Opening the bookshop on Saturday morning wasn’t as bad as Felicity thought it might be. At least, until the first customer came in when Felicity’s back was turned. She jumped when the sound of the door whooshed open. She turned, her heart pounding, to see an older couple walk in.
Everything’s fine, she told herself as she greeted them.
The rest of the day got better. She wasn’t nearly so jumpy, and by closing time, she realized that the day had gone faster than she’d expected.
Still, when she arrived home and was facing another night by herself, she wondered if maybe she should get a dog. Why she hadn’t considered it before, she didn’t know. Aside from the maintenance they took, and the fact that she didn’t know how long she’d be in Pine Valley. Plus, the next place she lived might have a no-pets rule, and even without that rule she felt sorry for pets who had to live in small apartments day and night.
Still, with her microwaved meal in front of her, she sat at the kitchen table and googled adoption ads for dogs. She didn’t really know what kind of dog she was looking for, or the differences between them; but she did know that she didn’t want a dog that would bark all the time. Leo probably knew about dogs. Cops trained dogs, didn’t they?
She picked up her phone and pulled up Leo’s number. She wondered where he lived and where he’d grown up. Next thing she knew, she was on Facebook, then Instagram. He wasn’t on either, and she really shouldn’t be stalking him. She could just call him. But no, that would be . . . way too presumptuous.
She logged out of Facebook. What did it mean that he wasn’t on social media? Was that a cop thing? Or personal? And what would she tell Leo when he called? And would he really call? She was pretty sure that he’d call—the responsible-cop persona and all. He practically oozed “responsibility.” For some reason, the thought made her smile.
Her phone buzzed, and she picked it up.
Change of plans with Slade. He got called into work. Wanna hang out? I’ve got ice cream.
Felicity laughed, then wrote back: What kind of ice cream?
Really? Is that what our friendship has stooped to?
Felicity wrote: LOL. Come over anytime.
Twenty minutes later, a knock sounded at her door. Felicity went to answer it to find that Livvy had brought a lot more than ice cream. She held two grocery sacks, plus her pillow. Livvy was particular about how she watched her movies and preferred her own pillow. Her dark, curly hair was pulled back from her face, twisted into a messy bun that only made her hair a riot of curls.
“You have a new lock,” Livvy said, coming inside.
“I got a dead bolt.” Felicity shut and locked the door. “On both doors.”
“Hmm.” Livvy continued into the living room, where she set the grocery bags on the coffee table. “Does your sudden change of locks have to do with the shoplifting incident?” She turned and zeroed in on Felicity with her bright-blue eyes.
Felicity shrugged.
Livvy’s eyes rounded. “Are you . . . You know you can stay with me any time.”
“I’ve been living in this house for almost a year, no problem.” Felicity settled on the couch and opened the first grocery bag. She pulled out the carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream. “I guess the shoplifter kind of freaked me out, but I’m fine, really.”
Livvy gazed at her for a long moment. “If you’re sure.” Her brow wrinkled. “Did you install the locks yourself? I didn’t know you were such a handywoman.”
“I had a little help.” Felicity opened the ice cream carton and dug in with one of the spoons Livvy had also brought over.
Livvy laughed. “I knew there would be a story in this. Do tell.”
Felicity took a bite of the ice cream, letting the cool sweetness slide over her tongue. Then she swallowed and told Livvy everything.
Livvy grabbed her own spoon but hadn’t taken one bite because she was solely focused on Felicity.
Felicity knew she was probably blushing when she got to the part of how the cop practically asked her out.
“He likes you,” Livvy pronounced. “I mean, you’re probably a breath of fresh air after his ex-girlfriend. They were supposed to be getting married, from what I heard. But I’m not surprised he likes you.”
“I think the double date is more of a courtesy thing, you know,” Felicity hedged as she turned on the TV and pulled up the Netflix browser. “He’s probably trying to find a way to thank Grant.”
Livvy didn’t seemed fazed. “That’s one way to look at it, but it’s not the right way. You have to face it, Felicity, Mr. Hot-Cop is interested.”
Felicity took another bite of ice cream. She couldn’t deny the attraction she felt toward him, and she couldn’t blame it on the romance novel she was reading. It was time to change the subject. “So, tell me about Slade,” Felicity said. “How’s everything going with him?” She didn’t expect the tears that sprang to Livvy’s eyes.
“Sorry,” Livvy said, wiping at her cheeks and taking a deep breath. “I don’t know if he’s blowing me off or if he really got called into work.”
Felicity had only been around Slade a couple of times, but he seemed to be a decent guy. “Well, he is a doctor. Don’t they get called into work for emergencies all the time? At least, that’s what happens on TV.”
Livvy laughed, but it was shaky. “Yeah, I guess. I mean, I just don’t want to be one of those clingy women.”
“Um . . . you’re not clingy at all.” Felicity set down her spoon and gave her friend her full attention. “Those four dates have been over a period of a month, and you only text him back when he texts you first.”
“True.” Livvy looked a little less sad. “I am a good non-girlfriend.” She sighed. “I guess my thoughts are with him a lot more than I see him, so it feels like I’m being more needy.”
“Maybe you need to have a define-the-relationship talk.”
“Ugh,” Livvy said. “You’re one to talk. As soon as any guy you’re dating wants a commitment, you reveal your get-out-of-jail card.”
Felicity laughed. “Not sure that would work with a cop. Besides, I don’t think I’m his type.”
“Why do you say that?” Livvy asked. “You might be just what he’s looking for.”
“Doubt it. I did a little googling.”
Livvy wriggled her brows. “Do tell.”
“It’s not what you think,” Felicity said. “Well, maybe it is. But Officer Russo isn’t on social media, apparently. Janna Swenson is, and we’re pretty much as opposite as two women can get.”
“I think that’s a mark in your favor,” Livvy said.
Felicity smirked, then pulled out the bag of tortilla chips and jar of picante sauce from the grocery bag. “Nice. You brought sweet and salty.” She handed Livvy the remote. “You choose the movie, and I’ll grab the drinks.”
So Livvy browsed Netflix while Felicity went into the kitchen to grab a couple of water bottles from the fridge. Livvy was right. Felicity hadn’t been able to commit to a guy. When it came down to it, she enjoyed the first few dates, the newness of the relationship. How interesting it was to get to know someone, the first date, the first time he held her hand, the first kiss . . . and then she chickened out when the conversations turned to family, future plans, and other personal stuff.
She’d tried to analyze herself before, but she always came up empty. Livvy’s theory was that Felicity grew up an only child, and so she was perfectly happy being alone, whereas other people were in constant need to have someone in their lives.
Felicity agreed that she was more independent than a lot of people. Maybe Livvy was right. Maybe Felicity was too much of an independent person to want a serious relationship, and friendship was as far as she’d get with any acquaintance. By the time she was an elderly woman, she’d hold the world record for the most first dates ever.
“Do you want to watch Leap Year?” Livvy called out from the living room.
“Sure,” Felicity said, even though she’d watched it a couple of weeks ago. She carried the water bottles into the living room and set one in front of Livvy. The nice thing about romantic comedies was that they were predictable. Which only made it appealing. There was a guaranteed happily ever after, and all Felicity had to do was watch.
“Just think if our men could see us now,” Livvy mused. “I’m dating a doctor, and you’re about to date a cop. Slade is a health food nut, and Officer Russo probably works out three hours a day. Here we are, lounging on the couch and eating junk food. But what can those men expect when they work nights and leave their women to fend for themselves?”
Felicity laughed, even though she wasn’t dating Leo, not even close. And she agreed with Livvy—Leo probably did work out a lot. His body was a testament to that. But she really shouldn’t be letting her imagination get away from her. She settled in to watch the movie with Livvy, and it was good to forget everything for a while.
By the time the movie ended, both Felicity and Livvy were fending off their yawns. At one point Felicity had put the ice cream in the freezer, so when Livvy rose to leave, Felicity said, “Let me grab the ice cream for you.”
“Oh, no,” Livvy said. “It stays here.”
“I don’t think so,” Felicity said.
But Livvy hurried to the door, unlocked it, and said, “See you soon!” Then she was out of the house before Felicity could get to the kitchen.
Felicity leaned out of the front door and waved goodbye, then watched her friend walk down the street—she lived only three doors down. Once Livvy disappeared, Felicity shut the door, locked it, and went back into the living room to turn off the TV. She checked to make sure the back door was also locked, even though she hadn’t used that door since she’d first locked it. Then she went into her bedroom—the same guest room she’d slept in as a kid with her parents when they’d visited her grandparents.
She changed into her PJ shorts and an old T-shirt. One of the things she’d bought new in the house was the bedding. She loved high thread count sheets and her down comforter. The comforter kept her toasty so she didn’t have to wear warm PJs. She closed her eyes and wondered if Leo would really call her in the morning, and what she would say. She’d probably have to decide sooner than later. If returning Grant’s favor was going on a double date with Leo, then she supposed she could help out. If anything, she’d be making more friends in Pine Valley, and that couldn’t be a bad thing.
Finally, she drifted off to sleep, only to wake up a couple of hours later. Felicity stayed burrowed in her covers, not sure why she’d woken up. Maybe it was all the junk food she’d had, but her stomach felt fine. It was also dead quiet, so she couldn’t blame a teenage driver for barreling down the street.
Felicity stretched and turned over. That’s when she heard a rattle, like the sound of wind blowing against a screen door. But she didn’t have any screen doors, and it wasn’t windy. The rattle came again, and Felicity flinched at the sound. Was the gate open? Maybe it was windy enough to push the gate against its latch. She listened carefully, trying to still her breathing, but if it was windy, she’d hear the leaves of the surrounding trees.
Another rattle sounded, and Felicity sat up in bed, gripping her blankets. The sound was definitely in her yard. The porch light was on, but there was no backyard light, so even if she looked outside, she wouldn’t be able to see much.
Felicity told herself that she lived in a small-town neighborhood. She knew all her neighbors, and there hadn’t been any break-ins or other instances of crime on the street. Also, Livvy lived three doors down.
Another rattle sounded, and Felicity yelped. She couldn’t just sit in bed and not know what the noise was. Even though her heart was pounding, she climbed out of bed and moved to the side of the window. Slowly, she parted the slats of the blinds to peek through. She couldn’t see anything in the near blackness. Clouds covered the moon, and she could only make out the general dark shapes of the backyard: trees, bushes, the fence. She focused for a few minutes on the closest tree. Nothing moved—there was no wind.
Maybe something rattled every night in her yard, but she’d never been awake at 3:00 a.m. to hear it. Whatever it was, or wasn’t, she was wide awake and probably wouldn’t sleep for the rest of the night. Four hours until sunrise. Everything would seem better in the daylight, and she’d feel dumb for getting all worked up.
The next rattle sent her scrambling back to her bed. She grabbed her phone and texted Livvy.
Are you awake?
She deleted it before she pressed send, because what were the chances that Livvy was awake? And if she was like most normal people, she turned her phone off at night.
Then Felicity typed: If you’re awake, call me.
SEND.
She waited eight minutes, and no reply. Now, Livvy would be calling her first thing in the morning worried. Then Felicity realized it had been eight minutes since the last rattle. So, that was good, right? She burrowed into her covers again, keeping her phone in her hand. If she heard it again, then maybe she’d—
The next rattle was much louder, and she thought she heard some sort of cry. Like a young child. But it had cut off too quickly to identify.
She should go investigate. What if a neighbor was in trouble? What if . . . Felicity regretted every horror movie she’d ever seen and every suspense novel she’d ever read.
She pulled up Leo’s number, and texted: Are you still on your shift? SEND.
Now it was too late to hide her foolish imagination.
Thirty seconds later, her phone rang. Felicity flinched at the sound, her heart racing. Leo was calling her. At 3:10 a.m. Because she’d just texted him. She had to answer.
“Hello?” she said, sure that she sounded breathless.
“Felicity? What’s going on?”
The sound of his voice filled her with relief, as well as making her feel like she was completely overreacting.
“I—Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.” Her voice shook, and he would definitely be able to hear it. “There’s this weird rattling sound outside, and I don’t know what it is. I think it woke me up.”
He didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll be there in a few minutes,” he said. “Are your doors locked?”
“Yes, but you don’t have to—”
“Stay inside,” Leo said in a clipped voice, as if he hadn’t heard her.
Was he annoyed? Had she gone outside of some major protocol? Of course she had.
She was about to tell him not to worry about coming over, when he said, “Keep everything locked up and don’t come out. I’m going to check the perimeter.”
“All right,” she said.
He hung up, and she climbed out of bed and pulled on a sweatshirt. By the time she reached the living room, the pulsing of her heart echoed in her ears. She waited for what felt like an eternity, but was probably only three to four minutes, before she saw a patrol car turn onto her street and park across from her house.
Felicity exhaled as she watched Leo get out of his car, in his uniform, flashlight in hand. He walked toward her house. Moments later, he’d disappeared around the side of the house.
She waited several heartbeats, then moved to the room that was the converted library. The room was dim, but she knew the place by heart and could easily navigate the bookcases to the window. She twisted the blinds open a touch. Leo wasn’t in sight, so he must be in the backyard or on the other side of the house. She went into the bedroom that used to be her grandparents’, and now served as a catch-all room of the things that had belonged to them that she couldn’t bear to throw away.
She peeked out of the blinds and still didn’t see anything.
A knock sounded at the back door, and she nearly screamed. It was only Leo. She took a deep breath and looked down at her phone to see that she’d missed his call. How had that happened? A text had also come through. Everything’s fine. Come out the back door.
Okay, then. She hurried to the back door and unlocked the dead bolt.
Leo stood on the other side, his flashlight still in hand. He must have seen the panicked look on her face even though she tried to hide it.
“Hey,” he said, his voice low and gentle. He kept his flashlight aimed at the ground. He seemed taller than she remembered, but maybe it was because she felt small and pathetic.
“Hi.” She was suddenly aware that her hair was probably a rat’s nest, and her PJ shorts were really short.
“Have you had raccoon trouble?” Leo asked.
She blinked. “Raccoons?”
“Yeah.”
She blinked again. “Um, are you telling me there’s a raccoon in my yard?”
“There was a raccoon in your yard,” he said. “I suspect a raccoon family has taken up residence someplace close by with the cooling weather.”