Winter's Path: (A Seasmoke Friends Novel) Read Online Free PDF

my turbulence. “Any ideas what you want to do?”
    My chest rose and fell rapidly as I shook my head.
    She studied me a beat. “Are you on a tight budget?”
    We never discussed money, so the question threw me off guard for a beat. I swallowed hard and cleared my throat. Money wasn’t really an issue. “No.” I glanced around again. My things. My parents’ things. Boxes. White, white, white. Memories, memories, memories. “I...”
    Hell. What was wrong with me?
    Jenny rose and wove around boxes to stand in front of me. She tilted her face to erase the height difference and meet my gaze. “Breathe.”
    I hadn’t realized I’d stopped and drew in oxygen. All right. That was a little better.
    She nodded. “Trust me?”
    What kind of question was that? “Yes.” Irritation pounded my temples.
    Her lips curved in an understanding smile. “Your anxiety is never going to cease if you don’t make this place your own. I know you. This state of anarchy is driving you batshit.”
    Yes! Yes, exactly. I nodded, utterly relieved she comprehended what I couldn’t voice.
    Pulling her phone out again, she brought up a search engine. After a few swipes of her thumbs, she put the phone to her ear. “I have a large donation that’ll be ready for pick up tomorrow.” She spit out the address and exchanged some pleasantries while I stood by like an idiot. Once she disconnected, the phone went back into her pocket. “The Salvation Army’s bringing a truck tomorrow to cart away old furniture and whatever you don’t want.”
    “Okay.” I never would’ve thought of that. The donation would go to a good cause. But that still left me with...stuff. Boxes. No furniture.
    She crossed her arms. “Tonight, we’ll put the stuff you’re shipping to your folks in the kitchen, since that room is unpacked. Everything from your place you’re keeping we’ll put in your bedroom. The donation items we’ll put in here.”
    The band around my chest began to loosen. A plan. A plan was good. Order and steps to fix the issue. Normally, I was good with organization, but I couldn’t get my shit together today for some goddamn reason.
    Tilting her head, her smile widened. “Let’s go through the whole house. Start upstairs?”
    “Yeah,” I croaked. She went to head in that direction, but I called her name. “Thank you.” I swear, what I’d do without her most days, especially the past few months, I hadn’t a clue.
    We set up my old bedroom and hung the pictures, replaced the lamps. Everything from my folks’ old bedroom went into this one as a guest room, but even the pieces seemed new since they were placed differently. Clever little minx, she was. She stripped the third room to nothing but my exercise equipment, then started carting unused items downstairs. From there, we opened boxes to determine what was staying and going. By the time dark descended, we were both exhausted.
    “Pizza?” she asked, slumped on the couch next to me.
    I nodded. “Pizza.”

CHAPTER THREE

     
    Matt
    July—Two Years Ago
    W ith the rest of the Seasmoke crew headed back home after our yearly trip, I walked the beach alone, wasting time until later, when I was set to meet up with Jenny. This year, I extended my stay another week, since I had mounds of unused vacation accrued. And I needed some alone time to clear my head.
    Letting the late day sun beat down on my face, I breathed in the scent of salt and brine. I had a great job, great friends, and a great family. Yet, my skin was itchy and I couldn’t wrap my finger around the issue. Call it a really premature mid-life crisis, but I swore I was...bored.
    True, I’d always taken the path of least resistance and generally followed the rules. I tried to treat others how I’d want to be treated and worked hard. Maybe that was it. I worked, but rarely played. I wasn’t the adventurous type but, to be honest, I could use a little spontaneity. My life was pretty scheduled, and that was how I liked things.