much as I can say at this point. I’m not going to reenlist in the army, but I haven’t had time to make any solid plans. I just need a place to roost temporarily.”
She bit her lower lip and studied him for several seconds. “There aren’t a lot of rentals here in town, and the nearest motels are all the way back out on the interstate. What kind of place are you looking for? An apartment or a house?”
Something else he hadn’t thought much about. He supposed by rights he could move back into his family home, but that didn’t feel right. Either way, it hurt to think about Callie and Nick living there together. He wasn’t ready to poke that nest of snakes yet.
Melanie was already heading out the back door. He slung the strap of the pack over his shoulder and hurried after her. Outside, he stopped to think about what he did want. Hell, he had no idea. He ran his hands over his head in frustration and found the familiar feel of his military buzz cut soothing. “I’m not picky. Got any suggestions?”
“Yeah, actually I do.”
A set of keys came flying over her shoulder right at him. “What are these?”
“The keys to the housekeeper’s cottage. It has a separate driveway off the street that runs behind our property. It’s probably in need of a thorough cleaning, but it is furnished. You can stay there for as long as you want.”
He didn’t know what to say. “Are you sure, Melanie? How much is the rent?”
Not that it mattered. It didn’t sound as if he’d have many other choices here in town. She named a figure that had him shaking his head. “That’s not nearly enough, Melanie. I might not have lived in the area for a long time, but I do know rents are higher than that.”
She didn’t answer until they were both in the car. “Fine. I’ll drop you off at the bar and then run some errands. You check out the house and see what you think. If it will suit your needs, stop by later and make me an offer.”
“It’s a deal.”
Even sight unseen, he already knew he was going to take it. Just like she said, there were never many rental properties in Snowberry Creek. Even if he could find an apartment on such short notice, he’d have to spend a lot of time and money buying even the bare essentials to make the place livable. Part of getting his life back on track involved deciding if he could stand to live in the same town as Callie and his other former best friends.
Just thinking about Leif and Nick had him wanting to punch something. Yeah, the chances of making Snowberry Creek his permanent home seemed pretty slim. Renting the cottage from Melanie would be the perfect short-term answer.
Now if only he could find such easy answers to all of his other problems. Rather than dwell on things he couldn’t change, he turned his attention to studying the small business district that formed the core of his hometown. He smiled as they drove past the Creek Café. Some things never changed, including Frannie’s menu. Her prices might go up, but the food stayed the same. She never got any complaints about it, either.
There were a few new businesses, but the character of the town was the same. People waved, most likely at Melanie. He wasn’t sure if anyone recognized him, although he’d guess by now the news of his return had spread like wildfire.
At the next stoplight, she asked, “Did you ever think you’d end up back here?”
Interesting question. He gave it some thought. “I don’t know. Maybe eventually, but not this soon. I’d planned to stay in the army long enough to earn a pension. That’s not going to happen now, but I haven’t had enough time to make other plans.”
He glanced in her direction. “I guess neither of us meant to end up back in Snowberry Creek, but here we are.”
She grimaced. “Yeah, lucky us.”
Before he could think of how to respond, they’d reached the bar. Melanie looked around at the empty parking lot. “I didn’t think about it being Sunday or that the bar
She bit her lower lip and studied him for several seconds. “There aren’t a lot of rentals here in town, and the nearest motels are all the way back out on the interstate. What kind of place are you looking for? An apartment or a house?”
Something else he hadn’t thought much about. He supposed by rights he could move back into his family home, but that didn’t feel right. Either way, it hurt to think about Callie and Nick living there together. He wasn’t ready to poke that nest of snakes yet.
Melanie was already heading out the back door. He slung the strap of the pack over his shoulder and hurried after her. Outside, he stopped to think about what he did want. Hell, he had no idea. He ran his hands over his head in frustration and found the familiar feel of his military buzz cut soothing. “I’m not picky. Got any suggestions?”
“Yeah, actually I do.”
A set of keys came flying over her shoulder right at him. “What are these?”
“The keys to the housekeeper’s cottage. It has a separate driveway off the street that runs behind our property. It’s probably in need of a thorough cleaning, but it is furnished. You can stay there for as long as you want.”
He didn’t know what to say. “Are you sure, Melanie? How much is the rent?”
Not that it mattered. It didn’t sound as if he’d have many other choices here in town. She named a figure that had him shaking his head. “That’s not nearly enough, Melanie. I might not have lived in the area for a long time, but I do know rents are higher than that.”
She didn’t answer until they were both in the car. “Fine. I’ll drop you off at the bar and then run some errands. You check out the house and see what you think. If it will suit your needs, stop by later and make me an offer.”
“It’s a deal.”
Even sight unseen, he already knew he was going to take it. Just like she said, there were never many rental properties in Snowberry Creek. Even if he could find an apartment on such short notice, he’d have to spend a lot of time and money buying even the bare essentials to make the place livable. Part of getting his life back on track involved deciding if he could stand to live in the same town as Callie and his other former best friends.
Just thinking about Leif and Nick had him wanting to punch something. Yeah, the chances of making Snowberry Creek his permanent home seemed pretty slim. Renting the cottage from Melanie would be the perfect short-term answer.
Now if only he could find such easy answers to all of his other problems. Rather than dwell on things he couldn’t change, he turned his attention to studying the small business district that formed the core of his hometown. He smiled as they drove past the Creek Café. Some things never changed, including Frannie’s menu. Her prices might go up, but the food stayed the same. She never got any complaints about it, either.
There were a few new businesses, but the character of the town was the same. People waved, most likely at Melanie. He wasn’t sure if anyone recognized him, although he’d guess by now the news of his return had spread like wildfire.
At the next stoplight, she asked, “Did you ever think you’d end up back here?”
Interesting question. He gave it some thought. “I don’t know. Maybe eventually, but not this soon. I’d planned to stay in the army long enough to earn a pension. That’s not going to happen now, but I haven’t had enough time to make other plans.”
He glanced in her direction. “I guess neither of us meant to end up back in Snowberry Creek, but here we are.”
She grimaced. “Yeah, lucky us.”
Before he could think of how to respond, they’d reached the bar. Melanie looked around at the empty parking lot. “I didn’t think about it being Sunday or that the bar
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