Lighthouse Way (Huckleberry Bay 1)

“Me, too,” June says with a grin. “That’s pretty cool.”

June follows me into the kitchen when Sarah heads to the bathroom.

“She’s hiding a whole trunk full of stuff,” she says with a whisper.

“More than a dozen years’ worth of baggage,” I agree and cross my arms over my chest as I look toward the bathroom. “But we can’t unpack it all in an afternoon with Cokes and snacks.”

“I know. But, damn it, I’m impatient.”

“No.” I clutch my invisible pearls and gasp as if shocked. “You?”

June just narrows her eyes at me.

“It’s going to be okay,” I assure my friend and rest my head on her shoulder. “She’s home where she’s supposed to be. The rest will figure itself out.”

“Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

December 27, 2007

* * *

Dear Diary,

I received a Christmas card from Sarah today. She’s been gone for almost six months, and this is the first time I’ve heard from her. I miss her so much! The card didn’t say much, just Merry Christmas.

June said she didn’t open hers, just tossed it in the fireplace. She’s so mad! And I don’t blame her. We both miss Sarah, and I don’t understand why she left so fast with that asshole. Or why we can’t even have her phone number. It just doesn’t make any sense.

Other than that, Christmas was nice. It’s been a mild winter, so the weather hasn’t been too bad. I got to help Dad change one of the lenses up in the light, and it was so cool. I need to know how to do that when it’s my turn to be the lightkeeper.

I have two weeks until I go back to college and leave Huckleberry Bay. How do people live away from the ocean? It’s so quiet. So dry.

I’ll be moving back to HB as soon as I graduate. Dad’s right. It will help to have a business degree. But, man, I’m ready for school to be over already.

I miss home.

Anyway, Merry Christmas.

Love,

Luna

Chapter Five

Wolfe

“I’ll take it.”

Indigo Lovejoy, the real estate agent I hired, raises his eyebrow in surprise. “Just like that?”

“Yeah, just like that.”

I wander through the empty garage and breathe in the leftover smell of oil and car. It’s on the other side of town from my place, but other than that tiny inconvenience, it’s perfect.

“Do these stairs lead to an apartment?” I ask, pointing to a set of exterior steps that I see through the window.

“They do. There’s a tiny two-bedroom above. It’s not pretty, but it’s functional. Let’s go have a look.”

I follow him out the big bay door and around the corner to climb the wooden steps that lead to a mint-green entrance. Indigo unlocks it, and we step inside.

It’s empty. The carpet is stained, and the place smells musty. There’s a tiny galley kitchen, a simple bathroom, and two small bedrooms.

“You’re right, it’s not pretty.”

Indigo smiles and shrugs a shoulder. “I told you. But you could always use it for storage or replace the carpet, paint the walls, and use it as a rental.”

I shake my head. “No rental. I’ll figure it out.”

“Amaryllis told me you’re still the same old stubborn Wolfe,” Indigo says with a grin. “I see she wasn’t wrong.”

“Your sister’s rarely wrong about anything,” I reply. “Not only is she an excellent doctor, but she’s also a good judge of character. But this time, I’m not buying this place because I’m stubborn. I’m buying it because it’s perfect for what I need. The garage already has the lift and the space I need for tools. The front desk area is great. When did Old Man Barranger retire?”

“Last fall,” he replies. “It hasn’t sat here long. I can get the offer sent over this afternoon and arrange for an inspection.”

“When can I move my stuff in and get started?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. “I already have a project.”

I can’t wait to get my hands on that old Ford.

“We can work it all out relatively quickly,” Indigo replies. “There are no other offers on the table. Let me make some calls, and I’ll get back to you right away.”

“Great.” I shake the other man’s hand. “I like it.”

“It’s small for a custom shop,” he muses.

“Yeah, well, I think I’ll build another custom garage on my property for some of the more intricate work and use this in the meantime. Later, we can still work on general repairs and such here.”

“Good idea.” He nods as we walk outside. “We need a car repair place here in town. Getting down to Newport is a pain in the ass.”

Newport isn’t the nearest town, but it’s the closest big town, and it’s almost an hour away.

“I hear Luna’s building a B&B up at the lighthouse. Have you seen her?” he continues.

“Yeah.” I smile, thinking about having my lips locked on hers just this morning. I can’t wait to do it again. “I’ve seen her. The renovations on the inn should start in just a few days.”