Finding Us (Pine Valley Book 5)

by Heather B. Moore

  “Ha. Ha. Nope.” Beck climbed out of the car and went into the café.

  Leo waited, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. Then movement in the rearview mirror caught his attention. A woman on a bike. He turned his head to see Felicity riding her bike. At least she was wearing a jacket and gloves. It was warmer today than it had been yesterday with the light snow.

  He popped open the door of the patrol car, and by the time he climbed out, she’d taken the road that led to the rear parking lot of the bookshop. Leo walked along the sidewalk, and just as he reached the store front, the open sign flashed on.

  He could see Felicity moving about inside. It relieved him to see her working. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, and she wore turquoise-framed glasses, which incidentally matched the turquoise sweater beneath her dark jacket.

  Leo was about to turn away and not bother her, when she looked toward the window. Their gazes connected, and he lifted a hand in a wave.

  He had to go inside now.

  Felicity stared at Leo through the window of the bookshop. He’d waved at her, but she couldn’t seem to react. She’d thought that after all they’d talked about last night, their relationship would fade into a casual nothingness.

  Then she’d read his note on the kitchen table that morning. It had made her cry again. But now, she’d pulled herself together, and she was returning to her small and quiet life. The one in which she was fine living alone with her dog and having Livvy as a best friend. What more did she need? She’d talked to her parents that morning again, and she could tell they were relieved they no longer had to carry the secret. But there was no offer of a visit. It was like they wanted to move on—to forget they’d spent years raising her.

  She watched Leo approach the door. He wore his police uniform, which meant he was on duty. That was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because he could only talk for a couple of minutes, and bad because he’d have to leave in a couple of minutes.

  Felicity understood more than ever why Livvy had told her every single woman in Pine Valley had her eye on Officer Russo. Not only did he look good in his uniform, or really, in whatever he wore, but he was probably the most generous person she knew.

  Her pulse rate had already doubled just seeing him through the window.

  She picked up a couple of books from a display table so that her hands would be occupied, and to prevent herself from throwing her arms about his neck and taking back everything she’d said about not wanting a relationship with him.

  “Hi,” he said, coming into the bookshop.

  His uniform set off the breadth of his shoulders and his trim waist. Look at his face, Felicity. That didn’t help keep her thoughts platonic. He hadn’t shaved today, and the dark scruff on his face made his jaw more angular.

  “I’m wondering if you could recommend a book for a friend of mine,” Leo said, his warm, deep voice making her want to apologize profusely and go back to dating him.

  Felicity exhaled and adjusted her glasses. She loved his voice, but she should probably focus on what he was saying. “What kind of books does your friend like to read?”

  “All kinds.” His brown eyes were dark today, more serious. Maybe he hadn’t slept that well on her couch—who would? Or maybe it was everything going on with his dad? “You should see her home library,” he continued. “I’ll probably have to get a new release.”

  “Oh, she’s a reader, huh?” she asked.

  Leo smiled.

  Another thing to love about him—his smile.

  “She’s a huge reader.” Leo stepped past her, close enough that she caught his clean-spice scent. “How about this one?” He held up an Elana Johnson book. “The Billionaire’s Bodyguard?”

  “Oh, that came in this week,” Felicity said.

  “Is it good?”

  “I haven’t read it yet, but it sounds good.” Felicity laughed. “I mean, not that I think billionaire stories are in any way connected to my life.”

  “We all need an escape, right?” Leo’s gaze scanned her. “And I think my friend needs an escape, so I’ll get this one.”

  Felicity raised her brows. “Are cops allowed to shop when they’re on duty?”

  His mouth twitched with the promise of another smile. “Probably not technically, but I’m making an exception today.”

  “Okay.” Felicity carried the book to the register and rang up the purchase. He followed her. “How’s your dad?” she asked.

  Leo braced his hands on the counter. “He was being spoon-fed by a nurse when I stopped by this morning.”

  Felicity slipped the book into a paper sack. “Is he talking yet?”

  “My mom said he spoke a few words last night,” he said, “but he didn’t say anything to me this morning.”

  His tone sounded dejected, something she couldn’t remember hearing from him before. She tilted her head, studying him. “Are you okay, Leo?”

  “Yep,” he said.

  “Something’s bothering you.”

  Leo held her gaze, his eyes like deep pools. “Nothing aside from my dad’s stroke and the fact that you don’t want to date me anymore.” His tone was light, but Felicity wasn’t fooled.

  She wished the timing hadn’t been so bad, with his dad’s stroke and her meltdown. “That’s all?”

  Leo shrugged. “There might be some work stuff too.”

  Felicity walked to his side of the counter and leaned against it so they were only a few inches apart. “I’m a good listener.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck, then looked over at her. “You don’t want to hear about it, believe me. I don’t usually talk about the bad stuff I see on duty. It makes it easier to separate it from my personal life.”

  He wanted to drop his guard, she could tell. Wanted to get it out. “Leo.” She turned toward him and grasped his hand.

  For a moment, she wondered if he’d pull away, but then he linked their fingers together.

  Felicity ignored how her pulse jumped. “Last night I spilled my guts to you,” she said, “and it was ugly. But you can’t tell me about one morning of police work? Aren’t we friends?”

  “We are friends,” he said in a low voice.

  “Then tell me what’s bothering you.”

  Leo leaned in a little and seemed to breathe her in. She didn’t move, because it would be too easy to step into his arms.

  “I’ve had you on my mind this morning, thinking about how your grandparents stepped in and raised you as their own kid,” he said. “It might not have been ideal, but it likely saved your life.”

  Felicity stared at him.

  “This morning a neighbor reported a domestic violence incident at a house where the father has been abusing his pregnant wife and two little kids.” Leo looked down at their linked fingers and rubbed his thumb along her knuckles. “The wife pressed charges, thankfully, but the road to recovery will still be long and painful. Those kids have a tough life ahead of them.” He shook his head, as if he was trying to dispel images.

  Her heart stilled. “What are they going to do?”

  Leo exhaled. “They went to the women’s shelter, and hopefully they’ll find a new place to live soon and be able to start over.”

  “I’m glad you were able to stop it from getting worse or continuing,” she said in a quiet voice.

  “I guess that’s one way to look at it.” He raised his other hand and brushed a bit of hair from her face. All too soon, he’d dropped his hand. “Those kinds of situations rip me apart. I don’t understand how someone could abuse anyone, let alone a little kid. And all I can do is take down the report and encourage the wife to press charges. Due process of the law takes care of the rest.”

  “It makes me wonder what the police officer who found me went through,” Felicity said. “I don’t think I could do what you do.”

  “Sometimes I don’t think so either,” Leo said in a quiet voice. “But then a new day starts, and I find myself driving to the station.”

  Felicit
y felt the burn in her eyes. “You’re an amazing man, Leo Russo.”

  He gave her a faint smile, a sad smile. She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. After a second’s pause, he pulled her close; and although she had meant to comfort him, it turned into him comforting her. Being in Leo’s arms felt like such a safe place, a place where she didn’t have to worry about anything else, or what may or may not have happened in her past.

  “Felicity,” he whispered.

  “Hmm?”

  “Thank you.”

  She nodded against his chest but didn’t release him. Several more moments passed, and his cell phone rang.

  “It’s probably Beck looking for me.”

  Felicity drew away, not wanting to let him go, but not wanting Officer Beck or some other customer to come into the shop and see them like this. Her emotions were confused enough without creating town gossip.

  Leo answered the phone, keeping his gaze on her. “I’m on my way.” Then he hung up.

  “I hope the rest of your day gets better.”

  “It already has,” Leo said, his gaze searching hers.

  She could tell he was refraining from asking her more questions.

  “If you’re going to be home tonight, I’ll stop by,” he said. “I think I’ve figured out what’s wrong with your car.”

  “Oh.” Felicity exhaled. “If you’re sure?”

  “I’m sure. What time do you get off?”

  “Mr. Smithson is coming in around 3:00, so it will be around then.” She gave him half a smile. “So it will be warm enough to ride my bike home.”

  Leo glanced toward the window. Then he said, “All right. If anything changes, I can drive you home.”

  “Okay.”

  “If I don’t hear from you, I’ll see you about 8:30.”

  She nodded.

  He picked up the sack with his purchase. His phone was ringing again by the time he walked through the door.

  Felicity stood there for a long while after he’d left. She’d never seen Leo act so vulnerable before. He must be carrying so many burdens that he didn’t even allude to. Her heart cracked as she thought about the things he witnessed on a regular basis. Even though her parents-slash-grandparents hadn’t checked off the boxes of an ideal upbringing, she had to trust that they’d done the best they could under the circumstances.

  By the time Mr. Smithson showed up, Felicity was feeling tired from such an emotionally wrung-out week. Maybe she’d be able to take a nap before Leo showed up to work on her car. She pulled on her jacket and zipped it up, then climbed on her bike to make the ride. As she rode home, she kept thinking about what Leo had said—about how she’d been fortunate to be taken out of such a terrible situation before it got worse. She tried to imagine what it would have been like to suddenly have a grandchild to raise—a child of a daughter who was an addict.

  When she reached home, Felicity called Livvy. “Want to order pizza?”

  “You must have read my mind,” Livvy said with a laugh. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  “Perfect.” Felicity hung up and looked about her living room. She had some cleaning up to do. She ordered the pizza, then gathered the folders from the coffee table and put them away. She let General into the backyard so he could have some freedom and avoid craving the pizza when it came. Her phone dinged, indicating she’d received an email titled “Rose.” She glanced at the screen, then sat down on the couch. Her mom-grandma had emailed her some photos.

  With some trepidation, Felicity downloaded the first one. The picture was of a teenage girl whom Felicity had never seen before, but who was familiar nonetheless. Felicity recognized some of her own features in the dark-haired, green-eyed girl.

  She opened up the rest of the pictures. All of them were of Rose as a teenager. She looked happy, carefree, and Felicity guessed she was fourteen or fifteen. Were these pictures taken before Rose got into drugs?

  When someone knocked on the door, Felicity realized she had tears on her cheeks. She wiped them away and went to answer. Livvy stood on the porch, holding a couple of cans of lemonade.

  “What’s wrong?” Livvy asked immediately.

  Felicity waved her in. “I just saw some pictures of my mom for the first time.”

  “Oh, honey,” Livvy said, setting down the drinks on the coffee table. She pulled Felicity into a hug.

  “I’m okay,” Felicity said, hugging her back. “Surprisingly okay. Leo came by the bookshop today, and he was really sweet. Like usual.”

  Livvy released her. “Do tell.”

  So, Felicity told her what they’d talked about—except for the domestic violence house call—but she told Livvy that Leo helped her understand that she might have actually been lucky. “Imagine that,” Felicity said. “Me. Lucky.”

  “Well, I’m lucky that you’re here, and that you’re my friend.”

  Felicity smiled. “Because I buy you pizza?”

  Livvy laughed. “That’s one reason.” She kicked off her shoes. “Let’s see those pictures of your mom.”

  They spent the next little while looking through the pictures and talking about them. When the doorbell rang with the pizza, Felicity answered it. She paid for the food, then carried the box to the coffee table.

  She and Livvy sat on the couch together, and Felicity ate three slices. “I feel like I stumbled onto an oasis after a week in the desert. Maybe I should have saved more for Leo.”

  Livvy’s brows shot up. “He’s coming over?”

  “Later tonight,” she said. “He said he knows what’s wrong with my car.”

  Livvy kept staring at her. “Um, that’s being a very good friend.”

  Felicity felt her cheeks warm. “Yeah, I know.”

  Her friend laughed, then started to clean up their meal. “I’m going to get out of here before hottie shows up.”

  “You really don’t have to go,” Felicity said. “In fact, it might be better if you stay, because, well, you know.”

  Livvy cocked her head. “I don’t know. Explain.”

  “I’m sort of . . . I’m feeling better . . . like I might not be such a screw-up after all.” Felicity held up her hand before Livvy could argue. “I know what you’re going to say, but believing I could be the other half of a relationship is kind of terrifying.”

  “I know,” Livvy said. “What you’re feeling is totally normal. I mean, it’s a risk, right? What if you fall for him and he doesn’t fall back?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Welcome to my life.” Livvy shrugged. “Sometimes we’ve got to put one foot in front of the other and have a little faith in ourselves.”

  It was almost 9:30 before Leo could get over to Felicity’s. He texted her to see if it was too late, but she texted right back that it was fine.

  He stared at her reply for a few seconds, realizing how much it meant to him that she was communicating with him again. Those couple of days when she’d gone dark had really worried him. Scared him.

  Well, it wasn’t like they were officially dating anymore. She’d been clear on that. But then at the bookshop, he’d seen the interest in her eyes. And like usual, she noticed the details about him, and she cared.

  His mom had been the only one who’d ever drilled down on how his day was going, and he gave her as little information as possible. Felicity was different. He saw her as a survivor, as a woman who’d come out on top, despite her family situation. And she hadn’t even known all the reasons why her life felt so disconnected until recently.

  Leo pulled up to Felicity’s house. A couple of lights were on, and he grabbed the grocery bag containing the three quarts of engine oil he’d purchased, along with the bookshop sack, before climbing out of his car. He walked to the front door and knocked. General barked, and Leo smiled. Seconds later, the locks clicked, and Felicity opened the door.

  She wore an oversized sweater, leggings, and the turquoise-framed glasses.

  “I brought gifts,” Leo said, holding
up the grocery bag and the bookshop sack.

  “I think I know what one of them is.” Felicity smiled, and Leo had to admit it was good to have her smile. She took the bookshop sack, opened the door wider, and stepped aside. “If you’re hungry, I have some pizza.”

  “I’m good,” he said, bending to scratch the top of General’s head.

  “You look better.”

  Leo looked up to see Felicity’s gaze on him.

  “I mean, you always look good.” Her cheeks flushed. “But you look better . . . than this morning.”

  Leo nodded. “I checked in with Child Protective Services about that family I told you about. The mom and kids have a place to go—it’s subsidized housing. And the women’s shelter is also helping her find a job she can work at from home.”

  “That’s good news.” Felicity touched his arm, and Leo knew he shouldn’t react, but his heart was a traitor. She smelled like warm vanilla, and he really hated that he couldn’t kiss her right now.

  She took the billionaire book out of the bookshop sack. “Wow, this looks good,” she teased. She set the book on the living room coffee table. Then she looked through the grocery bag. “So, what’s wrong with my car?”

  “The oil is really low,” Leo said. “I’m hoping that’s the only problem.”

  “Can I help with something?”

  “You can turn on the garage light.”

  “Okay, I’ll try . . .” she teased.

  He liked seeing the light coming back into her eyes.

  “Lead the way, Ms. Miner.”

  She smiled, and they walked outside together, General coming along. Felicity opened the garage and flipped on the light. “There.” She put her hands on her hips. “Let’s see you do your magic.”

  Leo opened the door of the car and popped the hood. It didn’t take him long to pour in the oil, and when he checked it again, it had risen to normal level.

  “Okay, try starting the car,” he said.

  Felicity went back into the house and got her keys. When she came out, she climbed into the driver’s seat. The engine turned over and started.

  Leo opened the back door and let General in, then Leo slipped into the passenger seat. “Let’s drive it around a little, to make sure it’s all right.”