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I got out my phone and Googled credentials needed for private investigation. “I need to take a test for a license. I also should have experience, but good luck with that.”
“I know the investigators around here well. I’m sure I could assist you in getting a job.”
“Really? Well, I guess you know them because you’re the coroner. Duh.”
We reached the cottage, and I unlocked the door, letting Will muscle it open.
“I’ll bring a planer tomorrow and fix that door so you can get it open,” he said. “Now for a fire.”
“There’s a bunch of wood scraps from the contractors stacked outside of the breezeway. Can we burn that?”
“I don’t see why not. Point me in the right direction.”
I led him out to the side of the cottage, where the contractor had stacked unusable lumber scraps, and we grabbed armfuls of cut pieces that would fit in the fireplace, plus smaller pieces for kindling, and filled a basket.
“Now to make sure the flue is open,” he said, reaching up into the fireplace. I heard the scraping of metal when he found the lever to open it up. “It won’t fill your house with smoke now. The only problem is that you need to shut this in the morning so you don’t get cold.”
“I’ll keep the fire going since I don’t have a working furnace.”
He started the fire, and in a short time, the living room had warmed up. We took our coats off and got on the couch with the knit afghans Pam had given me, snuggling together in the afterglow of the wine at dinner and the walk on the beach. The next logical thing was to kiss and pet like we were teenagers. It was wonderful.
After midnight, he fell asleep. I slowly slid off the couch so as not to disturb him, covering him up. The fire was still burning. I put more wood on it, hoping it would last through the night.
I washed the makeup off my face, brushed my teeth, and climbed into bed in my paint-smelling room. But I was so tired, it didn’t bother me.
Saturday morning, I woke up at eight, discombobulated. I hoped Will was still on the couch. I went out into the living area just as he came through the door with a tray of coffee and a bag of food. I smelled bacon.
“This is like a dream come true,” I said, and he winked at me.
“Hunger does weird things to people.”
Men who brought food were number one on my list. “What time did you get up?” I asked, laughing at his response.
“Not till seven,” he said, kissing my cheek. “I stopped off at the drugstore and got a toothbrush and toothpaste and brushed my teeth in the parking lot of McDonalds.”
Slapping my knee, I appreciated starting my morning with a laugh. “It’s probably on their security camera now.”
“Probably,” he said, chuckling.
“I’ll go brush and be right back.”
By the time I came back, he’d spread a paper towel on the coffee table and had our breakfast set up, and he was adding more wood to the fire. “It’s definitely winter out there today.”
I went to the window and pushed the shade up. “Look! There’s spray on the windows.”
“A storm out to sea,” he said.
“I might have to get bundled up later and go out.”
“If you beachcomb, it’s during weather like this, with the tide rushing out, that you’ll find a lot of beach glass and driftwood.”
“My stepmother collects beach glass. She might not appreciate it if I start.”
“There’s plenty of glass to go around. All the trash barges that move up and down this coastline drop off tons of glass.”
“Ugh! I guess I didn’t want to know where it came from.”
“Ha! Like a fairy princess left it?”
