The Memory of You (Sanctuary Sound #1)(54)

“Sorry to disturb your evening, but I’m calling to see if you were serious about your offer to help me buy the Weber house.”

After a brief pause, she said, “How much do you need?”

“Realistically, probably fifty thousand. I’m thinking you make us a short-term loan. We’ll pay a better interest rate than what you’re earning on it now, and your downside will be limited to that amount. That’s better than if you’re a partner, which could put you on the hook for the entire debt.”

“How long will the rehab take?”

“Barring something unforeseen, the renovations should take four or so months. Even with some delays, if I can close within the month, we’d finish in time for the spring market.”

“Ryan’s finances could be settled by then,” Molly mused aloud, mostly to herself.

Steffi slowly rubbed her fingers back and forth across her breastbone. Each second awaiting Molly’s decision its own eternity.

“Okay, let’s do it. Hopefully Ryan can jump on it by the time it’s completed. If not, I’ll get my money back with interest, so that’s something. But remember, he can’t know that we’re scheming.”

Steffi stared at her phone. “We’re not scheming.”

“Oh yes, we are, dear,” Molly chuckled. “In more ways than one.”

Before Steffi could ask what she meant, Molly said, “I’ve got to run. We’ll talk tomorrow at the house.”

Steffi set the phone aside and sat back in her chair, now certain that Molly had been conniving since the very beginning.

Her grin stretched from ear to ear. Steffi would repay the loan, but she would never be able to repay Molly for the chance to repair her relationship with Ryan. They were friends again, like they’d been as young kids. As long as Ryan didn’t run back to Val to satisfy Emmy, Steffi might even have a chance at more than friendship.

They were different people now. Older. Wiser. More appreciative of what really mattered in life. If she could convince him to believe in her and “them” again, she knew it could be even better than before.



Steffi’s stomach growled while she finished shingling an exterior wall of the Quinns’ new room. She stretched her arms overhead with a yawn, then twisted from side to side to loosen the knot in her back. When Emmy emerged from the house with a bag of sourdough pretzel bites, Steffi snatched a few for herself.

“We’re going sailing on Sunday.” Emmy gnawed the salt off her pretzel before crunching into it.

Steffi nodded while swallowing. “I can’t wait!”

“My dad forced me to invite Lisa Crawford.” Emmy displayed a talent for speaking clearly with food in her mouth, although dry crumbs sprinkled from it like a fountain.

Steffi tried to recall anyone in town named Crawford but couldn’t. The Crawfords must be a newer family, which meant Lisa had something in common with Emmy. “Who’s Lisa?”

“A girl in my class.” Emmy picked through the bag, selecting another pretzel with lots of salt.

“I figured that much.” Steffi grinned. “But do you like her? Is she fun?”

Emmy brushed crumbs from her dress. “I guess.”

“Is she nice?”

“I dunno.” Emmy shrugged.

Steffi grabbed one last pretzel for herself. “Looks like we’ll find out together, then.”

“I told Memaw I want to bake chocolate chip cookies to take on the boat, but she says they can’t have nuts if Lisa has allergies. Do you like nuts?”

“I do. Check with Lisa, though. Hopefully she’s not allergic.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah.”

Steffi crouched to Emmy’s height. “You’re not shy, so help me understand why you’re not interested in making a new friend.”

Emmy eyed Steffi while scrunching her nose and mouth, debating what to share. “If my parents get back together, we’ll move home, and I won’t need new friends. Even if they don’t, we won’t live with Memaw forever, so I’ll still be moving again.”

The thought of Ryan back with Val slithered down Steffi’s spine like a snake, but she focused on Emmy’s logic. It wouldn’t be half-bad if the kid had her facts straight. Frankly, Steffi might’ve reacted the same way at nine.

“I’m pretty sure your dad plans to stay in town whenever you move out of your memaw’s house.” Steffi gestured for Emmy to follow her inside because she had to find Molly before she left. “He and I had fun growing up here. If you give it a chance, I bet you will, too.”

“I guess.” Emmy hugged the bag of pretzels to her chest.

“I know.” Steffi playfully tugged at Emmy’s curls. “Now, the important issue is convincing your memaw to make two batches of cookies so we don’t run out.”

Emmy giggled as Steffi opened the kitchen door.

“You two sound happy.” Molly stirred the contents of the Crock-Pot and returned its lid.

Steffi’s stomach growled again at the first whiff of beef, herbs, and a hint of red wine. Ryan would miss having a daily chef on hand whenever he did move out.

Steffi’s mom had stopped cooking when she got sick. Then Steffi did most of the cooking . . . if you could call grilled cheese and canned tomato soup “cooking.” “We were conspiring to get you to make extra cookies for Sunday.”