I, Gracie - Sharon Sala Page 0,50

are simpatico! Get comfy. I won't be a minute," she said, and sailed out of the living room, yelling at Muriel as she went.

Sam looked at Gracie. "Well, what do you think?"

Gracie looked around at the interior of this house and knew exactly where the furnishings for the apartment had come from.

"I think she's amazing," Gracie said.

A few minutes later, Lucy returned, Muriel behind her, pushing a tea cart with drinks and enough snacks to feed a football team.

"Gracie, this is Muriel. Muriel, Gracie is going to be the new tenant in the apartment."

Muriel smiled, then began passing out drinks and putting little plates of sweet cakes and savories on the coffee table in front of them.

"Don't be shy," Lucy said. "If you don't help me eat these, I'll just have to walk farther on the treadmill tomorrow."

Sam laughed out loud. "What part of 'cutting back on sugar' did you not understand?"

Lucy grinned. "It's all on you, boy. Willpower or greed. Your choice." Then she pointed at Gracie. "This one needs some coddling. I like to feed people, Gracie. Please enjoy."

Gracie took one look at all the treats, picked up a napkin and a little plate, and loaded it. She popped a little ham roll-up into her mouth and chewed, savoring dill, cream cheese, and something else...something salty in the spread.

"It's capers," Lucy said. "You're tasting capers."

Gracie blinked. "How did you know what—"

Lucy giggled. "I experiment with foods. That fools a lot of people."

Gracie filed that taste away for future reference, then one by one, ate everything she'd put on her plate, sipping Coke in between. It was the most perfect day she'd had in forever.

And then they were gone—back to the leasing company—signing papers, calling her banker, verifying her information, getting surprised by a decent credit rating, and then finally, writing a check for her first month's rent.

Sam handed over her paperwork, gave her the keys and the garage remote, and then reminded her. "Any time you have an issue with the property, you contact us. That's what we're for."

Gracie nodded. "And I can move in now?"

Sam grinned. "Yes, ma'am. You're good to go."

Gracie dropped the remote and the keys into her purse, then picked up her paperwork, hugging it to her chest.

"Thank you for going out of your way to help me."

"Of course. It's what I do. Think you can find your way back there?" he asked.

Gracie nodded. "I've had people go missing on me before, but I've yet to lose me. I'll be fine."

It was nearing sundown when Gracie finally pulled back into the garage for the last time. She'd brought in all her luggage first, and then had left to go get groceries. She shut the garage door, then got out and began carrying bags up the stairs. It took three trips to get everything inside, and then there was the business of putting it all up.

She had yet to unpack her clothing or check her email to see if she'd gotten any responses on her job hunting, but there was time now. She began putting up the groceries, and when she came to the notepad and pen that she’d bought, she tore off the packaging, got out the pen and wrote—

I, Gracie, am takin’ care of business. I have someplace to be.

Lucy Bedford watched with delight as her new renter came and went. She was building her nest, and that was a good thing. A person needed to touch things and move things in a place until it felt right. It was going to be a joy to get to know Gracie, but all in good time—and at her pace.

John Gatlin walked out of E.R., his long legs making even longer shadows on the pavement as he paused to remind himself of where he'd parked. Getting the call that one of his employees had gotten hurt on the job was part of being the boss. Fortunately, the injuries had not been serious, but he'd still had to make a flying trip to the hospital with all the insurance information. It did, however, leave him shorthanded, which meant tomorrow he'd be on the job with that crew. It had been quite some time since he'd been in the field, but he was looking forward to riding a mower. It was far better than riding a desk.

Once he located his truck, he jogged toward it. All he wanted now was to go home, take a shower, have a cold beer and some pizza.

He took the highway out