Chapter Six

Her muscles ached. What was she thinking, tearing out a carpet at her age? Grace sat on the front step of her disaster house. That was the new name she was going to give it. Disaster House. Kind of went with her life at the moment. The irony wasn’t lost on her.

The cool night air blew on her damp skin. The shorts and T-shirt weren’t enough. She should have brought out something to wrap herself in. The hot Earl Grey tea would have to do for now. She cuddled the paper cup for warmth.

Fireflies chased each other under the poplar tree, and the smell of honeysuckles coated the air. A peaceful quiet settled around her. Most of the lights were out in the other houses. The street was tucked in for the night. Even Jenn was nestled deep in her sleeping bag, with a movie playing on her tablet. They’d be going home tomorrow, and then Grace would return to Heritage River alone.

The house didn’t fit her. Oh, she wanted it to now that she decided to plunge headfirst into this scheme. But the house pressed against her skin like a sweater shrunk in the dryer. Sure, they had cleaned until their fingers were raw and her arms screamed for her to stop, but she couldn’t stay inside just yet. Maybe she would feel differently in the morning or when she got back. Or after she moved her things out of her home and Larry’s hoochie momma with the new-baby belly moved in. Because the Disaster House would be her new home until she could fix it, sell it, and find a real place in Jersey. Just not in Silverside.

She tallied potential projects in her head. How long was all this going to take? She was actually considering hiring Beau Carroll. She kept thinking about Blaise’s set face while he spoke those words about Beau. He meant them. She could tell. It was just a feeling, and maybe she was a bad judge of character considering she didn’t even know her husband, ex-husband, but she believed Blaise trusted Beau.

And did she really have the time or desire to find someone else? She wanted the house fixed up as soon as possible. Beau Carroll could do his work—of course, his working-alone part had her concerned—but the house had to be sellable. It didn’t have to be perfect. Once it was good enough to satisfy Hoke, she’d call Dixie. Maybe she could even start showing it before it was completely finished. There weren’t any rules about that.

Her phone buzzed next to her. She yanked it up. “Are you all right?”

“Mom, jeez, I’m fine.”

Grace let out a breath and held a hand to her chest, as if she could steady her racing heart. “You’re calling so late.”

“I know. Sorry. When are you coming home?”

“Tomorrow. What’s up?” Because Chloe didn’t call just to say hi.

“I want to know when we’re going house hunting because I can’t live here with them. They make me sick. Dad fussing all over her—”

“Chloe, stop.” She held her palm up, as if her daughter could see. “I don’t want to hear the details.”

“Sorry. I just want to know when we’re going house hunting.”

“We aren’t. I’m going to spend the summer down here fixing up the house, and then I’ll sell it. You’ll have to stay with your dad. You can hide in your room when you’re at home.” She told Chloe about the stipulations.

“You’re actually going to take this stupid idea on?”

“I thought you wanted me to check this whole thing out.”

“I did and you did, and now that you know you have to live there during the renovations, I think it’s a stupid idea.”

Of course Chloe didn’t like the idea, because she didn’t want to live with Larry. Why wasn’t Grace shocked? “I need to try something new.”

“If you want to try something new, how about sushi? Picking up and moving to another state isn’t like you, Mom.”

It wasn’t anything like her. At least not the Grace in her adult years. Adult Grace planned and weighed the risks. She kept the house clean and organized everyone’s life. Adult Grace would never take on something like the Disaster House.

“I’m sorry this isn’t what we planned, but I want to do this, Chloe. I need a new chapter in my life. In a few months, you’ll be off to college, doing amazing things and meeting new people. This is my time. Living with your dad won’t be so bad. You’re hardly home anyway.”

“What about me? Who’s going to get me ready for college? I have a ton of stuff to buy, and Dad isn’t going to shop with me. And living with him like he is now will suck.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You lived with him your entire life. Why is now any different? And buy what you need online. You know what you want. I’ll be back before it’s time to move you in. I wouldn’t miss that for anything.”

The lights went on in the house next door. Blaise glided past the windows. Grace tried not to notice.

“You know, I’m affected by what’s happening too. Do you think I like the fact my father is hooking up with a woman not much older than I am and they’re about to have a baby? I don’t want to be an older sister. It’s creepy.”

“I’m sorry your father’s choices have upset you, but you’ll have to discuss that with him. As for me, I’m fixing this house up and then I’ll be home. You’re an adult now, at least that’s what you’ve been trying to tell me for the last four years. You will have to learn to live with disappointment. If all you need me for is to shop for you, you can do it yourself. I thought maybe you were calling to say you’d like to come down and see the house.”

Classical music drifted over to her from Blaise’s open window. She didn’t take him for the classical music type. His curtains billowed in the night breeze. Her tea had grown cold, and her skin crawled with goose bumps. She should have grabbed a sweater.

“Come to Tennessee? No, thanks. What could possibly be worth seeing there?”

“It’s a nice town.” Heritage River wasn’t Silverside, and if you blinked, you’d miss it, but the streets were tree lined and children played in the front yards. And neighbors didn’t mind their own business, but they did play nice music.

“I still think you should come home. You don’t know what you’re doing renovating a house. You run the PTA. You organize cabinets. You plan dinner parties. You shelve books. Do you really want to be alone all summer?”

Right at that moment she did. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Chloe, somehow I managed to survive into my forties. I’ll figure out what I need to do.” She took a deep breath. She didn’t want to fight. She just wanted someone to understand. “Besides, I won’t be alone. I’ve already met people. And you could come and visit. It won’t kill you.” Probably not the best thing to say.

“It might. Goodnight, Mom. I’ve gotta run.” Chloe ended the call.

Grace pushed the phone away and let out a large breath. Parenting was never easy. She kept waiting for the moment her sweet daughter, who once had chubby cheeks and pudgy hands wound tightly around Grace’s, would come back to her. The library ladies with grown children said the girls return. She found it hard to believe. Every conversation had the potential to explode. Talking to her teenager required navigating a daily trip across a land mine. It didn’t matter Chloe had turned eighteen on May thirty-first. It didn’t matter she had graduated from high school the week before and was about to go off to college in Virginia. She fought with Grace every chance she could, just because she could. And Grace was exhausted.

Blaise stepped onto his front porch, his good hand shoved in his pocket and the other holding a guitar. A man that good looking who plays in a famous band must be nothing but trouble. She could feel it in her belly.

The classical music was gone. He must’ve turned it off before he came out. She liked the music. It soothed the muscles in her shoulders.

He pulled up a rocking chair and rested the guitar on his knee. He strummed with his good hand and stopped from time to time to rub the injured one. She couldn’t hear what he played, but she heard the cursing that went along with the breaks in his playing.

“Are you ever coming in?”

Grace jumped at Jenn’s voice. She stood in the doorway, wearing pink shorts and a black tank. Her brown hair was sticking up in the back.

“I can’t fall asleep. This house makes too many noises. Not to mention I’m afraid it will collapse around me.” Before she could answer, Jenn went on. “Oh, now I see why you’re out here. Let’s stay outside and enjoy the music. Blaise, woo hoo,” Jenn yelled and waved her arm.

Grace jumped to her feet trying to grab Jenn. “Stop that. He might hear you.”

“That’s the idea. Hey, Blaise.” She pushed Grace out of the way. “The only redeeming thing about this house is him.”

Grace glanced over her shoulder. He turned in the direction of Jenn’s ruckus and smiled. He waved back. When he put the guitar down and headed across the lawn, Grace thought she’d die of embarrassment. If she didn’t kill Jenn first.