Page 18 of Finding Home
Kodi…
Kodi
Get the hell out of the house and explore your new town a bit.
I didn’t listen to Kodi.
I’ve spent the last week locked up at the house and loving every second. In my defense, I’m acclimating to the changing weather here. I spent one whole day unpacking and putting things where I want them. To my surprise, the kitchen was stocked with basics for me, which was enough to get me by for a few days. It’s been raining on and off the last couple of days since then, which made me want to do nothing but lounge on the couch with a romantic suspense book and Reginald. He most certainly hasn’t complained.
Aside from the rain, I didn’t want to leave because I still don’t have clothes that seem proper enough to wear around town.
Today, I’m exploring.
The sun is shining enough to take the chill out of the air.
Itfeelslike a good day.
I settle on black dress pants, bootie heels, and the least fancy floral blouse and cover it with the lightweight cashmere sweater I find in my closet before making my way to the bathroom to refresh my hair. Pulling half of it back in a ponytail to keep it out of my face and letting the rest hang naturally because it’s too short to pull the whole thing up. My natural waves are loving that the air here doesn’t have a touch of humidity.
“Want to come with me, Reginald?” I ask in my puppy tone.
He barks in response.
“You have to be a good boy, though. I don’t know what places are pet-friendly. But I need some clothes and maybe a job.”
With a wag of his tail, he barks again. I smile before squatting down to pat his head.
Finding a job is probably the most important part of today’s mission. I don’t even know what’s going to be available in a town that seems like everything will be full of locals. But I firmly believe in the motto “If you don’t ask, the answer is no.”
Pulling out of my driveway for the first time since the day Imoved in, nerves skate across my skin because I’m not sure I even remember how to get out of here.
Ireallyshould have asked Nan for a town map.
“We got this,” I say to Reginald. But it’s more for me.
Once I round the bend on my road, a beautiful mountain landscape comes into view, forcing me to slow down. I didn’t notice it on my drive in, but…wow. I remember dreaming of living in a place like this as a little girl, and now that it’s a reality, I’ll never take it for granted.
I don’t know how I lived in the city for so long.
Knowingthisis what’s out there in the world.
My car jerks from a bump on the road. “Shit,” I mutter. It’s going to take some getting used to driving around here. These dirt roads that now have mud pockets all over them will destroy my car.
I should look into an SUV or truck.
I laugh. Me driving a truck. That’s a hysterical thought.
The heart of town comes into view, and I sigh in relief that I found it on my own. I take note of a few places I didn’t see the first day I arrived and send a silent thank you to the universe that there is an actual road in this part of town. It’s not pretty and calling it a road is even a stretch. But at least it’s not pure dirt.
Taking it all in, it reminds me of an old-town country movie. Park benches line the sidewalk with lamp posts every few feet. There are minimal parking spots lining the street, but it’s just enough for a town like this. This town is more than any fantasy I’ve had growing up living outside the city. It’s so tiny and quiet. I like the fact that no one here knows my story. I want to keep it that way for a while.
I turn onto the street called Main Street and immediately spot a general store called…General Store on one side of the road.
“Wow. So clever,” I say out loud with zero surprise in my voice.
Reginald barks next to me.
I turn my gaze to the other side of the road and spot a bar, a coffee shop, and a bakery.
