AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll give you my realtor’s number,” Cass said, already on the job with her fingers flying across her phone screen.
Lauren turned to Bea while Cass did that. Together, they left the master suite, which Lauren did love. She could see herself relaxing here. She wanted to be here. “This isn’t too insane, is it?”
“I don’t think so,” Bea said. “But I fell in love with Grant and got married in a few months.” She lifted one shoulder and glanced at Lauren. She’d always been able to read her very well, and she paused and turned back to her in the hallway. “You can’t worry about Joy. Or Bessie, or Sage. They’re grown women.”
“Yeah,” Lauren said. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re already here, locked in with the amazing beach and the gorgeous husband.” She smiled so it wouldn’t sound like she was criticizing Bea. She wasn’t. It was simply easier for her to tell Lauren to do what she wanted and not to worry about anyone else.
Lauren didn’t want to be that person. She loved Joy and Bessie and Sage, and she didn’t want them to be upset that now their group was completely split. Half in Sweet Water Falls, and half here in Hilton Head.
Bea blinked a couple of times, and then her surprise melted away. “I know. But Sage told me she’s thinking of moving here now that her divorce is almost final. She can do hair from anywhere, and Bessie’s already looking into a franchise with The Bread Boy.”
“And Joy?” Lauren asked. “I worry about Joy the most.”
Her time in Hilton Head was almost up, and Lauren felt it moving through her keenly. She tried to grip it with all ten fingers, but it just wisped away like smoke. “She’s already packing, and I hear her sniffling through it.”
“We have Beach Day,” Bea said. “And one more Supper Club. She’ll be okay.”
Lauren wanted to ask,And then what, Bea?but she didn’t. Because memories of Beach Day and Supper Club didn’t actually mean she and Joy could meet for lunch at the Thai place they liked. Not if they didn’t live in the same city.
Cass joined them, and she and Bea started chit-chatting about the groceries they needed for Beach Day that weekend, and Lauren followed in their wake. She couldn’t help wondering if that was what she was doing again—simply following them from Texas to South Carolina.
Outside, she walked down the length of the sidewalk and turned back to the house while the others got in the car. She loved it, and her heart swelled at the blue eaves that blended up into the dark gray roof and shingles. It looked straight out of a magazine, and when Ty got out of his car, saying, “No, I’m faxing over the offer within the hour. They’ll have it by five p.m. to consider with the other one,” Lauren’s concern grew.
She met his eye, but he waved his hand. “It’s a fantastic offer, Ben. Just let your clients know it’s coming.” He grinned. “Yes, from a very enthusiastic young woman who would love to live in their masterpiece… Uh huh. Buh-bye.”
Lauren didn’t judge him for the professional talk and mannerisms. Lord knew she’d gone through the motions many times too. Anything for the client. The customer was always right. That type of thing.
“Well.” He sighed.
“They have another offer,” he and Lauren said together.
“They just got it this morning,” Ty said. “They’ve only had three showings, but they do have two more tomorrow.”
“So what does that mean?”
“Most likely, they’ll pick one of you tonight,” he said. “List it as pending, and the showings tomorrow won’t happen.”
“When will I know?” she asked.
“They technically have twenty-four hours to accept, deny, or counter with another offer,” he said. “My secretary is putting it together now. It’ll be off within the hour.”
Lauren nodded and tried to tamp down the anxiety rising through her. “Okay, well, that’s all I can do, right?”
“Yep,” he said. “Leave the rest to me, Lauren. I’m going to get you this house.” He smiled like that gesture alone could seal the deal, and she decided she had to trust him. He knew Blake, Grant, and Harrison, and he’d come with a great track record and plenty of praise.
She joined her friends in the car, and Bea asked, “Where should we go to dinner?”
“We’re going to dinner?” Cass asked. “I’m pretty sure Harrison put meat on the grill. He got his new one on the back patio this morning.”
“I was going to go to Blake’s,” Lauren said. “Sorry, I didn’t know we had dinner plans too.”
Bea looked at Cass and then back to Lauren in the back seat. “I guess I assumed. It’s okay. I can grab something and eat it on the deck while I watch the ocean.”
“That sounds amazing,” Cass said. “Do you want to do it from my deck? I’m sure Harrison will have enough for you.”
“And crash your newlywed beach dinner? No thanks.”
“I’ve been married for almost two months,” Cass said with a laugh.
