more delays. “Let’s go ahead and schedule. If you can take care of the roof now, I’ll wait until after Thanksgiving for the rest of the work.”
“Sure thing,” Jim said. “I’ll get the guys over here tomorrow morning, and we’ll get everything squared away for you.” He slipped the yellow tablet into his black bag and grabbed a thick black coat from the hall tree. “Nice place you have here. Too bad you’re selling. It looks like someone loved this house very much.”
“Yes,” Rylee said as an unexpected bubble of tears gathered in her throat. Her Grandparents weren’t the only ones who had loved this house. Cranberry Bay was her place of warmth, comfort, and family. But all that had changed. Now, with her Grandparents gone, she just wanted to sell the house and start over in a city where she could be anonymous, the way it had always been with her family.
“We’ll see you in the morning, bright and early.” Jim pulled open the door, and a gust of wind brought leaves dancing into the hallway.
With her left foot, Rylee pushed the leaves back onto the porch and shut the door behind Jim. She leaned against the wood and rubbed her eyes. Where would she find a job in Cranberry Bay? From the looks of what she’d seen so far, there wasn’t much in town for someone with a background in design or even a small job working as a clerk in a bustling shop. She stepped away from the door and walked to the end of the living room. Opening a small door, Rylee walked into her grandmother’s sewing room. White built-in shelves lined the walls. Colorful fabric was stacked neatly on the shelves. An old Singer sewing machine covered with a paisley cloth sat on a wooden table. A set of pillowcases was tucked into a large basket on the floor. Rylee picked up one of the pillowcases and ran her hands over the pale pink fabric. For as long as she could remember, Grandma always had a booth at the annual Cranberry Bay Holiday Craft Fair. Held in a small church, the fair was filled with local residents who hoped to buy a handcrafted item. As a child, she spent summers helping Grandma create small cloth-ornament dolls or green-and-red tree-skirts with festive sparkles.
A white flyer tossed haphazardly in the side of the basket caught Rylee’s eye. She reached in and read about a spring fabric sale at the New Leaf Sewing Shop. Had Grandma gone to the sale, or did she only hope to get there? Rylee noted the address as Main Street. It wouldn’t hurt to stop in and see if they knew of anyone who needed design work. Maybe there was no one in Cranberry Bay who wanted a commercial designer, but perhaps one of the hotels at the beach needed a redo of a few of their rooms or a front entry. She didn’t need a huge job, just something to tide her over for the next two months and pay for repairs.
Rylee stepped out of the room to find Raisin waiting at the door, his tail banging against the wall. She glanced outside. The wind still blew at a good clip, but the sun had come out.
“Come on, boy,” Rylee said, picking up his leather leash. “Let’s go for a walk.”
Fifteen minutes later, Rylee stood in front of the New Leaf Sewing Shop. The lights shone brightly, but she couldn’t see anyone working at the front counter. Pulling the door open, Rylee turned to Raisin and lifted her hand to her lips as if the dog would understand her. “Shh…don’t bark.”
A burst of laughter came from the back of the store. Four women were gathered around a long table with an assortment of pattern pieces and colorful fabric.
“I’m sorry.” Rylee stepped backward and pulled on Raisin’s leash. “I didn’t realize this was a private class.” Raisin didn’t budge. He wagged his tail and let out a sharp bark, as if to say hello. Mortified, Rylee jerked his leash and pulled him toward the door.
A tall, slender woman stepped out from behind the table. She wore a long, colorful brown-and-tan striped knit skirt and a matching cream sweater.
“Sure thing,” Jim said. “I’ll get the guys over here tomorrow morning, and we’ll get everything squared away for you.” He slipped the yellow tablet into his black bag and grabbed a thick black coat from the hall tree. “Nice place you have here. Too bad you’re selling. It looks like someone loved this house very much.”
“Yes,” Rylee said as an unexpected bubble of tears gathered in her throat. Her Grandparents weren’t the only ones who had loved this house. Cranberry Bay was her place of warmth, comfort, and family. But all that had changed. Now, with her Grandparents gone, she just wanted to sell the house and start over in a city where she could be anonymous, the way it had always been with her family.
“We’ll see you in the morning, bright and early.” Jim pulled open the door, and a gust of wind brought leaves dancing into the hallway.
With her left foot, Rylee pushed the leaves back onto the porch and shut the door behind Jim. She leaned against the wood and rubbed her eyes. Where would she find a job in Cranberry Bay? From the looks of what she’d seen so far, there wasn’t much in town for someone with a background in design or even a small job working as a clerk in a bustling shop. She stepped away from the door and walked to the end of the living room. Opening a small door, Rylee walked into her grandmother’s sewing room. White built-in shelves lined the walls. Colorful fabric was stacked neatly on the shelves. An old Singer sewing machine covered with a paisley cloth sat on a wooden table. A set of pillowcases was tucked into a large basket on the floor. Rylee picked up one of the pillowcases and ran her hands over the pale pink fabric. For as long as she could remember, Grandma always had a booth at the annual Cranberry Bay Holiday Craft Fair. Held in a small church, the fair was filled with local residents who hoped to buy a handcrafted item. As a child, she spent summers helping Grandma create small cloth-ornament dolls or green-and-red tree-skirts with festive sparkles.
A white flyer tossed haphazardly in the side of the basket caught Rylee’s eye. She reached in and read about a spring fabric sale at the New Leaf Sewing Shop. Had Grandma gone to the sale, or did she only hope to get there? Rylee noted the address as Main Street. It wouldn’t hurt to stop in and see if they knew of anyone who needed design work. Maybe there was no one in Cranberry Bay who wanted a commercial designer, but perhaps one of the hotels at the beach needed a redo of a few of their rooms or a front entry. She didn’t need a huge job, just something to tide her over for the next two months and pay for repairs.
Rylee stepped out of the room to find Raisin waiting at the door, his tail banging against the wall. She glanced outside. The wind still blew at a good clip, but the sun had come out.
“Come on, boy,” Rylee said, picking up his leather leash. “Let’s go for a walk.”
Fifteen minutes later, Rylee stood in front of the New Leaf Sewing Shop. The lights shone brightly, but she couldn’t see anyone working at the front counter. Pulling the door open, Rylee turned to Raisin and lifted her hand to her lips as if the dog would understand her. “Shh…don’t bark.”
A burst of laughter came from the back of the store. Four women were gathered around a long table with an assortment of pattern pieces and colorful fabric.
“I’m sorry.” Rylee stepped backward and pulled on Raisin’s leash. “I didn’t realize this was a private class.” Raisin didn’t budge. He wagged his tail and let out a sharp bark, as if to say hello. Mortified, Rylee jerked his leash and pulled him toward the door.
A tall, slender woman stepped out from behind the table. She wore a long, colorful brown-and-tan striped knit skirt and a matching cream sweater.
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