Page 29 of Starting Over

A smile spread over King’s face.

“Ok, well, here are your keys,” Kristy said. “I need to get back to the office. I’m not sure why you are questioning this move, Maureen, but Diamond Creek is a great little town.”

“Thank you, Kristy.”

I didn’t follow her to the door.

Standing in the kitchen, looking around, I whispered, “I want this.”

“You can have it,” King assured me.

For a moment, I had forgotten he was still here with me. He stood quietly in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked relaxed. I found that hard to understand, given everything I had told him this morning.

“Can I? I’m not sure. When Sal finds out I’m here with Justin.” I sighed. “Micah. He’ll want to come here. He’ll try to convince me to come back.”

“Are you afraid of him?”

I took a deep breath.

That was a good question.

What was I really worried about?

“I don’t know. Sal is…” I paused, trying to find the right word, “...complicated. No one really knows why he does what he does. He’s unpredictable.”

“We can protect you.”

Shaking my head, I walked toward the front of the house.

“I can protect myself.”

I walked upstairs, wanting to see the bedrooms. The stairs were solid. That was a plus. I didn’t wait for King to follow. It made no difference to me if he did, or if he waited downstairs.

Walking down the hall, I noted several doors on either side. Opening the first one, I stepped into a bedroom. The slanted ceilings reminded me of houses back home. Someone had brought a little bit of the northeast into the Midwest.

That was what drew me to the house in the first place. I walked to the dormer windows and saw the little window seat. Colleen would have loved a room like this growing up.

I could envision her as a little girl, sitting there reading, staring out the window, dreaming. Maybe it was me I was seeing. My whole life I had dreamed. Now those dreams felt like they had a chance of becoming a reality.

Turning back to the hall, I opened the door across the hall. It was a walk-in linen closet. It sat over the room downstairs that I would make into my office. I could see a young family living here. It would have made a wonderful home.

Walking further down the hall, there were two doors similar to the ones I had just opened. One was another bedroom. Turning back, I looked at the rooms. The linen closet would be perfect for storing holiday decorations, as well as extra linens, blankets, and pillows for each guest room.

That is what they would be. My room would be downstairs, and these would be for guests. A place for Colleen when she came to visit.

Opening the last door across from the second bedroom, there was a large, full bathroom. It was the only room in the house that wasn’t a disaster. There was a large soaking tub, as well as a shower. At least I knew once I got my bedroom done, I could move in. This just needed a good scrubbing.

If I moved in.

I still wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. I wanted it though. I had planned for it.

Dammit, when will I stop letting others dictate the decisions I make?

I closed the door behind me and walked to the stairs. My descent was slow as I mulled over my choices. King was waiting downstairs, leaning against the wall, his head bent over his phone. He had left me to myself. Maybe he understood I needed to be alone.

He looked up as I stepped off the last step.

“Well?” he asked.

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