I gave my head a little shake and returned my realtor’s smile. “Thank you. Are you okay with dogs? He’s very well behaved.”
Corrie’s eyes widened a fraction as she took in Bruno’s head, sticking out of my SUV’s window. “Love them.” I opened the back door, and Bruno immediately hopped out and went to meet the new person. Corrie stuck out a hand for him to sniff and then rubbed his head. “Aren’t you a beauty?”
“He knows it, too.”
Corrie chuckled, continuing to give Bruno scratches. “As he should.” She looked up and met my gaze. “How was the trip?”
“Not bad at all. I’d forgotten how gorgeous the view is coming in on the ferry.”
“Can’t beat it.” She stopped her petting, much to Bruno’s dismay, and riffled through her purse, coming up with a set of keys that looked as if they should belong to a janitor. “The place is officially yours.”
The ring of metal sat heavily on my palm—the weight of risking everything for a dream I’d never been able to let go of. “Thank you for all you did to make this possible.” I hadn’t been able to make it out to the island to see the place in person before I bought it, but I’d had my memories. And Corrie had sent me at least a hundred photos and had gotten the property assessed for me.
“It’s more common than you’d think, people not being able to make it in from the city. Properties fly off the market faster than you can blink. This one, though…” Her words hung in the air as she pressed her lips together.
I chuckled. “Let’s be honest. Someone would have to be a little crazy to buy this place.”
“You said it, not me. Were you able to get in touch with Hardy Construction?”
I kept an eye on Bruno as he explored the property around us, seemingly following some invisible scent trail. “I did. The owner’s coming out next week to finalize everything, and I think they’ll be able to start a few weeks after that.”
What I needed was someone to start yesterday, but quality work was better than quick work. And in the meantime, I’d just have to be patient and do what I could to get the place in shape. Thankfully, I still worked the occasional weekend on one of Nathan and Vic’s sites. The knowledge and practice I’d gained there should give me a bit of a head start.
Corrie slid a tablet out of her purse. “That’s wonderful. I’ve got three summer-long rentals already booked for you. The details and copies of the leases have been sent to your email. And I’ve got a few more maybes.”
“That’s perfect.” I would need to fill as many usable cabins as possible to help cover the renovation costs. “And your assessor said those cabins are workable?”
“He did. And I did a second walkthrough of the ten on the north side. They’re going to need a good cleaning, but everything works.”
Cleaning, I could handle. I had a couple of weeks before anyone would arrive, and the summer-long rentals didn’t include meals or a maid service unless it was specifically requested. Which meant I had some breathing room.
“Thank you for everything, Corrie. You’ve gone above and beyond.”
“I’m happy to help.” Her gaze swept the property around us. “I’m glad someone’s going to bring this place back. It’s been empty for far too long.”
My hand moved to the necklace that dipped under my shirt—the little half of a broken heart with Best on the front and Piper on the back. I hoped I was up to the challenge. Because if I could bring Whispering Falls back to life, then maybe I’d be able to keep a piece of Jenn with me always.
I pulled open the door to the coat closet, and the doorknob fell off in my hand. I stared at it as a cloud of dust plumed around me. I let out a series of violent sneezes, each one worse than the one before as if some sort of allergy demon had possessed my body. Sinking to the floor, I rubbed at my eyes. “This is bad,” I muttered to Bruno.
I wished the doorknob was the first thing to break off in my hand, but it wasn’t. The pulls on more than one kitchen drawer had suffered the same fate. The handle to my shower door. And last but not least, the pull chain on one of the antique toilets. I wasn’t even going to try to fix that one.
Bruno looked at me with judgmental eyes from his bed in the corner, silently asking why the hell I had yanked him from his sleek loft in downtown Seattle and brought him to this rundown lodge in the middle of nowhere. The call of nature and the new smells had lost their appeal when he took in where he’d be sleeping.
“Don’t give me that look. It’s going to be great.” I wasn’t sure if I was talking more to Bruno or myself. Neither was a good sign. But I’d give myself a pep talk daily if that’s what it took.
I glanced around the large room. It wasn’t that bad. More than anything, it needed a thorough cleaning, just as Corrie had said. Once I did that, I’d be able to see what I was dealing with. And maybe the lodge I remembered from all the summers I’d spent here would start to reappear.
I sighed and pushed to my feet. “You want to go for a ride?” The little traitor perked right up at that and bounded to my side. “Sure, now you like me.” I headed outside and towards my SUV. Pulling open the back door, Bruno hopped up. He likely hoped I was taking him back to Seattle and away from this falling-down nightmare covered in dust and grime.
I climbed into the SUV and started the engine, taking a moment to soak in everything around me. Yes, the cabins that dotted the hillside needed a little work, as did the landscaping, but none of that detracted from the pristine beauty surrounding us. I rolled down my window and took a deep breath, the familiar scents easing the panic that had a firm hold on my body.
The land extended as far as the eye could see and was all mine. And I would make it sing again. From the cliffs that dropped off to the sea to the rocky beaches and the dock below, to the forest and the rolling hills. I could picture all the families and friends who would come through here, filling the Craftsman-style bungalows and log cabins. One day, there would be weddings and family reunions.
I’d expand and build a spa and more cabins. We’d have guides to take the guests out on fishing and whale-watching trips. I’d bring in glamping tents and install hot tubs at some of the cabins, just like Jenn had wanted.
I rubbed at the space between my breasts that always burned when a memory of her hit—the spot where my necklace lay. “One day,” I promised myself. “But first, I need to clean.” I’d used the last of my wipes and dusters while cleaning the bedroom and bath I was using at the lodge. I needed supplies, and it would take a lot of them.
The resort was on the farthest northern point of Anchor, the quaint downtown area a good twenty minutes away. It meant that cell service, internet, and power were iffy, to say the least. But it also gave the feeling of being removed from the rest of the world, and that was precisely what vacationers wanted.
It was something I realized I needed, as well. Quiet and peace. It was so easy to get caught up in Seattle. Working too many hours, agreeing to too many dinners out, squeezing in time with my uncles. My life was full, but I rarely had time to just…be. To slow down and appreciate my surroundings—not that they were as beautiful as this. My new life on Anchor would force me to be more present, and I wasn’t mad about it.