to the back of my mind.
You have reached your destination on your left.
The automated voice brought me back to the present and I slowed the car down. The only thing on the left was a driveway that led up a steep hill, disappearing around a corner. I debated whether to park on the road and walk up in case there wouldn’t be enough room at the top to reverse the car around. But in the end, I decided to chance it.
After almost a kilometer of driveway, I was beginning to think the robotic voice had done me wrong and led me on a wild goose chase. Then I turned another corner and my mouth dropped open. Literally. I pulled the car over to the side of the driveway and scrambled in my purse for the piece of paper with the address on that my new employer, Pine Harbor Nursing Association, had given me, checking it against the address I had typed into my phone while leaving the house in a hurry. They matched. I looked up at the house in front of me again.
It was less of a house and more of a mansion. Classic New England in style, the exterior painted a mixture of gray and white. In front was a curved driveway with a manicured lawn roundabout in the middle, and in the middle ofthatwas a fountain. Anactual, water fountain. Around the house there were expansive lawns, and gardens.
I slowly drove around the roundabout and stopped in front of the white marble steps, conscious that I was already late, but also wanting to take it all in.
‘I’m definitely not in Chicago any more,’ I muttered to myself as I got my nursing bag out of the trunk and made my way up the steps to the large front door, framed on each side by ornate white columns. I reached out to knock, but as I did the door opened, leaving my hand hanging in mid-air. The woman who had opened the door frowned at it with distaste.
‘You’re late,’ she said, then turned on her heel and stalked off inside.
‘I’m so sorry,’ I called after her, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. ‘I’m new to town and I completely underestimated how long it would take for me to get here.’
‘I don’t want your apologies, I want you to show up when you’re supposed to.’
‘Of course. It won’t happen again.’
I followed her across the foyer and up a double staircase, then down a long hallway, where she paused in front of a wooden door and gave me a sharp look. ‘I hope not. Otherwise I will be asking your manager to replace you with someone more reliable.’
I gave her a warm smile, the one that had always put patients and their families at ease. ‘That won’t be necessary.’
She sniffed, the smile clearly having zero effect on her. ‘I’ll be the one who decides that.’
