Love on the Lake (Lakeside 2)

“I didn’t realize you felt that way. I wouldn’t have pushed you to stay on if I’d known.” He looks so crestfallen, and part of me wants to backtrack, but I know it’s pointless. The truth is already out, and I can’t take it back.

“I know that. And it’s my fault for not speaking up earlier. And to be honest, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. It’s not just about the job, though, it’s everything else too. As big of a city as Chicago is, there are memories attached to it that I can’t escape. Troy is one of those. A lot has changed recently, and I want a fresh start. Van said I can move into the apartment above the garage.”

“What will you do while you’re out there?” Dad asks.

I shrug. “I’ve already got two part-time jobs lined up, so it’s a good start. I want to try out different things, find out what I’m passionate about, and see if I can find something that’s the right fit for me. But obviously I’ll give my two weeks’ notice, and I can commute back and forth until you find a suitable replacement for me.”

“You’ve already lined up two jobs? How long have you been thinking about this?” He seems shocked.

I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but I also don’t want to lie. “For a while, but I made the decision this weekend. And I want to reassure you that Danielle moving in isn’t the reason I want to make this change, but it is what pushed me to take action. And it’s not because I don’t like her. It’s because I do, and because you have someone in your life who cares about you and is going to stand by your side. And I think I’m ready to go ahead and stand on my own.”

“You always put yourself last, don’t you, Teagan?”

“I’m trying to learn how to put myself first. At least once in a while.”

After dinner I pack up my room. I have a lot of clothes. Most of which are not Pearl Lake appropriate. I fill three bags with the outfits that won’t be too over the top for small-town living—I’ll enlist Dillion’s help to vet it all—and box up anything else I think I might need.

Dad tells me I can work remotely to tie up loose ends and that HR has already managed to line up half a dozen interviews within an hour of the job posting. I’m both relieved and a little disheartened by how easy it is to replace me, but I know it’s for the best.

In the morning I load up the truck. I’m unsurprised when the musclehead from next door appears, biceps flexing, perfectly straight white teeth flashing as he offers his assistance. I accept it because my dad’s weight lifting skill set is limited to dumbbells under twenty pounds, and so is mine.

I decide to take the old living room couch since it’s gray and comfortable and will work perfectly in my new living room area. I also take my reading chair from my bedroom. Those two items alone fill the bed of the truck. I don’t want to overload it and end up stranded on the side of the road. Besides, I can always bring another truckload back when I visit in a couple of weeks.

Once the furniture is secured, I hug my dad and Danielle and head back to Pearl Lake to start my new life.

CHAPTER 6

MY NEW HOME SWEET HOME

Teagan

I arrive in Pearl Lake just after ten thirty in the morning and bring all the things I can upstairs. I can manage everything apart from the couch and my reading chair, which I’ll wait for Van to help me with. I get to work unpacking my clothes, separating them into piles, and then hanging them in the small closet. It doesn’t take long before the entire space is filled, and I still have another suitcase left to unpack. I also manage to fill an entire shoe rack, and I only brought my running shoes, flats, and flip-flops.

I clean up and make a trip to the lawyer’s office, where I meet Bernie and his daughter-in-law. I show up in a T-shirt that reads SMILES ARE FREE, denim capris, and a pair of sandals. This seems to be one instance in which I could have afforded to dress up a bit more, but neither of them appears put off by my attire. In fact, the second his daughter-in-law looks over my résumé, she demands that he hire me and asks if I would mind working Fridays.

“I’m working Wednesdays at Harry’s Hardware and Thursdays at the Town Pub.” I’ll probably be closing, which means I won’t get off until about one in the morning, but business hours at the law office are nine to five, so that shouldn’t be a problem. “Fridays are wide open.”