Lost and Found (books 1-3): Small-Town Romantic Comedy

by Elizabeth Lynx

  “What do you expect from a wealthy guy who can hire a swat team for a last-minute search and rescue? He did his job, and now he probably wanted to race back to the city and away from us simple folk.” I rolled my eyes.

  I didn’t like Konrad. It was unfortunate that he was Bea’s brother. She deserved better than a brother who leered at women, especially when that woman was my sister.

  I was thankful he rescued my sister, but really, how much did he help and how much was it the experts he hired? I had a feeling the only thing he really did was pay them. They did all the work. Typical rich asshole behavior.

  There was something wrong with the men in the Love family. I wanted none of them hanging around my family. I guess I would be forced to tolerate them since I was dating Bea.

  She didn’t know this yet, but I was going to ask her if she wanted to help me with Fire Lake Coffee. My sister had said she had an epiphany when she was trapped. That it was time for her to live her dream of becoming a baker.

  She wouldn’t be around much to help with the business side of Fire Lake, so I was hoping Bea would want to take over. She was good at getting clients. And with the scan Shelby had yesterday, I had a feeling no matter what the result, she would need weekly physical therapy.

  And the doctor I met with yesterday mentioned that there were other therapies that she would most likely need in the future too, and possibly a walker or wheelchair. These things cost money, and I had to make sure I had enough to get Shelby what she needed.

  I was ready to expand the business. Maybe the next contract I negotiate with The Blue Spot in a year, I could request less exclusivity. Bea would be able to make that happen. She was good at what she did, and I felt confident having her help me run things.

  I was excited and nervous to tell her my idea.

  “You know, not every person with money is an asshole, Mica.”

  I jerked my head back. Chloe rarely cursed. She was mad. Obviously, she was pissed that Konrad stood her up. She baked him a pie and invited him over for coffee to thank him for rescuing her and he was almost an hour late.

  “Look, I know you’re angry that he didn’t show, and maybe I shouldn’t have instantly jumped on him like that—”

  “That’s probably why he isn’t here.” She placed the pie on the coffee table and moved toward me, waving her mitt-covered hand in the air. “Tackling him after he just rescued me the other day at the Fitzwilliam’s cabin was inappropriate. You had no right. The man risked his life with a bear . . . I mean, he put himself in harm’s way trying to find us. You should have been shaking his hand.”

  I stared at my sister in shock. “We’ll get back to the shaking his hand part right after you tell me about the bear.”

  She grabbed the end of her braid and began to fiddle with it, avoiding my eye contact. “You heard that part?”

  “Yes.” I took a step forward. “Now what bear?”

  Throwing her braid aside, she laughed, but it sounded forced. “It was the funniest thing. The day we were to leave, I convinced everyone to go exploring with me.”

  “But you hate exploring the woods. I figured you’d stay by your tent the whole time.”

  “The first day, I was so nervous that I barely got any sleep that night. Every sound I thought was a wild animal out to eat us. But as the days passed, I got used to everything. I even took over going down to the river to refill the water and bring it back to Lana’s water filtration system she brought with her. You know how she is with gadgets . . .”

  I nodded, not caring at all about the water but the bear.

  “What about the bear?”

  She sighed. “Fine, I’ll tell you. In my new-found comfort in the great outdoors, I suggested we explore some of the caves nearby before we left. Kristiana wanted to head home, but I insisted. I regret that now.” She paused as if in deep thought.

  “Anyway, the first cave we explored wasn’t very deep, and then I noticed a much bigger one a little further on. So, we went in that one. I was surprised at how warm it was and there was a pungent smell. I wondered if there was an underground pond because it was so humid. We went further back, and I tripped on something. When I turned my flashlight to the ground, I noticed a leg.”

  “What sort of leg?”

  My stomach began to twist at what my sister was telling me.

  “The bear sort of leg. It was a bear. Actually, a few bears. I was about to scream but Kristiana threw her hand over my mouth to stop me. They were asleep. Thankfully, my tripping on their leg didn’t wake them up. We tried to leave the cave, but every time we moved, the bears moved. One even stirred and turned and made it so our path to the front of the cave was blocked. We were trapped.”

  I nodded. Now it made sense. How she kept saying she was trapped.

  “Lana had brought her phone, but the battery had died. And Kristiana brought her two-way radio but it made too much noise. There was no way we could contact anyone. We hoped the bears would move a little in their sleep, but they didn’t. And by the next day, they had woken up. I thought bears slept the entire time they hibernated, but that’s not true. They didn’t wake much, but every time we attempted to leave, they stirred.”

  She frowned and gazed down at the pie. “Luckily, we had our camping gear and set up one of the tents and shared it. The heat from the bears kept the cave warm enough, and we had some leftover beef jerky and I had that bag of fancy trail mix that was in Bea’s get-well basket she gave me.”

  I almost couldn’t believe the ridiculous tale my sister was telling me.

  “Bears. You were trapped by bears?” I said, trying to make sense of it.

  She rubbed her face and turned to look up at me. “I know, it sounds so stupid but it’s true. I will never go camping again. And if I do, it will be in a cabin with a door, windows, and locks on everything. And I will stay in that cabin the entire time. No more silly adventures in the woods for me.”

  “I’m sorry. This was supposed to help you overcome your fear and it’s only made it worse. I’m sorry you had a bad trip.”

  She bit her bottom lip and glanced over at the pie. “It wasn’t all bad.”

  Just before I was about to grill her about how Konrad supposedly saved her, Bea walked in from the backdoor.

  She had been helping me and Chloe for a few days. Chloe had only sprained her ankle and hobbled around, but I couldn’t work the coffee roaster with my broken collarbone. I had to show Bea how it worked. Luckily, she was a quick learner.

  “I think that’s it. We should have the order for The Blue Spot filled by tomorrow.”

  Bea had been staying in my room. As much as I hated to admit it, it was helpful having her car and driver here. He even ran errands for us. And the guy had so many crazy stories about Bea. I wondered if some of them were made up.

  “Thanks. Hey, I was thinking we could all take a trip to a nice restaurant tomorrow. Celebrate the deal with The Blue Spot.” I think the dinner out would help cheer up Chloe, and I knew Bea would feel at home eating fancy food.

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t go,” Bea said as she stepped into the room.

  Did she make plans with her sister?

  “Okay, well, we can go the next day.”

  Bea twisted her fingers together. “Actually, I’m heading back home tomorrow.”

  “But you’re coming back, right?”

  “I think I’ll be in my room, uh . . . just to be in my room.” My sister pointed to the stairs before limping toward them.

  “Of course, I am,” Bea said with a smile.

  I let out a breath. “Okay, because for a minute I thought you were leaving for good. Just heading home to pick up a few things is fine, but—”

  “No, I mean, I’m going back home for work. I took enough time off the last two weeks but it’s time to head back. I’ll come up on the weekends and that’s when we can spend some time together,” she said the last part while wiggling her eyebrows.

  It felt as if I got the wind knocked out of me. Wha
t was happening here? I thought we shared something. Something more than just a fling.

  Was I expecting too much? Maybe I was.

  “So, like a long-distance relationship?” I asked and rubbed my chin.

  Maybe that could work. It was too much to ask her to leave her life and everyone she knew in DC. We needed time to see if it could work before we considered living together.

  She moved her head from side to side as if mulling over my question. “More like weekend sex.”

  “Sex? Just sex.”

  “Yeah, you’re going to be busy with the coffee, and I’ll be busy with work at Love Foods. We both are good in bed.” She lightly nudged me with her elbow.

  Her fucking elbow. Like she was my buddy and we were sharing a beer instead of me falling for her. Instead of me wanting her with me, not just my body.

  “So, I’m not worth getting to know?” I said more to myself than Bea, but she heard.

  “That’s not true. I know you. You love coffee, and you’re raising your sister’s child. Her father is in jail and—”

  “Stop!” I held up the hand that wasn’t in a sling. “Those are facts, but that’s not me. I know you. I know that you’re tough and charming and funny. When you don’t know something, you observe and study until you do. That you never take no for an answer if you really want something. And, you make cute little squeaking sounds when you’re turned on.”

  Bea looked up at me with wide, golden hazel eyes. She visibly swallowed and then opened her mouth a few times, but never said a word.

  Realization dawned on me, and I slowly said, “But you don’t know things like that about me.”

  She didn’t feel the same as me. Not even close. We had spent just about every moment together for over two weeks and Bea didn’t have one tiny molecule of feeling for me. She only wanted to fuck me. She got the deal; now, she wanted a little extra on the side.

  “I, uh, do, it’s just . . .” she sputtered, and I shook my head.

  “It’s time for you to leave, Bea. Maybe you should go home early. My family doesn’t need your help anymore. You got what you came for—the deal with The Blue Spot. Now run home to Daddy and show him how hard you worked for his approval.” I made my way to the front door and opened it. “Not that he’ll care.”

  I knew what I was saying was cruel, but she used me and my family. Just like I knew she would. As Bea stepped closer to the door, I kept my gaze forward, refusing to shift my eyes to the woman who was breaking my heart.

  She kept walking. I thought, no, I hoped she’d turn around at some point and apologize. Say she didn’t mean it and that she cared, but she got into her car and the driver drove off.

  That would probably be the last time I saw her, and it caused my heart to shatter.

  TWENTY-THREE

  Bea

  “My teeth will probably fall out before the end of this,” Olivia said, and then sucked on the lemon candy straw of her lemonade.

  I frowned as I watched her. Not only was I unhappy with how Mica ended things earlier today, but my teeth hurt watching my sister.

  “He kicked me out. I can’t ever go back.”

  I had called my sister right after I left Mica’s and she told me to come right over. I only said we had a disagreement. I didn’t get into the details about the fight.

  “I’m sure you two will make up soon. You’ll be able to go back.”

  I shook my head and gazed around her small cabin. There was a crack in my chest, and I knew exactly what caused it—jealousy.

  I was jealous of my sister. She had a man who loved her, a career she was passionate about and worked hard for, and now she had a growing family.

  A month ago, I would have only understood the career part. But now, it was the love and family that got to me the most. It may sound selfish, but I wanted that, too.

  “I don’t think so. He didn’t like the idea of weekends together.”

  She put down her candy straw and sat back. “You two have only known each other several weeks. Starting off with a slow, long-distance relationship isn’t a terrible idea. Was he expecting more?” She leaned closer. “What if he wanted to marry you?”

  I winced. “I don’t think that was it.”

  “What did you do?”

  This was the problem with having a twin. She knew me too well. As much as I played it off, I knew she’d eventually get it out of me. I had hoped she would tell me she understood or make me feel better.

  “The way I worded it, I made it sound like weekend hookups, not a long-distance relationship. Unless you count long-distance booty calls as a relationship.”

  “Oh, Bea. You have been complaining for the past year how you wanted to find yourself a mountain man, too. That the guys up here were nicer and sweeter than the ones back home. And you found one.”

  This wasn’t making me feel better.

  “You’re my sister. Why aren’t you telling me it was for the best or he doesn’t deserve me or any of the other crap women say to each other when they know they fucked up.”

  She twisted the corner of her mouth. “You want me to lie to you?”

  I threw my arms in the air. “Yes, for God’s sake, lie to me. Tell me it’s okay to want to work for my father instead of having a great man who compliments me because he truly believes what he says and not because he wants something. A man who always believes in me when I do something instead of assuming it was luck or pity that got it for me. A man who doesn’t love with blinders but gives his whole heart even with the imperfections, and sometimes, because of them. Tell me it’s okay I let that man go.”

  Tears were streaming down my sister’s face.

  “Don’t mind the crying. The hormones cause me to cry at least three times a day. I cried yesterday because one of the sheep farted.”

  I reached over and held Olivia’s hand as she let it out.

  “I know I fucked up, Olivia. There’s no mistaking it.”

  “So, go back there and apologize. He’ll take you back. Say you were tired or the coffee fumes got to you or something. Then hope he’ll forgive you.”

  “It’s not that easy.”

  She rolled her eyes and took a quick sip of the lemonade from her straw. “It totally is that easy.”

  But it wasn’t. I knew Mica. More than just facts about his life, like I had stupidly spouted to him at his place. What I knew most about him was that he was stubborn. The man held a grudge, and once his mind was made up, it took years to change it, sometimes, never.

  I talked to Chloe yesterday about her sister. Told her I was sorry about the loss of Shelby’s mother. Chloe informed me how Mica still refused to go to the local hardware store because Shelby’s father’s family owns it. He’ll drive forty-five minutes away to the next town if he needs to go to the hardware store.

  “You don’t understand Mica. He won’t let this go. If you don’t believe me, ask his sister.”

  We sat for a minute in the quiet. A few dog barks from Carter’s dog, Kitty, probably coming from the barn where Carter was out dealing with the sheep. Whatever sheep farmers do, like bathe them or whip them . . . I had no idea.

  “You know Carter was the same way. When we got too close, he pushed me away,” Olivia said softly.

  “But you didn’t go?”

  “No, I left. I didn’t know him as well as I do now. I believed he wanted nothing to do with me. But really, he needed to realize what he was losing in me. That I was worth having in his life.”

  “That’s easy for you to say.” I pointed to my sister’s angelic face and knew her sweet personality. I told her a million times before she met Carter that any man would fight for her. But she was with her stupid fiancé who treated her like crap and was blind to his obvious douchiness. As much as I believed my sister not wise for running off into the mountains in February to get away from her wedding, I was thankful she found Carter.

  She finally found a man who treated her like the goddess she was.

  “Yes, it easy for me to
say because you’re amazing, Bea. I have always been jealous of how you could walk into a room and all eyes would turn to you . . . and not because of your beauty.”

  I snorted, “Gee, thanks.”

  “I meant, it was your charisma. Your charm. You have this energy that you give off that attracts people to you. Yes, you’re beautiful and can make any outfit look amazing, but who cares? I’ve met runway models with the personality of sheep dung, yet they’re beautiful and make clothes look good. You got the smarts and the charm, and what did I get? Oh, that’s right, I’m nice. Whoopie. Because everyone admires the nice ones.”

  I shook my head. “You forgot you’re kick-ass and a quick learner and able to soothe savage beasts.”

  “Ha, ha, Carter isn’t a savage beast.”

  “You sure? I think the jury’s still out on that one. The man eats bacon and hash browns for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and has conversations with his dog. Don’t try to deny it because I’ve heard him.”

  Now Olivia was waving her hands in the air. “Oh, because Mica’s so sweet and outgoing.” She rolled her eyes. “I had lived in this town for a year and had never seen him. And, Carter’s lived here since he was a little boy and had never heard of him.”

  “Look at us. Both attracted to hermits. Who’d ever have thought it.”

  We both started to laugh, and that’s when the backdoor opened. A dog raced past us and hopped on her doggie bed. There was an old can of beans nearby and Kitty nuzzled it with her nose.

  “Were your ears burning?” I asked as Carter walked past to the refrigerator.

  “No,” he said and grabbed a bottle of beer and went to work opening drawers in the kitchen.

  “Because we were talking about you,” I said.

  “Okay,” he said.

  My sister shook her head. “It’s not going to happen, Bea. He’s not a conversationalist.”

  At least I could talk to Mica. He’d have a conversation with me. But I lost that today. I fucked up with my horny vagina and my selfish mouth. That’s what I planned to have on my gravestone. Here lies Beatrice Christina Lotus Love. She had a horny vagina and a selfish mouth.