Page 10 of Lee

“You should ask your mom if you could stay a few extra days,” Essie said.

Had Essie forgotten the type of woman her mom was? “That’ll never happen. I have to go home and see what transpires. I need a job. Whether it’s here or Denver… only time will tell where I’ll end up.”

Rori had kept her fingers crossed that the vet clinic would call, even though she knew the likelihood of that was slim to none. There’d been a friendly vibe at the clinic that she’d liked, even if it had been the source of a lovely embarrassing moment. Thankfully, the mortification she’d felt at that encounter had faded some with the passage of time, enough that she might be able to work there without dwelling on the embarrassment.

As she continued through her day, Rori realized how much she’d already gotten into life there in Serenity. She’d fallen into a schedule of sorts over the past couple of weeks—which included attempted cuddle-time with the cat each day.

Since she was technically on vacation, she slept in a bit later than she usually did, setting her alarm for eight-thirty. After breakfast, Rori would hunt down the cat to spend some time trying to pet her.

Reading was something she did a lot of, even when she wasn’t on vacation. So while she’d been in Serenity, she’d made a sizeable dent in the books she’d downloaded on her tablet over the past few years.

After lunch, she’d started going for walks with her camera. She’d discovered a lot to photograph, finding the nature around the area fascinating. It was wilder than what she usually photographed in Denver.

Each evening, she spent a few hours editing the photos and uploading the ones she liked best to her Instagram. Slowly but surely, she was building a following there of people who liked nature photography. It wasn’t something she’d planned, but it was nice to be part of a community of people who appreciated the beauty of nature like she did.

The thought of leaving Serenity created a longing within Rori. She didn’t have close friends in Denver. The people she’d spent the most time with had been at her job, and now she didn’t have that connection.

Would Serenity give her the opportunity to build different types of friendships? Ones that were deeper and more meaningful?

She’d developed a friendship of sorts with Essie, since they spent time chatting each day. The older woman had a kind and gentle spirit that drew Rori to her. She enjoyed their conversations and wouldn’t mind having more in the future. If she was around.

The next morning, Rori was in the sunroom at the back of the mansion, reading her latest book and petting the cat who refused to purr, when her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, but she’d given it to a few people whom she’d asked about possible job openings.

“Oh, please let it be the vet clinic,” she murmured, even though she knew it was unlikely.

“Aurora Harlow-Gray?” a woman’s voice asked.

“Speaking.”

“This is Cheryl from the Serenity Veterinary Clinic.”

Rori’s breath caught in her lungs, but she tried not to let her hopes soar. “Hi! What can I do for you?”

“Were you serious about wanting a job?”

“Yes,” Rori said, her heart pounding in her chest. “Yes, I was.”

“Well, the plans we had for my replacement have fallen through. Would you be able to come in for an interview?”

“Yes. Sure. When were you thinking?”

“Sooner rather than later,” Cheryl said. “Would you be available this afternoon?”

“Give me a time, and I’ll be there.”

“Let’s say two.”

“Perfect.” And she hoped it really was.

As she hung up, Rori did a little dance in her seat, which made Queenie give an annoyed meow as she jumped off the loveseat. Since the royal had abandoned her audience, Rori got up and followed her out of the sunroom.

She found Essie in the laundry room. “Hey, Essie! I got a call from the clinic to go for an interview this afternoon.”

“Really?” Essie lowered the towel she was folding on the counter. “For what position?”

“Receptionist. Cheryl said something had happened to the person they’d hired, but she didn’t say what. I have an interview at two.”

Even though Cheryl had initially told her there was no position available, Rori had still emailed her a copy of her resume for her to keep on file. She hadn’t had much hope for a position there, but she’d figured she had nothing to lose.

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