Page 32 of Tell It To The Waves

Thankfully arriving just in time, I’m able to pull onto the ferry, but this time, I don’t roll down my windows or unbuckle. “Let’s try,” I coach myself. Sitting there for a few moments before I feel like I can’t expand my lungs fully. Panic. Unbuckling, I jump out of my car, running to the back of the ferry, tightening my hold on the metal. I breathe in deeply, exhaling repeatedly. I know I look like a crazy person, but my heart rate is too fast.

Finally, feeling like I can actually breathe normally, I stay standing, watching Driftwood Bay slowly fade out of sight until I can’t see it anymore. I don’t move from my spot for the next thirty minutes, watching the dolphins chase the boat and hearing the seagulls making themselves known, hoping someone will throw them food.

The captain announces the arrival at land and asks everyone to get back into their vehicles.

Immediately, I roll my window down, still not able to feel safe with it up.

Luna’s meows welcome me back home. Home. This isn’t home. I look around as I’m squatted, petting Luna’s black and brown fur, already feeling empty.

I let my bags fall where they may, grabbing Luna and going straight to my sofa. We cuddle for a good while until she’s over me, leaving me alone. “Rude,” I call to her retreating body, knowing exactly where she’s going, her spot on my bed.

My eyes pan around the apartment, looking for something to do, but there isn’t anything. Other than sit here and watch TV, which doesn’t sound fun.

Retrieving my laptop from the bar, I lay back on my sofa, propping it up with my knees, checking my mail.

Clicking on a link from Mrs. Williams, I open the listing that’s waiting to go live. Slowly going through each picture of the cottage, stopping at my parents', now looking nothing like the pristine room it was.

I stay on the bedroom picture, thinking about what it would look like with a full sliding glass door and an extended deck, instead of a small balcony.

Moving to the bathroom, the culprit. I could see a claw-foot tub in front of the window, but taking that out and adding French doors would allow the deck to flow all the way to the end of the cottage. Upgrading the old bathroom to something chic and beautiful.

I slam my laptop screen down. “What are you even thinking?” I question myself. Upgrading while Kai is there could bring me more in the sale, I think. But I don’t want this to last longer than it needs to. The quicker I sell, the faster I won’t be tied to Driftwood Bay.

Not letting myself think twice, I jump up, running to my tote that’s still in the middle of the entry and call Kai.

“Hey. What’s up?” he answers on the third ring.

In the background, I hear Bay’s voice. “I want to talk.”

Smiling, I have to force myself to swallow; the words I’m about to speak want to follow the path of my saliva, but I spit them out. “Question. Say I wanted to upgrade the cottage just a bit, how far back would that set me for selling?”

“Depends on what you want. Hang on, putting you on speaker.”

Pacing the living room, “So I was thinking, adding a sliding glass door to the main bedroom and the bathroom, gut the old tub out and add a claw foot, where the window is now. Also, taking out that window and putting in a French door. And maybe extending the deck all the way to the end of the cottage.” I hurriedly spit it all out, so I won’t chicken out.

“Ohh.” Bay’s voice floats through the speaker. Agreeing with my idea.

“Dang, August. That will set you back a month, hopefully. But if you’re sure about it, we can start tomorrow. I’ll have to rearrange my plan, but we can get it done.”

My smile takes over my face, excitement. Chastising myself,quit.This isn’t for you. “Let’s do it then. I know I can get more for the asking price with the upgrades. I’ll message Mrs. Williams and let her know about the change. Email any papers over with the final quote. Please.”

“Sounds good. I’ll get it to you by tomorrow evening. I will postpone construction until I finish writing my proposal and get all signatures.” Hearing him speak so business is crazy from the wild-haired teen who wreaked havoc on Driftwood Bay and the girls who came to visit.

I want to sigh, but I shut up. “Sounds good. Thank you. Kai.”

“You’re welcome. Hang on, Bay wants to talk to you.”

Staring out the balcony window, I look out into the chaos of the city.

“Hey.”

Baylee’s voice yanks me out of my sulking. “I’m here.”

“I’ll be coming to see you in two weeks,” she tells me excitedly. “I miss you already, August.”

“I miss you too, Bay. Hopefully, it’ll fly by.” I lean my head on the sliding glass, hoping it really does.

These last two weeks have moved like molasses. After agreeing to Kai’s quote, construction began, and we’re still in the middle of it.