He left just after that and I was so mad and scared and all kinds of other shit that I decided to sit down and write you what happened, like as if you’re ever going to see this, or even care.

Don’t worry, I’m not seeing you as some kind of friend I can run off my mouth to, or anything like that. I get how sick it would make you feel if I did. I guess it’s just easier to write down how afraid I am that he won’t come back than it is to tell him.

Chapter Thirteen

The past two weeks had been so hectic—and challenging—that there were times when Claudia had seriously questioned her sanity for taking on such an order without her tried-and-trusted team around her. However, Cassie’s workers were proving to be every bit as skillful and committed as any Claudia had worked with—and were probably already friends for life since learning they were going to be paid almost double their usual rate if they managed to bring things in on time. Why not? She didn’t need the money, what she needed was the distraction and adrenaline rush, the sense of reconnecting with who she really was, and a new place to belong, which was already starting to happen.

Virtually overnight the living space of the flat had turned into one big workroom with sewing machines at each end of the dining table, two computers in the middle, bolts of fabric cluttering the sofas, and curtain poles turning the floor into an obstacle course. Since the original discussions with Andee many changes had been made to the order regarding length, style, even color, all with Andee’s approval, largely due to delivery times—or because Claudia had come up with what she hoped might be an even better design.

During this coordinated chaos Graeme, Andee’s partner, had taken her, her mother, and Jasmine to view the coach house, and to her relief they’d also fallen in love with it on sight. By the end of that day Graeme had accepted their offer, and since no mortgage was involved there was a good chance it would be theirs by the end of the month. In excited anticipation of this, Marcy was already driving about the countryside visiting antique markets and reclamation yards in search of original Georgian features such as cornicing, shutters, even pilasters. After photographing them she’d relay the shots to Claudia for a decision on whether or not to buy.

It was a whirlwind of activity on every level, and with the show home scheduled for completion in less than two weeks Claudia could feel the pressure building.