Leaving Liberty (24 page)

           
It’s always easier to be the one who leaves, rather than the one who stays.
I’m sorry to leave you, my girl. You made my life happier than you can ever
know. From the very first day you walked into the library, you were my gift from
above. Now, I’m sure you’ll miss me but will you do something for old Marie?
Will you take all the love you have for me and spread it around? The world
needs it, Daisy.

           
Goodbye for now but I’ll see you again.

           
Daisy sank to the pine board floor and let hot tears flow down her cheeks
unchecked. With a flash, she understood what Marie had told her so many times.
She was not made to hold on to hurts and live her life curled up around them in
a tight ball of anger. She, Daisy McConnell, had a higher purpose than
bitterness and fear. She was made to live life with open arms, shrugging off
the mantle of regret and the inheritance of abuse.

           
She missed Marie so much the pain was almost unbearable. It wasn’t the ache of
loss but the pain that came from trying to stuff oceans of love back into a
place inside, a place it wasn’t meant to be. The idea of letting it go, of
spreading her arms wide to the world, filled her with fear, but she understood
now. She understood that forcing all that love back inside wasn’t an option. It
never had been.

Chapter Nineteen

           
Lane jogged up the foyer stairs to the first floor of the library. He knew Nita
was the only person at the desk because he’d timed his visit for Daisy’s lunch
hour. He wasn’t avoiding her. He was just making sure to come to the library
when she wasn’t around.

           
Now that she’d made peace with Rocky, he didn’t have any reason to hang out.
Everything was settled and they could all focus on the library now. At least,
that’s what he told himself every time he caught a glimpse of her and turned
the other way. His chest went tight at the way her brows drew down when she was
thinking or way the sunlight glanced off that blond hair. Even the curve of her
cheek made his mind flashback to that moment at the cabin. He knew how soft her
skin was and how her lips tasted and he doubted he would ever forget.  He
needed to put a little distance between them and he was doing his very best to
get it.

           
“Hi there, Nita. How’s everything today?” Lane tossed out the greeting as he
walked in. Nita stood at the front desk stamping books but she laid down the
stamp, crossed her arms and gave him a steady look.

           
“Having a bad day?” He threw her a winning smile and started toward the mystery
section.

           
A grunt came from the desk. It wasn’t the sound of a happy woman.

           
Lane was tempted to keep walking, but since Nita and Rocky were good friends,
he knew he’d hear about it one way or the other. Somehow he’d gotten on her bad
side. Better to face the music.

           
“Go ahead and say whatever it is you’re thinking.” He tugged on the brim of his
cap and ambled up to the desk, crossing his arms over his chest. They were a
matching pair of stubborn people.

           
“You’re not being very friendly to Daisy, after all she’s done for this town.”

           
Lane choked back a laugh. Oh, he’d been plenty friendly. That was the problem.

           
Nita’s face went tight. “So, you think this is funny? The girl gives up her
summer to help run this program, spends weeks writing grants, and you won’t say
good morning when you pass her on the sidewalk?”

           
“I always say good morning.” He just didn’t stop to chat and he tried not to
look her in the eye because if he did, he wanted to stop and stay awhile.

           
“Lane, you’re a nice guy. I don’t see why you can’t spend a little time helping
Daisy with her projects.”

           
He sighed. It was sort of funny to get a speech from Nita but he honestly
didn’t know how to explain without making the situation worse. “She’s doesn’t
really need my help, does she? That isn’t what this is about.”

           
Nita’s eyes widened a fraction in surprise.  “Well, maybe not exactly. I
saw when you passed her at the bakery this morning. I think she appreciates
your friendship and it hurts when you don’t take the time to say hello.”

           
Lane rubbed a hand over his face. Awkward. “Maybe we have an agreement. Maybe
it’s better if we don’t become best friends when she’s only here for the
summer.”

           
“An agreement? I can’t imagine it. I saw her face. She put on a bright little
smile while you were talking to us, but the moment you passed, it was like
someone ran over her dog.”

           
He rolled his eyes. He knew what he would look like if Sammy ever got hit by a
car. Daisy’s expression couldn’t have been anything close.

           
“Maybe not quite that bad, but you know what I mean. The girl went pale.”

           
“Daisy and I have already…” What? Gotten to know each other better than they
should have? “I just think that it’s better for us not to spend a lot of time
together.”

           
He could hear the clock on the desk ticking as Nita worked through the
implications of his words. “She likes you.” Nita’s lips turned up with a cat
smile that had definite canary-eating elements.

           
He tugged on his cap and sighed. “I don’t know. I’m not sure exactly what
Daisy’s thinking.”

           
“Oh, it takes about three seconds to see she’s sweet on you.” Nita poked a
finger at the desk. “I knew she was your type. I knew it the first day I met
her. All she needed was a little push in the right direction.”

           
Excellent. Nita was working hard to get them together and he was doing
everything he could to keep them apart. “Listen, Nita, I appreciate how much
you want to make her feel at home here, but the truth of the matter is that
Daisy is leaving. Not next week or the week after, but soon. You know what?
 I’ve seen that movie before and I didn’t like the way it ended.”

           
She nodded slowly, as if working to catch up. “I’m sorry for what happened, but
Daisy isn’t Tara. She’s different.”

           
He knew that. She was so different that he couldn’t even remember what he’d
seen in Tara. He leaned against the desk, feeling suddenly tired.

           
Nita’s voice was soft, as if she didn’t want to hurt him any further, but still
had something to say. “When you talk to her, it’s almost the only time I really
see her smile. She looks so happy.”

           
He knew that smile and missed it. “But sometimes what makes us happy right now
won’t make us happy later.”

           
Nita snorted. “True, but sometimes happy is happy. It’s up to us to work out
the details.”

           
“Officer Bennett!” A little voice caught his attention.

           
“Hey, Jasmine.” Lane grinned as the young girl trotted toward him, black hair
bouncing. She had a bright red plastic bag filled with picture books and it
knocked against her legs.

           
“You’re not wearing your gun. How will you catch the bad guys?” Jasmine tilted
her head and gave him a sharp look.

           
Lane crouched down to her level. “It’s my day off so I left the gun at home.
The other police officers will watch out for bad guys today.”

           
“Hm.” She didn’t look convinced, brown eyes narrowed. “Good guys never take the
day off.”

           
Forcing back a grin, he nodded. “True. We’re always on the look-out. But
sometimes we have to run to the library and get a few more books. Good guys
hate to run out of books.”

           
Breezy rounded the corner and flicked a gaze in Lane’s direction. Her dark eyes
were rimmed with deep blue eyeliner and her lower lip was newly pierced. The
attitude said she was angry and just waiting for someone to pick a fight. He
knew the older girl was Jasmine’s best bet at a stable home but he wished the
teen was a little more affectionate toward her sister. Maybe at home, in
private, she gave her hugs and read to her, but somehow he doubted it.

           
“Do you ever find lost things, Officer Bennett?” Jasmine looked up at him with
those dark eyes and his heart stuttered in his chest. What was she looking for?
If she said her father, he wasn’t sure he would be able to hold it together.

           
“Sometimes.” His throat felt tight and thick.

           
“I lost my teddy bear. She was there and then she wasn’t. I think she’s
exploring like Corduroy.”

           
Lane let out a breath of relief. “I’ll keep an eye out.”

           
“You’ll know it’s her because her name is Kayla, Warrior Princess. And one paw
is kind of worn because that’s the paw she always uses when she holds my hand.”

           
“I told you not to take it out but you didn’t listen.” Breezy’s voice was
sharp. She jerked her chin at the desk. “Hurry and give back those books. I
gotta get you to the sitters before work.”

           
Jasmine trudged toward the desk. “I didn’t even get to pick anything out. And
Kayla was on my bed and when I woke up she was gone.”

           
She rolled her eyes and grunted. “You carried her everywhere. Who knows where
she is.”

           
Nita took the books from Jasmine and said, “I’ll check these in while you run
grab a few more.”

           
The little girl didn’t need to be told twice. She scooted past her sister and
ran down the stairs, her little footsteps echoing through the foyer. Breezy
sighed and pecked at her cell phone.

           
“I should go find-” Lane’s words trailed off as the front door swung open and
Daisy walked through. A khaki skirt belted with a woven leather cord and a
simple peasant blouse should have looked like casual, but on her it was
stunning. Her expression was joyous. He sucked in a breath at the sight,
feeling the ache in his chest harden into something sharper, more painful.

           
“Hi, Lane!” She paused for the barest second and then waved up at him. She held
the door for a young woman coming up the steps behind her.

           
He responded, somehow, but felt weirdly aware of his arms and legs. He
straightened up from the desk, but didn’t quite know where to put his hands so
he jammed them in his pockets.

           
“This is my friend, Ana!” She turned and grabbed the girl’s hand and pulled her
up the stairs. Ana’s face was creased with laughter and she brushed back wildly
curly hair as they reached the top of the steps. She was a California girl
through and through. Deep tan, designer jeans, perfect smile.

           
“I had to come see for myself what’s so amazing about this place that my best
friend gave up her summer. I had plans for us to see every indie rock band in
the area, but apparently she’d rather live in the woods and ride a vintage
bicycle.” Her voice was soft, polite. She reached out a hand to Lane. “You must
be the owner of the cabin.”

           
“Sure am.” They shook and he took an instant liking to her. Her eyes showed a
cleverness, a light inside, that was a perfect match to Daisy’s own. He could
see how these two would get along.

           
“Hi, Miss Daisy!” Jasmine had returned from the basement, arms loaded with
picture books. Breezy barely lifted her head, still poking out a text on her
phone.

           
“Hi there. How was Corduroy? Did you like his new adventures?” Daisy leaned
down, her blond ponytail falling to the side.

           
“Yes and now I know for sure that Kayla is exploring.” Jasmine’s little face
was resolute. “She’ll come back as soon as she’s done.”

           
Breezy let out a loud sigh. “See? You guys fill her with all these crazy kid
stories and then she expects it all to happen in real life.” Her eyes radiated
anger. “When she’s disappointed, I get to pick up the pieces. Like always.”

           
Lane knew what she must be feeling. Better to be realistic and not expect
anything more than the very least. His heart went out to this teenager
shouldering responsibilities far beyond her years.

           
Daisy straightened up. “I understand and I’m sorry if I’ve made the situation
any harder for you. Let me know when there’s a problem and I’ll be happy to
talk to her.”

           
She snorted and brushed jet black hair from her face. “Let you know? I’ll be
calling California in the middle of the night and you can, what? Fly back here
and give her a big hug?”

           
Daisy’s face tightened and bright spots of pink appeared over her
cheekbones.  “You’re welcome to call me any time, wherever I am.”

           
Rolling her eyes, she walked toward the front door. “Hurry, Jazz. I have to get
you to Brenda’s before work.”