Page 105 of His Curvy Distraction

“Are you sure? Those trees look like they could fall at any time.”

Natalie shook her head. “It should be fine. It’s the best place for it while they’re paving, and I want to move it anyway. Since we’re going to make the site available for other town functions and private events, I think it would be better if the camper was not the first thing people see when they drive in.”

I laughed. “It’s not the prettiest thing ever, but it’s functional.”

“Yeah, it is. Eventually I want to replace it with something a little nicer, something with more bathrooms and a better office. Possibly a permanent structure, but that’s low priority.”

“You have a lot going on.”

She groaned. “I know. I feel like I’ll never finish it all before summer.”

“You will. I know you will. First the building, then the parking lot.”

“Yeah, the asphalt company is coming in a few weeks to pave the driveway and parking lot and seal the basketball court, then we need to stay off all of it for at least three days.”

“Still plenty of time before you need to open,” I said.

She nodded. “Yeah. We’ll get lines painted for parking, and we’ll get the camper moved back into place by the end of April. The pool company is going to come out in early May. Andre will finish the landscaping whenever he can get out here.”

“That was really great of him to offer to help like that.”

“Yeah, I hadn’t planned on a lot for landscaping, but it’ll definitely add something to the place.”

“It will. And so will your second group of volunteers.”

“I forgot about that! See, so much going on.”

“Good stuff, though. One thing at a time. For now, stand back and look at what you’re creating. What you’ve put together. What this town has done.”

She smiled and looked out at the landscape. Tears filled her gaze. She nodded. “Wow.”

“This is all thanks to you, Natalie. And so much more is coming.”

23

Natalie

The chatter around me bothered me less than the first time I walked into Serenity Salon. Not that I wanted to admit to Daisy that she was right about setting a regular appointment with Chelsea to have my hair cut and styled. I would never hear the end of it.

“How’s the summer camp coming?” Chelsea asked as she washed my hair.

“So good,” I admitted. “I’m so impressed with all the work we’ve been able to do so far.”

“This town is special, isn’t it?”

I nodded. “It really is. I still can’t believe people not only donated so much but also gave up their time to help bring the building to life.”

“Haley and I are coming again for the second week. Only for a day, but it looked like you have a full week of volunteers again.”

“I do. It’s blowing my mind. But I’ll need them. We’re going to be putting up a fence around the pool and making things look nice. Planting around the office and decorating the building. I haven’t been able to get in there much, and I want it to be a fun place for kids but also a nice place for adults.”

“You’ll figure out that balance. I’m working on it myself with Derek and I moving in together. Of course, with Dozer, I don’t have nice things anyway,” Chelsea said with a laugh. She wrapped a towel around my hair and pointed to her chair.

I sat up and moved across the salon to the chair next to Daisy, where a very pregnant Haley was at work on Daisy’s new cut.

“Tell Haley she’s glowing,” Daisy said when I sat down.

I looked at Haley in the mirror and smiled. “You are. You look very happy.”

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