Page 159 of Timid (Lark Cove 2)

“You wouldn’t mind? I’d love to have your input.”

I’d thought of inviting Thea along on my house-hunting trip, but I didn’t want to smother her. The last four months had been incredibly lonely, and since she was my only girlfriend in Lark Cove, the chances were real that she’d get sick of me soon.

“Of course, I wouldn’t mind,” Thea said. “Though I should warn you, I’m probably going to become that friend who calls and texts too often. Have I mentioned that I’m really excited you’re living here?”

She couldn’t have known, but I’d really needed those words and the enthusiasm in her voice. Thea Kendrick was good people.

“Ready to see my fort?” Charlie asked.

I looked to Thea, just to make sure it was okay. She nodded and smiled. “I’ll get Camila changed and fed, then we’ll come find you. White wine or red?”

I amended my earlier thought. Thea Kendrick was great people. “White, please.”

“You got it.” She smiled and disappeared into the house with the baby.

“I’ll take care of your suitcases,” Logan told me as he set Collin down to go play in the yard. “You just relax.”

“Thank you, Logan. For everything.”

He patted my shoulder. “You’re welcome. Glad you’re home.”

Home. I was home.

As he followed Collin to a stack of toys on the deck, I turned down to Charlie. “Fort time?”

She nodded. “Want to race?”

I slipped out of my four-inch stilettos. “Loser is a rotten egg!”

The next day, Thea and I were hiking through the trees behind the home my realtor had just shown us. This particular property was located in the mountains and had some acreage in the forest. So while the two of us were exploring, my realtor was back at the car, giving us a moment to debrief without him hovering.

“What do you think?” Thea asked.

“I don’t know.” I sighed. “That house is . . . there are no words.”

She giggled. “I’ve never seen a house so dedicated to a decade.”

“Ugh. Have you ever seen such hideous carpet? It was like the designer looked at an orange creamsicle and said, ‘How can I turn this into a paisley shag?’”

“Exactly.” She laughed again. “I can’t get over those yellow cabinets in the kitchen. And that wallpaper? Lime green stripes should never be paired with beige.”

I looked over my shoulder to the house and grimaced. It was an old-style rancher with three bedrooms, each needing a complete overhaul to bring them into this decade. Did I have it in me to take on such a large project?

This was our last showing of the afternoon. The first two homes we’d seen were in town. Both were nice, far better than this sixties monstrosity, but they were within twenty feet of a neighbor on each side.

I’d spent over a decade in apartment buildings and townhomes, sharing walls and public spaces with neighbors. I was ready to have some space.

“You’re sure you don’t want to look for something down along the lake?” Thea asked. “Something newer?”

“I just can’t afford any of those listings right now.” Only a few lakeside properties were on the market, and everything available was way outside of my budget.

Thanks for that, Adam. In a dick move, he’d contested our divorce, forcing me to spend a chunk of my savings on an expensive attorney.

So to stay within my price range, I’d have to purchase a house in the middle of Lark Cove or buy this one and do a complete renovation. The first choice was by far the easiest. But the latter option had its perks too.

This fifteen-acre property on the mountainside was gorgeous, and there was only one neighbor, a cabin about fifty yards away. It was close enough to run over in an emergency but far enough that I wouldn’t have to see them unless it was intentional.

“I do like it up here in the mountains.” Though Thea’s lakeside home was peaceful, there was something enchanting about being surrounded by hundred-year-old trees. The forest smelled rich and mossy with a hint of pine spice in the air.