39. Sam
SAM
I stared at the small house, trying to see myself living here for the foreseeable future. It was fine. There was really nothing wrong with it, and it was a place to lay my head. That should have been enough for me.
But Cassidy wasn’t here.
I was past the point of denying that I wanted her. It had taken a long time to come to grips with the fact that I not only enjoyed spending time with her, but that I wanted to keep her in my bed every night.
This felt like the wrong move on so many levels.
But the way she looked at me this morning, like she was excited for me to move out…Had I read the situation wrong? Was she sick of me, and this was her way of pushing me out of her life?
I knew very little about relationships with women, and even less about how to hold onto a woman when I couldn’t offer her anything.
The realtor pulled up to the curb, jumping out of her car with a peppy smile that quickly slipped from her lips when her feet went out from under her on the ice.
“Whoops!” she yelped as she went down.
She quickly recovered before I could make my way to her, getting up and brushing off the snow from her pants.
“Wow, that could have been really bad,” she laughed. “Ice and snow…kind of dangerous, but I should know that. I’ve lived here all my life.” She thrust her hand out as she approached, her smile hiding the wince of pain as she limped. “River Ainsley.”
“Sam—”
“Collins. Yes, I know. You’re a big name around here. Big. I mean, huge!”
I was confused by her laughter, but also by her overenthusiastic reaction to seeing me. And as I put my hand in hers, I tried not to flinch at how she pumped my hand.
“As I said, I’m River Ainsley. Gemini, hopeless romantic, and current realtor for the Parkers.”
“Um…”
“They own a lot of properties in town,” she said, marching past me to the house.
“Mostly rentals. Krista and Jeff went into business together some time ago, though it’s not the most well-known secret in town.
I guess they don’t want everyone thinking they’re taking over the town.
Not that they are. They’re just like anyone around here, trying to earn some money.
And rental properties can be a very good way to do that. ”
She shoved the lock in the door, then stepped inside, sighing in contentment.
“Although, they also have a few restaurants in the mix. Seafood & More. Or should I say a backroom gambling house. Worst kept secret in town. Then again, most of the secrets about the Parkers aren’t that well-kept.”
She walked through, flipping on lights as she continued to talk. It was almost as if I didn’t exist. She just fluttered around, moving without making sure I was even listening.
“So, this is the living room, obviously. Very basic layout. Nothing special. It’s kind of like their other rental properties.
You know, the one Cassidy lives in. And then there’s the house next door that Sawyer is currently in.
Poor guy. I heard he had another devastating breakup.
” She spun on her heel, cocking her head at me.
“Did you want to see the rest of the place?”
I was still standing in the doorway, trying to wrap my head around this woman’s ramblings. “Sure.”
A bright smile spread across her lips as she jerked her thumb over her shoulder.
“On to the bedrooms! There are two, but I wouldn’t be too excited about the second one.
It’s more of a storage room, if you ask me.
I can’t see anyone getting too comfortable in there, but that’s fine for you since you’re on your own.
Jeff said that you’re going to be back on the road soon. ”
Flipping on the light in the bedroom, I grimaced at the mirror image of Cassidy’s room. If I was going to move out, I didn’t want to be reminded on a daily basis that I was in Cassidy’s doppelg?nger house without her.
“The Parkers are very good at looking after their properties. All repairs are taken care of in a swift manner. They require a deposit along with the first month’s rent.”
“Which is?”
“Twelve hundred per month, and a five hundred dollar deposit for damages.”
“The rent is cheap,” I muttered.
She beamed at me. “I’ve been told to give you the friends and family discount. That’s a whole fifty dollars off a month!”
Flipping off the light, she scurried back down the hall to the kitchen, pointing out the same features that were in Cassidy’s house. Honestly, it was disturbing how similar it all was.
“So, that’s the whole tour. You have a nice patch of grass in the back, which will be mowed every week. Snow removal is extra, but a big, strong man like you, I doubt you would want anyone to do it for you,” she laughed. “So, all that’s left is the contract.”
“I haven’t agreed to take it,” I snapped, hating how quickly this was moving.
“Oh, right,” she chuckled. “Well, I’ll just be outside. Take your time looking around.”
Seconds later, she was out the door, and I was left inside, staring at what my life would be if I took the damn house.
It wasn’t what I wanted, but what more could I really offer Cassidy?
She was healing and in no danger, and I was about to head back on the road.
I should have had more time, but Deke was pressuring me to get back in the ring, to work my way back up to where I had been before my injury.
Looking around the house once again, I knew what I had to do. Cassidy didn’t want me in her house anymore. Even if I wanted to stay, the choice wasn’t in my hands.
I just wasn’t sure how I was going to make it through the withdrawals.