“The view must be pretty nice from up there,” she said sincerely.
Laurel face lit up. “It is! And guess what? That’s where you’re going to stay. Just wait ’til you see it. And the deck. The deck is amazing.”
Inside, the house seemed even bigger. The dining and living rooms opened onto an enormous deck that fronted the river. Standing under the shelter of the awning, Jessie could see a wide staircase on the other side that led down to a wooden dock. Two kayaks lay overturned along one side, and a canoe was moored in the water. The surface of the river was slate gray and dimpled with rain.
“Wow,” she said. “You weren’t kidding. You really are right on the river.”
“I told you it was amazing, didn’t I?” Laurel said. She reached for Jessie’s hand. “Come on,” she said, pulling her back insid
