Room for Us

One playhouse, two full lives, and a spark neither wants to leave behind.Theater producer Tessa Rowan can turn a roomful of strong opinions into a show worth watching. At forty-two, she has work she loves, friends who know her well, and a happily childfree life. Helping reopen Alderhaven's Marlowe Playhouse is complicated enough. Then the carpenter makes her laugh.Forty-six-year-old Ben Whitlock is steady with a deadline and devastating with a straight face. He likes his hometown, old radios, and making breakfast worth staying for. Tessa's quick imagination brings out his playful side, and a riverwalk coffee soon becomes a date neither wants to end.Over secondhand records, lingering kisses, and a coastal day with some very questionable putting, they discover how good an ordinary day can feel together. They're equally certain about a childfree future.Tessa has also accepted a twelve-week producing contract in another town. She's eager for the work. Ben wants to support her. But as she starts arranging his visits without asking and he keeps putting local commitments first, even their best jokes can't smooth over decisions they haven't made together.Can they make room for an ambitious contract and an established home life without deciding for each other?