ChapterSix
Hadley poured herself a glass of wine and carried it with her to the kitchen table, where she’d been for the last hour.The laptop screen brightened with a touch of her finger on the mousepad and lit with the job openings for the immediate area.She was set financially for a while, she knew that, but she also knew she couldn’t wait until the money was gone before coming up with a plan of action.
She took a sip and savored the tangy white wine as she glared at the screen.You’re not qualified for any of these.
No way could she pad a resume enough to earn more than minimum wage.And truthfully, none of the job postings appealed anyway.
But that meant coming up with a new idea and way to earn money.
The old house had several bedrooms, and she supposed, once all the repairs were made, she could rent out a few rooms to single professionals wanting to enjoy their downtime by paying a premium for oceanfront living.Did she really want to live with strangers, though?Share a kitchen and living area?
No, but that seemed the most likely opportunity to earn what she’d need to keep things afloat long-term.Maybe a few carefully selected individuals?The kind that were rarely home?
She heard a dog bark somewhere outside and the sound left her sighing again.As much as she disliked the thought of strangers in her home, she hated feeling so alone.Right now she could use a furry cuddle and a friend who loved unconditionally.
Now’s not the time to get a dog.
Even if she’d always wanted one.Or two.Dogs were pack animals, after all, and they needed buddies.
Focus.
She took another long sip of her wine and realized the glass was almost empty, so she poured a bit more as she pressed her fingertips to her temple and rubbed, bombarded by memories.Before she’d quit college, she’d considered changing her major and becoming a vet.When she’d mentioned her plans to Kyle, he’d proposed, promising a lifetime together, and then…life had simply taken over.
She’d worked to put Kyle through medical school, gotten pregnant, and they’d moved a few times as he’d done his residency and found employment.Just when she was about to consider part-time work, she’d gotten pregnant again.And after that she’d had her hands full raising her children and being a mom and wife to a doctor.
The desire to return to college this late in life wasn’t there, but she tucked back the idea of getting a pet.As for a job, she’d keep looking and hope to find something not only interesting but that paid reasonably well.
Like anything you’d find could cover the taxes alone on this house.
Which cemented the reality of renting some of the rooms as something she really ought to zero in on.
Maybe she could win the lottery?
Muttering to herself in disgust, she went back to perusing the job listings before getting so discouraged she shut the laptop with a gentle slam.
She glanced at the clock.It was past dinnertime.And even though she wasn’t all that hungry, cooking proved to be a good way to occupy herself and keep her from focusing on how quiet and empty the house was.
Previous visits had almost always involved Kyle and the kids, the house filled with laughter and bangs of the screen door as the kids enjoyed their time at the beach.Evenings were always the hardest for her to cope with since that was typically the time when the kids had returned from after-school activities, sometimes with friends in tow, and Kyle had come home from his practice.
Hadley set about looking through cabinets and the fridge and discovered Nan had the makings for chicken pasta Alfredo.She also found frozen baby peas and set them out to fix.
A knock sounded at the door, and she hurried through the house, spying Bryson James on the other side of the screen.“Hey.You’re back.”
“I said I would be.”
She pushed the door open, welcoming him inside.He carried a six-foot ladder as well as a bucket full of tools.
“Still okay if I take a look?”
“Absolutely.And thank you for checking it so quickly.Of all the repairs that need done, a leaky roof gets priority.”
“Anything that involves water gets priority,” he countered.
“Do you need help?”
He smiled at her question and she supposed it was silly.Men like Bryson were hands-on doers whereas she was a hire-it-done kind of woman.But maybe she could learn?Take on more of the work in order to save money?
The interior rooms could all use a fresh coat of paint, and even though she’d never done much DIY work, she’d watched plenty of remodeling shows on HGTV.How hard could it be?“Right.Well, I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”