Page 93 of The Sandbar saga

Chapter 36

Brad and Jane Dowsershook Katie's hand. She walked them to their car and waved to the happy potential homeowners. They'd put a full offer down on a home near the bay and would go home full of hope that tomorrow, their offer would be accepted.

She strolled back into the office and called the listing agent with the offer. Once business was completed, she gave Heidi the paperwork to be sent to the other realtor.

"You've had a good day." Heidi typed on the keyboard. "Any plans to celebrate this weekend?"

She'd sold two houses since Monday. Moving to Astoria motivated her. The real estate market was booming. Not only for tourists looking for a vacation home, but the locals upgrading to bigger houses in their preferred location.

"I think some downtime spent at home sounds wonderful." She straightened the items on the desk and locked the lower drawer, knowing Donna would be using the same space over the weekend. "Hopefully, the latest offer goes through, and I'll only have to get that done. Then, I can finally start decorating. I've got the furniture situated, but haven't even had time to think about style. Though Callie..." She laughed. "She's trying her best to put her toys in every room."

"She's such a cutie. Maybe she'll grow up and be a house designer." Heidi paused. "Is she going to start at Langly in the fall, or does she have to wait a year?"

"Her birthday is in two months, so she made the deadline." A quiver went through her. "She's ready. I know she is, and it will be nice since I'm losing my babysitter when she goes back to college, but I don't know...my baby is growing up."

"Time to have another one." Heidi laughed when Katie shook her head.

She'd done the single mother job with one child. Having two kids without help would be too hard.

"Okay, I'm going home. Go ahead and forward all my calls to my cell, and if there are any problems with the offer, let me know as soon as you can." She picked up her bag and pushed her chair in. "I'll see you on Tuesday."

Heidi waved. Katie reached for the door, turning to look where she was going, and almost ran into Race in the doorway.

"Oh. I didn't see you there." Her heart raced, and she pressed her hand to her chest. "What are you doing here?"

Seeing him at work surprised her. It was the only place where she could keep busy, concentrate on her career, and push away the stress in her life.

"I was hoping to catch you." He stepped out of the doorway.

She walked outside, shutting the door behind her. "What's up?"

"I want to see you." He tilted her chin. "Can the babysitter watch Callie for an extra half hour?"

"I..." She looked out on the street.

She was already getting off work an hour early. Darla wouldn't expect her until five o'clock.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"My life." He flinched through a half-grin. "Will you come with me? I can drive. We can stop at the beach and walk if you don't want to go somewhere."

The way she was with him, having others around watching them would only make her more uncomfortable. Yet, the last time she was at the beach with him, they'd ended up making love for the first time.

She swallowed. "Let me put my bag in the car. I can't be gone long."

"We won't be."

Seeing he was parked beside her car, she put everything in the trunk and then faced him. He stepped over and opened the passenger door. It wasn't too late to change her mind.

She knew going off with him was only asking to get more involved in his life. He'd made his intentions clear, and she had no self-control around him. That need to be with him was something distance and maturity hadn't cured.

Being in the car with him seemed more intimate than being at his house. There were six inches between their bodies. Every time he shifted; his arm brushed against her. She wanted the ride to go on forever, and in the same breath, she wanted to jump out at the next stop sign.

She hated feeling that way. This was Race.

He was the one person who knew everything about her. He'd been there through everything and was the only person she trusted

Race probably knew—no, he knew how she was feeling. It was torturing her being with him and having him act like they were old friends catching up. They were so much more.