Leaving Liberty (14 page)

           
A minute passed punctuated only by the soft beeps of the scanners recognizing
book barcodes. Daisy wanted to say Lane could cross a few people off his list,
but the memory of his arms around her was still fresh. Not every guy would have
braved a woman’s tears and offered comfort.

           
Nita coughed. “I just could never understand why that Tara dumped him.”

           
Here it goes. Old girlfriends lead nowhere good. She wouldn’t bite this time.
Nita was probably expecting her to trash talk the ex, in hopes of getting some
information which would give her a better chance with Lane. Well, she didn’t
need another complication in her life.

           
“He never would talk much about it. Just told everybody she had good reasons
and not to be gossiping.”

           
She felt a flicker of curiosity. Most guys would have soothed their hurt pride
by insinuating the woman was certifiably nuts. She stacked the last of the
books onto a cart and started to sort them in call number order. “I’ll shelve
these if you want to watch the desk.”

           
“Up to you, dear.” Nita glanced up and seemed to notice for the first time that
Daisy was wearing Marie’s old gray sweater. Her voice was soft when she spoke.
“I never asked you if you needed anything. You’re quite a bit shorter than I am
but if you need to borrow-”

           
“No, I’ve got clothes. I just saw Lane outside and grabbed it from the peg.”
Daisy shrugged off the sweater, feeling her face go hot. She knew how it was to
be dressed in ratty clothes, to always be the one with the cast-off clothing.
Even thrift store pants were too expensive for an eight year old with no
income.

           
Nita reached out and touched Daisy’s hand. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I was
thinking about you staying for the summer. You can borrow anything you need.”

           
Daisy wanted to shake off her touch and repeat that she was fine, fine, fine
but she took a breath and thought for a moment. She couldn’t buy everything
new, that was true. “I’m turning in the rental car and buying a bike but it
would be nice if I could just borrow one instead.”

           
“I have one that will get you to the cabin and back. It’s even got a basket.”

           
Daisy couldn’t help the smile that spread over her face. “Perfect.”

           
“I’ll bring it by this afternoon, if that works for you.” She coughed again,
wincing.

           
“Are you all right?” Working with kids all year, Daisy knew the start of a cold
when she saw one.

           
“Just a tickle in my throat. I probably need to dust.” The older woman turned
away heading for the stairs.

           
She nodded, thinking on her new-found transportation and feeling a slow spread
of warmth around her heart. Nosy locals weren’t all bad, it would seem.

Chapter Twelve

           
“Lane?” The voice at the other end of the line was completely unrecognizable.
He frowned into space, trying to match the face with the rough and croaking
tone.

           
“It’s Nita. I’m sick with something awful and I need a favor.”

           
He sat up straight, pushing his breakfast plate to the side. “Sure, Nita, you
name it.” Poor woman sounded like she shouldn’t even be speaking.

           
“I was supposed to take Daisy into Denver today to buy the summer reading
prizes before it starts on Monday. She could go alone but she’s already turned
in her rental car.”

           
“You want me to take her?” Of course Nita did. Jamie was another option, but
she helped out at Kenny’s preschool on Friday mornings.

           
A long sigh echoed down the line followed by a series of deep coughs. “I knew I
could count on you.”

           
“What time?”

           
“I told her I’d pick her up at nine. Stop by here on the way and I’ll give you
a list of the prizes and some money.”

           
It was eight thirty. Time for a quick shower. “Okay, I’m on my way.”

           
“Thanks, I owe you.” The relief in her voice was palpable. He could just see
the older woman relaxing back into her chair, wrinkled face at peace.

           
“Nothing owing, Nita. That’s what friends are for.”

           
Lane broke the connection and took a second to gather himself. Just a short
trip. He and Daisy would just have to put their issues aside for the morning.
He stared out the window of his small kitchen. His sleep had been punctuated by
the constant drumming of the rain, but the day had dawned clear and the sun
shone right through onto his kitchen table.  A perfectly ordinary summer
day, on the surface. He wondered about the chances of a perfect storm of
sickness, transportation issues, and deadlines. If it wasn’t so improbable, he
would accuse someone of plotting.

           
As it was, he’d just pray that the day went smoothly from this point onward.
Lane grabbed his dishes and headed for the sink, trying not to remember the
last time they’d been together. Her tears, the warmth of her body against him,
and then her expression when he’d mentioned Rocky. It was enough to make a grown
man beg for mercy.

           
He scrubbed off his plate and laid it in the dish rack to dry. Whatever had
happened between them, they needed to work together. If she really cared about
the library, it wouldn’t be a problem to take a day trip to Denver, even with a
guy she couldn’t stand.

           
After the fastest shower on record, he gave his reflection a quick survey.
Shaved, showered, and ready to rumble. Well, not exactly rumble. Ready to run
to Denver and buy toys for kids while trying his best not to argue with the
pretty new summer librarian. He let out a sigh. What were the chances they
could get through the day without a fight? Slim to none, most likely.

           
Grabbing his keys, he opened the back door to let Sammy into the yard. The golden
retriever gave him a look of reproach and set his body solidly in the doorway.
“Sorry, boy. No can do. I’ve got a passenger today and she may not appreciate
your dog breath along for the trip.”

           
Sammy hung his head and sloped out of the door, tail motionless. Lane sighed at
the sight. They were a team and now he was dumping his best buddy for a girl.
If only Sammy could understand, in his loyal dog brain, that it wasn’t that
kind of road trip.

                                                                       
***

           
The space between the moment Lane knocked and the moment Daisy opened the front
door of the cabin seemed to last for eons. His heart was beating double time
and he could feel heat at the back of his neck.
Please, Lord, let her
understand.

           
She swung the door open, taking a few seconds to give him a once-over. Glad to
be out of uniform and freshly shaved, but maybe he should have worn something a
bit nicer than a button up shirt and jeans. She made a summer dress and a light
sweater look perfect.

“Hi?”

           
He cleared his throat. “Nita’s sick. She called and asked me to take you to
Denver. She gave me the list of prizes and the money from the library fund.”
Aiming for confident, the words came out clipped, authoritative.

           
There was a long pause as emotions passed over Daisy’s face. Surprise,
irritation, something else he couldn’t define. “You’d think she’d call here
first.”

           
“To tell you she was sick? And then call me, and then call you back? I agree
it’s not the smoothest plan but I promise I’m not trying to kidnap you. ”

           
That brought a deep-down laugh out of her and the sound warmed the frosty area
near his heart, the place that wished she would just get in the truck without
arguing every step of the way.

           
“Let me grab my purse.” Daisy went back inside, calling from the living room.
“Did you bring Sam?”

           
“No, left him in the yard. He loves the truck but he’d have to get inside the
cab when we parked.”

           
He could see her through the doorway, wandering from the living room to the
kitchen. “Does he shed?”

           
“I wish that was it. He chews. Pretty much everything, including seats.”

           
She came back to the living room, scowling. “I can’t find my purse. I put it
right there, and then my friend Ana called. I put the phone back in my purse
and then I went to the bedroom.” She shook her head. “You better come in, this
might take me awhile.”

           
He stepped inside, inhaling the smell of fresh coffee. “Tell me your number and
let me call you.”

           
 “You’re pretty quick for this early in the morning.”

           
He snorted, pulling out his phone. She dictated the numbers and they stood,
waiting, until the faint chords of an incoming call sounded. “Aha.”

           
Reaching under the end table near the couch, she held up a little black purse.

           
Lane snapped closed his phone and saluted. “To protect and serve and find lost
purses.”

           
“Glad that’s in your job description.” She grinned and took one last look
around. “I think I’m ready, finally.”

           
“Good. And I like the quilt in here.” He motioned to where she had hung Marie’s
quilt, above the couch. It went perfectly with the oak bookshelves his
grandfather had made. The leather and cloth bound covers, paired with Marie’s
quilt, gave the living room the feel of a bibliophile’s paradise.

“I would have left it at the library,
but the window was leaking.” Daisy paused, her smile sliding from her face.

“Did you get the leak fixed? I can come
over this afternoon when we get back to town. Maybe it’s just the seal.”

She shot him a glance. “Thank you, but
Chet already took care of it.” Her eyes seemed to soften a bit. “But I’ll be
sure to let you know if there are some other leaks you can plug.”

If she was being honest, that was a big
step from the girl who determined to never ask him for help. His lips lifted in
a smile, wondering if they weren’t so far from being friends as he thought.

“I’m glad I took it down,” she said. Her
tone was soft, hesitant.

           
“It’s a work of art and needs to be protected.”

           
 “She had pinned a letter to the back.”

           
He didn’t hide his surprise. Mrs. Lindo had been sure there was a secret
inheritance. Maybe she was right for once.

           
“It was a letter from her to me.” The look in her eyes shook him to the core.
Pain, happiness, gratitude.

           
What he wouldn’t give to read a letter from Colt. “What a gift.”

           
She nodded, gaze down. “She left me a few boxes of books in the supply cabinet,
for the festival, but most of it was just… advice.” She didn’t offer more, and
he couldn’t ask. The moment stretched long.

           
“We should go. I need to open the library this afternoon.”

           
He turned, waiting on the porch for her to lock the door. He couldn’t imagine
how it would feel to read a letter like that. And it never would have been
found unless she’d taken down the quilt. Marie had expected her to take it home
with her to Fresno, not stay here in Liberty. His heart squeezed in his chest.
Marie knew better than anybody that Daisy didn’t belong here, didn’t want to
spend her future in this town.

           
He shouldn’t be surprised at that, everyone knows it but the way his stomach
had dropped into his feet said he was still in denial.

           
                                     
***

           
 The
flirty little blue sundress and strappy heels was a really bad idea. Daisy
gritted her teeth and shouldered her small purse. With Nita driving, the trip
could have been fun. A trip jaunt Denver on a summer mid-morning, with Friday
casual the rule of the day. But now all she could think of was how pale she’d
turned since leaving Fresno. Her California tan had faded, highlights muted,
and her nails were chipped. City girls sure spent a lot more time on their
appearances and she’d done the same just to keep up. Here, in Liberty, she’d
gone with the minimum. Just her luck she’d be spending the morning with Mr.
Effortlessly Handsome.

           
He held open the door of the old red Ford pickup, dark hair ruffling a bit in
the breeze, looking like an advertisement for a country living magazine. She
sighed. Nita’s car was low to the ground. This truck was a good two feet from
the gravel driveway. There was no graceful way to crawl up in the cab. Daisy
grabbed the handle and prepared to heave herself forward, hoping she could keep
her little dress at knee level. Or thigh level, at the very least.

           
“Turn around and back in.”