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him and smiling. “You’re going to make me breakfast first ,
and then we’ll just see what comes second . I haven’t decided yet.” She
giggled and rested her elbows on the countertop, dropping her chin down into
her hands, framing her face.
Sean reluctantly resumed meal
preparations, and they continued their easy banter. When everything was ready,
they placed the food, juice, and coffee on serving trays and relocated to the extensive,
cable-railed deck adjacent to the great room.
The bird’s eye view of Lake Indigo
from the deck was stunning. Almost a million people lived on the other side,
and the skyscrapers were just visible against the backdrop of the mountain
range. At night, the sparkling cityscape was spectacular in its vibrancy as was
the Mt. Pleasant Bridge that jutted across the deep expanse of water, illuminating
the passageway between the two worlds.
As they settled in to eat,
Sean asked, “How’d you find this place, Shay? I would’ve pegged you for a city
girl.” He chewed his omelet and waited for her response.
“I am a city girl; one who
likes to unplug and enjoy quiet time, too.”
Mt. Pleasant had grown
rapidly during the last fifteen to twenty years. Some of that city life had
started seeping across Lake Indigo. Suburbanites didn’t like having to cross
the bridge after their long work weeks or on weekends to travel back into the
city for shopping, dining, the arts, and entertainment. So Shayna knew that, at
some point, what had begun as a well-kept secret, an oasis, would be overrun
with eco-friendly cars, minivans, churches, strip malls, chain restaurants,
tract housing, and school crossings. Of course, her ex-husband was a prominent
land developer, and was responsible for most of the sprawl.
“Frank and I actually bought
a lot of property on this side of the lake about twelve years ago. The parcel
my house sits on is prime real estate now. It’s the highest point on this side
of the lake, so the views are incredible. This house was one of the few things
that I wanted out of the divorce. We started building it about four years ago
and then not long after, everything went to hell in a hand basket. I moved in
as soon as it was ready. Frank never stayed here. I’d already left him at
that point.”
When she glanced at Sean, he
quickly looked down to scoop up more of his omelet. She saw the expression he
tried to hide—a look of relief that Frank had never stayed here with her.
“I’m surprised you’d want to
be this far out by yourself,” he commented, without looking at her.
Shayna silently reviewed the
last forty-eight years of her life. She often wished she’d had more time alone
when she was younger. Maybe she could have worked through the last three years
more efficiently if she had known herself better.
She had tied herself to men
her whole life, never really understanding who she was without them. After she
had abruptly cut ties to her ex-husband three years ago, it took many, many months
before she recognized herself in the mirror without the trappings of Frank
Chastain’s life weighing her down.
“The time alone has been good.
Necessary, even, I think. Anyway, I love it here. We were going to downsize
from the estate home that Frank still lives in and move in here once he retired—this
year.” She puffed softly. “I don’t know if he’s still retiring or not. He
probably thinks he’s going to need to work the rest of his life to make up for
my half of the settlement.” Shayna shook her head skeptically. “Although, I
think that would just be an excuse. A man like Frank never really retires.”
Shayna noticed a peculiar look on Sean’s face.
“So, your ex was going to
retire early ?”
Shayna stopped chewing for a
moment and then swallowed. Ah, that’s right. She had never gotten into their
age difference or much about the personal details of Frank’s business. They
had only
and then we’ll just see what comes second . I haven’t decided yet.” She
giggled and rested her elbows on the countertop, dropping her chin down into
her hands, framing her face.
Sean reluctantly resumed meal
preparations, and they continued their easy banter. When everything was ready,
they placed the food, juice, and coffee on serving trays and relocated to the extensive,
cable-railed deck adjacent to the great room.
The bird’s eye view of Lake Indigo
from the deck was stunning. Almost a million people lived on the other side,
and the skyscrapers were just visible against the backdrop of the mountain
range. At night, the sparkling cityscape was spectacular in its vibrancy as was
the Mt. Pleasant Bridge that jutted across the deep expanse of water, illuminating
the passageway between the two worlds.
As they settled in to eat,
Sean asked, “How’d you find this place, Shay? I would’ve pegged you for a city
girl.” He chewed his omelet and waited for her response.
“I am a city girl; one who
likes to unplug and enjoy quiet time, too.”
Mt. Pleasant had grown
rapidly during the last fifteen to twenty years. Some of that city life had
started seeping across Lake Indigo. Suburbanites didn’t like having to cross
the bridge after their long work weeks or on weekends to travel back into the
city for shopping, dining, the arts, and entertainment. So Shayna knew that, at
some point, what had begun as a well-kept secret, an oasis, would be overrun
with eco-friendly cars, minivans, churches, strip malls, chain restaurants,
tract housing, and school crossings. Of course, her ex-husband was a prominent
land developer, and was responsible for most of the sprawl.
“Frank and I actually bought
a lot of property on this side of the lake about twelve years ago. The parcel
my house sits on is prime real estate now. It’s the highest point on this side
of the lake, so the views are incredible. This house was one of the few things
that I wanted out of the divorce. We started building it about four years ago
and then not long after, everything went to hell in a hand basket. I moved in
as soon as it was ready. Frank never stayed here. I’d already left him at
that point.”
When she glanced at Sean, he
quickly looked down to scoop up more of his omelet. She saw the expression he
tried to hide—a look of relief that Frank had never stayed here with her.
“I’m surprised you’d want to
be this far out by yourself,” he commented, without looking at her.
Shayna silently reviewed the
last forty-eight years of her life. She often wished she’d had more time alone
when she was younger. Maybe she could have worked through the last three years
more efficiently if she had known herself better.
She had tied herself to men
her whole life, never really understanding who she was without them. After she
had abruptly cut ties to her ex-husband three years ago, it took many, many months
before she recognized herself in the mirror without the trappings of Frank
Chastain’s life weighing her down.
“The time alone has been good.
Necessary, even, I think. Anyway, I love it here. We were going to downsize
from the estate home that Frank still lives in and move in here once he retired—this
year.” She puffed softly. “I don’t know if he’s still retiring or not. He
probably thinks he’s going to need to work the rest of his life to make up for
my half of the settlement.” Shayna shook her head skeptically. “Although, I
think that would just be an excuse. A man like Frank never really retires.”
Shayna noticed a peculiar look on Sean’s face.
“So, your ex was going to
retire early ?”
Shayna stopped chewing for a
moment and then swallowed. Ah, that’s right. She had never gotten into their
age difference or much about the personal details of Frank’s business. They
had only
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