Page 8 of The Sunny Side (Rojo 2nd Generation: Rojo Police Department #3)
“I’m glad you found one. When I was talking to Reagan and he mentioned that there were homes available in Lonestar Terrace, I knew they’d fit the bill perfectly.
It’s a safe place to live too. I know at least half of the residents, and I’m happy that Fallon and Sophie live out there where I know they’re surrounded by friends, especially now that Rosie has moved to New Mexico. ”
“I can’t wait to see her again! Do you have any idea when they might come to visit?”
“She tries to come home at least once a month, so I’ll make sure and invite you and the girls over for dinner when she’s here.
” Steph sat down and asked, “Any news on the work front? It seems like the school district is always looking for more teachers, so I’m sure you’ll have a job sooner rather than later. ”
“Luckily, I was able to finish all of my Texas teaching certifications while we waited for Petra to drop the hammer about our finances, so the day after we got here, I went and filled out the paperwork necessary to join the staff as soon as they need someone.”
“I don’t know what job openings they have during the summer, but I’m sure they’ll have something for you this fall.”
“I signed up to be a substitute teacher, too, so I’m on call for whatever they need. I hoped that might make it easier to get my foot in the door.”
“I’m sure it will,” Steph said encouragingly. “How are your sisters handling the move?”
“Rebelliously, of course,” I replied with a grin. “They’re having a blast getting to know our neighbors, which isn’t hard to do since Fallon and Sophie seem to know everyone .”
“It helps that they grew up with the majority of them, even if some are in older friend groups and others are younger. Either way, they’ll introduce you to some great people. Who have you met so far?”
“I’ve met so many people that I can’t keep their names straight. It makes me feel awful because they’ve all been so welcoming and greet me by name every time I see them.”
“Describe them, and I’ll see if I can guess who they are.”
“Okay,” I said, eager to play this game.
“My next-door neighbor is a single dad with the most adorable little girl. She wears a tutu and combat boots almost every day. I swear she has a pair in almost every color imaginable. And she rides in front of her father on his motorcycle with the cutest helmet!”
My cousin smiled before she said, “That would be Phoenix Forrester and his daughter Lyric. And you’re right, she’s a cutie pie!”
“I’ve met a few other people, too, but I have been so busy trying to get settled into my house that I haven’t done much socializing.
Darcy and Tansy are content to just have a bed, a nightstand, and a couch, but I want to do all the things!
So far, I’ve painted the bathrooms in colors that I love and had a blast finding everything to coordinate with them.
As soon as I leave here, I’m going to the hardware store for the things I’ll need to make the living room exactly how I want it. ”
“Fun! I know that when the Forrester brothers finish a house, they try to leave it a blank slate, so it makes sense that you’d want to give it your own flair.”
“Yes. I plan on changing those white walls room by room until I’ve made the whole place my own.”
“That sounds like a lot of work but very exciting too!” Steph looked at the clock on the oven and then smiled at me before she said, “I’ve got a doctor’s appointment in less than an hour, or I’d horn in on all the fun. I love looking at paint samples and going through decorating ideas.”
“Since you have an appointment, I think I’ll go ahead and get started. You’re right - it’s going to be a lot of work but so rewarding in the end.”
Steph stood up at the same time I did and gave me a tight hug before she leaned back and said, “I’m so glad that you and your sisters decided to move to Rojo, Clancy.
I know your mom would be happy that the three of you are living close to people who love you.
I’m just sorry it took so long to get you out from under your father’s thumb. ”
“We’ve been planning this for as long as I can remember, Aunt Steph,” I said before I hugged her again. “I’m so glad we were able to keep in touch with you over the years.”
“Even though I’m not really your aunt, I’ve always been so proud of you and glad that you have always called me that.”
“As much as our mom loved you, ‘cousin’ just didn’t seem like the right title.”
“I loved your mom like a sister, so calling me your aunt just makes sense, doesn’t it?”
Aunt Steph walked me toward the front door, and once I was outside in the sun, I hurried to my SUV before I started to melt.
It wasn’t much hotter in Rojo than in Denver, but the atmosphere was completely different.
Walking outside after sitting in the air-conditioning was like opening an oven door and stepping in.
That was something I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to.
However, I knew that I’d love Rojo during winter.
The amount of snowfall here compared to my hometown was significantly less.
Winters in Denver brought more than fifty inches of snow, but Rojo got a fraction of that with less than twenty inches a year. That would be a welcome change and worth every second of the oppressive heat I was experiencing right now.
I looked up the nearest hardware store on my phone before I left Aunt Steph’s and was surprised to find that it was just a short drive away.
With my tablet in hand so I could refer to the pictures and ideas I had saved, I all but skipped into the store, ready to purchase everything I’d need to get started.
If I didn’t manage to get a full-time position at one of the schools this fall, I’d have plenty of time to work on my new home until one became available, but just in case, I wanted to get started right away.
I’d never been one to dawdle. It just wasn’t in my nature.
And now that I had a clean palette to work with, decorating a home I planned to live in for years, if not forever, I was happy to have so much on my plate.
Sitting still was not something I’d ever been good at, so having all these projects ahead was perfect for me.
However, as I walked through the huge aisles lined with different kinds of wood in all lengths and widths, I began to think that this might not be as easy as I thought.
Luckily, I spotted a man with a measuring tape hooked to his pocket and a pencil behind his ear, so I walked up and introduced myself.
He shook my hand and mumbled his name, but I was sure I had heard him wrong when I asked, “Did you say your name is Bear?” The man just nodded, so I said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.
I just bought a house, and I want it to look like this .
. .” I thrust my tablet toward him before I asked, “Do you know where I can find panels for my walls like the ones that are in that picture?”
“I don’t work here.”
“I know, and I’m really sorry to bother you, but in my limited experience, I’ve found that some of the people who work here don’t know any more than I do.”
The man’s booming laugh echoed around us, and I smiled when he said, “It’s good you’ve already figured that out.”
“So, will you help me?”
The man nodded and handed the tablet back to me before he walked away without a word. I wasn’t sure if he was abandoning me or if I should follow, but when he lifted his hand and motioned for me to tag along, I jogged his way.
He might not be much of a talker, but my bet was that he’d have the answer to every question I had. Although, from the little interaction we’d had so far, I wasn’t sure how I’d be able to interpret those answers.
I had always loved a challenge, though, so this new friendship might be just right for me.