by Rimmy London
He froze, leaning to one side as if slightly off-balance. “Oh.” He lowered the towel from his head, exposing his built chest.
Abby didn’t remember him looking quite as magazine-like the last time she’d seen him with his shirt off. It’d been at a pool party a few weeks back, but clearly he’d been working out.
“I didn’t realize you were here,” he continued, rolling the hand towel into a ball and causing his arms to bulge impressively. Abby tried not to notice.
“Yeah, sorry, I thought you were at work.” She shifted her weight from foot to foot, feeling more devastated by the second. If he were any closer, she couldn’t have resisted stepping into his arms. And his favorite fragrance was stronger than ever—he smelled amazing.
“I took the day off,” he said. His voice sounded sad. Abby studied his face and the way he gazed back at her. What was he not saying?
But silence prevailed, and he didn’t explain.
“Well, I’ll just take Champ for a walk then.” Abby lifted the leash from a hook on the wall and clipped it onto the puppy’s collar. Chase hadn’t moved. He just looked back at her with his lips pulled downward. “I’ll see ya.”
But she didn’t see him. When she returned from her walk, the house was empty. She even made a point of checking his bedroom. Again, she wished they could talk. Maybe he was right. Maybe they were just headed in different directions, and it wouldn’t work. A lump formed in her throat, and she took a deep breath, encouraging it away.
As soon as she had a space for Champ, she’d take him with her. That, or she’d feel this rotten pain every day. She wiped her eyes and left, wishing Chase well in her heart.
Her drive to the house with Vance had been quick, with Abby’s excitement and apprehension battling it out on her insides until she felt nearly strangled. When they arrived, all she could think of was the back porch. She looked at Vance as they got out of his car, and his eyes were already gazing at her. He tilted his head toward the house and she nodded.
It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining hot and strong around them. Abby inched closer to Vance as they neared the back corner of the house, but when they stepped around to see the porch in view, it was clear.
Abby exhaled and Vance smiled. “Looks like you might be in luck,” he said. “Maybe this animal hater finally got the point. I requested a patrol car to check up on the area every few days or so—might’ve helped.”
“Oh.” Abby looked back at him, appreciating his extra effort and thought. “Thank you.”
He nodded back, polite and distant. There wasn’t anything about his behavior that made her uncomfortable. She wondered if she’d simply read too much into his mannerisms before. “I think we should still set up the camera though,” she added.
“Definitely.” He returned to the car and came back with it in his hands. Glancing up at the building, his eyes were narrowed in thought. “Where do you think would be best?”
Abby studied the house with him and finally decided on a corner nook that looked like it would provide enough cover for the device not to be seen. “How about there—up in that corner?”
“Perfect.” Vance turned to her, watching her face for a moment. “This is your day to make a final decision, Abby. Why don’t you walk through the property and building for as long as you need while I work on securing the camera?”
With a deep breath, Abby nodded. Chills traveled down her arms and tingled on her fingertips at the thought of owning the house. It seemed to call to her heart, and she was listening intently. But she also wanted to be sure. Absolutely sure. She stilled her excitement and walked around the back of the house, admiring the full view of the sea in the day’s ample sunlight. It sparkled clear to the horizon.
This time, she wanted to enter the house from the front. It was neglected and almost in shambles, but she could imagine a grand entrance. With the fountain in front gleaming serenely and stone pathways winding about, it wouldn’t be too complicated to transform the property.
She walked inside to a large open entrance that looked out onto the luxurious staircase. It was immediately clear what was missing. If she was to have an ocean view, she wanted it everywhere. She drew up a mental picture of the space with a double set of windows showing off the ocean sunsets. She couldn’t imagine anything more perfect. The aged surroundings would be incredible when paired with new, modern touches. She walked through every room, taking her time upstairs and marveling at the view of the cove from the largest corner bedroom. A small curl of sand was visible behind the hill with the waves crashing against it.
“What do you think?”
Abby spun around to find Vance standing in the doorway. He was lit from behind, with shadows on his face that made it hard to see his expression. A pinch of discomfort twisted in her stomach, but she kept her chin up and shoulders squared. “I love it,” she announced. “Just as much as I have every time before.”
“So you’ve decided? You’re one hundred percent in?”
She nodded with a confident smile on her lips. There was no question.
He lifted his cell phone in one hand. “Want me to make the call?”
She listened as he made the official-sounding agreement and was surprised at how quickly he hung up the phone. A life’s decision summed up in a mere handful of sentences. It was disorienting.
“Well, Abby…” Vance walked slowly closer until he was standing by her side. “Welcome home.”
A grin spread across her face. It was like a dream. “Thank you, I can hardly believe it.” She wandered back through the room cautiously and down the staircase, trailing one hand along the smoothly carved railing, appreciating its strength and history all the more, and wondering who had walked those steps before her. How long had such a beautiful piece of history stood vacant? She felt a sacred responsibility settle in her heart as if she’d rescued a priceless treasure from near destruction.
When she came to the back door she paused, hesitating. Vance’s footsteps on the staircase were heavy and slow as if he was watching her. But she still waited, remembering the scene on the porch and the images from her dream. With a quick breath, she pulled the door open and stepped outside… onto an empty deck.
Her hand settled on her chest lightly, calming her heart. The trail camera was barely visible in the corner nook, tucked away expertly.
“Should give us a pretty good shot of anyone coming onto the porch,” Vance said quietly, standing behind her. The deep strength in his voice suddenly felt reassuring. She’d gradually begun to trust him throughout the day. “And you know, I’ve been thinking,”
Vance stepped around her, touching her back as he passed by. “If you need some help managing repairs and things like that, I’d be happy to come out.” He shrugged. “I don’t have a huge load of clients at the moment, and this place is pretty amazing. It’d be my pleasure.” His eyes gazed steadily into hers, waiting.
Abby looked across the surroundings, wondering where she would start. The grounds needed quite a bit of help as well. And the more she inspected, the more she began to notice just what a crumbling state the exterior of the house had become. She quickly began to feel overwhelmed.
If only Chase could—she stopped herself in the thought. She was going this alone. And if Vance was more than happy to help, why wouldn’t she accept his offer? He’d been perfectly respectful all day, leaving her to wonder if she hadn’t just let her nerves get the better of her.
“Okay,” she finally answered, turning to him with a curt nod. Any other person, she would have given into her excitement and nearly hugged the life out of them. But not Vance. She still felt cautious, like he might be keeping something from her. But she couldn’t afford to pass up a willing volunteer.
They returned to his car, and she watched the house as they backed away, admiring its position in the surrounding wilderness. It only got better with each new angle. When they started down the road, she noticed the older gentleman they’d seen before was out in front of his house cleaning up leaves�
��Mr. Fillmore, if she remembered the neighbor's conversation correctly.
“Do you mind if we stop and chat for a minute?” she asked. Getting to know the neighbors was something she’d been anticipating. The thought of becoming part of their small, beautiful community was a thrill.
Vance glanced at the clock and pulled to the side of the road. “Sure, I’ve got time for a quick hello.”
Mr. Fillmore turned at the sound of their car doors closing, and a smile creased his kind, wrinkled face. “Well, hello there,” he called, “not having car trouble, are you?” He set down his hedge clippers and met them halfway across the perfect, green grass. Abby admired the tidy appearance of his landscaping. “No, no.” She held a hand out. “I just wanted to introduce myself since we’re going to be neighbors soon.”
His eyebrows lifted, crinkling his forehead in a delighted show of surprise. “Oh yeah? You buying the Poppyridge house then?” He shook her hand, reaching for Vance’s next. “Well you two have got your work cut out for you, that’s for sure. Good thing you’re young and healthy.” He chuckled, although Abby cut in as quickly as she could.
“Oh no, this is my realtor, Vance. I’m buying the house. My name’s Abby.”
His face had fallen at her explanation, with his eyes narrowing in a disapproving look. “You? Just you?”
Abby nodded.
“Well, I mean no disrespect, but you do know there are… strange things going on up there from time to time? I’d worry about a cute little gal like you being all alone out here.”
“No need to worry,” she assured, ignoring the chills at the back of her neck. “I won’t be alone. I’ll be hiring out the labor and working with quite a few professionals on this project. I’m sure by the time we’re finished, we’ll be able to clear the area of anything suspicious.”
“Ah, okay,” he agreed, still with a look of concern on his face. “It’s nice to meet you, Abby. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need anything. I’m retired and, most of the time, bored.” He laughed again before shaking their hands a second time and returning to his hedge.
It felt good meeting the members of her little community, although Abby wished he wouldn’t have made a big deal of the suspicious happenings at her house. She was beginning to wonder if everyone on the street would react the same way, and if they did, were they right? Was her dream house really a terrible risk? It didn’t feel like a risk to her, it just felt right. She’d never felt better about a decision in her life. For once, she had the perfect plan and the means to complete it.
Maybe her dreams really were coming true.
Chapter 13
Securing a construction team had been a headache, but worth it. Abby loved researching past projects and fighting for her spot with the best team she could find. But it didn’t come cheap. She pushed the numbers to the back of her mind, assuring herself that the money would be there in no time. Once she completed all her challenges, everything would be settled. The first challenge had been a breeze, after all. She’d fallen in love with Champ and wondered why it’d taken her so long to get a dog.
She pulled up to Chase’s apartment and a dozen memories hit her all at once. Memories of movie nights and bowls of ice cream snuggled up on his couch. Times when he’d secretly taken work off just to help her with something he knew she was stressing about. He was the best relationship she’d ever had… and it had withered away without even a struggle.
To her, it seemed he’d just given up. The second they disagreed on something, while admittedly a huge something, he just called it quits. But then, she hadn’t put up much of a fight to keep him there. Deep down, she’d always known it wouldn’t last. Something so good just wasn’t real, except when it came to the house at Poppyridge. That was a dream come true, one that wouldn’t fade away.
She blew her hair from her face with a sigh and walked up the steps. Champ spotted her from behind the window curtain and barked, except he seemed to know he wasn’t allowed to bark, and the resulting inner puppy conflict created a half-choked squeak.
Abby pushed the door open and pointed to the floor. “Down,” she warned, edging in before he could run outside and greet the world with his abundant friendliness. Champ’s rump plopped down in front of her for half a second before he was on his feet again. “Good boy.” She rubbed his head and tossed a miniature tennis ball across the room, sending him barreling away.
Another sigh escaped her, and she felt suddenly exhausted. Champ had a way of glomming onto any surrounding energy and stealing it away. Or maybe she’d just been taking too few breaks. She’d been known to work too hard for too long and make herself sick. Champ had retreated to his bed, chewing on his foot and the ball at the same time.
Abby smiled, but it wavered as she gazed across the apartment. There were still signs of her, from her umbrella propped by the door, to the cozy flannel throw draped across the couch. It had been Chase’s birthday present from her. She trailed one hand along the back of a leather chair, remembering a particularly amazing kiss from a few months back. She glanced behind her cautiously before sneaking down the hall and peering into his bedroom. The curtains were still drawn, only letting a small bit of light in around the edges.
She continued to the dresser where a picture frame sat. It held a new picture of them together, one she hadn’t seen in a long time. She wondered if he’d recently set it out. Her mind was instantly submerged in the memory of the summer they’d first met. He’d taken her to the fair. When they’d eaten too much cotton candy, they’d both nearly become sick, and everything seemed so funny they could hardly stop laughing.
Her heart throbbed painfully with a feeling of loss. Even if they were still friends, kind and awkwardly polite, it was crushing to think of him ever being with anyone else. She lifted the frame and studied their carefree faces until she heard the sound of the front door opening.
It jolted her from her thoughts, and she brushed at her wet eyes, replacing the frame to its place with a quick swipe of her hand. But it tottered on the edge of the dresser. She reached for it, only to bump it with her fingertips and send it crashing to the floor. “Oh no,” she muttered, hurrying to pick up the pieces.
She could hear Chase behind her, his feet shuffling to a stop. What was he doing home, anyway? He was supposed to be at work. Her cheeks were burning hot, and she tried to blink away the tears in her eyes before they could trail down her face.
But he didn’t say a word, and only lowered, picking up the frame along with a few pieces of glass and returning it to its place. “Did you cut yourself?” he finally asked, his voice sounding quiet in the enclosed bedroom. He reached for her hand, but she stood quickly.
A tear trailed down her cheek, and she brushed it away before he could see. “I’m fine,” she rushed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to break it.” Her voice had crumbled into a sob, and she dropped her face into one hand, trying to wrestle the emotions away. It was too hard to even look into his eyes, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to see his reaction, anyway. He probably thought she was completely pathetic.
She sniffed back the tears and brushed at her shirt, straightening the fabric. “I didn’t know you’d be home.” She kept her eyes at his chest, refusing to look up. “I’d better go,” she said, hurrying past him and into the hall.
“Wait, Abby,” he said. His voice was quiet, leaving her to wonder if he even wanted to talk to her. Maybe he wished she would just leave. He followed her to the door, then simply stood looking back at her as he shifted his weight from one foot to the next.
Abby finally lifted her eyes to his and was sure she’d been right. His cheeks were flushed, and he looked very nearly angry. She swallowed.
“I’m sorry I surprised you,” he began before taking a breath and blowing it out. Abby wondered if he was trying to control his anger. “I’ve changed my work schedule up, so it’s a little sporadic now.” Again, he shifted his weight. “Maybe if we had a set time for you to come over—no, never mind.” He shook his he
ad. “You can come see Champ whenever you want. He’s your dog.”
“I can take him with me in a week or so,” Abby managed, clearing her throat and forcing her memories down deep. “I’ll be staying up at the construction site until it’s complete, keeping an eye on things. Champ will love it out there.”
Chase didn’t respond, and she hoped he wasn’t making a mental countdown of the days. She could see a few scratch marks on various corners around his house. Maybe Champ had been more of an imposition than she’d thought.
“Or maybe I could just take him now if you want,” she offered. “He’s probably ruining your furniture.”
“No,” he cut in, slapping his hand on his leg and whistling. Champ came bounding over, forgetting about the tennis ball and slobbering all over Chase instead. He laughed and rubbed the puppy’s floppy ears. “I’ll miss him as it is. I don’t mind.”
“Oh.” Abby felt a little ridiculous as her own puppy paid her absolutely no attention. “I’m glad he hasn’t been too much of a pain.”
“Not at all,” Chase assured, gazing back at her as a few awkward minutes passed
“I’ll see you later,” she managed, fleeing out his door, only to drive away feeling like a fool. He was fine without her. Maybe he worried that she was a basket case, but he seemed to be doing great for himself. At least, he’d never looked more fit. And he was genuinely happy with a dog, which he swore he never wanted. So maybe it was all for the best then. But if it was, why was her chest throbbing like it’d been pierced clean through?
When she made it to her apartment, she caught sight of a bright gold envelope in her mailbox. An oversized one just like before. “Oh good,” she sighed, pulling it from the old metal box and tearing it open as she stepped inside. She couldn’t wait to have her mind on something other than Chase. But as she read the small poetic paragraph, she wondered just what her mystical aunt was trying to accomplish.
The message was simple enough. She was to go out for a day, choosing activities that she loved, and spoil herself. And she wasn’t allowed to think of anyone else, just her. It was a challenge to be completely selfish for one day. Abby smiled, wishing she could have a chat with Sharalyn. She’d ask her what the point was of these challenges, and when she’d taken the time to create them. Had she scribbled them out quickly or were they the result of a great deal of thought?