25. “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”

25

"I CAN DO IT WITH A brOKEN HEART"

TAYLOR SWIFT

W hen I saw the glass on the ground next to my Jeep, I wondered how I hadn't noticed it before parking there, or, at the very least, when I'd gotten out. I'd never claimed to be overly observant, but broken glass seemed like something I'd notice as I crunched my way through it. I didn't suspect the glass was from my own vehicle until I saw the mess on my front seats. I'd left the windows rolled down when I'd arrived, so my confusion grew until I looked up and saw my windshield. Or what was left of it.

I immediately looked around, and other than a few people walking into the library and a man sitting on a bench across the street, I was alone. With my heart in my throat, I dialed 911.

The responding officer was there within ten minutes and was thoughtful enough to bring a broom. "Officer Alcott," he said as he removed his hat. Ash-blonde curls sprang from their confinement, and he brushed them out of his face just to have them fall right back down and sit along the top of his sunglasses.

"Paige Rhiann. Thanks for getting here so soon. I was at the café for an hour or so and found this mess when I came back out."

"I don't suppose you saw anyone lurking about at the time?"

"I didn't. I was pretty focused on my Jeep. I saw a few people walking in and out of the library, and that guy on the bench over there—" I looked across the street to point him out, but he was gone. "—but no one seemed to be in a hurry."

"Ok. You're also parked up against bushes that border another parking lot, and someone could have seen an opportunity to smash your windshield and sneak away unseen. Were your other windows smashed, too?" He peered into the back of the Jeep.

"They're rolled down."

"So it wasn't an attempted burglary, and it doesn't feel random, especially considering we haven't had any other vandalism calls lately." He walked to the back of the Jeep. "Hmmmm… Wisconsin plates. Are you new to the area or visiting?"

"A little of both, I guess? I'm visiting indefinitely and considering a move."

"Any chance you've made an enemy since you arrived?"

An enemy? Me? Here?

"I can't imagine how. I've only been here a matter of weeks, and I barely know anyone but my uncle, his partner, and the few friends I've made since I arrived."

"Hmm. Okay." He took his notebook out of the breast pocket of his blue button-up and pulled a pen out of the spiral along the side. "I just have a few questions for you, Miss Rhiann."

After taking my information and a statement, we worked together to clean up as much of the mess as we could while I waited for the tow truck. As it arrived, the Public Works truck was pulling in behind it, presumably to clean up everything that would be left behind when my poor, battered Jeep was dragged from the scene.

Within a few minutes, the tow truck was ready to go, and I easily accepted the driver's offer to drop me off at home. Officer Alcott met me at the passenger door. He was tall enough that his head nearly brushed the top of the doorframe. "Here's my card. Let me know if you think of anything else. I'll reach out if there are any developments or if I need more information. Irony aside, welcome to Dunedin. Hopefully, the rest of your experiences here will be sunny." With that, he shut my door and strode off toward his squad car. I glanced at the card he'd handed me and tucked it into my wallet as the tow truck began to move. The driver looked over at me, sympathy heavy in his gaze. "Buckle up," he gently reminded me.

After asking him to head to Grace's son Bill's body shop, I sat back against the threadbare seat, put my seatbelt on, and closed my eyes. I couldn't yet fully process everything that had happened in the last ninety minutes, but it felt like hope had filled me to the point of bursting. Then life poked a hole in me and watched as I flew around in circles until I was completely deflated.

Now that I had my list of to-do's from the "Sensational Six", it was time to call my uncle again. He answered on the first ring, which he's been doing ever since I first brought up the possibility of doing the retreat. There were times I thought he was more excited about this than any of us.

"Hey there, Paige! What's up?"

I filled him in on the plans the ladies and I had made. Knowing his passion for promoting small businesses, I rounded it all out with the idea of supporting both Cat's business and Jenna's dream of becoming a professional baker.

"I like where this is headed. It's going to take a lot of work to get off the ground, but I can see it being a huge success! Clearwater and Dunedin are full to bursting with creatives, and it sounds like you have a lot of very driven women willing to give you a hand."

"The issue I'm running into is a tough one. I don't know who has to fill out the application with the zoning committee."

"Ah. I see what you're getting at. Okay, well, the good news is when I had the idea to open up a bed and breakfast about ten years ago, I had gotten through some of the zoning application process before I realized the whole thing was going to be too much work. That being said, your idea of having people coming through one weekend a month and you being part of that group sounds pretty awesome."

"We also talked about having someone come in and give some writing and publishing tips. I haven't nailed that one down yet, but I have some ideas. Dad put me in contact with one of his old colleagues, Caleb. He's been helping me with my writing, and in one meeting with him, I had completely fleshed out an idea for a story. I'm still unsure if I can make a book out of it, but it felt really good to get some words on a page for once."

"That is such good news! I know that's been weighing heavily on you. Do you think that he would be willing to come to your retreat and host a session?"

"I'm meeting with him at the library next Wednesday, and we're going to go over what I have accomplished based on his direction. I was going to bring it up to him then."

"Well, let me know how that goes, and keep me updated on your book for sure. Now, back to the zoning. Why don't I reach out to my contact at the zoning board and see if my application is still valid? If not, I'll fill out another one, and it can be a temporary fix."

"That would be so awesome. Thank you so much. I have Kari coming this weekend, and I'm going to sit down and talk to her about everything. She's so organized; I'm hoping she can make a spreadsheet or something for me."

"I can't wait to see her! Stop by the store with her some time while she's here. But, I'm surprised your mom doesn't have a pros and cons list ready for you already."

"Oh, she does. They were on that cruise for a couple weeks, but she wasted no time once they were home. She emailed me a nice outline a few days ago. I looked it over and brought it with me when I met with them, but they already had each of her points covered. I have a sneaky suspicion they're biased, so I'm not sure how objective they are, but at least it's a start."

"Either way, I like where all this is headed. I really want to see you stay in that house on a more long-term basis, not just because I want you nearby or anything." He chuckled.

I'd always thought my Uncle Mike would have made an excellent father, and for as long as I could remember, he'd been like a second dad to me, cheering me on from afar. It was going to be nice having him in my corner… from right around the corner.

"I like being near you as well, and staying so close to the water is really helping me. I've been on walks daily with Roxy, so it's been a win-win for me."

"Plus, it sounds like you've made some great friends! How does Kari feel about all of this? It's got to be difficult on her, you being so far away. You haven't really been apart from her for how many years now?"

"Forty-five years we've lived by each other."

"Holy cow. Well, in a few days, you'll be back together for a while. In the meantime, I'm going to see what my guy in zoning has to say."

"I wanted to talk to you about one other thing."

"Shoot."

"When I was coming out of the café today, I found my windshield smashed. The rest of the windows were rolled down, so they weren't trying to get in to steal anything. The officer said it felt personal, but I barely know anyone here."

"I wonder if it was a case of mistaken identity. Yours isn't the only sunshine yellow Jeep around here."

"I hadn't thought of that. I bet you're right. But the body shop owner told me they will drop my Jeep off tomorrow, which is a huge relief."

"Wow! I'm glad they're getting it back to you so fast, especially with Kari coming in this weekend. Ok, Love. I'm getting some major side-eye from Chris. We've got a huge delivery waiting for us in the back room right now. Let me get these jackets on hangers and start steaming, and as soon as he's not looking, I'll make some phone calls to the city." I heard some muffled shuffling and then, "Okay! Okay! I'm coming! Jeez! Paige, I'm sorry for what happened to the Jeep, but I am so proud of you for having the courage to chase this retreat concept down. I love the whole idea, and I'll do everything I can to help you make it happen. I'll let you know what I find out from the city."

We hung up shortly after, and as I grabbed Roxy's leash to head back out into the sunshine, I couldn't stop smiling. What had started out as somebody else's idea was turning into a passion project for everyone involved—especially me. I could see myself surrounded by groups of other writers. I could feel the energy and wanted so badly to make that vision a reality. But at the same time, I knew I had to be cautious and make sure it was all built on solid ground. I'd had more than one dream crumble to dust in my hand. I was determined to make sure the retreat wasn't one of them.

I needed to sit down with someone who knew me to figure out if I could do this.

Only two more days until she gets here.