Page 4 of Take Me Slowly: Part 1
I stepped past a small, cosy living room, to a sliding glass door which led out to an equally small patio. A couple of Adirondack chairs surrounded a fire pit which looked well used. Was that a hot tub beside the patio? It was.
I'd definitely find my way in there at some point.
I took the short walk back to the hotel I spent the night at before, checked out and got my car. The drive back to thecottage was no more than two minutes. Moving the rest of my belongings into the cottage took only a little longer than that.
I tossed my drawing pad and pencils onto the dining table before setting up my easel near the back door, where the light was best. I placed my paints down beside it. I hadn't painted in years, but having everything set up was a nice start.
I dragged my suitcase into one of the bedrooms to unpack my clothes into the wardrobe. Fortunately I hadn't brought much with me, because it was a tight fit once everything was hung on hangers. A couple of things, including my snowboots and jacket were relegated to the wardrobe in the spare room.
I pushed my suitcase under the bed and was about to step out onto the patio when someone tapped at the front door. After startling half out of my skin, I hurried over to open it.
I half expected to see Connor or Riley glaring at me, maybe insisting I pack up and leave.
Instead, I was greeted by an older woman, her grey hair tied back in a braid that fell to her waist. In one hand, she held a pie, in the other a bottle of wine.
"I heard through the grapevine that someone would be living here." She pressed the wine to me before stepping inside. "Figured I'd offer a welcome."
"That's…very nice of you," I said. I heard the grapevine worked fast in towns like this, but I hadn't expected it to be quite this quick.
She placed the pie on the kitchen counter. "It's how we are around here. We take care of each other and welcome strangers." She nodded as though she was hoping to pick up some juicy gossip to share with that grapevine.
"Most people have been very welcoming," I said. Connor and his friend were spending too much time rent free in my head already.
"I'm Louisa Hill," she said. "Mayor of Aurora Hollow. I make it my business to see everyone has what they need."
"Leah Kent," I told her. "I appreciate that. I think I'm going to like it here."
"Course you will." She stepped over to my easel. "You an artist?"
"I dabble," I replied. "Portraits and landscapes mostly these days." I tried to ignore the tug in my heart, the frustration of broken dreams. Ambitions I'd never be able to fulfil.
I forced them aside. Regret wouldn't change a thing.
"Is that right?" She picked up my sketchpad from the table and flicked back a couple of pages. "Huh, you're pretty good." She seemed surprised.
"I'm okay," I said.
Like any creative person, I saw the flaws in my work in ways others didn't. A line here that was too straight. Shading there that needed an extra touch. Fingers that were slightly too long. "There's always room for improvement."
"Well, if you ever need a model, I'm good at sitting still." She closed the book and placed it back on the table, almost with reverence.
"I'd be honoured to draw you," I said honestly. "I could use the practice." And she had a fascinating facial structure.
"Then we can make time," she said. "Like I said, I'm always down to help the people in town. Unlike some, I think the place could use some new blood. Otherwise a town stagnates, you know?"
"Any community does," I agreed. Even big cities stagnated without new people.
Carefully, I added, "Connor Ferguson and his friend Riley don't seem to think the way you do." I didn't know why I was bringing them up. They'd probably laugh their heads off if theyknew. Thinking they got under my skin somehow. Ha, not a chance.
Louisa snorted. "Those two wouldn't know what's good for the town if it bit them on the ass. They've always had some funny ideas. Their fathers too. Jacob Ferguson and Henry Crane, the boys' fathers, were descended from the people who founded this town. Seemed to think that means they owned the place. If I'm honest, it's past time they got over themselves. They didn't give you any trouble, did they?" She narrowed her eyes, as if she was ready to storm out and give them a piece of her mind if I said they had.
"Nothing I couldn't handle," I said. "I'm used to dealing with men like them." Arrogant and full of themselves and their own importance. They were nothing new. Admittedly, I wasn't used to them coming in such attractive packaging, but that was all it was. Pretty on the outside, asshole on the inside. Original? Not at all.
"Good for you," she said approvingly. "Don't let either of them step on or over you. They do it once, they'll keep doing it."
That was exactly the impression I got from them, and I wasn't backing down. If they wanted me to leave town, then I'd stay. What could they do to me anyway?
"Think you'll be sticking around for a while?" Louisa asked. This seemed to be exactly the gossip she'd come here for. I was happy to give it in return for a pie. I could smell the apple and spices, the scent drifting up and tickling my nose. It would taste perfect with a big dollop of cream, or some ice cream.
