Leaving Liberty

by Virginia Carmichael

  ***

  Lane slumped into the deck chair and stretched his legs out in front of him. Sammy took the cue and dropped his furry golden retriever self into hanging out mode, head on paws, tummy to the floor.

  Late people were obnoxious. The more he thought about it, the less he wanted to rent to someone who couldn’t even show up on time. His sister had passed the message to him that morning, thinking it would be easier for him to come out than dragging her kids along. He was on his way to the creek, anyway. Old hiking boots, cargo pants and a flannel shirt probably wasn’t Jamie’s idea of good landlord attire, but at least he’d look authentically rural.

  He leaned back in the old chair and tugged his baseball cap over his face, shutting out the early morning sun. Sitting on this porch made him think of summers here as a kid. Grandpa Jim had been the best kind of man. Calm, clever, faithful. His throat felt tight just thinking of all the time they’d spent here together. In every memory, his brother was somewhere at the edges, playing checkers, catching fish in the creek out back. He’d taken him for granted and hated himself for it. Maybe it was losing Marie, maybe it was because he was so exhausted but the pain was sharp and clear this morning. He felt emotionally raw.

  Going to bed last night had been a waste of time, tossing for hours and then pacing the hall. He hadn’t such a rough night since after Tara decided she hated living in Liberty. Blindsided wasn’t the half of what he’d felt. She said she loved him, just not this town. He still didn’t understand that, probably never would, but he sure remembered the sleepless nights.

  It was right after he’d been passed over for that promotion. He’d been lucky not to be demoted, honestly. Of course, Tara hadn’t mentioned that. Her reason was there wasn’t enough excitement, she needed a really big city, even with Denver right down the road. Okay, so it was half an hour of straight highway, but that was no big deal. Daisy probably drove more than that just to get to work.

  He shifted in his chair, irritated with himself. Everything seemed to come back to Daisy, like his mind was on a hamster wheel, spinning endlessly and going nowhere. He hadn’t seen her since the day of the funeral, a whole week ago, but everyone in town was talking about the new summer resident. Rhonda had told half the town when she’d overheard Daisy canceling her plane tickets. Butch saw Daisy checking the want ads on the local grocery store bulletin board. The guy who pumped his gas this morning thought it was important for Lane to know that Daisy’s rental car got better gas mileage than his old truck. He huffed out a breath. Bunch of old gossips.

  Sammy perked up, then rested his heavy Labrador retriever’s head on Lane’s thigh. Dog version of an unspoken question.

  Lord, this is all yours. Today, tomorrow, yesterday. Rubbing behind Sammy’s ears and noting the resulting thump of his heavy tail against the wooden planks of the porch, Lane tried to let his tension ease away. He’d enjoy his first Saturday off in weeks, no matter what. He’d meet the summer tourist, grab some coffee, and head to the river for some fishing.

  The sound of gravel under car tires traveled to his ears. Sammy was at attention. Lane bumped the brim of his hat and watched a small red car make its way down the short driveway. They weren’t the only cabin on the road and he appreciated the driver’s careful approach.

  Somewhere between those last few feet and the flash of sunlight that passed the windshield, Lane’s stomach dropped into his boots.

  The door flew open and Daisy popped out. He would say she stepped out, but that would be wrong. She seemed to hop from the car like she was hitting the ground at full speed.

  “Hi there, so sorry I’m late. I told the hotel to give me a wake-up call at six but she slept in and…” Her voice trailed away as he got to his feet, shoving his hands deep in his pockets. “Oh. It’s you.”

  “I could say the same.”

  That got a small smile. He wanted to look away but his eyes weren’t quite obeying him. He couldn’t recall jeans and a simple cream sweater ever having looked so nice. She came closer, tucking wavy blond hair behind her ears, giving him the once over, eyes thoughtful.

  “I didn’t recognize you out of your uniform.”

  “Cops are people, too.”

  This time she laughed, a full throated sound that made him want to grin like a fool. He resisted. Barely.

  “I gathered.” She tilted her head. “And the dog comes with the cabin?”

  Sammy perked up at that, tongue rolling out in an enormous grin. “Nope, he’s with me.”

  “Too bad, he’s gorgeous.” She stretched out her hand and Sammy nosed it, then gave her a salutatory lick. “Is he your background check?”

  “Probably not a good idea. He’d approve anybody who slipped him a treat. We’d be ruined in weeks.”

  She scratched Sammy behind the ears, just where he liked it, and surveyed the cabin. “You getting into real estate? Probably a wise move, with all the tourism.”

  He blinked. Did she think he was buying up real estate on a cop’s salary? The big city got closer every year, property rates were rising. He wasn’t likely to start collecting homes any time soon. “My grandparents’ place. We spent a lot of time here as kids. Always thought our parents would retire here but they bought a condo in Denver after my brother passed away.”

  “Colt?” Her eyes went wide. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  He nodded in acknowledgement. It had been his senior year at the police academy. What should have been full of celebration was dampened by grief. He still missed his laugh, his warmth. What happened to Colt should never have happened to anyone. Careless, thoughtless… He pulled himself back from the thought.

  Daisy looked as if she wanted to say something more, maybe ask a question. He didn’t want to talk about Colt. He waved a hand. “Here’s the outside.”

  All right, it wasn’t the most brilliant segue but she only nodded. Her gaze slowly took in the sturdy porch, peaked metal roof, large flower garden to the side, towering pines. “What a view, I could look at that all day. I bet this place is hugely popular.”

  “Why don’t I show you around the inside. You might be projecting some of that view into areas that need work, like the kitchen.”

  There was that laugh again and his lips moved up of their own accord, as if they were obeying some secret signal. “Lead the way.”

  He turned and pushed open the heavy front door, painted bright red. “My sister redecorated so don’t blame me for all the weird furniture.”

  The smallest intake of breath told him she’d seen the old door Jamie had sanded and turned into a kitchen table. And the old door she’d made into a coat rack. And the handmade bookshelves. And the vintage light fixtures Jaime had found in a flea market. He had no idea why she thought all of this stuff went together. To him it looked weird, mismatched. Old.

  Daisy wandered toward the standing mirror and ran a finger along the carved wooden frame. “Wow.”

  He rubbed a hand over his face. “I think there’s a place off Lariat Street that has rooms you can rent for a week at a time. Little kitchen and a laundry downstairs. About the same price but it’s modern.”

  She turned, eyes bright. “I love it all. It’s perfect.”

  “Uh, right. You should probably see the kitchen.” He pointed her through a small doorway and didn’t bother to follow. Red and white everything, checkerboard floor, everything restored to vintage perfection by Jamie. If Daisy could stand stepping into 1950, then she just might be happy here.

  A squeal emanated from the kitchen. She reappeared in the doorway, holding a faded aqua bowl. “Vintage Pyrex, an old Sunshine mixer, it’s like a movie set.” She shook her head, laughing. “Jamie’s a genius at this. I wonder how long it took.”

  Months? Years? He couldn’t be sure because he hadn’t really paid any attention until the moment the large chrome kitchen knobs arrived from an internet restoration site. Those suckers were shiny enough he could have used one to shave. It was like cooking in a space ship, all that gleaming metal
.

  She returned, still smiling, reaching out to touch an ornately framed burlap peg board. He watched the smile fade a bit as she turned to face him. “I’d love to say it doesn’t matter what it costs and I’ll just eat mac and cheese to live in this cabin. But I can’t. Is a price reduction possible for the long lease?”

  He wanted to say yes, wanted to hand her the keys free of charge and hope to heaven she’d love it here. But he couldn’t. That’s not want an honest man would do. And he was nothing if not honest.

  Chapter Six

  Daisy felt her stomach drop into her shoes and tried to pretend like she didn’t care what Lane was going to say. It wasn’t just this perfect little cabin on the outskirts of town, or the shabby cool décor. It wasn’t even that she’d love to have one thing go right, rather than everything going all wrong, the way it did for her in Liberty. She battled back the flood of anxiety watching Lane rub the back of his neck. That motion she’d already come to recognize as a man who really wished he didn’t have to say what was on his mind.

  He seemed so much taller out of uniform, or maybe it was the small cabin making him loom large. Ratty well-loved ball cap, green flannel shirt worn soft, that easy stance. It was a man who was comfortable in his own skin, open to whatever life brought. But that expression was all wrong.

  “I thought maybe it would be worth a rebate to not have to run out here all the time, showing people around. One renter, all summer.” She hated the hope in her voice. Hated it because was almost positively sure of what he’d say next.

  “Daisy, I’d love to do that, but I don’t think I should.”

  Her shoulders slumped a bit but she forced a smile. “Okay, it was worth a shot. I know I won’t be paid for working in the library, if the city manager approves my staying in the building at all.”

  “It’s not the money.” Holding up a hand, he took a breath. “I can’t encourage you to stay here for a lost cause.”

  He could have said a million other things and she would have agreed. Picked up her keys, taken a last, loving look at the little cabin and gone back to the downtown area. But not that. She felt indignation travel up her spine and into her head. “You’d give the rebate to someone else if they rented for the summer?”

  Brows drawing down, he shook his head. “Not quite. I mean that…” His voice trailed away and he glared at some space above her head, thinking.

  Daisy crossed her arms over her chest and waited, lips pressed together.

  “Okay, yes, I would. And I can see how it seems a bit unfair.”

  “Totally.”

  “I just can’t see you spending a few weeks here, much less a whole summer.”

  There was a beat of silence. “Maybe I’m thinking of moving back to Liberty, getting a job here.”

  “I don’t think even Mrs. Lindo swallowed that line.”

  “Well, let’s be honest then.”

  “Great. You first.”

  “I’m staying the summer and doing everything I can to save the library. Then I’ll go back to my job in Fresno, whether or not I succeed.”

  His face turned rigid. “And I feel like it would be wrong to let you stay here when I know your plan won’t work. The library is barely safe as it is. You can’t raise the cash to fix it before it will have to close. Staying here is a waste of your time and money.”

  She didn’t know she’d stepped closer until she was looking right up into his face. As angry as she was, some part of her still registered the clean smell of pine and soap, the faint stubble on his jaw, those bright blue eyes. She fought back that part of her and focused on the task at hand. “Officer Bennett, I understand you’ve taken an oath to protect and serve, but I’m not a resident of this city so you can just relax. I’ve been out on my own since I was eighteen and know exactly what I’m doing. If you want to deny me as a renter, fine. But it better be for legal reasons or I’ll raise a stink that you won’t believe.”

  His eyes narrowed and he lowered his head toward her. For a moment she thought he was going to yell and a bolt of anxiety went through her. She’d endured more than her fair share of shouting, usually from a drunk man who didn’t know one end of the conversation from the other and more often than not it was in the middle of the night when neighbors could hear every word. There were no neighbors here, no one to hear her cries for help if things went from bad to worse. She fought to keep the fear from her face, from her eyes.

  Lane seemed to be working on forming words, or maybe he was counting to keep his temper. Whatever it was, he went quiet. And they stayed locked in their little power struggle, as she felt the universe shrinking down to the size of two stubborn people in a very small cabin. His mouth twitched up on one side and the look in his eyes softened to from anger to something closer to resignation.

  She could feel her pulse hammering in her throat and it wasn’t completely from anxiety anymore. She couldn’t have named the emotion if she tried, but there was curiosity and surprise and something that made her face go hot. His eyes dropped to her lips and widened by the barest of degrees. With a shock of intuition she knew what he was thinking. She should have stepped back, said something, anything, but she didn’t. She waited and watched his gaze travel back up to hers. An emotion flickered in his eyes and he cleared his throat, breaking the strain of the moment.

  “Okay, you’re right. I don’t have any legal reason to deny you the rental. And I’ll give the rebate for a full summer’s lease.”

  His words should have made her giddy with triumph, but she felt as if she’d stepped back from a near accident. She let out a long breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. This was what she wanted. It was going to be a long haul, from start to finish, she was positive of that.

  She put on a bright smile and tried to ignore the mix of emotions rioting through her. Because along with her relief was a tiny niggle of doubt, just a small twinge of worry that Lane Bennett was going to be more of a threat to her plans than rotting supports and flood zones .

  ***

  Lane conceded defeat with all the grace he could muster. What would it hurt to rent the cabin to Daisy for the summer? Easier for Jamie and him, certainly. Steady income and renting to someone who they knew wouldn’t destroy the place. She was independent and smart, so he wouldn’t have to run out here every time the faucet dripped.

  Sammy had watched the interaction with all the attention of a tennis referee. Now he slumped down onto the braided rag rug and laid his head on his paws. Game, set, match.

  “Great. Let me know when to pick up the papers.”

  “They’re in the truck. You can fill them out now, if you like. I’ve done my duty and warned you off. So, no hard feelings.” He put out his hand. “Just trying to save you some-- ”

  Her hand was already in his, her brilliant smile matching the shine in those gorgeous green eyes.

  “—heartache,” he finished. His throat closed over the last word and it came out husky, low. His pulse thumped in his ears. This jolt of attraction was no surprise. He’d known it was there, reflected in the way her laugh made him smile, the way he liked to see her stomping mad, the way she made a simple sweater look better than a fancy dress.

  But nobody could call Lane a slow learner and he knew that kind of fire just led to getting burned. He’d been there before and didn’t have any interest in getting his heart broken a second time. Even by Daisy McConnell.

  ***

  Papers signed. Lodging arranged. Dignity somewhat intact.

  Daisy closed her eyes and rested her head on the steering wheel. Saving Old Liberty Library was going to be one of the biggest jobs of her life, but if there was one thing she knew, a town needed a library. The kids needed the books and the steady presence of the programs in the summer. She could never replace Marie, but she could help keep her vision alive. That gave her a measure of comfort that nothing else did.

  She’d been perfectly calm as Lane showed her around the rest of the property, given her the papers, waited for her to
scribble down her information and write out a check. He’d handed over the keys and she’d left. Now that she was back in front of Rhonda’s little bed and breakfast, she could let her mind go over that conversation again… and again.

  He’d slouched in that old rocker like he came with the cabin. She’d thought the uniform was nice, but what must be Lane’s version of Saturday grunge had been enough to make her lose track of the conversation more than a few times. She didn’t go for the flannel and boots type, so why was it so hard to pay attention to anything except those blue eyes? Back in Fresno she dated men in suits, guys in ties, maybe even a few toting a briefcase. She liked a man with style, not a man who drove a genuine antique Ford with a golden retriever riding shotgun.

  Now she was renting his cabin. The fact was like a chocolate sprinkle on the cupcake of her complicated life. But if all went well, she’d never see him out there. He seemed glad to have someone who would take care of the garden, weed the flower beds, and not destroy the place. Of course, whether she could avoid him in town was a whole other question.

  It was sheer insanity to chuck her summer plans and hang out in the small town she hated more than dental work. But, no matter how crazy it was, she felt at peace when she stood back from the drama. Forget city manager Lindo, forget the issues of car and place to stay, forget the small town gossips. If she focused on Old Liberty and the kids who would be turning up in a week for their summer program, then it felt right. More than right, it felt as if she was turning Marie’s loss into something almost bearable. She couldn’t imagine going home to Fresno and passing the summer like she always had before: cooking classes, volunteering at the local shelter, dog sitting for Ana. Who knows what the summer would be like here, but she felt a peaceful purpose. Well, peaceful when Lane was out of sight.

  A loud trill from her phone brought her head up with a jerk. Uh oh. She’d said she wouldn’t sign the papers until she’d called Ana back. She’d promised.