Tidal Treasures (Magnolia Key #4)
Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
J enna pulled her car to a stop in front of the weathered cottage, its faded blue shutters and peeling paint a clear picture of its age and neglect. She turned off the engine and sat for a moment, still gripping the steering wheel of her old, sensible sedan as she took in the sight of her new home.
Well, the cottage certainly wasn’t new, but it was her home now. The salty breeze from the ocean ruffled her hair, carrying with it the distant cries of seagulls and the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. This is what she wanted. Peace. Quiet. Solitude.
She stepped out of the car, her feet crunching on the crushed shell driveway. The cottage looked smaller than she remembered from the listing photos, but there was a certain charm to its quaint appearance. She couldn’t believe she’d bought the house sight unseen, including the contents. But her Realtor had done a walkthrough and sent her videos of it. She’d fallen in love with it as soon as she saw the view out the big picture windows. The cottage looked smaller than she remembered from the listing photos, but the surrounding greenery was even more lush in person. She was certain there was potential hidden beneath the cottage’s worn exterior. The porch sagged slightly, and the white paint was peeling in places, but there was a certain charm to it all—a sense of history and character that drew her in.
Jenna walked up the creaky wooden steps to the front porch, fishing the keys out of her pocket. The door stuck slightly as she turned the key in the lock, but with a firm pull, it swung open, revealing a musty interior. She stepped inside, her footsteps echoing on the worn wood floors. She coughed as specks of dust danced in the sunlight streaming through the windows, illuminating the sparse furnishings left behind by the previous owner.
The floorboards creaked in protest as she crossed over to the windows, running her finger along the sill, feeling the grit of years of neglect. Faded floral wallpaper clung to the walls, and a clock on the far wall was permanently stuck at three thirty-two.
She wandered into the kitchen, where dated appliances greeted her. But the inspector had assured her they were all in working order. She opened to cabinets to find a few random pots and pans and dishes. The cabinets needed a good scrubbing before she filled them with the cooking items she’d brought with her.
She went back into the living room and over to the built-in bookcase. There, on a high shelf, a tarnished silver picture frame beckoned her. She gently picked it up and brushed away the dust with the side of her hand to reveal a faded black-and-white photograph. A smiling couple stood in front of the cottage. The woman’s hair was styled in soft waves and the man had his arm around her waist. Their faces radiated contentment and joy.
And maybe that peace she was so longing for herself.
She studied the photograph, wondering about the couple’s life here in the cottage. Had they been happy? Had they lived out their dreams? She felt a sudden kinship with the couple, a connection that spanned the decades between them. And at the same time a wistfulness settled over her, a yearning for all that was missing in her life.
She placed the photograph carefully on the shelf and continued exploring the cottage. A mix of excitement and uncertainty flooded through her. This was a fresh start, a chance to leave behind painful memories and disappointments.
She had always dreamed of living in a small coastal town, far from the hustle and bustle of the city and the demands of her high-pressure job as an investigative reporter. And she couldn’t believe her good luck when she’d found this cottage for sale on Magnolia Key. The very island she’d vacationed on as a young girl, coming back for a month’s stay each summer. Eventually, when she and her sister had gotten older and had been involved in so many activities with school and sports, the trips stopped. But she’d never forgotten the island.
Now that she was here, standing in the middle of her new home, the reality of her decision began to sink in. She was alone, in an unfamiliar place, with no friends or family nearby. The cottage needed work, more than she had initially anticipated, and she wondered if she had taken on more than she could handle. But then, she didn’t mind hard work. It would keep her busy. Keep her mind off why she was really here…
Shaking away her thoughts, she moved through the cottage, carefully checking out each room. She’d seen photos and the video, but neither had done justice to how charming this cottage was. Or would be after she fixed it up. She went into the main bedroom and crossed over to the large bay window. There, the gulf stretched out before her, the sunlight sparkling like diamonds on the waves.
When she returned to the living room, she yanked off the sheets covering the furniture, sending a cloud of dust billowing into the room. The faded floral couch was still in good shape, if not really her style. Maybe she could make slipcovers for it. She laughed out loud. To do that, she’d have to learn to sew first and buy a sewing machine. Shaking her head at her silliness, she crossed over to the large windows flanking the back of the house. She threw them open, letting the fresh sea air rush in and chase away the damp, dusty smell. She sucked in a deep breath, savoring the tangy sea air.
Flashes of the life she left behind flickered into her thoughts. The endless hours as an investigative reporter, a job that had consumed her life. Always digging. Always chasing stories. Any relationship she’d tried to have crumbled under her dedication to her job and the long hours. And look where that had led her. Here, to her escape to Magnolia Key.
Jenna put down the broom as her phone rang. She glanced at the screen. Marly. Her sister checking on her, no doubt.
“Hey, sis. Yes, I made it to Magnolia just fine.”
“I still can’t believe you just up and moved all the way across the country. You… you didn’t need to do that.”
“I did. I needed a change. I needed to get away. I’m done with the whole investigative reporter thing. I… I can’t do it anymore.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Marly insisted.
“And yet, it was. My actions had consequences.” How many times did she have to have this same conversation with Marly?
“You’re too hard on yourself.”
“Can we just skip it? Let’s not get into it again.” She grabbed some cleaning supplies out of a box as if that would make Marly stop this line of questioning.
“Okay, but you know you can move back at any time. You could live with me until you found a new place to stay.”
“I’m not moving back. Made a killing on my house when I sold it. Enough for a large down payment on this one.”
“How is it now that you’ve had a chance to see it in person?”
“It’s lovely.” Well, it would be after she finished working on it.
“Is it?” Her sister sounded skeptical. “I saw the photos.”
“It will be fine once I do some repairs. And they’ll keep me busy.”
Marly sighed. “I could come and help.”
“No, I just need time. I’m looking forward to this.”
“You did take that rundown house here in San Francisco that no one would have believed could be saved and turned it into a charming home.”
“I’ll do the same to this one.” She glanced around the room. With a lot of work…
“Okay, but I’m going to call and check on you. Often.”
“Of course you will.” Knowing her sister, the calls would be daily.
“I miss you.”
“Miss you too. You can come visit me after I get the cottage all fixed up.”
She clicked off her phone and looked at her watch. It was only late morning. She could do this. She’d tackle this mess right away.
All afternoon, Jenna threw herself into cleaning the cottage, scrubbing every surface, washing blinds, cleaning windows. By evening she’d made a dent in the grime and dust and unpacked the boxes she’d hauled with her. There were a few items she’d shipped that should arrive sometime this week, but she hadn’t wanted to bring a lot with her. She’d wanted to leave her past behind.
She stood with her hands on her hips, surveying her accomplishments. But there was still so much to do. Two of the cabinet doors had fallen off when she opened them to clean the shelves. A couple of windows wouldn’t open and several were missing screens. The front porch steps were definitely a hazard to anyone coming here, so they would need fixing. She wanted to strip the floral wallpaper and paint the walls a soft, pale, buttercream color. The lights in the main bedroom flickered, so she needed to get an electrician out to check the wiring. The refrigerator worked… but just barely. She’d probably have to replace that.
Then there was the outside. It desperately needed a good coat of paint. She didn’t mind doing the lower section, but she wasn’t much on climbing ladders to paint the upper portion.
She went to the kitchen and sat at the table, writing a to-do list of repairs. As she pushed back from the table, she dropped her pen on the pad of paper. It was official. She was in over her head and was going to have to find some help.
She walked to the counter and poked around in the box of food she’d brought, seeing there wasn’t much to fix for supper. She sliced an apple and made a plate of cheese and crackers. After pouring a glass of wine, she headed out to the deck overlooking the ocean. Grateful for the one rocking chair the previous owner had left, she sank onto it and set her glass on the table beside it. She rocked gently in the chair as the sun made its slow descent to the horizon and the sky burst into brilliant colors.
Time seemed to slow as the darkness crept in. Her gaze drifted to the far horizon where the inky black of the night sky met the dark expanse of the ocean. Stars blinked above her as she searched the sky for familiar constellations. Nothing she could have seen in the city back home in San Francisco.
No, that wasn’t home. This was home now.
Tomorrow she’d explore the town and see what had changed and what had remained the same. Hope sprang inside her that she could make this house feel like a home and finally find some peace.