Austin drove along Poinciana Drive, thinking that it would eventually lead to a road that connected to Gulf Avenue and his cottage. After staying at Livy’s for a few days, he needed to go grab some more things from his house. Why did he never remember that Moonbeam was a tangled mess of streets and canals, and even if you were close to an area, often you couldn’t quite get there because of a canal cutting off access so that you needed to take the long way around? Poinciana dead-ended into a canal. He turned his car around in frustration. Then he frowned as the car sputtered and he barely made it to the edge of the road before it jerked to a complete stop.
He frowned. What the heck was going on? He glanced at the gas gauge in disbelief. Empty. He never ran out of gas. Never. He was too organized for that. He guessed he’d been too occupied with the wedding last week and being newly married, living at Livy’s, and out of his normal routine. He leaned his head on the steering wheel and let out a long, drawn-out sigh.
A man walked up to the side of the car and tapped on the window. Austin rolled down the window as the man nodded toward the hood of the car. “Car problems?”
“Ran out of gas,” he said sheepishly.
“Happens.” The man nodded again. “I’ve got some in the garage. Let me get some for you.” The man stretched out his hand. “Josh Tyler.”
“Austin Woods. I appreciate your help.” He climbed out of the car and followed Mr. Tyler toward the house and up onto a long porch. A sign leaned against the railing with large red letters. For Sale.
He looked up at the house as a shiver ran through him. “Mr. Tyler?”
“Hm?” The man paused.
“Are you putting your house on the market?” He tilted his head toward the sign.
“I am. The missus and I are moving up to Jacksonville. Our daughter and grandkids live up there and my wife misses them.” He grinned and shrugged. “I’d do anything to keep the missus happy.”
“My wife and I are looking for a new house. We recently got married. I wonder… would you mind showing me your house?”
“Not at all. Come on in.” The man led him into the house. “Mary, we have company. Austin here is looking for a house for him and his bride.”
“And Livy’s daughter. Emily.”
“Oh, you married one of the Parker women, did you? The one who runs the Parker Cafe.”
And while he knew to never call it Parker Cafe, he figured now wasn’t the time to correct the woman that it was really Sea Glass Cafe. So he just nodded. “I did.”
“That’s wonderful. Those Parker women are good people.” Mary bobbed her head vigorously. “So, you’re looking for a new place to live?”
“I am.”
“Well, come on. Let me show you around. Don’t mind all the boxes. We were trying to get some of our things packed up before putting the house on the market. Josh says we’re packing up the junk, but I say it’s all things that are needed.”
Mary led him through the kitchen with its nice, updated appliances. Then they walked through the living room and she threw open the French doors to reveal a long covered porch overlooking the bay. “Wow, the view is great.”
“I will miss this view. But not as much as I miss seeing my grandkids all the time.” She turned. “Come. I’ll show you upstairs.”
The upstairs had a huge master bedroom and a bath with a big clawfoot tub as well as a walk-in shower.
“There are two walk-in closets, too. That was Josh’s idea when we remodeled the upstairs. It used to be four tiny bedrooms. We made it into a bigger master bedroom and bath, and then one of the other bedrooms—the one that overlooks the canal—that’s larger now, too.”
Josh told him what they were hoping to get for the house, and Austin was thrilled that it was a fair price.
He walked over and looked at the view from the master bedroom. Doors opened out onto a second-floor balcony large enough for a small table and two chairs. He could imagine having morning coffee with Livy out there. He turned to the Tylers. “Your house is just… great. So great. It would be perfect for us.”
Mary broke into a wide grin. “That’s good to hear. Why don’t you go get your wife and her daughter and bring them over to see the house?”
“You know what? I will. I think they’re both at the cafe now, but I’ll go find them.” Excitement rushed through him. The house was perfect. Right on the harbor, but a canal ran up the side. They could dock Livy’s boat there and she could still boat to see Donna or take it out on the harbor.
They went back downstairs, and he headed for the door. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Josh asked.
He frowned. “What?”
“The gas.” Josh grinned.
“Oh, right.” Austin shook his head and laughed. “I’ll need that.”
Livy looked up from where she was scrubbing the ice cream counter to a polished finish to see Austin rushing up to her, his cheeks flushed.
“There you are.” Austin pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “Where’s Emily?”
“She’s in the kitchen with Evelyn.”
“Do you think you two could get away for an hour or so?”
She looked at him closely. “Probably. It’s after the lunch rush and Melody’s here, too.”
“Perfect. I’ve got a surprise for you both.”
“What is it?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, now would it?” He grinned at her.
She went and got Emily and they got into Austin’s car. Emily grilled Austin with questions about where they were going but had no better luck than she had.
He didn’t drive far before he turned down Poinciana Drive. “Where are you going? This is a dead-end. Runs into Dolphin Canal.”
“I know that now.” He grinned at her as he stopped in front of a well-kept Victorian house at the end of the street.
They got out of the car and stood in front of the house. “It’s for sale,” Austin explained. “I went in and saw it earlier. I think you’re both going to love it.”
“For real. Right here on Dolphin Canal and the harbor?” Emily’s eyes widened.
“How did you find it?” Livy asked.
“Would you believe I ran out of gas right in front of it? The owner came out to offer help, and I found out they’re getting ready to put it on the market.” He grabbed her hand. “Come on, the Tylers are expecting us.”
She climbed the steps to the front porch lined with hibiscus and gardenia bushes. A large Poinciana tree shaded the porch.
The door swung open and an older couple stood in the doorway, smiling. She recognized them from coming into Parker’s over the years.
“I’m Mary, and this is Joshua. Come in.”
They walked inside, and Livy grabbed Austin’s arm. “Oh, Austin.”
The room was large and airy and reached all the way to the back of the house. Mary showed them around, and with each room, Livy’s excitement grew. The house would be perfect for them.
They headed upstairs, and she almost gasped at the large bedroom and beautiful view of the bay.
“And look, two closets.” Austin grinned. “I hope to get at least half of one.”
She laughed. “We could work with that.”
Emily came walking out of the large bedroom overlooking the canal. “That bedroom is sweet. Twice the size of the one I have now. And did you see the hall bathroom? It’s huge.”
“So do you two like the house?” Austin asked.
“Love it,” Emily said.
“I think it’s perfect.” She hugged Austin.
“So, you want to buy it?” Mary looked at each of them. “I’d love to have you all living here. I was worried about who we’d sell it to. Worried that they might not appreciate it. Or maybe they were buying it for rental property. I want someone to buy it who will love it as much as we do.”
“That would be us,” Livy assured her. “We’ll love it.”
They all walked downstairs. “So, we can get all this sale sorted out legally if you’re sure you want it,” Josh said as they stood in the large family room.
Austin looked at her, and she nodded, a wide grin spreading across her face.
Austin shook hands with Josh. “Sounds like we’ve got a deal.”
They walked outside and said goodbye to the Tylers. Livy paused, her hand on Austin’s arm. “So… this thing you and your mother have about running out of gas… it seems to work out quite well for you.”
Austin grinned.“It does, doesn’t it? Guess we’re just lucky like that.”
“I’m glad you found it. It will be the perfect place for all of us.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.
“Hey, are you two going to just stand there kissing all day, or can we go?” Emily stood by the car, grinning at them. “We’ve got a lot of packing to do, you know.”
Austin took her hand. “Em’s right. We’ve got a lot to do.”
“And I can’t wait to move in.” She took one more look at the house as they headed down the walkway to the street. Soon, this would be their house, their yard, their street. Her heart hummed with happiness, and she squeezed Austin’s hand.