Page 20 of When It Reins
Pleasant. I take the rough and broken steps back down the long path and stand on the sidewalk, my gaze roaming from house to house. So their company was buying the houses and…leaving them alone?
It is a selfless thing to do if that is true, just taking care of people who probably have a hard time taking care of themselves.
But something in my gut said that isn’t what is going on here, as much as I would like to believe it.
Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention, and I turn to see someone sweeping their porch. It is one of the nicer homes on the street, with a well-manicured lawn, some potted flowers on either side of her driveway, and a newly painted house.
I feel my feet take me in that direction before I can fully decide to and notice the woman’s head turn away from me before our eyes connect.
Something tells me she knows what was going on, what is happening to this community, and I know I’m not getting any more answers out of Belly-Scratch.
She seems to hurry her movements the closer I get, and I increase my steps, wanting to speak to her before she can slam a door in my face.
Her hand grasps the handle as I get closer, and I call out a friendly, “Hello!”
Her movements pause, and if I’m not mistaken, her shoulders dip in defeat. Turning to me, her shrewd, powerful blue eyes latch on mine. “What do you want?”
“I’m not here to sell you anything.” I swallow, holding out my hand and giving her a kind smile. “I’m Juniper. I live in Acton.”
Her eyes take me in and recognition sparks. “You’re that singer.”
I feel a blush working its way over my cheeks but nod, taking the comment. “Yes. I sing at mine and my sisters’ bar sometimes.”
The woman’s tense posture seems to ease, and I decide to forge on. Maybe I could get along with her because she knows I am local. “What are you doing here?”
“Well…” I lick my lips and look over her house. “I heard some rumors about houses getting sold here.”
“And?”
Boy, she wasn’t going to give me anything without me having to straight up ask it.
“Well…” I decide honesty is the only way to get her to trust me, so I just go for it. “The rumors kind of involve the man I was seeing—well, am seeing.” I swallow, feeling the bitter taste of the truth slide down my throat. I know the feeling in my gut isn’t wrong, but I really would like it to be.
“I’m trying to see if there’s truth to what I’m hearing. That he may not be who I think he is…” I trail off, hating the look of pity that fills the woman’s eyes.
She lets out a sigh and her entire demeanor shifts. Maybe recognizing that she can trust me and what I’m saying is true. “Come on in, Juniper. I’m Rosemary.”
Rosemary’s home is clean and neat. Very tidy with limited knickknacks and things on the walls. Normally, when I picture older ladies’ homes, I think of things like figurines and wallpaper, but not this home.
Her walls are bare of any family photos, which I found odd, but I didn’t want to pry into her personal business.
She went about making us tea. Even though tea is my least favorite drink, I would drink every drop if she was doing me a kindness by humoring my questions. I listen to her humming in the kitchen and smile, taking a look out her back door and seeing a small but up kept lawn.
“You really take nice care of your home,” I say, settling into the seat she gestures toward and accepting the tea.
“If I don’t take pride in where I live, then why live at all,” is her reply. Not a question, but a statement.
“That’s fair,” I reply, going for light and easy. Rosemary doesn’t strike me as the light and easy type. She looks like someone who doesn’t want to be crossed and would take you out with her needlepoint if you did cross her.
Not that I know if she does needlepoint or not, but still, I wasn’t about to try to trick this woman.
“So, this guy you were seeing…” She raises a brow. “Orareseeing. He not giving you any answers?”
“If I’m honest.” I bite my lip, the tip of my finger running over the rim of my teacup. “I haven’t gained the courage to ask.”
She eyes me, and I’m once again struck by her blue eyes. They complement her blonde hair that is turning gray perfectly, and I have a thought that she must have been a stunner when she was young. Heck, she is one right now.
A hum escapes her throat, and she gives a little nod of her head. “I see. Scared to lose your boyfriend?”
