“Are you busy this week?” A wrinkle formed above Orene’s right brow.
“No. Not at all.”
“Are you available at ten tomorrow morning?”
“Yes!”
“Good. Then that’s settled. He said you might as well start, and try it on for size.” Orene scribbled an address on a piece of paper. “You’ll meet up with Jesse at this address. He’ll give you the keys to the vehicle you’ll use. They keep the cars parked there. You’ll just pick it up and drop it back off each day. They refuel them and keep them clean for you.”
“I can’t thank you enough.”
“You’re going to love getting to know this town, and we’re going to love you becoming a part of it.”
“I know I will.” Natalie got up and pulled Orene into a hug. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. This works out for everyone.”
“I’m going to run to get a couple of things done today before I start this new job.” Natalie couldn’t believe how quickly that had happened. “I’ll put my teacup in the sink. Is there anything I can do for you while I’m out?”
Orene was beaming. “Not a thing. Just enjoy this beautiful day.”
Since the day Natalie set foot in this town, good things had begun to fall into place around her. She went back to the market and picked up a small cooler and some water to keep in the car while driving folks. She grabbed a box of tissues and a bag of individually wrapped sugar-free mints. At the last second, she grabbed a copy of the local newspaper and tossed it on the counter too.
“I’ll need a bag of ice, please,” she said to the girl at the checkout.
She piled everything into the truck and drove back to the cabin.
When she got to the bridge, she regretted having so much to carry to the house.
She wished she’d opted for two small bags of ice rather than the twenty-pounder. The first thing she’d save up for with her new paychecks was one of those UTVs to tote stuff back and forth, or at least a wagon.
She got the ice put away and then went back for the fishing gear. One thing for certain, she’d be in better shape living here, if for no other reason than the walk.
Home. Sweet. Home.
Chapter Twenty-One
NATALIE WOKEwith the sunrise, which was getting a little later each morning. It always messed her up when the days got shorter, and it wouldn’t be all that long before the clocks rolled back an hour and it would be dark even earlier. She stretched and got out of bed.
She stood in front of the window watching the birds and other critters she now considered neighbors—mostly squirrels, rabbits, and this morning a trio of deer.
She felt stronger here. Being this far away from her troubles had turned out to be a good thing.
Every morning, she recited her new mantra to remind herself that Marc was the one to blame.
Marc was never in love with me.
Not everything is what it seems, especially if it seems too good to be true.
It’s okay to believe the best in people.
I deserve this new beginning.
Each day it got a little easier to believe too.
The sooner she truly believed that, the better off she’d be.
Maybe a little hard work was part of true love. She walked over to the mantel and took the photograph of her with Jeremy into her hands.
