The Cottage on Juniper Ridge. Sheila Roberts

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      “Well,” the woman huffed, “some of us are on a budget.”

      “I understand,” Jen said. And that was why she was working two jobs and trying to sell her condo. Toni had been right. She shouldn’t have made a snap decision, shouldn’t have wasted money on a deposit on that cottage in Icicle Falls. What had she been thinking?

      She’d been thinking of Garrett Armstrong. And home-canned goodies. And eating home-canned goodies with Garrett Armstrong. She’d been thinking of getting away and simplifying her life. Sadly, that was turning out not to be so simple.

      “It was a lovely party, dear,” the last of Alma’s guests said to her, and slipped out the door without buying anything.

      Alma turned to Jen. “Well, that was nice, wasn’t it? What did I earn?”

      “You earned this lovely multipack of pillar candles as a thank-you gift,” Jen said.

      Alma’s smile drooped. “Is that all?”

      “Well, you do have to have a certain amount in sales to earn—”

      “I spent all day yesterday cleaning,” Alma said miserably. “And I had to go to the store and get those cookies with my hip bothering me.”

      “How about I throw in the holiday centerpiece?” Jen offered.

      Alma’s smile perked right up.

      Jen’s drooped.

      She packed up her candles, thanked Alma for hosting the party and thanked God she was done with candle parties for the season.

      Make that forever. Alma Tuttle’s nonparty was the last straw. She’d keep some of the candles for herself and sell the rest on eBay. Much as she loved the product, her heart wasn’t in this anymore.

      Her heart wasn’t in Seattle anymore, either, even though it was a great city. What she wanted was life in a small town...a charming mountain town.

      She loaded up her wares and drove back to the condo. Home, sweet home. She’d been so in love with this place when she first bought it, so intent on forgetting her unhappy starter marriage to Serge and carving out a new life for herself.

      She’d gotten a new life. It just happened to stink.

      There was no sense wasting what was left of a perfectly good Saturday afternoon moping. She’d find something simple to do, some small pleasure to give her life sweetness, the way Muriel Sterling recommended in her book. It was almost Christmas. She’d bake cookies. Gingerbread boys like the ones she’d enjoyed in that cute bakery in Icicle Falls. She could give them to Toni’s kids for Christmas. A nice simple present...to go with the more expensive ones she’d bought with her overworked credit card.

      She found a recipe online and got busy assembling butter, flour, eggs, sugar and spices. These were going to be delicious. Yes, there was nothing like spending a little time in the kitchen making old-fashioned goodies to lift a woman’s spirits. Simple pleasures really were the best.

      She was sliding a batch of cookies in the oven when her cell phone rang. Caller ID told her it was her Realtor, Hannah Yates. Hannah had shown the condo the other night, but Jen had given up hope when she didn’t hear back that same evening. Maybe the person had decided to buy, after all.

      Jen let the oven door slam shut, grabbed the phone and said a hopeful “Hello.”

      “Hi, Jen, it’s Hannah.”

      “Yes?” Jen said eagerly.

      “I just called to tell you that the woman I showed the condo to decided she’d rather have a house.”

      Jen’s spirits took a nosedive and she sank onto her couch. “I thought she wanted to downsize.”

      “She changed her mind. It happens. But don’t worry. I’ll find you a buyer.”

      “Thanks,” Jen said, trying to sound upbeat and appreciative. “I know you’re trying to sell this place.”

      “Frankly, I can’t understand why we haven’t found a buyer. It’s a great condo, and it’s definitely priced to sell.”

      Because it isn’t in the cards, Jen thought. The fact that the condo hadn’t sold was a sign that she wasn’t supposed to move. She was doomed to stay in her crappy life, working as an office drone and selling candles to the Alma Tuttles of the world.

      She thanked Hannah, then hung up and slumped against the couch cushions. From her window she had a beautiful view of the Seattle skyline. This was really a lovely place. She hated it here!

      She was still staring grumpily out the window when the phone rang again. This time it was her sister.

      “How was the candle party?” Toni asked.

      “A dud. Like my life.”

      “Well, that’s upbeat.”

      “My Realtor just called. Still no bites.”

      “Maybe you’re not meant to sell it,” Toni suggested.

      “Thanks,” Jen said miserably.

      “Maybe you’re meant to rent it instead.”

      “Rent it?” Jen repeated. She hadn’t thought of that.

      “I shouldn’t be doing this,” her sister said. “I really hate to see you move. But at least if you rented and you didn’t like it up there, you’d have someplace to come back to.”

      “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Jen muttered.

      “Hey, it never hurts to have a plan B. Anyway, if you’re interested in renting, I think I know someone who’d want your condo.”

      Jen bolted upright. “You do?”

      “My neighbor. Her divorce became final and she’s looking for a place where she can make a new start. She might even be open to renting with an option to buy if you decide you want to go that route. She works downtown, so your place would be perfect for her.”

      “Does she have a house to sell?” That would take time. Jen knew this now, from personal experience.

      “No, she and her ex were renting.”

      “So, if she liked the condo she could move in right away.”

      “Probably,” Toni agreed. “Should I give her your number?”

      “Absolutely!” If the place didn’t sell, she’d have someone who could make her payments. That would get her out from under just as well as a sale. Yes! This was a sign. She was meant to move.

      The aroma of burning cookie wafted to where she sat and she remembered she was baking. She dashed to the kitchen, phone in hand and, propping the phone between her ear and shoulder, put on her oven mitt and opened the oven. A plume of smoke wafted out to greet her, stinging her eyes and making her cough. She pulled out the cookie sheet with her blackened gingerbread СКАЧАТЬ