Chapter 4

4

R ebecca stepped out of the cozy coffee shop, the bell above the door jingling softly as it closed behind her. The crisp autumn air nipped at her cheeks, and she instinctively wrapped her hands around the warm to-go cup, savoring the heat that radiated through the cardboard sleeve. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the earthy scent of fallen leaves, creating a comforting blend that filled her senses.

As she turned to make her way down the sidewalk, Rebecca caught sight of Sarah approaching the shop, her blonde hair tousled by the gentle breeze. A smile tugged at the corners of Rebecca's lips. "Hey."

"Hi," Sarah said with a wave. "Are you in a hurry?"

"No. I finished a project early so I'm giving myself the afternoon off."

"Do you mind if I get a coffee and maybe we can go for a walk?"

"I'd love that."

She watched as Sarah ducked into the shop, emerging moments later with her own to-go cup in hand. The two women fell into step beside each other, their footsteps falling into a synchronized rhythm on the concrete.

The vibrant hues of the changing leaves painted the tree-lined street in shades of amber, gold, and crimson. Rebecca breathed deeply, the crisp air filling her lungs and invigorating her senses.

"How's Chloe?" Sarah asked as they headed towards the trail that started behind the library. "She seemed to fit right in."

Rebecca's thoughts strayed to Chloe as she strolled alongside Sarah, the crunch of fallen leaves beneath their feet the only noise now that they were away from the main street. Her mind had been preoccupied with the decision she'd made just this morning.

"I ended things with Chloe," Rebecca said.

Sarah's eyes narrowed slightly, concern etched on her face as her steps slowed. "What happened? The party was three days ago. You two looked so happy."

Rebecca hesitated, unsure how to articulate the tangled emotions that had led her to this point. She couldn't very well tell Sarah about the fangirling episode with Quinn, which had only served to highlight their age difference in a way that made Rebecca cringe. A twinge of embarrassment resurfaced at the memory, and Rebecca's face warmed despite the autumn chill. "It just didn't feel right," she said finally, a vague explanation that barely scratched the surface.

Sarah watched her intently, her expression softening. "Was it something she did?"

Rebecca shook her head. "No, but there was always the distance, and I guess, after spending the entire day with her and seeing her with my friends, I don't know, I just knew that it wasn't going to be worth the effort."

Sarah blew out a breath. "Well, I didn't see that coming."

"Maybe I'm being a little too quick to discount it, but at the same time, I'm at a point where I don't want to waste time."

"I get that," Sarah said as she brought her coffee to her lips and took a sip.

The warmth from the coffee cup seeped into Rebecca's hands, a welcome respite from the crisp autumn air. She took a sip, letting the rich, slightly bitter liquid warm her from the inside out. As much as she appreciated Sarah's concern, she'd rather not keep talking about Chloe.

"How's Quinn doing?" Rebecca asked, her voice carefully casual. "Has she gone back to California yet?"

Sarah's eyebrows lifted slightly, a hint of surprise flickering across her face. "Actually, she told me last night that the lake house she rented wasn't just for a week. She's rented it for a year."

Rebecca's steps faltered, her grip tightening on the coffee cup as she processed Sarah's words. A year. Quinn was staying in their sleepy little town for a year? That news sent a ripple of something unidentifiable through her chest, a mixture of excitement and maybe a little intrigue.

She tried to picture Quinn, the epitome of Hollywood glamour, settling into the quiet rhythms of small-town life. It just didn't make sense. Even though Rebecca didn't follow her career closely, she knew that Quinn's career had taken off in the last few years. Why would she stay away from Hollywood when she was at the height of her career?

Rebecca took another sip of her coffee, using the moment to gather her thoughts. "Did she say why?"

Sarah shook her head, her expression thoughtful. "No. I have no idea why. And I can't figure it out. Her schedule is normally so jam-packed that I barely can get a fifteen-minute phone call with her, and now she's dropping everything for a year?"

"Maybe she's filming something nearby?"

"No. I asked her that, and she casually said, no, that she doesn't have any more movies lined up." Sarah sighed as they continued walking. "She's never taken a break like this, and another thing I don't get is why she's not staying at home, with us."

"I guess, if she's staying for that long, she'd probably want her own space," Rebecca guessed.

"Well, you're practically neighbors. She gave me the address for the house she's renting, and it's two down from you. Number seventeen. You didn't think there was anything off with her when you were talking to her?"

"No." Rebecca thought back to their brief conversation on the deck. "No. There was nothing strange." She remembered the way Quinn had reacted to one of the catering staff trying to get a selfie, but how else was she supposed to react? She was in her own home. She shouldn't have to take photos with strangers. "Why don't you ask her why she's staying?"

"I will. At some point. We've always had a good relationship but I feel like she always has people looking for information, asking why she said something or didn't say something. She's turned into a very private person. Not that I blame her. I have no idea how she handles it all. So I just don't want to be another person trying to pry into her life. She'll tell me when she's ready, and maybe she's burnt out and needs a break."

"Yeah, that could be it." Rebecca once again thought of the way that Chloe had just walked straight over to them, interrupting their conversation to talk to Quinn. How was Quinn going to live here for the next year? Every time she went out to get groceries or to pick up a coffee, someone was going to recognize her.

Rebecca's boots crunched softly on the fallen leaves as she and Sarah meandered along the forest trail. A gentle breeze rustled the branches, sending a cascade of leaves spiraling down around them as they walked. To their left, a squirrel darted up a nearby oak, an acorn clutched in its mouth.

"Did you think Chloe was too young for me?" Rebecca asked out of nowhere. It was a thought she'd had right from the start, and she hated to admit that she'd purposely left out that bit of information when she'd told Sarah about her.

Sarah laughed softly beside her. "Please tell me that's not why you really ended things."

"No. It's just… Was it obvious? How much older I was?"

"No." Sarah took a sip of her coffee. "I hadn't even thought about, but now that you're saying it. You're forty-eight, and she's what? Forty?"

"Thirty-eight."

"Ten years is nothing."

"Really?" Rebecca asked as she wrapped both hands around her cup. "Because Anthony and I were the same age, not that that really counts, and you and Jeff are just a year apart."

"All I'm saying is that it didn't even occur to me that she was too young for you or that you were too old for her. You looked good together. I'm sorry that it didn't work out."

"Yeah." Rebecca took a drink, the coffee warming her. "Me too." The idea of going back to dating apps or weekends in the city was not something she was looking forward to. It was fun in the beginning, when it was new and full of firsts, but now, she kind of wanted to skip all of that and just be with someone who made her happy.