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That was the plan at least, and Cass had started sticking to her plans more and more often lately.
Her plan to keep in touch with her children and make sure they knew where she was and how she was doing.Going okay.
Her plan to decorate and design the beach house how she wanted, without regard to cost.Check.
Her plan to pack most of what she owned and move it to South Carolina.Check.
Her plan to get a fresh start in a new place.In progress.
Her plan to sell the house in Texas.Well, she had a skeleton plan for that, but she hadn’t executed hardly any of the bones.Conrad had enough change in his life right now, and she’d promised him the summer before she decided.
“Another right,” she said, and Conrad made the turn.He stopped the moving truck at the gate, and Cass gave him the code.
He punched it in, and the gate rumbled to the side, allowing them access to the community.Her eyes flew right to Harrison’s, of course, and a blip of panic combined with guilt.It stayed for a moment, and then disappeared.
If things between them didn’t work out, she’d forever be looking at his house as she drove by.Trees, shrubs, and bushes concealed the front porch, but her eyes could trace the path of the driveway back to his enormous garage, and she could see most of the second floor.
As Conrad drove past, she finally tore her eyes from the light gray structure.
“Wow, Mama,” Conrad said, slipping back into his Texas-boy voice.“This place isfancy.”He looked at her with wonder in his eyes.“You can afford this?”
“Yes,” she said quietly.“It’s very nice.Private.Quiet.”All of the things she wanted.Sort of.She didn’t really like being alone, but she had people here she knew already, and she didn’t have to stay in the house all day, every day, by herself.
“There’s a private beach,” she said.“Walking trails.Bike trails.Loads of history here.I’m going to get my business going here too.I’ll have plenty to do.”
Conrad blinked at her.“Yeah,” he said.“You will.”
She wasn’t sure why she’d felt like she needed to tell him that.Probably for her own sanity.“It’s this one,” she said, nodding to the light blue house.The roof shone like polished oil in the evening sunshine, and Cass did love this house.
Conrad turned into the driveway, now barely giving the truck any gas at all.They bumped into the driveway, and Cass said, “Go all the way around to the front door.I think it’ll be easier to get in that way.”
He did, easing forward until the back of the truck sat even with the steps.The furniture guys had brought in her things through the garage, but the front door was actually taller and wider than the entrance to the house from the garage.
She’d set the code on her front door while she’d been in town a couple of days ago.She got out of the truck and took a deep breath.The air went down hot and thick, but Cass was used to that.
This still felt like the first breath of a grand adventure, and she stretched her back and legs while Conrad opened the huge doors on the back of the truck.
“Bea and Grant will be here soon,” she said.“We don’t have to unload ourselves.”She extended her hand toward him.“Come see the house.”
He looked a tad disgruntled, but he took her hand and faced the house.They stood there together, the two of them, and Cass let herself feel whatever she needed to feel.
Acceptance that West was gone.That was a blessing, as she’d fought it for a long time.
Grief that he wasn’t there to see this beautiful home.
Sadness that he’d never see it.
Happiness that she got to live here, and that her children could come and stay with her.
And all-powerful love for the life she’d lived—and the one she got to keep experiencing right here on Hilton Head Island.
“It’s really big, Mama,” Conrad said.
“Too big,” she agreed.“It had the waterfront property I wanted.”
His hand in hers tightened.“You’ve always loved the beach.”
“Your dad and I used to have a place on Galveston,” she said.“You were a tiny boy, so you might not remember.”She took the first step toward the house, and Conrad went with her.“We sold it when you were two and Daddy got moved to the Coastal Bend.It was too far to drive after that.”
