‘No. It’s great. A whole new world of possibilities awaits.’ Cally joked. ‘I have moved on from the dark ages.’
‘Indeed. Thank God.’
‘I still can't believe you did this for me.’
‘You don't have to thank me. It’s just a laptop. I do think this little beauty is going to be a game-changer for you, though. No more fighting with outdated tech or frustrations.’ Logan chuckled. ‘The world is your oyster.’
Cally grinned. ‘I know.’
Logan looked over in the direction of the kitchen. ‘Right, where’s this coffee, then?’
Cally swivelled in her chair, watching as Logan made his way to the kitchen. ‘Coming right up,’ she said, pushing herself to her feet. ‘Just got to pour it.’
Logan leaned against the worktop as Cally pushed down the coffee plunger. ‘So, how's the chatbot thing going anyway?’
Cally nodded as she poured coffee into two mugs. ‘Yeah, same old, same old. It's nice to have something I can do from home, you know? Especially with hours that fit around the chemist.’
‘Busy?’
Cally took a sip of her coffee. ‘It’s getting busier. More than I expected, actually. There are a lot of returns these days andin my opinion not as many problems with sales. I assume that’s because there are less. Sign of the times, I guess.’
Logan nodded. ‘Yeah.’
‘Oh! I almost forgot. Croissants. Fancy one?’
‘Yup. Love one.’
Cally moved to the oven, turning it on to warm up. ‘They'll just take a few minutes to heat through. So, yeah, the chatbot job is not great, but for a home job, the money's not too bad. It all goes in the same pot at the end of the day.’
Logan raised an eyebrow. ‘Not being funny, but it does annoy me how hard you work for that pay.’
Cally nodded as she placed the croissants in the oven. ‘I know, but it’s all going to my savings. It's amazing how quickly it's adding up now that my costs are lower. Between that and my regular wages from the chemist and the work I’m doing for Nina, I'm actually managing to save a decent amount each month.’
‘Great.’
‘I've been thinking about the money my grandma left me.’
Logan's eyebrows rose. ‘The inheritance?’
Cally rolled her eyes. ‘It’s not quite an inheritance! But I've been doing some calculations, and I think I might almost have enough for a deposit on a flat.’
Logan's eyes widened. ‘Really? Time to start looking at places?’
Cally shook her head. ‘Not seriously, not yet. But I've been keeping an eye on the market in Lovely Bay. Just to get an idea, you know?’
‘And?’ Logan prompted. ‘What have you found out?’
Cally sighed. ‘Well, it's not cheap, that's for sure. Lovely's become quite popular in the last few years. But there are still some places that might be within my budget. Small places, mind you, but it would be a start.’
Logan nodded. ‘A start is all you need. Getting on the property ladder is the hardest part. Once you're on, it gets easier.’
‘That's what I've heard,’ Cally agreed. She glanced at the oven. ‘Oh, they’re done.’ She grabbed a couple of plates, removed the now-warm croissants from the oven, and put them on the plates. The buttery croissant smell filled the small kitchen, making her stomach rumble.
‘So, any flats you've been eyeing up? Any particular areas you're interested in?’
Cally handed Logan a plate and they moved back to the sitting room, settling on the sofa. ‘Literally anywhere I can afford. The harbour is nice. It's a bit on the pricey side, but the location is fantastic. Or, I don’t know, anywhere near the river or over where Nancy is.’
Logan nodded, taking a bite of his croissant. ‘Mmm, these are good. Yeah, where Nancy is is great. It would be a good investment, that area's only going to get more popular.’
