Sweet Love (NG5)

17 - Retired

MAY

Rick's retirement coincided with the return of Nick and Ivy. Martha was trained and working while Rick spent three weeks training Katherine. Monday morning would be her first day on her own. The former owner worked his last breakfast and then they closed for moving day. Rick and Alice had been kind enough to let Katherine, or Kat as she preferred, stay in their spare room. Her belongings were in a storage pod in the parking lot.

As expected, everyone pitched in to move the Jablonskis to their cottage and Kat's meager belongings into the apartment. Will had been carrying furniture down the stairs all morning. Big things went in either Alex's or Jake Watson's pickup truck and they loaded the boxes in Jack's and Peter's SUVs.

Sam held the other side of the double mattress he and Will carried down the stairs. Will thought they should throw it in the dumpster not move it to a remodeled cottage.

Sam mumbled, "Rumor is he can afford a new mattress."

Will chuckled. "I was thinking the same thing."

Later after a quick break while Rory and Anna helped Kat clean the empty apartment, Sam and Will carried a newer queen-sized mattress up the stairs. It was bigger than the married couple's old one and Will assumed she slept alone. He felt weird wondering about his employee's sleeping arrangements.

It didn't take long to move her in. Rory was helping her put aways some kitchen items when Will carried in the last item, a flat screen TV. Sam went to work to set it up for Kat.

Rory said, "You should come to the party. You're part of the community now."

Kat frowned. "I feel weird like I'm taking his job and his home."

Rory laughed. "He wanted to retire and his new cottage is gorgeous."

Anna left to find Cole who was helping unload at the cottage on Puffin, up the street from Sam and Rory's cottage. Sam said, "Out with the old, in with the new. You are part of The Point family."

Will joked. "She'll need a jar."

Rory smiled. "Do you play cards?"

"I'll be too busy working and proving myself to play games."

Will froze. "Prove yourself?"

"To the corporate guys who own The Landing."

Will frowned. "I'd worry about all of us who love the place."

Rory frowned. "Will, don't scare her. Everyone is really nice."

He felt like a double agent. He looked at the time on the microwave. "I gotta go. Lana should be here."

When he strode to the stairs, he heard as Kat asked, "His girlfriend?"

Rory laughed, as he reached the first floor. He still couldn't believe he owned it all. He was an entrepreneur, boss, landlord, and all he really wanted to be was a wide receiver.

When Will reached his sister's cottage, Lana was changing for the party. She flew in for one overnight. The goal was to have as many of Rick's former employees at the party at the Pelletier's ocean front home.

Lana stepped out of her bedroom wearing a dress and frowned at Will. "I'd hug you but you stink."

"Try moving furniture. Can I shower here?" His clothes were in the car.

She teased, "You live five minutes away."

"I know. I can go."

"I was kidding. I don't care. How does it feel?"