Page 16 of The Hermit on the Hill

Under the windshield wiper, a piece of notebook paper fluttered in the summer breeze.

I plucked the note from under the wiper and read it.

Jenna,

Sam Oakley dropped your car off at the Inn. Mom refused to give him your address or phone number, but she asked me to bring the car to you. I knocked, but you didn't answer. If you need anything, call.

-Cody

After Cody's signature was a phone number and Sam's name, along with a P.S. advising me not to call the guy because he wasn't nearly good enough for me. If only Cody knew the whole story.

I didn't have time to think about any of that at the moment. I had to move, or I'd be late for lunch.

***

The restaurant was fancier than I'd expected for a small town like Catalpa Creek. Large picture windows offered a stunning view of the river and, even at lunchtime, soothing music played. I felt even more underdressed when I got to the table to find my sister and sisters-in-law wearing pretty sun dresses.

They had all arrived on time and wearing make-up, even though both Carrie and Aubrey had kids. When would I ever grow up and remember appointments? It had taken me two months to realize I'd missed my period. If it weren't for the baby bump, I might forget I was even pregnant.

"I'm so sorry I'm late."

All three women stood and hugged me.

"You're just five minutes late," Aubrey said, as we took our seats. Her stunning auburn hair shimmered in the sunlight streaming in through the windows. "We haven't even ordered, yet."

I shifted in my seat. My jeans had felt tight when I put them on, but they'd started digging into my belly on the drive over. Would they notice if I popped open the top button?

"Does anyone else want a starter?" May asked, flipping through the menu. "I'm starving."

"I could go for fried mushrooms," Carrie said. "Or the shrimp."

"Sounds good," I said, my stomach rumbling.

Had I remembered to eat breakfast? Since I lived above a bakery that tortured me with sweet smells all day long, I'd gotten in the habit of going down to grab something to eat there when I didn't feel like cooking or when there was no food in my fridge.

I didn't mind cooking, but I hated grocery shopping. I always forgot something and there were too many people and the aisles were stacked so high with a million different brands and types of food. A woman could spend a lifetime lost in a grocery store and still come out with the wrong kind of pasta sauce and no mushrooms.

I really needed to do better about shopping and cooking while I was growing a human. And now that the morning sickness had passed, I had no excuse to be skipping meals.

"Why don't we get both?" I said. "This meal is on me." Spending money still made me nervous, even though I'd been saving for years and had managed not to lose any money on the sale of my house in Atlanta. That had been a big deal, and I sometimes wondered if I'd been right to sell so quickly and move to Catalpa Creek.

"No way." May held up her hands. "You helped me with that chaotic photo shoot. Your lunch is on me."

"We'll split it," Carrie said. "This is your welcome to town lunch. I'm so glad you're going to be living here. It'll give me a chance to get to know you better."

"Me, too." Aubrey leaned toward me. "My youngest is so into fairies right now. I bet you've got some great book recommendations."

"Wonder what got him into fairies." Carrie looked pointedly at May.

May laughed. "It's not my fault. Kids love fairies."

Carrie's lips twitched as she looked at me. "Glitter all over my house because 'Aunt May said glitter is the same thing as fairy dust and it'll make us fly.'"

"To be fair," May said. "All I did was refer to glitter as fairy dust. They made the leap to flying all on their own."

Carrie narrowed her eyes, but she was smiling. "I should have made you come over to help me clean it up."

"Isn't that what kids are for?"

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