Chapter 19
Kyle
“What did you wanna do today?” Kyle asked. He and Jon were sitting in the breakfast room at Bradley House, enjoying another cup of coffee now that they’d finished eating breakfast.
“I was thinking we could take a leisurely stroll through town, maybe check out some of the shops on Main Street. I think it will help us get a better feel for the place. Maybe we could pay a visit to the coffee shop for lunch.” Jon sipped at his beverage.
“That sounds good. And if we’re feeling good about Hawthorne Bluff, maybe we can find a realtor’s office and see what’s available, property-wise.”
“Sure. It’s probably a bit early to start thinking of actually moving, but it wouldn’t hurt to see what homes in the area are going for. Speaking of which—”
Kyle grinned. “Uh-oh. Sounds like you’re up to something.”
“Not really up to something, but I was thinking if we’re really thinking of doing this, rather than rent my house in Phoenix, I should probably just sell it. There’s no mortgage on it, so we could use that money to help us get something here.”
“That’s a good point. And once we sell the condo in DC and pay off that mortgage, we should have a decent amount of cash left over. Between both sales, we’ll have enough for a nice house here, I think.”
“Great. Once we get home, I’ll get the ball rolling to sell the house in Arizona.
At least that will be done.” Jon fiddled with his napkin.
“You know, there’s gonna be a lot of planning for this.
In addition to getting a house, we’re both gonna need to look for jobs before we can actually move.
And we’ll need to think about getting a car or two. ”
“All really good points.” Kyle chuckled. He knew the planner part of Jon would want to have everything documented so that he knew step-by-step what needed to be done. “But for now, let’s just take a walk and look around.”
After a morning spent walking through town and doing a bit of shopping, Kyle and Jon entered Cuppa Joe’s and stopped to look at the menu board.
“I think I’ll get a ham-and-cheese croissant and a cappuccino,” Kyle said after a moment.
“Okay, if I get chicken salad on whole wheat, wanna split the sandwiches so we get both?” Jon asked.
“Of course.” Kyle quickly glanced around the busy café and said, “How ’bout you get the food, and I’ll see if I can snag a table?”
“That works,” Jon told him.
As he scanned the room again, he saw Clay sitting at a table along one of the café’s side walls of exposed brick. He was with a handsome man dressed in a navy suit. Clay saw him and waved Kyle over.
“Hi, Kyle. I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Finlay Reynolds. Finn, this is Kyle Rockingham-Rivera. He and his husband are staying at the B and B for a few days on their honeymoon.”
“Congratulations, Kyle. It’s very nice to meet you.”
“And you as well.”
Just then, Jon sauntered up to the table, carrying a food-laden tray.
Clay looked around and said, “I don’t see any free tables. You guys should join us.”
“We don’t want to impose,” Kyle said.
“Nonsense, sit.” Finn smiled.
“Finn, this is my husband, Jon. Jon, Finn is Clay’s boyfriend.”
“Nice to meet you,” Jon said, putting down the tray.
“Are you enjoying your stay in Hawthorne Bluff so far?” Clay asked.
“We are,” Kyle continued. “In fact, there’s another reason we’re here.”
“Okay, that doesn’t sound mysterious.” Finn chuckled.
“Nothing nefarious, I assure you,” Kyle continued. “Jon and I live in Washington, DC right now, and, well, a few months ago, my cousin and his wife were tragically killed in a car accident.”
“Oh, my goodness!” Clay exclaimed. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. They had a twenty-month-old son who we now have custody of, and frankly, Jon and I aren’t sure we want to raise Wyatt in a big city like DC.
My dad and his husband offered to take care of Wyatt for a few days so we could come here—not only for our honeymoon but to see if this might be a place we’d like to relocate to. ”
“Wow, you guys have been through a lot,” Finn told them. “Sincere condolences on your loss.”
“So you’re thinking of moving here?” Clay asked.
“Very possibly,” Jon answered for them both. “We like what we’ve seen so far. I can definitely see us raising Wyatt here. And it’s not too far away from Kyle’s dad, so that’s a plus too.”
“Remind me, please. Where do your dad and his husband live again?” Clay asked.
“Westport,” Kyle said. “So only about an hour away.”
“Ah, close enough if you need them, but far enough away to be able to live your own lives,” Clay said, amusement in his voice.
“Exactly,” Kyle agreed. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my dad and Rob, but a little distance isn’t a bad thing.”
“When do you think you might be ready to make the move?” Finn inquired.
“Probably not for a while,” Jon answered. “There’s lots to do first. I’ve got a house in Phoenix that I want to sell, then we’d have to find a suitable place here. Then there’s selling Kyle’s condo in DC.”
“And we both need to find jobs,” Kyle added.
“What do you guys do for work?” Finn asked.
“I’m a financial analyst,” Kyle said, also mentioning the firm he worked for. “Jon is a paralegal for a family-law practice.”
“I don’t think either of you will have an issue getting jobs in the area,” Finn told them.
“I work at Hawthorne Bank and Trust, and there’s a good chance you could get a job in our financial services department, Kyle.
There are a few lawyers in town but none that specialize in family law.
If you wanted to stay in that specialty, Jon, I know of at least one family-law practice in Plymouth, and that’s only ten minutes away. ”
“That’s good to know,” Jon said.
“We’re hoping to see some house listings while we’re here,” Kyle added. “Just to get an idea of what types of places might be available and their price ranges.”
“You should stop by Connolly Realty,” Finn told them. “Head past the bank and take a right. It’s a large yellow clapboard building. You can’t miss it. Ask to speak with Sarah Connolly. Be sure to tell her I sent you and be honest about what you’re looking for. Sarah won’t steer you wrong.”
“Thanks, Finn,” Kyle said sincerely.
“And on that note, I need to get back to work.” Finn stood, then leaned over and kissed Clay. “It was nice meeting you guys. I hope everything works out for you.”
“So whaddya think? Can you see us living here in Hawthorne Bluff?” Kyle posed the question as he and Jon strolled back to Bradley House hand in hand after a nice dinner at Tavino’s, the town’s Italian restaurant. Jon squeezed his hand.
“Yeah, I can.” Kyle could hear the sincerity in Jon’s voice.
“This town has so much going for it. Everyone is friendly, and it feels so comfortable and safe here.” He lifted their joined hands.
“Plus, I’m not afraid to hold my husband’s hand while we walk down the street.
Think about it. When Finn left Cuppa Joe’s earlier, he kissed Clay goodbye, and no one had a problem with that.
And let’s not forget that your dad and Rob really liked it here too.
The fact that we’d be accepted here as a family means a lot. ”
“I feel the same way. I think this is the perfect place to raise our son. But I still want to find the realtor that Finn recommended. Maybe we can meet with her tomorrow and learn more about property here.”
“Anything you want.”