AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m sure if I told Van I’m a widow, he’d understand, but I don’t want another set of those pitying eyes on me. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep Sawyer’s name out of my mouth or hide the fact I was married before, so letting him believe I’m divorced seemed easy. I just hope someone in town doesn’t tell him. I guess if someone opens their big mouth, I’ll deal with it.
With no television, I’ve spent the weekend listening to music and investigating the cabin, reading all the mission boards that got my aunts and uncles together. My grandma and her best friend knew their shit. It’s really amazing how they worked their magic.
A knock on the door startles me and I peek out the curtain to see the Lake Starlight Retirement Community van. That’s where my great-grandma Dori and Ethel used to live. I open the door to find Alice, one of the residents there. She walks in with her friend Jean.
“Brinley,” Alice coos.
Alice and Jean were Dori and Ethel’s friends. Calista tried to convince me last year that they had something to do with getting her back together with Rylan, but truth be told, Calista and Rylan just needed five minutes in a room together. Their sexual chemistry and love for one another took care of the rest.
“Hi, Alice. Hi, Jean.” I’m friendly but a little confused as to why they’re here.
“I didn’t know Calista gave a key to anyone?” Jean looks around as if she’s casing the place to come back tonight and break in.
“Um… yeah.”
Alice runs her hand down my arm. “Good, that’s good. Jean and I usually come and check things out once a week. Make sure no pipes have frozen, or a tree hasn’t landed on the cabin. No bear has made his home here.” She laughs.
A zip of fear that these are things that could happen races through me. I miss my apartment in downtown Lake Starlight.
“Why are you staying here?” Alice diverts my attention, but I keep one eye on Jean as she ventures into the bedroom.
“Is she looking for something?” I thumb in the direction of where Jean went.
“Just checking that everything’s okay. So, what have you been up to? How is Bailey Timber?” She pulls out a kitchen chair and sits.
I step back to check on Jean and she walks out of the bedroom and goes outside.
“Well?” Alice pulls my attention back to her.
“It’s good. All good.” I give her a small smile.
“Then why are you here? We saw your hunk of a roommate.”
“At Lucky’s?”
She waves as if it doesn’t matter. “I assume your parents are mad.”
Jean comes in then, and they share a look.
“Well, we should get going. Rude of us to intrude. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to give us a call.” Alice hands me a business card that just has her name and phone number on it.
“Okkaayy,” I say and push it into the back pocket of my jeans.
I walk them out and hover by the door to watch them leave. They wave before climbing into the van. The driver pulls out of the driveway and honks as they drive away.
It isn’t until an hour later, and I have two blankets over me, that I realize something is wrong. I check the thermostat, and it says it’s sixty-five when last night I turned it to seventy-two. I press the button again to raise the temperature, but I don’t hear the furnace kick on. Going over to the back closet where the furnace is, I see a metal piece on the floor.
I bend and grab it, holding it up. “I’d bet money this is Jean!”
I don’t want to bother Calista with this. She and Rylan should be happy and living in bliss, not dealing with furnace issues, so I decide to take care of it myself. I call the number on the furnace and the guy’s wife tells me he’ll be out after she feeds him lunch.
Great.
Two hours later, a van with a furnace company name I’m not familiar with pulls into the driveway. I thought I knew all the businesses around here. Then again, if Great-Grandma Dori was trying to keep this place a secret, she wouldn’t use a Lake Starlight business.
“The name is Joe.” The older man in jean overalls and boots looks around the small cabin. “So, the furnace isn’t working?”
I walk him over to the unit, but he seems familiar with it. As he works, I try to give him space, but when he stands, wipes his face with a handkerchief, and sighs, I know he’s about to tell me bad news. I thought he’d come and fix it, and maybe I’d continue to stay here until Van Adler is out of Lake Starlight, like the chickenshit I am.
