Page 39 of Sunset Cove
“So you bought a hotel? Here?”
“Yes.” Claire nodded. “Well, I have a mortgage. I couldn’t afford it outright. I thought it would be nice to be close to Margie, and she has that barn – you know, where she has weddings?”
Lucy nodded. “Yeah.”
“Margie loves it here so much, and I wanted to build something on my own.” Claire paused. “Uncle Robert told me that I should build the life I’ve always wanted.”
Lucy pinched her lips together. “Aw! That’s so sweet! I’m so happy for you. I really am.”
Lucy jumped up to squeeze her into another hug.
Claire spoke again. “Do you want to see the hotel tonight? I’m heading over. They actually got a room ready for me.”
Lucy shook her head. “No way. I need to talk to the man of mystery here. Can’t you stay for the night?”
“I wish I could, but I don’t want to upset the housekeeping staff. They already prepared the room.”
Lucy put an arm around Claire. “Well, you should go then. You look exhausted. I can come over in the morning and check things out.”
Claire let out another yawn. “That’d be nice.”
“It’s exciting to have a cousin that doesn’t hate me,” Lucy said, shooting a look at Marty.
“A cousin that doesn’t hate youyet,” Marty said with a smirk.
The room erupted into laughter. As much as Claire didn’t want to leave them, it’d be bad for Marty if someone showed up at the cabin looking for her. It was best if she went back to the hotel and acted normally.
Claire settled on giving them each a hug goodbye. “Have fun.”
Lucy nodded. “Sure. I’ll be over in the morning.”
Claire locked the door behind her, but before she went to her car, she paused to peek through the front window of the cabin. She could hear the rumbles of their laughter, and Lucy appeared to be rummaging through the cupboards, satisfied only when she found a box of microwave popcorn.
Claire smiled to herself. If only she could tell Uncle Robert – her life was already better than anything she could dream.
