Page 22 of The Pink House

“I can see that.” Mackenna took a thoughtful sip. “Kind of the old ‘bloom where you’re planted.’ From everything you told me, you both bloomed there.”

Hannah nodded. Brian definitely had. She, well, she’d made some good friends, but had begun to want more. More time with Brian. More time with friends. More time to pursue interests other than work.

“I’m considering looking for a job at a bakery this fall,” Hannah blurted.

The declaration appeared to take Mackenna as much by surprise as it did her.

Mackenna’s eyes widened. “I thought you were planning to apply for the job at the college.”

“I’m considering trying something different.”

“I say, if you want to bake, then bake at home whenyoufeel like doing it.”

“Tell me how you really feel,” Hannah said, only half joking.

Pragmatic to the core, Mackenna narrowed her gaze. “Bakeries are small businesses. You’re not going to get the benefits or the pay anywhere near what you’d get at Collister. Plus, we’d be working together. It’d be fun.”

“You’ve given me a lot to think about,” Hannah told her.

“If you end up going the bakery route, there’s one thing you must remember.” Mackenna’s eyes sparkled with good humor. “Any bakery fails are mine.”

In that moment, Hannah knew that whatever she decided, Mackenna would support her all the way.

“Enough about baking.” Mackenna waved a dismissive hand. “All this talk about pastries is making me hungry. Tell me what other plans you have for this summer.”

Explore the woods.

It was the first thing that came to her mind. Hannah didn’t voice the thought, but went with one she knew Mackenna would understand. “I’m going to work at making my father’s house my own.”

* * *

Once she and Mackenna parted, Hannah returned home and made a list of everything she wanted to change about the house where she now lived. Thankfully, the exterior of the home had been painted a couple of years ago, and the roof had been replaced last year after a hailstorm.

The interior was another animal entirely. Her father was a frugal man who disliked change. Which meant the heavy brocade drapes with the sheers underneath, which might have been stylish a quarter of a century ago, still hung from an ornate gold rod in the living room.

The furniture wasn’t quite that old, but nearly. The floral pattern on the sofa that extended to the matching wingback chair had been in the living room as far back as Hannah could remember.

The wood floors, while clean and in good repair, needed refinishing. The smart thing would be to empty the living room and the adjacent dining room of the furniture and draperies, then bring in new everything once the floors were done.

Hannah’s fingers poised above the list she was making on her phone. Having the furniture and draperies gone would be the perfect time to paint.

Every room in the house was eggshell white, another one of her father’s peculiarities.

Excitement stirred as Hannah considered the possibilities. Getting a painter and floor refinisher scheduled would be a good first step. The problem was, she’d been away from GraceTown so long she didn’t know who best to call.

She could ask her father, but then she’d have to listen to him tell her that nothing needed to change. It would stress him out to think of her making changes, and he undoubtedly had enough stress adjusting to a new house in a new town.

Mackenna lived in a condo she’d bought new, so she was unlikely to be of help. Lisa, on the other hand, had not only lived in GraceTown her entire life, but had moved several times.

Hannah lifted her phone to make the call, then realized she didn’t have her neighbor’s number.

Well, that could be easily remedied. Pushing to her feet, Hannah headed out the door.

* * *

From where he stood watering the plants, Charlie saw Hannah leave her house and head in his direction.

Looking like a ray of sunshine in her blue-and-yellow-striped shirt and cropped pants, with her blond hair pulled back in a tail, she lifted her lips in a bright smile when she spotted him.

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