A Place for Daydreams (Rosewood Beach #3)

Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Alexis hummed quietly to herself as she tidied up her kitchen. Afternoon sunlight was streaming across the wooden floorboards and the countertops, and gleaming on the dishes that she was tucking inside the cupboards. Through the window above the sink she could see the backyard, where the first signs of autumn were already beginning to appear. There was a faint yellow flush to the leaves of the trees, and the apples on the little apple tree were a rosy red.

She picked up the mug of coffee that she’d been slowly sipping since she got up that morning. She’d had a slow, relaxing start to her day. She’d read in bed for a little while before dressing and tidying up the house a little. She and Grayson had moved into their charming red brick Colonial house only recently, and she was still enamored with it. She was still getting used to all its little quirks, like the old milk door in the kitchen and the oddly-shaped cupboard underneath the stairs. It was a darling house, and she loved keeping it clean and organized. It smelled faintly of cedar, and her autumn-themed scented candles had been adding another layer of coziness to the scent of the house.

She glanced at the clock, noting that she would need to eat lunch soon and then leave. She was scheduled to work a shift at the pub that afternoon, and she was always careful to eat enough before working so that she had plenty of energy to sustain her through her shift. She knew she would need to eat quickly in order to get to work on time, and she decided to make herself a sandwich with cucumber slices and ranch on the side—something nutritional, but also quick and easy.

I’ll arrange those flowers first , she thought, turning to the flowers she’d left on the edge of the counter that morning.

She knew that she needed to keep moving or she might be late for work, but she wanted to be sure to arrange the flowers before she left. She’d gone out into the garden that morning and picked most of the last remaining flowers. A frost was forecast for that evening, and she knew that the flowers wouldn’t last outdoors overnight, so she’d decided to bring them inside where they would be well-appreciated and stay alive for a few days longer.

She picked out a beautiful red glass vase from the collection that she had stashed in one of the cupboards, and she filled it with water. As she began to arrange the flowers in the vase in a way that she found aesthetically pleasing, she thought about how nice it was to have her own home again. She’d loved staying with Hazel and Samantha, but there was something about owning her own space that was pleasant and soothing. She’d never had a home quite like this before, either—even though she and Grayson had shared a house in L.A., it had been a massive mansion and she’d never felt as though she could be truly comfortable in it. In addition to that, the fact that she and Grayson had grown into strangers when they were both still living in L.A. had taken away a great deal of the mansion’s charm.

She began to hum again, and then sing quietly to herself. She was feeling contented and peaceful, and then all at once she let out a squeal as she felt someone hug her from behind. For a moment, all she felt was surprised, but in the next instant, she smelled Grayson’s cologne and she grinned.

“Grayson!” She turned around, wiggling back into his arms for a front-facing hug. “What on earth are you doing home in the middle of the afternoon?”

“Surprised you, huh?” He grinned at her, and his light green eyes twinkled.

“Yes, very much.” She hugged him tighter. “But I’m thrilled.”

“I’m glad.” He kissed her nose. “My last couple of meetings got rescheduled, so I picked up your favorite lunch from The Salty Spoon, and I figured that we could have a picnic outside together. Spend some time talking. Relaxing on this beautiful afternoon.”

“Oh, I’d love to, but—” She turned around and glanced at the clock again. “I need to get to work soon. I was just going to throw together a quick sandwich and hurry off. I don’t have time for a long picnic.” Her stomach flopped in disappointment. “I so wish I could say yes. It’s incredibly sweet of you.”

“Well, I’d remembered that you’d said you were working this afternoon, so on my way home I stopped in and checked with Julia. She said that she would be happy to cover for you for as long as we want.”

A radiant smile spread across Alexis’s face. “Really? Oh, that’s wonderful.”

“You’re welcome.” He rocked her back and forth a little. “I’ve got meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and you’ve got chicken pot pie and a side of sweet potato fries. Word on the street is that it’s your favorite meal there.”

“It is.” She felt touched not only that he’d surprised her with the picnic, but also that he had taken the time to figure out what her favorite meal at The Salty Spoon was. “Thank you, that’s so sweet of you.”

Her stomach growled loudly, and they both laughed.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ve got the to-go containers in the car, and we can bring some dishes and a picnic blanket out to the backyard. I thought we could sit under the apple tree. It’s always a good mixture of sunny and shady there.”

As the two of them worked to set up their picnic, she reflected that she felt as though she was living in some kind of dream, having her husband back and acting so thoughtful. It felt extraordinary to spend time with him, since only a few months earlier he’d been so wrapped up in his work that he’d been completely ignoring her.

My life is so beautiful , she thought. I’m so grateful. There’s nothing missing anymore. I have a job I love, and a husband I love. I get to spend time with my family and create this home here.

In the midst of her thoughts came a sudden revelation—she did feel as though something was missing. The realization startled her, and she didn’t understand it. As she laid out the picnic blanket with Grayson, along with dishes for their takeout, she pondered the idea. She could sense that what she felt was missing she’d once had in L.A., but she didn’t know what that thing was. She knew she didn’t want to be a model anymore, and she didn’t want to move back to the city. Still, there was a part of her heart that yearned for something she didn’t have and she felt as though she’d had it before, when she was living out on the west coast.

What is it? she thought as she and Grayson sat down to eat their meal on the picnic blanket. There’s a little something missing from my life. Something that L.A. fulfilled. But what? If only I could figure out what it is.

She felt a kind of restless yearning in her heart, but she didn’t know what she was yearning for. As she and Grayson began to eat their meal, she momentarily forgot her thoughts, distracted by how delicious the food was and how affectionate her husband was being. After a few minutes, however, they fell to eating quietly in companionable silence, and the thoughts returned.

“Do you miss L.A.?” she asked him after a few more moments of pondering.

He looked up at her, surprised. “No, not at all. Are you worried that I’m not content with our life here?”

She shook her head hurriedly, not wanting him to think that she was worried. It was clear to her that he was very content with their new life, and she was as well—barring this little unidentified thing that she felt was missing.

“No, not at all, sweetheart. It’s just—well, I was just curious. Life used to be so different for both of us, didn’t it? In so many different ways. I’m just thinking about all the ways our life is different now.”

He smiled at her. “I can understand that.”

She didn’t say it out loud to her husband, but she was trying to figure out what the different thing was that she wanted back again. Was it being surrounded by hustle and bustle all the time? That couldn’t be it, she’d never enjoyed living like that. She found the steady, easy pace of Rosewood Beach calming and uplifting. Was it the glitz and glamour? That couldn’t be it either, she’d be able to recognize a desire like that. Besides, she hadn’t even been doing her hair and makeup as carefully as she used to, so clearly she wasn’t missing being glamorous.

“You seem lost in thought.” Grayson smiled at her as he adjusted his position on the picnic blanket. He was half lying down, and she grinned at him, enjoying seeing him look so relaxed. He’d spent so many years being stressed and overwhelmed, and it did her heart good to see him taking it easy.

“I am.” She laughed. “Reminiscing, I guess. Although I agree with you that I would never want to go back to L.A.” She didn’t want to tell Grayson that she felt as though something was missing from her life, because he might take her yearning too seriously and worry that she was truly discontent. She was deeply content with her life, she knew that—but at the back of her mind there was an itching feeling, urging her to find something that was missing.