Chapter 66
Nell cradled the mug of hot tea in her hands and pulled the blanket around her shoulders.
It had gotten colder in the week she’d been in Driftwood Pointe, but she couldn’t be happier.
Between working at Tricia’s and spending time with Thomas on the back patio of the animal clinic, Nell couldn’t think of anywhere else she wanted to be.
Thomas stood up from the chair next to hers. “It’s time to feed the animals. You okay out here for a while?” He bent down to kiss her.
She grabbed his neck, intensifying their contact. She still couldn’t believe that her new home came with a new love. Nell planned to make the most of this relationship, even if she had to share Thomas with Driftwood Pointe.
“Hmm, this is never going to get old.” She laughed, her lips brushing against his again, igniting a fire inside her that still startled her with its intensity. “You better get moving, or the animals are going to have to wait for their dinner.”
Hissing drifted out of the clinic. “Knock it off out there! I’m hungry,” Taz called out.
Nell was accustomed to the hedgehog’s gruffness, but she knew better than to stand between him and his kibble. “I’ll call Andrea while you’re working. We need to catch up.”
Thomas dropped one last kiss on her lips and pulled away slowly. “Tell her to watch out for polar bears.” He turned to the clinic and walked inside.
Nell waited for her heart rate to even out, then called her daughter. Her breath caught when Andrea answered.
“About time! How are things going? How is Tricia? I want to hear all the tea!”
“Well, the business is a bigger mess than I thought, but Tricia is open to suggestions and not complaining—too much, anyway.” Her friend was not happy about how much time she was spending with Thomas, but her personal life wasn’t part of the bargain. “We’ve got time to fix things.”
“What about the town? What’s it like being in such a small town?”
Nell wiggled in her chair. “Fabulous. No traffic. Everyone is welcoming and helpful. It’s magical, really.”
There was a long pause before Andrea spoke. “You met someone, didn’t you?”
“I did. His name is Thomas, and he’s the local vet.”
“Mom. It’s only been a week.”
“Andrea. You’re the one who told me to have a one-night stand.”
“OMG. Please tell me you’re not sleeping with someone you just met.”
“Okay. I won’t.” Nell’s cheeks hurt from the smile on her face. “But don’t worry about me. This is a good thing. I’m right where I need to be.”
Nell expected her daughter to argue, but Andrea said, “You sound happier. But promise me you won’t rush into things. This is supposed to be a transition time for you, not the start of a new life.”
“Honey, it can be both. Have you run into any polar bears yet?”
Andrea laughed at the question but allowed the change of subject. When they had caught up on each other’s lives, Andrea promised to call the next week, and they said their goodbyes.
Nell put down her phone. She stood up from the chair and walked to the edge of the patio.
From her spot, Nell could see the third floor of the Lost House.
It was too far to actually see the woman in the window, but Nell felt a wave of emotion.
It wasn’t the sadness she experienced on her drive into town. Now it felt like love and acceptance.
“How was Andrea?” Thomas asked.
She looked over her shoulder and swallowed back the desire and love that overwhelmed her as he walked toward her.
“Good. No polar bears. Only penguins.”
He laughed, and that’s when Nell saw it. Thomas held a small black box with a red ribbon tied in a bow. It was larger than a ring box. She couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. But their relationship was too new for anything permanent. A stillness fell over her, but she didn’t feel scared.
Thomas held out the box. “For you.”
It was heavier than she had expected. Nell turned it over in her hands, and something rattled inside. She raised an eyebrow, an unspoken question on her lips.
“Open it already,” shouted Taz.
Thomas shook his head and called back, “Mind your own business.”
Nell laughed, but her fingers shook as she untied the bow and opened the box. Inside, an old brass key rested on red tissue paper. “What’s this?”
“It’s for Evelyn’s rental cottage. When you’re ready for a space of your own, she said it’s yours.” He licked his lips. “Plus, it’s only a few blocks from my place, so it will be much easier to see you.”
“And not hear you,” Taz added.
Nell ignored the rush of heat that flooded her cheeks and threw herself into Thomas’s arms. “What did I do to deserve you?”
Thomas placed a dozen small kisses on her neck before whispering in her ear, “No idea. But we have time to find out.”
She soaked up the warmth of Thomas’s embrace and enjoyed the way the light washed over them. Nell was home.