Page 118 of Letting Go at 40

I chuckle. “I did. And I’m going to move to Mom and Dad’s old room on the second floor.”

“Really?”

I sit up and gaze around the room again, envisioning the changes I’ll make. “Definitely. How about the room downstairs becomes yours permanently? You’d have privacy with the bathroom, office, sitting area and bed space. Then maybe you’d come visit more often.” I might sound a bit like a henpecking mother, wanting her child to come home more often, but I really do want Amelia to take a break from the fast pace of her life and visit me here at the house. Lakeside Cottage belongs to her as well as Archer and me.

“You know I don’t need an entire suite for me.”

“I know. But I kind of took over as Archer likes to remind me and he has the garage apartment as his share of the property.” We each own Lakeside Cottage. Archer accused me of commandeering the place, but he’d been missing when our parents passed and didn’t have a say. Amelia had been too busy to care what I did with the house.

“Except Mason lives there.”

“For now.” The words taste bitter. I don’t want him to leave but he can’t live above my garage forever. He’s been looking sporadically for homes as that’s part of his business and sometimes he shows me prospects, but he hasn’t found a place in the immediate area, which is what he wants. Homes rarely go on sale here as they are often passed down through families. Logan got his house when someone died, and the family didn’t want the place.

“Think he’ll move soon?”

“I don’t know.” The thought makes my heart thud erratically.

“There is no rush for anything. Not him to move. Or you to make decisions.”

I exhale and sit up straighter. “No, I’ve decided. I need to move out of that lonely bedroom.”

“Maybe move Mason into your bed?” Amelia teases but I chew on my lip.

Could we live together? I don’t think I like that option. Plus, we each have kids and I don’t want to turn into Penny-something’s mother, trading out men, living with them and having my kids call them dad. Then again, I’m not Penny’s mother and I’d never ask my children to call another man their dad.

Mason would never ask that, either.

I lower my voice. “I don’t think we’re there yet.”

“Again . . . no rush, Anna. You have time ahead of you.”

I want to believe her, but we both know time can be cut short.

“Thanks for taking my call,” I whisper.

“Of course, big sister. But next time, I want details. Let’s forget length and girth. It’s the motion of the ocean that’s important, not the size of the mast.”

“Oh my God. Good night, Mealworm.”

Amelia chuckles. “Now you sound like Mason. This must be serious.” She makes kissing noises through the phone like when we were teenagers. “Good night, you.”

“Night.”

When we hang up, I feel lighter, determined to make a change.

Still giddy from earlier, I think of Mason. Yeah, I like him. His mast and his motions.

Chapter 41

2 Months Ago

July

Bedrooms and Bumbling Things Up

[Mason]

After our date in May, Anna becomes insatiable. Not that I’m complaining.