[ONE]
[Thursday]
Aubrey Barrett's (POV)
The trees fly by in a beautiful blur of colors, the light shining through the leaves as I travel down the highway.
Minimal traffic flows around me like a river as I keep a steady pace, in no particular hurry to reach my destination, even as excited as I am to start my new life. I sing along to the radio and smile with the feeling of new hope in my veins, confident this fresh start is what I need for a more peaceful, stress-free life.
My friend Amelia said I was crazy for selling my law firm to move to a small town, but I've always wanted that small town home experience. When I first graduated from Harvard with a law degree I felt so alive, like there was time for me to do everything at once. Deep down though, becoming a defense attorney was always just a way to support myself; I was very good at it and it paid very well, especially after I started my own firm. It didn't take long until I was one of the most sought after attorney's in the city.
As I grew older I realized that while I'd achieved so much in my short years of living, I'd never really focused on my true passions - painting and photography. The feeling I get when painting in particular is indescribable. The sensation of the brush strokes against the canvas, the random paint splatters that hit my skin from time to time, how fulfilled I feel when I'm able to create a beautiful piece, all of it makes me feel more alive than when I was in the courtroom making a case. But before I knew it, ten years had flown by so fast and now my passion was just a hobby that I rarely got to indulge in.
Eventually the stress of working constantly became too much, so it made my decision to retire come easily. I sold the majority ownership of the firm but I made sure to set myself up for life as well. Not only did I receive a massive one off payment, I had it written into the contract that I would receive a royalty payment each year for the rest of my life, which essentially means I can focus on my passions full time.
Since my parents passed and I had no other relatives keeping me in the city, I started the search for my new home. I decided I was going to get that small town experience I'd always wanted, a quiet place where I could focus on my art and be far away from the stress of the city.
I'd met Amelia when I hired her at my firm, from the first time she walked through the door we had an instant connection. Soon after our meeting she introduced me to her wife, Gabrielle, and they both quickly became very important to me. When I told them my plan to move to a small town for a quieter life they were sad but also understood and supported me completely.
Amelia was even a big help in the process of finding my new home. It took time and research from us both, but when we found the small town of Harrison, Pennsylvania I knew it was perfect. I was thrilled for the mountain views and cold weather during winter, which will signal the end of one year and give a fresh, clean start to the next.
Breaking me from my thoughts, the looming sign that reads "Welcome to Harrison" comes into view, letting me know I've arrived. My face immediately breaks out into a smile and I roll down the window to take in a breath of the crisp country air that flows through.
Turning down the radio as I drive down the main street, I slow down my speed to take in the small town I now call home. The residents of the town are all around me, decorating the streets with all the fall colors. Besides Winter, Fall is my favorite time of year. The colors are like fire, the reds, oranges and yellows light up the world, one small part at a time.
Deciding I've been distracted enough I leave the main street of town behind me, turning onto the road that will lead me to my new home. I bought some land during the Summer of last year and while I was selling the law firm I had a house constructed. The plans the architect helped me design blew me away, even better than I'd imagined and honestly, it's my dream home. The best part of the house design is a full art studio spanning the whole back of the lower level of the house.
The GPS voice breaks me from my inner monologue, spouting that I need to turn right soon. As I turn the corner I start to get nervous, nibbling my lip. I can't wait to see the house completed, Amelia said I should've come out before moving but I wanted the surprise. I had a crew come out to set up the inside so it will mostly be ready when I arrive, but I'll do all the painting and decorating myself when I'm ready.
Driving down the long driveway, which is lined either side with beautiful forest trees, I smile so big my cheeks hurt. As soon as I've parked in front of the garage I kill the engine to my SUV and jump out, excited to get my first look at my new home. I can't help clapping my hands and squealing out loud. It looks incredible!
Of course I promised Amelia I would call as soon as I got here, so I pull my phone out to do just that. While I wait I dance on my tippy toes, until I hear her pick up and immediately speak, not even greeting me properly!
"Did you arrive already?"
My nervous energy takes control and my first response is a squeal, before I compose myself enough to speak.
"Yes! Oh my gosh Lia it's so much better finished! I'm going to FaceTime you!"
She chuckles as I fight with my phone, finally getting it to click through. When her beautiful heart shaped face fills the screen I squeal again.
"You're going to be even more jealous now, buttercup, it's freaking breathtaking!"
She sticks her tongue out and laughs at me. "You know it! But you're still a dork, you know this right?"
"Of course! And you aren't?"
"Show me, silly," my friend urges me through her laughter.
"I haven't gone in yet," I admit as I turn the camera screen around. "I was too excited and you made me promise to call you straight away, so..."
"You're such a goofball. Now begin the tour, my Bird," she commands in a posh voice.
Giggling and rolling my eyes I grab my keys, walking towards the front door as I slowly show her the front of the house.
"My goddess girl, look at that view! The dark red brick was definitely a good choice and I love the old window shade look with the modern design."
"What, are you an architect yourself, friend of mine?"
Amelia laughs at my teasing, before answering. "No, but hearing you babble on for almost a year and a half about the house and your art and my brain has absorbed the terms."
"Well, I suppose that is possible. Well goodie then, I don't have to explain so much anymore." I answer cheekily.
Turning the camera away before she can respond, I suddenly realize I'm a bit nervous as I turn the key to unlock the door. But then again, is it nerves, or butterflies? I have no idea but either way my tummy is a little swirly as I try to distract myself by typing in the alarm code then flicking on the lights to reveal the front room. It's more beautiful than I remember!
"Lookie!" I squeal out, making Amelia laugh.
I walk around and we both take in my new home. In the living room, my eyes fall on one of my favorite features, the beautiful fireplace. I run my hand over it with a little smile on my face before turning in a circle and making my way to the kitchen.
Amelia gasps at the modern gourmet kitchen, filled with every appliance and special feature you could ever want or need.
"You so got to visit once I've decorated," I tell her, hearing her chuckle and agree.
The stainless steel and white marble are a beautiful start, but in my head I'm already thinking about all the finishing touches to make the area perfect.
"Oh my goddess girl, everything is so sparkly! It was a good idea to have all the appliances set up for you too."
"Yup!" I agree, bouncing on my feet. "And I even had the food stocked so I can ignore shopping for a while. I want to get unpacked and start decorating, the rest of my things and paintings should arrive tomorrow."
I lead her around the rest of the kitchen to show her everything as closely as the phone will allow, when I remember I haven't told her my news yet!
"You want to hear the best news ever?" I ask as I turn the camera screen so I can see her again. My bestie is already squinting her eyes at me in question but I keep silent, giggling at her expression.
"What's that?" she finally asks, while I'm smiling like an idiot, swaying on my heels a little.
"I've sold six of my paintings already, just by showing them at last December's Christmas party for the firm!"
Amelia squeals, making me jump and almost drop my phone, before we both erupt into giggles and smiles.
"Bird, that's great news! Which ones did you sell?"
Feeling a little shy now, I blush and rub my eyebrow before making my way around the kitchen, looking in all the cabinets to distract myself a little.
"Well, I sold the sunset skyline one of New York along with the other one of Central Park. Then I sold the sparrow and crow painting, you know the one of them like yin and yang? I also sold the twin fire and ice scene that portrayed the wolves and dragons along with two of my landscapes."
I look back at the phone to see her smiling proudly at me but before she can say anything I spot movement in the background.
"Is Gabby home already?" Frowning, I check the time and it's only one in the afternoon, usually too early for Gabby. I purse my lips, seeing my friend frowning as well as I try to spot the same movement behind her again.
Just as Amelia turns to look around I sigh in relief as I spot Gabby pounce on her, causing the phone to drop to the sounds of squealing and laughter. Now all I can see is darkness on the screen as I continue to listen to them giggle like school girls. Even though I know they can't see me right now I roll my eyes as I wait for them to greet each other, looking in the fridge and staring mindlessly at the food. I know them too well, they're going to take forever!
Gabby was still in her scrubs, which tells me she's had a pretty hectic day at work. One of the top pediatric surgeons at Johns Hopkins, Gabby is often asked to give her opinion on other Doctor's cases. She does this on top of helping her own patients, which makes for a busy schedule. I'm always in awe of Gabby, she's saved the lives of countless children and not much can compare to that.
The fridge has nothing to hold my attention for now so I close the door and walk out of the kitchen, heading to the right down a short hall. I pass the full bathroom on the left and the stairs for the second floor to the right, before reaching another door.
Oh my goddess, this is it! I can't wait to open this door and head downstairs to the paradise that awaits! But of course my friends are still distracted with each other and are showing no sign they'll be done any time soon.
"Could you two stop making out so I can continue the tour, loves? Because I'm at the entrance to my studio and really want to go inside."
I bounce from my left foot to my right foot as I wait, until finally I hear shuffling and giggling. When they come into view, I burst into giggles at their appearance.
"You two need to fix yourselves, you look like you just had wild sex." I take a minute to think about it before adding, "but I know you didn't because I would've heard the moans and screams, then I would be wishing my ears would run away."
They both laugh and try to put themselves together before Gabby waves. "Hi little Bird. So the drive went well I see."
"Yup! It was long but beautiful. Although four hours is nothing really, which means you two must plan a trip. But only once I've settled in, of course." I finish with a proper British accent and the whole, 'you want some tea?' face, and they both burst into giggles.
"Yes of course, darling" Gabby says, wiping her eyes. "Now, on with the tour. Though you have to back track later so I can see the beginning."
Smiling at the suggestion I nod really fast, but I'm still eager to enter the room. "Okay! Now let's do this, I'm freaking out here!"
She chuckles as I turn the screen again and push open my art studio door.
The first thing you see when the door swings open is the bright light coming from the wall to wall, floor to ceiling windows along the back of the studio. The house was actually constructed around the studio, so it would catch the light in the way I wanted. I hate setting up a lot of artificial light when I'm working.
Once the light settles, the wide terrace beyond the glass wall comes into view, which is lined with wooden and glass walls itself.
You're wondering, is that much open space good for privacy? Well not to worry, the windows are tinted, plus every window has roll down shutters that lock by the push of a button at night for security. I know my friends are worried about how safe I'll be out here alone, so I take the opportunity to give them a little demonstration.
"You wanna see the shutters open and close?" Gabby quickly nods, so I walk over and line up the camera and they watch me press the button. The shutters immediately start to move into the closed position, locking with a loud click once they're in place.
"I don't know about you two, but that was freaking satisfying!" I open the shutters again, allowing the light to slowly filter back in.
Turning to the right, I show them the view. Along the wall are four aisles, with wall-to-wall shelves, drawers, and slots for all my art supplies. Then there is a dark burgundy couch, with sofa chairs to match, which will be good for when I'm taking a break.
"Oh Goddess! Now picture that with all the colors of your art supplies, even before you start painting, girl!" Amelia screams out in excitement.
"I know right! Okay, let's go to the other side, that's where my photography studio is. By the way, there's a dark room and a secret I didn't tell you about when designing the house."
"Girl I will kick your ass for this, especially since you know we can't visit until these mergers are finished," Amelia groans, causing me to giggle and stick my tongue out at her, even though she can't see me.
I turn the camera to the other side of the massive space, and move towards the photography studio so Amelia and Gabby can see everything clearly.
"Okay, so there's a full black corner desk, along with shelves and cabinets. There's also room to the left for my light box, printers and projectors, but I still have to install them."
I point out another couch and sofa chair, black this time, along with a full projector that can pull down to hang right in front of the windows.
"And then finally, here is the entrance to the dark room," I say, but I stop before actually walking in and turn the screen to see them again.
"Girl that is sweet!" Gabby says with a big smile on her face." The full window view of the back yard and lake is freaking dreamy! How did you find this place?"
"Ask your wife silly! She helped, I just kept a few things from her." Amelia immediately rolls her eyes, while I giggle at her. "Okay, I'll tell you. I had a small storage studio built out back for all my extra supplies, but the fun part is a secret entrance to the full basement!"
"Ooh, you can be like a sneaky ninja, Bird!" Amelia tells me, and I nod excitedly.
"Yes, I know, all spy-like right! That's what I was going for, you know me and my secret agent movie obsession! I couldn't resist!"
"Okay, let's see the dark room," Gabby says after a couple of minutes of Amelia and I talking about spies. She knows very well that if she lets us get into that particular conversation, it could last a very long time.
Stepping through the door the room is about the size you would expect, but what you aren't immediately able to see is the hidden door that blends perfectly into the dark black walls. I move past that area for now, showing my friends the tables, hooks, screens and the full set up for developing photos.
"You ready?" I ask, once I've shown them all the standard darkroom equipment. They both nod so I turn the screen, sliding my hand down the wall by the back table until I feel the small circle indent. I push it firmly, then step back as I hear the click and the door slides forward.
No one but me, my architecture friend and now Amelia and Gabby know of the secret entrance. There's actually another, easier to access entrance to the basement through a utility lift in the garage. That's the entrance used by the movers to transfer the furniture to the basement, so even they don't know about my secret spy door.
Amelia and Gabby immediately gasp and yelp at the same time, which makes me smirk.
"Geez you two, one at a time!" I say through my laughter.
"That is badass chicha! Now show us!"
I giggle as I turn the light switch on and walk through the door. The spiral stairs immediately appear and to be honest, they're pretty impressive when you first see them.
"That is insane!" Gabby yells. I smile proudly as I slowly make my way down the stairs, which of course light up as I walk down. Who wouldn't want that feature?
As I get to the bottom I flick the main switch, lighting up the room. The walls are a pale gray color, set against the hardwood floors which are actually a feature of the whole house. I point my phone towards the dark mahogany furniture, then the kitchenette and bar area.
Next I move towards several doors and open the first.
"Panic room, just in case. You know my paranoia," I say simply, only hearing sounds of understanding in response. I close the first door, then move to the second. This leads to the other half of the basement, which for now is an empty space of steel and cement, but will eventually be used for storage.
"The far-right corner is the lift entrance for the garage," I explain, finishing up this part of the tour and once again turning my screen so I can see them. "So, what do you think from what you've seen so far?"
They both look at each other before looking back at me. "We're moving in!"
"Nuh uh, you can be my neighbors though," I tell them with a teasing tone. They pout and we burst out laughing, chatting as I make my way back out of the basement, up the stairs to the dark room and closing the hidden entrance.
"There are four full bedroom suites, all with attached baths. Two of the suites face the backyard and have balconies with stairs that lead down to the back terrace and studio entrance," I explain as I move through the ground floor to the upper level of the home.
"Of course you had to go big for your dream house," Amelia chuckles.
"Duh! Just because I'm single doesn't mean I don't want a family, or at least a lover or two. And I also need the extra rooms for when you and Gabby visit," I tell her, while rolling my eyes but smiling widely.
My friends laugh but agree, while I start the upstairs tour. There's no need to turn lights on up here, it's so open which allows the outside sunshine to pour through.
"Let's look at my room shall we? I chose the one on the right because of my weird sleeping habits, as you two know."
I walk into the room and hear a gasp come from my phone, while I squeal myself at the sight of my room, completely set up and ready for me. I arranged for both the kitchen and my bedroom to be fully set up by the movers, making it easier for me to eat and sleep while I arrange the rest of the house.
Wasting no more time, I run and jump on my king-size bed, tracing my hand over the very comfortable purple mattress. It's heaven to sleep on and the saddest part of moving was when I had to send it on early with the movers. Once it was gone I slept on my old couch while I finished up packing my old house in Baltimore, which made me very sad indeed!
I stretch and let out a long and loud sigh at the comfort I'm currently feeling. Loud laughter from my phone knocks me out of my head. Oops! I forgot I was still on the phone!
"Sorry!" I giggle, turning the screen to see my friends again. "I had to! I missed my love, and my back definitely missed our love too!"
They both laugh, shaking their heads. "I bet," Amelia says. "Sleeping on your old couch for a week must've sucked."
"Please don't mention that evil thing! My back will appreciate that it's gone from our sight. And our bum."
They both burst into more fits of laughter as I move my phone around. "It's so refreshing from my old room design, don't you think? And lookie, my room is brighter as well."
"It's definitely brighter, you and your darkness! It's great to see the lighter side of your personality coming through though, we love it!" Gabby voices through the phone.
"I love the light gray color, along with the yellows and whites they really make the room come together well. We love the bed set too, Bird, it's a beautiful shade of yellow," Amelia adds.
I can tell I'm blushing at their praise, so I move to change the subject before it can get any worse. "Well, you both know I'm lazy, so instead of getting up from my comfy spot I'm just going to roll over so you can get a view of the back patio."
They roll their eyes but I ignore them and roll over onto my back, pointing my screen at the outside while my head hangs off the bed, so essentially I'm looking at the view upside down.
Most of the larger properties in the town are farms but this one was still covered by woodland, so I snatched it up quickly for one hell of a bargain. After clearing out an area for my house, I was able to use the processed wood for the construction. There was so much left over that even after keeping some for various future uses, I was able to sell the rest to the local lumber company.
The lake dominates the view and despite clearing the land for my home, acres of woods still surround the property.
I can hear my friends murmuring so I jump up, going to the door and opening it to give them a better look. Sneaking a peek at my phone screen to see their reactions I can see them smiling, all cuddled up on the couch.
"Goddess Bird, that is one hell of a view," Amelia breathes out.
"Yeah, it really is. I'm having a dock built as well, so we can go swimming. I just wanted to wait until January, the winter's up here get pretty icy."
"You did prepare the house for inclement weather, right?" Gabby asks, with a hint of worry in her voice.
"Well duh, silly!" I answer, sticking my tongue out at her. "But I also heard one of the neighbors does the rounds to make sure all the locals are set before any storm hits. The town doctor. I haven't really looked her up, but her name is Dr. Sarah Pearce."
"And the wood for the winter?" Amelia asks.
"Yes, silly," I say with a giggle. "When I had the forest cleared for the house, I had a shit ton of lumber. I thought ahead and had them chop up and fill the woodshed out the back."
They both nod and look relieved; I know they've been worried about me, but I think showing them how prepared I am is helping them understand I'm going to be okay. We take in the view again, well that is until I hear them kissing and look at my screen.
"Ewww! No kissy face right now, we're talking!" I say, scrunching up my face.
They chuckle, before pecking each other's lips again as Gabby stands from the couch. "Okay Bird. I'm going to clean up and make our lunch anyway. I love you and will see you on our next facetime, yeah?"
"Of course, I love you too. But you should know, one of the main things I'll miss is your cooking even if I'm only four hours away."
They both laugh and Gabby blows me a kiss before leaving the room. Once she's out of sight, I wink at Amelia. "You're one lucky woman, you know that right?"
She smiles like a love sick puppy before responding. "Well hell yes I am! The question is what's taking you so long?"
"You know why! Starting a career straight out of college, then building the firm four years later took up all my focus. But I'm retired and starting over now, and I'm only in my thirties. I still have time, so no pushing, you."
"I know Bird, I just worry about you," she tells me, with one of her comforting smiles. "Alright, lock that door, you can show me the rest when I come visit."
Nodding, I close the door and head back down stairs. After the long tour Amelia needs to eat her lunch, and I still have unpacking to do, so we end our phone call with promises to be in touch soon.
"Now for some work, then my own lunch."
I giggle and clap my hands while bouncing on my feet figuring out what I'll tackle first, before deciding to start with my SUV. I open the car door and groan, so many boxes! At least it's just my clothes and basic personal stuff, all my art supplies will arrive with everything else tomorrow. That will definitely be a pain, but it will also be satisfying to properly set up my studio.
I can't wait to start on some new canvases. With all the free time I'll have to paint now, I hope to open a small studio in town once I've lived here for a while and have some pieces completed. For now though, I start unloading the SUV and work until I'm finally able to set the last box down in my room. But after doing all of that work, I definitely feel all sweaty and icky!
"Well, that means the only solution is for you to have a shower, Bird."
With a skip in my step I head into my bathroom. It's still early, so maybe once I get cleaned up I can go back into town for a small tour and some lunch. After stripping down and throwing my dirty clothes in the hamper, I turn the shower on to steaming hot and wait for the water to heat up, thinking about where I'm going to eat.
'I think I saw a diner on the way through town,' I nod to myself, making my decision. It will probably also be a good place to meet some locals.
This really will be a fresh start for me. I may have been a top defense attorney, but I'm definitely not much of a people person. Cliched, right? I'm determined to change that and meet some new people though.
As soon as I feel the water has heated enough I step into the jacuzzi, shutting the door behind me. It automatically seals and locks, and I squeal because it's so cool!
I sigh, letting my muscles relax as the hot water runs down my body. Suddenly, I groan and smack myself on the forehead. You're probably wondering why would someone would hit themselves, well my dumb ass forgot one, a towel and two, my shampoo, conditioner, and body soap, in the box downstairs.
But then I remember! I had the bathroom stocked for me, so it would be ready while I'm unpacking. Proud of myself now for thinking ahead, I soothe my forehead where I hit myself earlier.
I step out from under the hot water, squealing as the cold hits me and causes goosebumps to form on my body. I remember to rub my feet on the shower mat before going to the sink and opening the cabinet, grabbing what I need, then rushing back to the heat of the water.
"Now to get squeaky clean, silly!" I tell myself with a giggle.
After my extremely enjoyable shower I step out, the smell of the lavender and cucumber scented soaps I used filling the steamy air. I quickly dry my body and my hair, before moving to my room to get dressed.
Before I pull on my yellow lace undies, I take a quick look in the mirror over my shoulder and smirk, catching my bubble butt. One of my best assets, if you catch my drift!
I quickly finish dressing, adding a matching yellow lace bra with tiny flowers on it, dark blue jeans and a white vest tank top, again with matching yellow daisies.
I look around to find my dark brown ankle boots and finally see one toe pointing out from underneath my bed. How my shoes found their way under my bed after just one afternoon I don't know, but I shrug my shoulders and pull on some yellow socks, my shoes following.
"Oh girl, you look sexy tonight, even when you didn't really plan it!" I say to my reflection in the mirror, before I giggle and roll my eyes at myself, then sit down to pull my hair into a messy bun.
Finally ready I check the time, it's just now around 3:15, then grab my wallet and keys before making my way downstairs. I set my security system before locking my door and getting into my SUV.
"Let's go get a late lunch-slash- dinner and explore some, yes!" I say to my baby. Once I put my seatbelt on, I stop and look at myself in the rearview mirror.
"You really need to stop talking to yourself, Bird. People will think you're crazy."
I start the car smiling and think to myself, 'onward for a tour of the local coziness'.
Well at least I didn't talk to myself out loud this time!
(Time Skip)
As I drive down the main street of town I check out the windows of the local shops, seeing several that I want to explore, including a few small art stores. It's kind of a bad habit of mine, even before I run out of supplies I'll go to a store to browse and end up picking up more supplies that I don't need. But on the other hand, I'll often find new things that are interesting, or things I need to try, so it's usually worth it.
Spotting the café I saw earlier I pull into the parking lot and look around smiling, it looks like something out of the seventies. Hell, it could've even been built back then. Maybe they'll have one of those, 'Built in 1900' signs inside!
Despite all of my excitement, as soon as I step out of my car I suddenly feel the nervous jitters, which sadly is pretty normal for me. I rock on my heels for a moment, fixing my hair that had fallen in my eyes.
"You can do this. Breathe, Bird. Heck, you're just getting lunchdin!"
The combo word of lunch and dinner I've just made makes me giggle, which seems to push my nerves to the side and I make my way into the "Dash & Dine" diner. The bell above the door dings as I walk through, and I smile before looking around and seeing the place is pretty packed for a Thursday.
"Sit anywhere you like," I hear a woman say, though I can't actually see who it came from. I look around and spot an open single table in the right corner, with a good view of the street and surrounding stores.
Settling down I look around the café, noticing a few people staring. I make sure to give them a smile, before continuing to take everything in. Soon enough a waitress heads my way. I smile at the cute light green dress she's wearing, it even has one of those little white aprons over the front, the same one that seems to be the standard uniform for most small town diners.
"Welcome to Dasha's diner, dear. I'm Kristal, I'll be your server this evening."
"Nice to meet you Kristal, I'm Aubrey," I manage to get out while I feel my cheeks warming up. I can tell she notices, because she chuckles quietly at me.
"Can I start you off with a drink?" she asks, while laying a menu down on my table.
When I ask for a simple water, Kristal nods. "That'll be right out dear. I'll give you some time to look over the menu, okay?"
I smile and give her a small nod in response, opening the menu as she walks away. The options are just what you'd expect for a small town diner, the usual hamburgers and fries and other staples, but I also spot some different pastas that I know I'll be trying in the future.
After thinking it over, I decide today's going to be a cheat day. I did a lot of work traveling and unpacking, so I feel like I've earned it!
My eyes immediately look at the hamburgers and the one that makes my mouth water is the mushroom swiss burger with sautéed onions and a side of fries. My stomach growls loudly and I giggle under my breath. I know I should have eaten earlier when I first arrived, but I was too excited!
Now that I've decided I close the menu and take a quick look around at the other diners. There are some new people here now, some others have left, but the newcomers are quite obviously staring at me. All of the attention is intimidating, so I watch them out of the corner of my eye until I see Kristal coming back to me.
"You ready to order, hun?" she asks me, as she sits my water on the table.
"Yup!" I tell her with excitement, kicking my feet because my short self can't touch the floor. "I'll take the mushroom swiss with fries. Oh...and could I get some ranch for my fries, please?"
She arches her brow and I worry for a second, but then she gives me a big smile. "Of course hun, I'll get that order in and have it out once it's ready."
"Thank you," I answer politely while smiling back.
Kristal takes the menu and walks away to put the order in. While I wait I go through my phone and look over a few things. Feeling eyes on me again, I peek up and spot the same few people looking my way. Shaking my head slightly with a smile, I wonder if the attention is because they don't get many newcomers, or am I a surprise because of my height?
Well, there's not much I can do about that now, so I shrug and go back to my phone, sending a quick text to Amelia.
'Settled in for the day. At a local café, cheating on my health food. Love you two, talk to you soon.'
Now that task is done, my mind wanders to the different shops I want to visit after my meal. I check the time and confirm it's still early, but I'm not in the big city anymore so the shops may close around six. This realization makes me frown at the clock, because it's already 4:20.
But before I can think about it any further, I spot Kristal coming my way with my food, still with that big smile on her face. She sets my food down in front of me and I instantly breathe in the scent that's carried up in the steam rising from my plate. Goddess, it smells heavenly!
"Thank you, it smells amazing, I can't wait to taste it," I say to Kristal.
She chuckles and nods. "Enjoy hun. I hope the taste is to your liking. If I can get you anything else, just catch my attention." With that she fills my glass with more water before leaving.
"This is going to be good," I whisper, taking one more second to look at the food before I start to devour it.
The taste definitely doesn't disappoint, it's so good I've let out a groan before I remember I'm in public! I've not had a burger this tasty in almost three years though.
You're maybe wondering why I would deprive myself, well the answer is because my eating habits used to be awful. I've never had problems with my weight, so as a result I was never in the habit of worrying about what I would eat. Whenever I was busy, especially when I was on a big case, I didn't eat and then when I did it was whatever was quick, which usually also meant unhealthy. Amelia told me how worried she was about me and I promised to fix it, so I've been reforming my entire life.
I think maybe that conversation may have even helped me to make the decision to retire, because it wasn't just my eating habits that were affecting my health. Now I'm finally living a peaceful life, doing something I love with the money I earned working so hard.
Speaking of my best friend, my phone dings with what I know will be her response to my text, which instantly makes me smile.
'Oh my Goddess, I want a picture! Glad you're treating yourself. We love you more and will talk later Bird. Be safe and enjoy your first night in your new home.'
Giggling, I take a picture of my half-eaten food and one of me smiling and send them to her, adding the caption, 'Nah love you two more and will do. Night!'
I relax back and check the time; it's 5:00 now, so I still should hopefully have time to look in a few of the old antique stores. I look to the front counter and when Kristal meets my gaze, I smile and give her a little nod so she knows I'm done.
"You all finished dear?" she asks when she reaches my table.
"Yep! It was delicious, thank you Kristal."
"Hate to pry dear, but it is sort of my thing so I'm going to ask. Are you new to Harrison, or just passing through." She's smiling as she asks her question, while also handing me a receipt.
I can't help my smile, because I know despite her polite question the whole town probably already knows I just moved here. They've probably known since I first bought the land!
"Yep, new to Harrison. I just moved here today, my place was finally completed a few days ago," I answer as I hand her the receipt back, along with a twenty dollar note.
"Well that's good to hear hun. May I be the first to welcome you to our small town. Let me get your change back, dear."
She takes a step but before she can take another, I smile and shake my head. "Thank you and keep the change, that was the best burger I've had in years. Please let whoever made it know as well."
She chuckles and leans against the booth next to my table. "That would be Dasha herself. She'll definitely appreciate the compliment. But hey, if you want to learn about Harrison or need help with anything, you just let me know dear, I'm happy to help."
"I'll do that Kristal! It was lovely to meet you and have a good night." She smiles and we say our goodbyes as I stand up, making my way out of the café. I spot those who had been staring the last thirty minutes and smile as I leave.
Wanting to explore a few shops I make my way on foot down the street, smiling and getting excited to make some finds for the house.
[Hey reader's hope you like this first chapter of my new book please leave feedback and thoughts thank you :).]