Page 4 of Letters From Home

“Rawwwwwr,” Jack agreed. “Cookies are yummy.”

Jessica chuckled. They’d only been to the bookstore once, but Renee Robins had served cookies last time. Hopefully she’d have a treat this time, too.

Her thoughts grew serious as they drove the short distance between her house and Breeze Into Books. What were the odds that Nick Butler would work on her house? She hadn’t seen Nick since... well, since her world had turned upside down in high school.

Jessica glanced in the rearview mirror at Jack, smiling at her little boy. She’d tried to be a cool teenager and gotten pregnant in the process—but she didn’t know what she’d do without Jack. He was the light of her life. Having a child in high school hadn’t been easy, but they’d managed.

Now she was back in Sunset Cove, living in a fixer-upper she could just barely afford. Houses weren’t cheap in her quiet hometown. This might be the perfect place for her little family, though. Hopefully, it just needed a few repairs and some fresh paint. She was grateful Nick and Grant had taken on the job.

Jessica knew she was lucky to find a contractor willing to fix her windows quickly—and for a lot less money than expected. Grant Danielson had always been a nice guy.

But Nick Butler? He was trouble. Nick had spent most of high school playing matchmaker with their friends. She’d caught him looking her way a few times, too.

Jessica didn’t trust matchmakers. They focused too much on other people, and didn't spend enough time enjoying life. Jessica was determined to live in the present. Jack was growing too quickly already. He’d be in kindergarten in the blink of an eye.

Besides, Sunset Cove didn’t really seem like home. Not yet, anyway. The houses and streets hadn’t changed since high school—but Jessica had grown so much since Jack was born. She couldn’t expect her hometown to feel the same.

Jessica wasn’t ready for anyone to play matchmaker with her. She needed her feet firmly on the ground first.

She said a silent prayer of thanks as they nabbed the last parking spot in front of the bookstore. They were only two minutes late. Jessica rushed to the backseat and unhooked Jack from his car seat, then took his hand as they dashed into the building.

“Hello! It’s my favorite little Jack!” Renee grinned as Jack and Jessica headed toward the back of the store. “We’re about tostart the story. Are you ready to learn about a snowman who couldn’t sit still?”

Jessica sighed with relief as they settled into the store’s tiny chairs. Breeze Into Books had opened while Jessica was gone. They had space for the smallest kids and tables for the older ones. The owner worked hard to welcome people of all ages.

More importantly, Jessica wasn't pressured to buy anything. Still, she hoped to buy a few books when she had money to spare. Money would be tight for a while, but it was only right to pay Renee back for her kindness. Jack loved reading new books, too.

The children giggled as they listened to the tale of a snowman who wandered around town at night, determined to find new friends. It was the perfect story for a winter day.

Once the book was over, the children made snowmen from construction paper and cotton balls. Jessica grinned as Jack grabbed a dark green piece of paper and a handful of “snowballs.” Jack loved working with glue.

Renee checked that each parent or grandparent was making progress, then made her way to Jessica’s table. “How’s the new house coming along?”

“It’s coming.” Jessica huffed out a laugh, not bothering to ask how Renee knew about her home. News traveled fast in a small town. “I underestimated how much ‘fixing’ my fixer-upper would need.”

Renee’s brows pulled down in concern. “Will you be able to live there? I heard Grant started his own construction company. He should be able to help you.”

“He’s already working on it,” Jessica agreed. “All the windows need to be replaced. A lot of the plaster, too. It’s going to be a big job—and they haven’t even looked past the water problems yet. Who knows what else they’ll find?”

“I hope they’ll find dinosaur bones!” Jack announced. “Rawwwwwr.”

Renee wrapped an arm around Jessica’s thin shoulders. “Call if you need anything. A distraction, or a warm dinner while they’re working on the kitchen. Anything at all.”

Jessica’s vision shimmered with unshed tears as she nodded. Why had she waited so long to move back to Sunset Cove? Jessica didn’t enjoy asking for help, but it was good to know people watched out for her. “Thanks. I’ll do that.”

Jack became more and more grumpy as their craft wrapped up. Saying a silent prayer that the house would be quiet and empty for nap time, she packed Jack back into the car and headed home.

She closed her eyes with relief when she saw the empty driveway in front of her house. Maybe she could nap with her little boy. Just this one time. It had been a long day, and Jessica was exhausted.

But first, adulting needed to happen. She pulled a now-sleeping Jack from the back seat and carried him into the house, tucking him into his bed and tugging off his shoes.

Jessica walked through the quiet house, noting that Grant and Nick had put everything as they’d found it. She was grateful they hadn’t left heavy tools for Jack to mess around with. All she needed to do was grab the mail. There might be a bill or two waiting. She’d sort them out, and then she could close her eyes for a few minutes.

Bills were an unavoidable part of adulting, but she dreaded them. Jessica hoped she had enough money to pay her debts this month.

To her relief, the mailman hadn’t left bills in her box today. That didn’t mean her mailbox was empty, though. There was a single, unstamped card waiting for her.

Scrawled across the front, in black marker, were the names “Jessica and Jack.”

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