Chapter 4

4

A udrey woke up to the loud sound of hammering and shouting coming from next door. This was the third day in a row that she'd woken up like this. It was the weekend, and any thoughts she'd had of sleeping in were gone as the beeping of a truck reversing grew more persistent the closer it got.

Glancing at the clock, she reluctantly got out of bed and after freshening up, went to the kitchen in desperate need of a coffee to wake her up. The coffee maker sputtered as she poured herself a cup, the rich aroma doing little to ease her rising frustration. Leaning against the counter, she took a sip of coffee as she stared out at her garden, normally so quiet, now disrupted by the noise next door.

She sat down at the dining room table and opened her laptop, intent on managing her landscaping business today, but every time she tried to focus on sending invoices or responding to clients, another sharp crack or the clattering of equipment made her lose her train of thought. She took another sip of coffee before setting it down and running a hand through her hair.

Her mind drifted back to the other day, when she'd nearly fallen into the dirt at the sound of a voice behind her. A woman in her late-twenties was standing there, staring at her like she was thinking about calling the cops, and then another woman had appeared, more than likely her girlfriend, with a protective hand on her back, looking between the two of them. It had been such a strange interaction. Audrey hadn't expected anyone to ever be there. No sales signs had been put out in the last two years. No relatives had ever come by to look through Lily's things.

The only conclusion that Audrey could draw was that Piper and the other three people over there were flipping that house. It felt like they were working every hour of the day, probably working on a tight schedule, maybe needing the money for their next project. Lisa loved those house-flipping shows, and Audrey had seen a few episodes over the years. But that's what it looked like, even if Audrey had no idea how they'd bought the house. Maybe they knew a realtor in the area who could bring the deals directly to them. She didn't know, but she couldn't shake the image of Lily's cozy beach house being transformed into some empty, modern home, stripped of all its charm and put together solely for a quick profit.

Audrey returned her attention to her laptop, but the noise was relentless. Did they even take breaks? The constant sound of hammering or drilling made it nearly impossible to concentrate. Every time she managed to focus on a task, a particularly loud crash or the whine of a power tool would jolt her out of her workflow.

She closed her laptop, knowing she'd have to get out of here and go to Lisa's café if she wanted to get any work done. Then another thought popped into her head. What kind of neighbors would she have? Audrey loved the retired couple on her left, and Lily had become such a good friend these last few years. If there was ever a problem, either of them would have come to Audrey for help and vice versa. But now? Audrey had no idea what to expect.

Audrey sighed, pushing back her chair and gathering her things, sliding her laptop into her bag. She made her way to her bedroom, rifling through her closet for something comfortable yet presentable. She settled on a pair of denim shorts that hit just above her knee and a light, flowy top in a soft shade of green that complemented her eyes.

Standing in front of the mirror, Audrey applied a light touch of makeup - just enough to feel put together but not overdone. A bit of mascara to accentuate her lashes, a swipe of tinted lip balm, and a dab of concealer to cover the slight shadows under her eyes from the early wake-up call.

As she slipped on her favorite pair of sandals, Audrey's stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten yet. Lisa's homemade cinnamon rolls were always tempting, but maybe she'd opt for something a bit healthier today. A veggie-packed omelet might be the better choice.

Grabbing her keys and sunglasses, Audrey headed out the door with her bag on her shoulder, looking forward to the peace and quiet of the café and the promise of a satisfying breakfast to start her day.

Audrey made her way to her truck, but then she spotted Piper in the front yard of the beach house. Piper was balanced on a ladder, reaching up to clear debris from the gutters. Her tank top rode up slightly, revealing a sliver of tanned skin at her waist as she stretched to reach a particularly stubborn clump of leaves. Audrey found herself unable to look away, mesmerized by the fluid movements and the obvious strength in Piper's arms as she worked. Piper's brow was furrowed in concentration, completely absorbed in her task. Wisps of hair had escaped from her messy ponytail, framing her face in a way that made her look even more striking.

Audrey felt a flutter of attraction and quickly chastised herself. What was she doing? Yes, Piper was undeniably attractive, but she was clearly with someone.

Audrey tore her gaze away from Piper, a confusing mix of attraction and embarrassment flooding her senses. Her cheeks felt warm, and she quickly ducked into her truck, the leather seats cool against her flushed skin. Her fingers fumbled with the keys before she finally managed to start the engine.

As she pulled out of her driveway, Audrey caught a final glimpse of Piper in her rearview mirror. Her eyes lingered on the way her tank top clung to her body, before she forcibly wrenched her attention back to the road.

It had been months, maybe even years, since she'd caught herself looking at another woman like that. She felt a flush of embarrassment creep up her neck. What was she thinking? Piper was easily two decades younger than her.

As she drove to the café, Audrey couldn't shake the unsettling feeling. Was this some sort of midlife crisis? The one thing she was sure of was, she would not be telling Lisa about this.