Chapter 1 #2
“My guess is no.” Hayley shook her head. “They have a raw bar, so you can feed your seafood fetish.”
I made a face. “I like things like steamed crab legs and lobster tails. I do not like raw … well, anything.” I shuddered. “Sushi is gross. I’m never getting on that train.”
“Yeah, I don’t get the sushi thing either. Fire was invented for a reason.”
“To keep people warm?”
“To cook the mastodon so people would stop dying of foodborne illnesses.”
“You’re very wise.” I grinned at her.
She was too focused on her phone to smile back. “There’s a steakhouse.”
“I like steak.”
“There’s a tavern.”
“Couldn’t they just call it a bar?”
Hayley shrugged. “There’s a cabana and a mobile kitchen. Oh, wait. There are a lot of bars at this place.” She looked up. “At least you’ll be able to get drunk on the regular. Do you think you can call an Uber on the property? It’s too far to walk.”
“I don’t plan on getting drunk with these people,” I argued. “I just want a house of my own. Besides, didn’t you pay attention when we were driving in? Nobody here drives to the restaurants and bars in a vehicle. They all have golf carts.”
Hayley’s eyebrows moved toward one another as she took it in. “You know, now that you mention it, I didn’t see any cars.”
I nodded.
“What the hell?” she demanded.
I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. “It’s part of the ‘charm.’” I used the appropriate air quotes.
“Are you getting a golf cart?” The sparkle in her eyes told me she liked the idea.
“Absolutely not.”
“You have to.”
“It was not a rule of home ownership here. I checked.”
“I love how you checked.” She snorted, then shook her head. “How can you not want a golf cart? I mean, that would be one of the only reasons for me to live in a place like this.”
Her words finally tripped something inside me. “Wait … do you not like it here?”
She avoided my gaze. “I love Savannah. If you remember correctly, I was the one who wanted you to move here because I don’t live too far away.”
“I’m talking about the Landings.”
She hesitated, and my stomach constricted. I’d been so certain this was the best place for me as soon as I’d seen the house. Had I been wrong?
“I think the house is beautiful,” Hayley said finally. “Like … really, really beautiful. It’s freaking amazing really.”
“But…?” I prodded.
“But these communities have rules. Like … strict rules. You’re not a rules person.”
“What sort of rules?”
“Haven’t you looked them up?” she asked.
“No. I just assumed that when I bought the house, I could do whatever I wanted.”
She shot me a pitying look. “Oh, you sweet summer child.” On a sigh, she closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, she was determined.
“For starters, you can’t rent your house if you decide you want to live elsewhere.
They don’t want Airbnbs operating in their community because that might bring in the ‘wrong sort of people.’” Her fingers flexed to let me know what she meant.
“Oh, they don’t want me renting to crackheads,” I said on a laugh. “I think I can manage that.”
She didn’t look convinced. “It’s not just crackheads.”
“I bought the house to live in, not to rent. I’m fine with that.”
“Okay.” She bobbed her head. “You can only have one accessory building, like a garage, on the property. So if you have a garage, like you do, you can’t also have a she shed.”
I frowned. “Why would I want a she shed?”
“She sheds are awesome.”
I ignored that and twirled my finger to get her to continue.
“There are rules about property maintenance, so don’t let the weeds get out of control. Guests have to be accompanied by a homeowner.”
“I won’t let crazy Uncle Louis loose in one of their bars without a chaperone,” I said dryly.
“No political signs or overblown yard decorations,” Hayley said.
I faltered. “Excuse me?”
“I’m pretty sure those flamingos in coconut bras you love so much are going to be banned,” she said.
The flamingos in question were yard ornaments that had seen better days. I still loved them. “Interesting.” I glanced up and around as if somebody else was going to pop out of the shadows. “Anything else?”
“Not off the top of my head.”
“Hmm.” I considered it, then I pointed toward the door. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
“To look around. If this place is full-on Stepford, I want to see it with my own eyes.”
“Does that mean you’re going to get a golf cart so you can fit in?”
I snorted. “I’m not getting a golf cart. It’s completely unnecessary. I have a Vespa.”
“You mean that little scooter I saw the movers unloading?” She chortled. “You’re not really going to ride that, are you?”
“Um, yes. I love that thing. I used to tool around Detroit all the time on it.”
“This isn’t Detroit.”
“You don’t say,” I drawled.
“Detroit has way more color than this place does. At least this island. Savannah itself has some color.”
“Yes, and I’m looking forward to seeing it.” I moved in the direction of the garage. The scooter was there, mostly gassed up, and I’d made sure the box containing the helmets had been dropped out there too. “Come on.”
“No.” Hayley vehemently shook her head. “I’m not participating in whatever little mission you have decided we’re going on.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not.” She was adamant. “I’m a good girl. You’re going to break the rules of this place right out of the gate. I know you.”
She was only partially right. I was not going to purposely break rules. But that didn’t mean I was afraid to push things. “Just come on. Don’t you want to take a look around at all the restaurants and bars?”
She hesitated.
“Don’t you want to see the pickleball courts?”
Her sigh was instantaneous. “You know I love pickleball.”
I did know that. Personally, I didn’t get the appeal of the sport. “Come on. We’ll just look around and grab something to eat. I know you’re hungry, and I promised you dinner.”
“Fine, but I’m not eating anything from a raw bar.”
That made me laugh. “We’re on the same page there. We’ll go to the steakhouse or something.”
“Okay, but if you get arrested by rent-a-cops, I’m totally fleeing into the woods and pretending I don’t know you.”
“That’s more than fair.”