“Oh, hon, no need. We’re teasing.” Belinda waved off her concern.
Fiona accepted the reassurance, but deep down, the teasing had a certain bite. Even Leo’s cool reaction to her overture had the undercurrent of distrust. Of all the things she could be accused of, being insincere wasn’t one.
Dana leaned forward from her perch on the bed. “Are you leaving soon?”
“Yeah. Why?” Fiona noticed Dana’s hesitation.
“Grace wants the family together at dinner. ‘It’s our first night under the same roof’ spiel,” Dana explained.
Fiona asked, “Are my parents here?”
Belinda shook her head. “I’m guessing that they will be here by dinnertime if Grace is requesting that we all be there.”
Fiona wasn’t confident on that front. A glance at the clock on the mantelpiece over the fireplace let her know that it was time to meet Leo. After checking her face in the mirror and feeling satisfied with her reflection, she breezed past her cousins and headed out of the room.
“Don’t do anything I’d do.” Dana laughed over her witty remark.
“I’m going on instinct. No promises.”
“I feel sorry for that guy.” Belinda shook her head again, her mouth curved in a grin.
Fiona ran down the stairs and hit the outdoors. At that moment, Leo pulled up in his car and waited for her. Taking a deep breath and exhaling some of her nervousness, she pasted on a bright smile.
Leo beckoned to her.
She slipped on her sunglasses and headed toward the car.
Leo opened the door and she slid in. “I was going to drive.” She looked up at him as she pulled the seat belt over her body.
“That’s because you thought you were going to take charge of the situation.” He winked before he closed the door.
She bit her cheek to stop from grinning.
Leo had changed. He was in the driver’s seat, ready to take charge. She settled back in her seat to enjoy the ride.
After a lengthy silence during the drive, he asked, “What should we talk about? Where should we start?”
Fiona appreciated his effort to make the first move or set the marker for where they should begin the new stage. “Work, maybe? You’re an associate lawyer now. Congratulations on the achievement. I knew you would do it.”
“It was one of my dreams.”
“Still is, I hope. You’re good at it.”
He glanced at her. “Not that I don’t appreciate the confidence, but how would you know?”
“You work for my grandmother. She doesn’t settle for second-best. That’s how I know.”
“She does know what she wants.” His voice trailed and his attention was no longer on Fiona.
“But sometimes what she wants might not be wanted by others.” Fiona turned her gaze to the scenery outside the window.
Fiona considered her childhood stable and consistent. Strains and tensions had occasionally filtered into her family life, but she viewed all interactions and relationships as normal. Even her cousins had their fair share of family challenges.
Lately, however, those pesky vibes appeared to be on the rise. Or more troubling was that for the first time she saw her grandmother worry and hearing that Grandpa Henry seemed to be at odds with his wife. Not that his opinion had never strayed from Grace’s, but he’d always put on a brave face and supported her 100 percent.
“I can’t tell you,” he said without looking at her.
Fiona didn’t respond. Without knowing the subject matter, she had no idea what direction to aim her questions. For now, she’d relax into the seat and enjoy the afternoon.
“What about your job? Still a kick-ass detective?”
“Yep. It keeps me going.” She would have gushed that her job was like the oxygen she needed to function if she wouldn’t have come across as too intense.
“I bet you still work those long hours.”
“Like you. Remember how we’d end up having to call for Chinese-food delivery?” Fiona hoped that the happier times mattered to him, too.
“I did cook a meal or two sometimes.” Leo’s smile was pure heaven. “Had you asking for seconds.”
Not the only thing that she’d asked for seconds of.
She shot a glance his way to admire his strong profile. Her thumb used to press against those full lips that, when curled into a smile, created a dimple on the right side, close to the bottom corner of his lip. She’d kiss that spot until he gave in to her demands. The flashback fueled a hot flush in her belly. Her hands ran the length of her thighs as she focused on Leo.
“What about you? Are you still grabbing food on the run?” he asked.
“Yeah, I guess.” She smoothed any loose hair into place and rested her head against her propped hand. “Sometimes the work has a way of taking over your life.”
“You always gave it your all. All in or all out.”
She sensed that the judgment didn’t pertain to work. “Finding missing loved ones or even people ignored or discarded by society is important to me. Maybe it didn’t start out that way, like a calling that comes from the heart.” She broke off with an embarrassed laugh. “Sorry. Again, my intensity is my downfall.”
He laid a gentle hand over hers on her lap. “Your intensity...is attractive.”
Boom. The nerves in her body sparked to life like the flickering hum of fluorescent bulbs turning on.
She slid her hand from under his. That wasn’t any better, with his hand now resting on her lap. But thankfully, he returned it to the steering wheel. Her lap would have been lit up with a fiery glow under an infrared light.
She took a deep breath and attempted a better explanation. “I transferred over to the Missing Persons Unit because it was less maneuvering and clawing up the career ladder. It had the reputation for being the place where the close-to-retirement and those who had screwed up went to finish their years with the department. Plus, it’s a small staff, working on a tight budget.” Her anger was still fresh over the latest reduction in funds and freezing of pay raises. “Anyway, I get my stack of cases and I go to work.”
“Are there a lot of happy endings?”
“Only in the movies. How soon the person is reported missing and how fast we can coordinate with the various local entities determine the success rates. But I do get a lot of cases where we know who has the child. Those would be the custody battles. Or the grandparent who is looking out for the best interest of the child. However, they don’t have official guardianship. Starts as a missing persons case and evolves into other major crimes as more information is revealed.”
“The grind of the job has got to be a bummer, though. You don’t eat. You don’t take vacation. Actually, I’m surprised to see you without a gun at your side. You’re the role of the avenging angel.”
“I do eat,” she protested.
“Okay. Last Monday... Can you remember that long ago?” he teased, the tiny dimple appearing.
“Last Monday...” she repeated, waiting for an indication of where this conversation was heading.
“What did you have for breakfast? No dressing up the truth, either.”
She didn’t have to think about it. Her breakfast was always the same. And it would sound inadequate.
“I’m waiting.”
“Hot water with lemon. But it helps to start the day and energize the body.”
“I think that’s for the meal that is supposed to follow. So go ahead—you have your zero-calorie water and go to work. Then what?”
“I have a coffee. Two donuts.”
“What’s in the desk drawer?” His questions shot out at her.
“Twizzlers.”
“And lunch?”
“I usually eat...”
“We’re talking about Monday.�
�
Fiona huffed. “I skipped lunch, but only because I had a lead on a case involving twins. I had to check it out. You can’t expect that I would sit down for a meal when two young girls were in danger of being part of a sex trafficking ring.”
“And after you checked out the lead?”
“It was late afternoon. I had paperwork to finish on some other cases. Another department was waiting on my report. I couldn’t just stop to eat.”
“And how many Twizzler bags did you go through?”
“Pleading the Fifth.” She bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“And when you’re home. Late. Hungry. Tired. Is someone there to make you dinner?”
She chuckled. “Um...are you asking me if I have a special someone in my life who cooks me wonderful meals that make me ask for seconds?”
“Certainly not.” He turned his head, but not before she saw the tug of a smile.
“Well, for dinner I called for a pizza. By the time it was delivered, I’d fallen asleep on the couch. I took the pizza, dropped it on the table and went to sleep on the couch until Tuesday morning to start the day again. But that morning I did grab a slice of the pizza on my way out the door. A solid breakfast, if you ask me.”
“If you keep eating like that, you will get sick or flat-out faint on the job. You won’t be good to anyone.”
“Aren’t you the concerned one?” She looked over at him to see if there were any signs that he was truly worried. His expression didn’t reveal such clues.
“You can still do what you need to do and be kind to yourself.”
“If you read those missing-persons files, saw pictures of the ones that aren’t found in the best of shapes, you might understand.”
He parked the car, turned off the engine and hovered, as if something weighed on him.
But the silence loaded with emotion and expectation unnerved her. She unsnapped her seat belt, opened the door and practically fell out to get into the open air, the wider space. Sitting next to him, his shoulder within reach of her head to rest on and his cologne to play with her memory of his signature scent, stirred her regret. There was no room for remorse when she’d made the decision to cut ties with Leo.
She had been twenty-nine; he had been twenty-five, fresh out of law school with the world in front of him to claim. Their attraction had been so intense, heady and all-consuming that it had taken every bit of resolve for her to step away from their relationship. How could she be the one to block him from experiencing life? He hadn’t lived yet. Hadn’t started his legal career. Hadn’t even taken the bar exam.
Maybe because of opportunity and her family, she’d lived a life of privilege that was beyond her years. She’d jumped into experiences. Some didn’t need to be repeated or remembered, but she went off with no concerns and no one to feel obligated to.
So despite how much she had fallen for this younger man, and how much she’d wanted a life with him, and how much he’d gotten past her defenses and into her heart, she’d made the tough choice. To this day, she debated that she’d done the right thing, even if it ached like a physical wound.
“Would you tell me about the last case...the twins?” He rounded the car and waited for her to join him on the sidewalk.
She walked beside him. They headed toward Main Street, where the small boutique shops were now opening. The streets were still fairly empty as the town slowly got active on the Sunday afternoon.
“The twins were a special case. I try not to think about the cases after I’m done working on them. I even have a ritual after I’m done with the file. It helps me to move on.”
He didn’t say anything, but she knew he was paying close attention. She’d always liked the way he actively listened to her. When she had her rants, when she got excited, when she wanted to talk about the world’s problems, no matter what, he’d quietly listen.
“My ritual is a bit silly. No matter the outcome, when I find my missing person, and after I finish the paperwork, I send them off with a prayer. I want them to be at peace. I want them to be protected. I pray that they know love and acceptance after such a terrible ordeal.”
“I think that’s something very special, kind and necessary.”
“And for the ones that I don’t find, I commit their names to my heart. And I don’t ever stop following tips and leads. Sometimes they come to me in my dreams.” She’d slowed, coming to a stop. Emotions welled. “The twins...that was rough.” She blinked away the tears, pushing back the nightmares that haunted her. “I can’t talk about them yet.”
No sound between them. Only the rustle of the breeze blowing debris, the tires of a bicycle on the cobbled street, the tinkle of a bell as a shop door opened and closed filled the space around them. Her hair that escaped from the ponytail blew into her face, partially shielding her view of Leo’s reaction. She didn’t know why what he thought was something that she wanted to know. But it was.
She’d missed when he stepped closer. But he was there in front of her. His hand gently harnessed the wayward hair and guided it behind her ear. The softness of his palm rested against her cheek. Her breath quickened. Just a slight turn, and she could press her lips into his hand. She closed her eyes to regain her sanity.
“I’m here whenever you want to talk.” His voice had always had a rich huskiness with his Brazilian accent. His caring words bathed her in a warm glow.
“How about we get some ice cream?” Fiona took two determined steps back, away from the invitation of his body and out of reach of his hand.
“Ice cream it is.” He opened the door of a tiny store and waved her in. “I hope that your appetite won’t get screwed up for Grace’s dinner tonight. I’m not taking responsibility.”
“I promise to eat everything on my plate.” She held up her hand in a mock pledge.
The ice-cream shop was the perfect diversion from the heavy, maudlin thoughts that she didn’t want to air to anyone. The impulsive act of joining Leo wasn’t supposed to be a therapy session for her. She had handled her demons on her own and didn’t need anyone rattling around in her fears to make things worse.
“I am officially extending an open dinner invitation to you. Whenever you’d like, I will cook a fantastic meal.” Leo surprised her with his offer as they left the shop.
“Hmm.”
“You have to think about it?”
“Just wondering if you invite a lot of women to your home with a tasty meal as the lure.” She had to say what was on her mind, what she needed to know.
“I’m pretty much a private soul. These days, I only want to spend my free time with friends.”
“Ah...I’m back in the friend slot.”
He chuckled.
Fiona would take another small step into the thaw. Hopefully, the ground would stay firm as she tentatively tested her way back into Leo’s life.
Their pace picked up and now they entered an open-air market. This was the main attraction point, with people pouring into the area to drift off to the various booths. He seemed to know what he wanted to buy as he led the way to several stalls and chatted with the owners. His scrutiny landed on the best fruits and vegetables. Before long they had several bags between them. Yet he refused to say what this grand meal would be.
“It felt good to get away,” she said on their way back to the car.
“You just got here.”
“Yeah, but I’m sort of a solitary soul. It takes a bit of getting used to having everyone around you every day,” she confessed.
“When I was younger, I wanted to be part of a large family.”
“I’m an only child. We’re similar in that way.”
Leo didn’t say anything. But she saw the shadow that descended over him. They reached the car and still he hadn’t said anything further. They pulled off and headed out of the downtown to return
to the estate.
Fiona didn’t want this friendly exchange to end or get stymied upon their return. She pushed softly, “You’ve met most of my family. I’ve never met yours.” Fiona checked the solemn profile to see his reaction. “I know you’re from Brazil. I know you lived in Massachusetts. And now you’re in New York.”
“My journey to this point is...” His hands gripped the steering wheel. His jaw worked. “It was hard. My mother died. My father came to Brazil, married, and abandoned the family before I was born.” He shrugged off a burden that she was sure never lifted.
“I’m sorry.”
“My entire family was swept away in a massive flood. The rerouting of a dam left the village at risk. It was a flash flood that plowed through the land, ripping up everything in its path. We were asleep. There was no warning. In the dark, I tried to find my four older brothers and little sister.”
“Oh no...” Fiona couldn’t imagine that level of devastation.
“It wasn’t just my family. But over three-quarters of the village population, mainly children, died. People mourned. The government made a mediocre apology with some funding. But life was never the same. And religious ministries and charities took on the heavy lifting to give the orphans some type of stability, even if it meant relocating them. A family adopted me when I was twelve years old.”
“What about your father?”
“He was never on my birth certificate. He’d never been in my mother’s life long enough to know of me. My Brazilian family name is Ribeiro.”
“And Leo...was that your name?”
“Leonardo. But Leo was what my mother called me.”
“Have you ever gone back to Brazil?”
He shook his head. “No, this is home now. It’s where you put down your feet and live. Brazil is in my blood. That’s enough for me.”
“I hope that one day you do reconnect with someone from your family.” She sincerely hoped he did get rediscover his roots.
“I love the Starks family in Massachusetts who adopted me. I’m content.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean that you should turn your back on them. But there might be an aunt or uncle out there. Hoping for the best.” She didn’t want to sound like an insensitive boob.
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