Page 9 of A Magnolia Move-In
So, I’d stopped trying.
I returned my attention to the conversation. Clementine was giving a pep talk to Fiona. Maggie and Shari were smiling. Victoria looked bored as she sat there with herarms folded. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do, so I picked up my phone and glanced at the screen.
A text message caught my eye. It was from Cordelia.
I’m so sorry to tell you this via text, but I had to go out of town. I just got a message that my basement flooded. I’m going to need you to find a different place as I work to get the basement livable again.
My entire body froze.
Her basement flooded? My belongings were there.
“Mom, you okay?” Maggie’s hand on my arm snapped me from my thoughts.
I glanced over at her. Her eyes were wide as she studied me.
“Cordelia’s basement flooded,” I whispered. The weight of what this meant pressed down on my shoulders. I’d wanted to start over here in Magnolia, but it seemed like fate didn’t want that for me. It was determined to make me miserable no matter where I went.
“I’m so sorry,” Maggie said. “Do you need a room? I’m sure we have a vacancy.” She moved to pull her phone from her purse.
I shook my head. Moving into the inn went against my plan. I wanted to be around, but Maggie and I needed to have our separate spaces. If I lived there, I might ruin our budding relationship.
“No, I can’t do that. Not when you’ve been booked solid.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I just need to find another place to rent.” Which, in a small town, was easier said than done.
A hush fell over the table, and I glanced up to see the women all shooting me sympathetic smiles.
“I think I might know of a place,” Clementine piped up.
We all turned to look at her.
“Really?” Relief flooded my body. “That would be amazing.”
“Who’s renting?” Victoria asked.
Clementine parted her lips, but I waved away her words. “I don’t really care. As long as they have a room, and they don’t mind me being there, I’m sold.”
Clementine smiled as she pulled a napkin from the dispenser and jotted down a number. “He’s kind of prickly, but nice.”
I took the paper from her and glanced down. The nameSpencerwas scratched above the phone number. I nodded and tucked it away. I didn’t want to sprint from the shop. Not when Maggie and her friends had been so accommodating to me.
The conversation seemed to drag on. It wasn’t the company or the topic. I just wanted to figure out what of my things had been ruined and if Spencer still had a room to rent. When Fiona stood to take a call, I took it as my chance to leave as well.
“Jackson and Naomi are in the car from the airport,” she said as she shouldered her purse. “I’m going to say bye to Blake and then head over to the house to greet them.”
We all said goodbye, and she waved before slipping through the shop’s kitchen door.
I gathered my things and tucked them into my large purse. “I should get going as well. I’ve got a new place to find and damage control to do.” I sighed as stress began to mount inside of me.
“Well, come Monday, I’ll be there to help out with the paper,” Victoria said.
I gave her a smile. That was true. I’d forgotten about our arrangement. For a moment, the stress began to lighten. “That will be wonderful. I can’t wait to start.”
The smile she gave me was genuine. I had a feeling we were going to get along.
I gave Maggie a quick kiss on the cheek before I waved to the other ladies and headed out the door. Once I was in my car, I pulled out my phone, along with the napkin that Clementine had written on, and dialed the number.
Just as I was prepared to leave a message, a deep, gravelly voice asked, “Hello?”
“Uh, S-Spencer?” I asked as I rerouted my brain to conversation mode.
