Page 5 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
Finally! Maybe she’d be out of this place soon.
She responded with:On my way.
Kaiah hurried up the four blocks to the shop, pushed open the door, and approached the counter, where Bill set a computer printout in front of her.
“My mechanic took a look at your SUV,” Bill began, “and a few pieces in your coolant system cracked and need to be replaced.”
“Okay,” she said. Sounded simple enough.
“I’ve checked around, but I haven’t found the parts to fix it.”
She swallowed. “What does that mean?”
“Tomorrow’s Sunday, and nothing is open, including our shop,” he said. “My suggestion is to leave the car here, and I’ll let you know how fast I can get the parts to fix it.”
“Do you think you can get them by Monday?” she asked.
He shook his head.
So much for not rearranging her plans. “When do you think you can get them?”
“I’ll make some calls and then give you an update sometime on Monday.”
Her hope deflated like a balloon. She was stuck in Nowheresville until at least Tuesday. She gazed down at the estimate and her stomach bottomed out. It would cost thousands—thousands!—to fix her precious Daisy.
This day had quickly gone from bad to worse.
Now she had to find a place to stay—which meant a hotel bill, since the magazine didn’t cover travel expenses anymore—as well as figure out how to pay this repair bill. Her head started to throb. Her entire travel piece, which she had pitched to her editor, was now in the toilet. And instead of making money, she waslosingit, hand over fist!
Her sister’s offer of money echoed in her mind, but she didn’t want to have to lean on Kam. Kaiah would find a way out of this debacle herself.
She pulled in a deep breath through her nose. Kam would tell her to calm down and think this through, and that was exactly what she was going to do.
“Do you want to fix the car?” Bill’s question pulled her from her worry.
“Yes,” she said, meeting his curious gaze. “I don’t have a choice.”
He nodded. “I’ll do my best to get the parts as quickly as possible.”
“Could you recommend a place to stay?”
He rubbed his chin. “There’s the Sunshine Inn and the Rosewood Inn. Would you like their numbers?”
“Yes, please.”
He typed on his computer and wrote on a notepad, then handed her the piece of paper. “These places are a bit far to walk. Can I get you an Uber?” he asked.
“That’s more than generous,” she said.
“It’s the least I could do for an out-of-towner.” He typed on his phone. “A ride is on the way.”
“Thank you so much.” She spotted a sign for the restrooms beyond the counter and hurried toward it. She needed a moment alone to gather herself.
After using the facilities and washing her hands, she rested her hands on the sink and studied her reflection. She looked as messy as her life felt. She pushed her long, wavy blonde hair behind her ears, stood up straight, and lifted her chin. She was going to get through this, no matter what.
When she reentered the shop, she spotted Bill leaning on the counter talking to someone. She couldn’t see the man, but his deep, smooth voice seemed so familiar. If only she could place it.
“I bet Piper’s getting big, huh?” Bill asked.
