“Yes, it is. On a weekend. What are you guys doing here?” I kept my tone pleasant, but seriously. On a weekend?
“Sorry about that. We don’t usually work Saturdays, but we’re catching up on last year’s hailstorm claims.”
“Oh, my landlady didn’t mention anything.” My sweet old landlady had probably forgotten like she’d forgotten to mention when the lawn was getting treated, or when she’d let go of the snow-removal guys and I’d had to shovel my way out.
“We waited until nine to start. Did we wake you?”
It was after nine? Wow, I’d been out late, then had stayed up another two hours to pack because I’d been too wound up to sleep.
“No. It’s no problem. I’m leaving town anyway.” I went back inside and shut the door. I wasn’t supposed to leave until tomorrow.
The pounding resumed and the radio blared. I puttered around my kitchen, preparing breakfast. The men resumed shouting instructions back and forth to each other.
Technically, today was part of my vacation. This wasn’t relaxing. Once upon a time, the shouts of the men would’ve sent my heart racing. I would’ve fled the house and probably forgotten my keys and my purse.
Thanks to the adult resource center, though, I didn’t feel the need to run today. I’d gotten more than my life back. They’d helped keep the experiences of my youth from haunting my days as an adult. And I’d finally gotten to pay them back.
But just because I didn’t have to leave didn’t mean I wanted to stay. If only I was at the cabin already. I’d planned a relaxing day at home, working the flower beds for Mrs. Blumenthal, my landlady.
I peeked out the window. Extension cords covered the lawn.
Damn. Now what? I had no money to go shopping. No cable TV. And it was too beautiful outside to watch movies all day.
My phone pinged from the bedroom. I rushed to check it, then grinned. Flynn. He just identified himself and gave me directions to the cabin. Aw, he’d even sent a picture of the place. The spare key was in the planter on the far right of the porch.
My lips quirked. Real original, Halstengard.
He’d said he had the cabin the whole weekend. Would he know if I went there a day early? It was either that or hang out at the library all day. I might as well grab some groceries and head there today.
I ran through the shower and braided my hair while it was still wet. Then I tossed a few last-minute toiletries into my luggage and zipped it up. Next, I tackled the food. Digging out a cooler, I calculated what I could bring with and what in my fridge would spoil in a week. All produce went into a tote bag, but I’d still need to stop at the grocery store.
I was loaded up and almost out the door when I groaned. “Mrs. Woods.”
Dropping everything, I dug my phone out of my purse and dialed her first. Get the worst over with. The other two clients I had to notify would be completely understanding, had actually bugged me about taking a break.
Berta answered.
“Hey, it’s Tilly. Is Mrs. Woods around?”
“It’s your unlucky day. She just left Charlie’s room, sobbing.” Berta put me on hold.
My heart twisted. Poor Charlie. Maybe I should come back just to tutor him. It’d be more than a four-hour round trip, but…he would be stuck with his mother and a dubious nanny otherwise.
“Miss Johnson.” Mrs. Woods sounded cool and collected.
“Mrs. Woods, I’ve had…something personal come up.” It was a risk, not being honest, but my intuition screamed that Mrs. Woods wouldn’t be supportive if she knew it was a vacation. “I have to cancel tutoring for the week. I apologize and can double up sessions next week if that works for you.”
My employer sniffed. “How disappointing, Miss Johnson. You call on the weekend to cancel with so little notice?” She sighed as snidely as possible. “These things are to be expected—from you, I suppose.”
What a hag. What had Mrs. Woods gone through to make her such an ugly person to those she felt were beneath her?
For the hundredth time, I had to remind myself that as long as Mrs. Woods paid me, it wasn’t my concern. And I’d grown attached to Charlie. I’d put up with a lot for him.
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Mmm.” Mrs. Woods hung up.
I blew out a relieved breath. I made the other two calls quickly and grabbed my bags. I had new experiences all the time—out of necessity, to get away from a bad situation, or to better my life. But now, for the first time, I was embarking on an adventure without trepidation dogging my steps.
Flynn
I rolled my neck. I’d finally reached the small resort town by Lake Webber. A few more winding miles and I’d be at the cabin.
My stomach rumbled. I’d skipped lunch, thinking I didn’t need it because I hadn’t worked out. I’d skipped my normal run and lifting but had stopped in on a job site before leaving town.
The job site was the reason I’d left town a day early. The project manager had walked in to find me manning the Bobcat and pushing dirt around the foundation.
Since I was the boss, the manager had held his temper in check, but he’d commented, “If you do all the work on the weekend, how am I supposed to keep my crew working to earn a paycheck all week?” Insinuating that I got paid, and paid well, no matter what. Reminding me of when I’d been living paycheck to paycheck myself.
I draped a hand over the wheel. The gorgeous countryside full of leafy, green trees and rolling hills calmed me slightly. I would’ve felt better if I had anything to do at the cabin when I got there, but I’d purchased a new one. There’d been a rundown lake home also for sale at this same lake, but I had an aversion to
