It was beautiful and warm andhuge. And very much filled with loons. And, of course, dogs.
As if on cue, an adorable Yorkie named Lulu jumped into mylap, and I smiled, petting her. She’d shown up just yesterday and had settled in quickly compared to other rescue animals the Londons had housed in the past. Honey, who sat warming my feet, didn’t seem to like her. Too much energy for my old soul gal, whose white face had promptly made me burst into tears when I’d first seen her sitting on Anne’s front porch upon arriving.
“What are you thinking?” I asked, considering the older woman. I had three tours planned for today, determined to find a place to live so I could get out of Anne London’s house before her son found me here.
Although maybe he already knew.
“I just want toofferit as a possibility,” Anne said, not answering my question. Her gaze was skirting around me, avoiding direct eye contact, which caused suspicion to bubble in my stomach. “If you really aren’t interested?—”
“Anne,” I cut in, wearing a half-smile. The Yorkie jumped from my lap, ran beneath the table, and appeared in Anne’s arms a second later.
“Yes, yes,” she laughed, knowing full well what she was doing. She took a second to give attention to Lulu before setting her gently on the floor and focusing on me. Her hands clasped together on the table, and her green eyes were on me now, more direct than before. “The Maple Street house is vacant,” she said. “And it could use an occupant. Someone around to make sure the pipes aren’t frozen in the winter, you know?”
A breathy, nervous laugh fell from my lips because…what?
“Anne…it’s August.”
It was the only thing I could think to say.
She cocked her head to the side, brows pulling together. “Are you not staying for long?”
“Oh, no.” I shook my head. “No, I’m staying. Through winter, certainly. And…longer, I think.” I couldn’t believe I was intentionally signing up for another winter in Minnesota, but it was unavoidable. “But what about Tom?”
“He moved out.” Anne waved a hand, lips pursed. “It was toobig of a place for just him, and I think…” She heaved a wistful sigh that twisted my insides. Anne and Tom London had divorced a few years back. It had shocked me when I’d heard. But whathadn’tshocked me was that it’d been a mutual, peaceful separation. Amicable, without any sort of antagonization or blame—at least outwardly, according to Natalie.
It was also the one and only time I’d reached out to Sully after our split.
He hadn’t replied.
“I think there was just too much tied to that house,” Anne finished eventually. “You know?”
“Yeah.” I nodded, clearing my throat.
I knew.
I knew all too well, which was exactly why, as much as I hated to admit it, as much as I longed for something familiar, I didn’t think any of this was a good idea.
“He moved into an apartment,” she added. “His choice. We could have split this damn house, but…” She trailed off, waving another hand around with a sigh. “Anyway, we still own the Maple house. Neither of us wants to live in it, but neither of us wants to get rid of it, either. And I’ve thought about renting it out, but with how busy it is at the rescue these days, I don’t have time for managing a tenant. So if you wanted…”
Anne shrugged and then became overly interested in her coffee, taking a long sip while I thought on her proposal.
“It’s a far bigger house than I need for just me,” I tried to reason. “And to maintain it?—”
“Oh, no, honey. You wouldn’t have to do any of that.” She laughed. “That’s what Theo’s for. And I’ve got my maintenance guy Bob in town, too. I’d have them come out to give everything a tune-up before you moved in.”
Fuck, I didn’t know what to say to that. I had no idea whateverythingeven entailed, considering I didn’t know much about being a homeowner. But Iwouldn’tbe a homeowner. Just a tenant.In a house. Inthehouse, the one I’d all but grown up in. Found my best friend in. Fallen in love in.
My mouth opened and closed as I searched for words I didn’t have. But Anne was staring at me, eager for a response. So I found one.
“It’s likely…more than I could afford,” I ventured, even knowing it might not be true. My income was more than sufficient for my lifestyle out in California, so I was sure it would stretch even further here. But I’d also been planning to find a place that was below budget so I could save up.
For the baby.
“Afford? No, no.” Anne shook her head. “There’s no cost. You’d be doing me a favor, after all.”
Shit.
A free place to live? In a house that I loved? And a chance to give back to the woman who had invested so much of her time and love and energy into making me feel welcome in that home? In her family?
