Sweetheart Cottage (Cranberry Bay #1) by Mindy Hardwick Page B

patch of grass on the side of the building. As soon as the bank opened tomorrow, she’d secure the loan. It was a small town, and Bryan would verify her employment. She’d still list the home with Bryan, but at least it wouldn’t have to be sold “as-is.” Rylee had seen what happened to the older homes in Vegas that were listed “as-is.” Many of them were torn down to make room for apartment buildings. She didn’t know about the zoning laws in Cranberry Bay, but she hated to think of someone tearing down her grandmother’s beloved home.
    “Ready?” Bryan stepped up beside her
    “Yes.” Rylee and Raisin easily stepped into pace beside Bryan.
    The rain had stopped, and some of the clouds gave way to a blue sky with puffy white clouds. Walking with Bryan felt so familiar and comfortable that Rylee soon found herself telling him about some of the homes she had worked on over the years. She recounted stories of owners’ demands and requests for furnishings which took her everywhere from estate sales to expensive home stores. The two of them were laughing by the time they reached the river rock path leading to the six cottages.
    Rylee stopped. Time hadn’t changed the brown-shingled cottages, which sat in a circle around a grassy area that held a couple of Adirondack chairs and a fire pit. The cottages all looked alike, with large picture windows, chimneys and wooden front doors. A small metal sign hung on the front of the first cottage. Rylee peered closer and could barely make out the letters: “Fishing.”
    Rylee slipped her hand into her pocket. She pulled out her cell phone and tapped notes into the small screen. “The first thing we’ll want to do is buy flowers for a large pot at each door. Probably at this time of year there is nothing left, but I’ll see if I can find something marked with a discount. There’ll need to be curtains on the windows, and we’ll want to leave them open and pulled back with a nice tie.” She eyed the gravel walkway. “The path could use new gravel, but we won’t worry about that for now. The important thing will be making each cottage have curb appeal.”
    “I can clear out the weeds.” Bryan leaned over and yanked out a tall scraggly weed lodged in the gravel. “It should only take me a couple hours or so.”
    “I’ll see what I can do about making up some new signs for each cottage. It shouldn’t be hard to find some old boards and paint names on them to hang as signs for each cottage.” Rylee continued to type fast notes into her phone.
    Bryan leaned over and flipped up a doormat. He pulled out a small key. “I will have the locks rekeyed. Why don’t you take this one for now? The same key fits every cottage.”
    Rylee took the key from Bryan, and his fingers touched hers. For a minute, neither of them moved. His eyes stared into hers, and she couldn’t find her voice. She felt twenty-one again, in love with the boy she’d had a crush on since she was fifteen.
    Bryan reached over, and, with his thumb, caressed the side of her face. “Rylee,” he said. The longing in his eyes mirrored hers. Her chest ached with the unfilled promise of everything they’d left behind.
    Rylee grabbed the key from Bryan and leaned down to pick up her cell phone. Her heart pounded as she inserted the key into the lock. She could not allow herself to remember the past. Not now. Not ever. Her hands shook as she inserted the key into the lock. She twisted the doorknob, but the door didn’t open.
    “Something is stuck,” Rylee muttered. She leaned her shoulder against the door and pushed.
    “Here.” Bryan stepped up beside her. “Let me.” His body brushed against hers, and she inhaled his spicy aftershave, sending her emotions back into overdrive.
    Bryan grunted and pressed against the door as it swung open into a dark room. “I’ll get these doors fixed as soon as possible.”
    Rylee followed Bryan into the cold room and shivered. A couple of used logs sat in the