Oh. Okay. I hadn’t been expecting that. “How many husbands has Georgianna had?”

              Grant let out a short hard laugh then started walking toward the door. “Your dad is husband number four.”

              My dad was an idiot. This woman sounded like she went through husbands like she did panties. How long before she got rid of him and moved on?

              Grant walked back up the steps and didn’t say anything else to me while we headed toward the kitchen. It was massive with black marble countertops and elaborate appliances. It reminded me of something out of a home decorating magazine. Then he opened a door that looked like a large walk in pantry. Confused I looked around then followed him inside. He walked to the back of it and opened another door.

              He had enough room to walk inside and put my suitcase on the bed. I followed him in and scooted around the twin size bed that left only a few inches between it and the door.  It was obvious I was under the stairs. A small nightstand fit tightly between the bed and the wall. Other than that, there was nothing.

              “I have no idea where you are supposed to keep your luggage. This room is small. I’ve never actually been back here.” Grant shook his head and then sighed. “Listen, if you want to come to my apartment with me you can. I’ll at least give you a bedroom that you can move around in.”

              As nice as Grant was I wasn’t about to take him up on that offer. He didn’t need an unwanted houseguest taking up one of his bedrooms. At least here I was tucked away so no one would see me. I could clean up around the house and get a job somewhere. Maybe Rush would let me sleep in this small unused room until I had enough money to move out. I didn’t feel like I was imposing so badly back here. I’d find a grocery story tomorrow and use my twenty dollars for some food. Peanut butter and bread should get me through a week or so.

              “This is perfect. I’m out of the way back here. Besides, Rush is calling my dad tomorrow and finding out when he will be home. Maybe my father has a plan. I don’t know. Thank you though, I really appreciate the offer.”

              Grant looked around the room one more time and scowled. He wasn’t happy about this room but I was relieved. It was sweet of him to care.

              “I hate leaving you back here. It feels wrong.” He looked back at me this time with a pleading sound to his voice.

              “This is great. Much better than my truck would have been.”

              Grant frowned. “Truck? You were gonna sleep in your truck?”

              “Yes. I was. This, however, gives me a little time to figure out what I’m gonna do next.”

              Grant ran a hand through his shaggy hair. “Will you promise me something?” he asked.

              I wasn’t one to make promises. What I knew of promises was that they were easily broken. I shrugged. It was the best I could do.

              “If Rush makes you leave, call me.”

              I started to agree and realized I didn’t have his phone number.

              “Where’s your phone so I can put my number in it?” he asked.

              This was going to make me sound even more pathetic. “I don’t have one.”

              Grant gaped at me, “You don’t have a cell phone? No wonder you carry a damn gun.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a receipt. “You got a pen?”

              I pulled one out of my purse and handed it to him.

              He quickly scribbled his number down and then handed the paper and the pen to me. “Call me. I mean it.”

              I would never call him but it was nice that he was offering. I nodded. I hadn’t promised anything.

              “I hope you sleep okay in here.” He looked around the small room with concern in his eyes. I would sleep wonderfully.

              “I will,” I assured him.

              He nodded and stepped out of the room closing the door behind him. I waited until I heard him close the pantry door as well before I sat down on the bed beside my suitcase. This was good. I could work with this.

Chapter Three

              Even with no windows in the room to tell me if the sun was up, I knew I’d slept late. I had been exhausted but a long eight-hour drive and footsteps on the stairs for hours after I’d laid down kept me from sleeping. Stretching, I sat up and reached for the light switch on the wall. The small bulb lit the room and I reached under the bed to pull out my suitcase.

              I needed a shower and I needed to use the restroom. Maybe everyone would still be asleep and I could sneak in and out of a bathroom without anyone noticing. Grant hadn’t shown me where one was last night. This was all I’d been offered. Hopefully a quick shower wouldn’t be pushing the limit.

              I grabbed clean panties and a pair of black shorts with a sleeveless white top. If I was lucky, I’d get in and out of the shower and be cleaning up before Rush made his way downstairs.

              I opened the door leading into the pantry then walked through the rows of shelves that held more food than anyone could possibly need. I slowly turned the doorknob on the door and eased it open. The kitchen light was off and the only light was the bright sun streaming in through the large windows overlooking the ocean. If I didn’t need to pee so badly I would go enjoy the view a moment. But nature was calling and I had to go. The house was silent. Empty drinks littered the place, along with leftover food and some pieces of clothing. I could clean this up. If I proved to be useful I might get to stay until I could get a job and a paycheck or two.

              I slowly opened the first door I came to, afraid it could be a bedroom. It was a walk-in closet. Closing it, back I made my way down the hall toward the stairs. If the only bathrooms were attached to bedrooms I was screwed. Except… maybe there was one that people used outside after being in the beach all day. Henrietta had to take showers and use the restroom too. Turning around I headed back to the kitchen and the two glass doors that had been standing open last night. Glancing around, I noticed a set of steps going down and underneath the house. I followed them.

              At the bottom were two doors. I opened one and life jackets, surfboards and floats covered the walls. I went and opened the other one. Bingo.

              A toilet was on one side and a small shower took up the other side of the room. Shampoo, conditioner and soap along with a fresh washcloth and a towel was on the small stool beside it. How convenient.

              Once I was clean and dressed I hung the towel and bath cloth over the shower rod. This bathroom wasn’t used often. I could use the same towel and washcloth all week and then wash them on the weekends. If I was here that long.

              I closed the door behind me and headed back up the steps. The ocean air smelled wonderful. Once I got to the top, I stood at the railing and looked out over the water. Waves crashed onto the white sandy beach. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

              Mom and I had talked about seeing the ocean together one day. She’d seen it as a little girl and her memories weren’t that great but she’d told me stories about it all my life. Every winter when it was cold, we would sit inside by the fire and plan our summer trip to the beach. We never were able to take it. First mom hadn’t been able to afford it and then she’d been too sick. We still planned them anyway. It helped to dream big.

              Now, here I stood staring at the waves we’d only dreamed about. It wasn’t the fairytale vacation we’d planned but I was here seeing it for both of us.