Chapter Six
Lianna hurried inside of the coffee shop to escape the drizzle. It took just a second to spot her best friend sitting in a little booth by the windows. They made eye contact and Isabela lifted an arm waving to her friend.
As Lianna approached, Izzy stood up, smiling with outstretched arms. She wrapped Lianna up tightly, as if she knew how much her friend needed a hug. Squeezing back, Lianna savored the comfort.
“I ordered you a vanilla latte with oat milk and a cinnamon crunch bagel,” Isabela said, retaking her seat.
Shrugging out of her coat, Lianna tried to tuck a stray curl back into place. “You’re the best. Sorry, there was traffic getting out of Bellingham, road work in the middle of day. Who decided that was a good idea?”
Sitting down heavily, Lianna sighed. “I really needed this coffee date.”
“Talk,” Isabela encouraged, concern clear in her eyes.
A young man, who fit the Pacific Northwest hipster vibe to a tee, placed their drinks in front of them. They both thanked him in unison. The server’s gaze lingered on Isabela long enough to convey his obvious interest before he smiled and made his way to the next table.
“Obvious much?” Lianna laughed.
The first time Lianna saw Isabela she probably stared like that too. The woman was, in a word, breathtaking. Her warm beige skin always had an effortless glow with big brown eyes that you could drown in. Dark chocolate hair fell in thick waves halfway down her back. And she was sitting down. Had the poor server gotten a glance at her body, Lianna might have had to help him back to the kitchen.
The real kicker was Isabela’s best attributes were invisible. The woman was sharp as a whip. She was funny, loyal, and kind. Not to mention her place on the “Lawyers Monthly Thirty-under-Thirty” list, which she had made several times. Now that Isabela was over the thirty mark, she was a shoo-in to make partner. If Lianna didn’t love the woman across from her so much, she’d hate her.
“First, I finally caught up on our show last night and it deserves discussing. Second, someone butchered a raccoon and left it for me, and third, Gabe is under the impression it was my neighbor.”
Isabela’s mouth fell open. “Start with the raccoon.”
Lianna filled her in on the events from yesterday, starting with running into Gabe and ending with the yucky raccoon.
“Why aren’t you more freaked out? I’d move back in with my parents if this was happening to me!”
“That’s not really an option. And it does freak me out. Gabe said it was criminal harassment and uttering threats. But he also said it would be near impossible to prove. They would have to sign their name the next time they leave me a note or ring the doorbell after they drop off another dead animal.”
“God, that’s shitty. Sorry you’re going through this. It makes me so mad.”
Lianna nodded her agreement around a sip of her latte.
“What about your security cameras?” Izzy asked.
“There is only one in the front, and it faces the door. The camera in the back also faces the entrance to the house. Gabe said I should look into getting more installed.”
“I can’t help but notice that Gabe seems to be the topic of discussion every time we talk. I certainly don’t think the man despises you. In fact, he’s so possessive I would think you two had a little thing going on behind our backs.”
It was only the two of them now, but Isabela and Lianna shared everything with their other two friends.
“Only when I’m dreaming is anything going on,” answered Lianna. “I think it’s less about him being possessive and more that he feels obliged to help me. Like he feels sorry for me.”
“Nah, trust me, boys are a lot simpler than we think. The man is into you. Why he hasn’t acted on it, I don’t know, but he’s into you, hon.”
Lianna ripped off a chunk of her bagel, not really believing that could be the case with her and Gabe.
“Regardless of whether he wants to jump your bones or not, which for the record, I think he does, he’s right about your neighbor. Tim sounds creepy. I’m glad Gabe told him to bugger off. Listen to him about this, he’s seen this stuff before.”
Lianna collected her thoughts as she dipped her piece of bagel into a container of honey walnut cream cheese. “Tim is … odd. But why would he go through all the trouble of harassing me? Assuming the incidents are even related. It just doesn’t add up. If he wanted to hurt me, he’s right next door.”
And that thought made her shiver. But the thing bugging Lianna the most—her neighbor had absolutely no reason to bother her. While a bit off-putting, he was never aggressive or mean. But there were no other suspects, and she didn’t even like thinking of Tim as one.
“There’s no such thing as coincidences. We must be missing something, some motive here. Are you sure there is no one you pissed off lately?”
“Believe me, I’ve been racking my brain and I can’t come up with a set of circumstances where it fits.” Lianna’s head was starting to hurt.
“Just promise to tell me right away if anything else happens,” Isabela implored. “And please start using your security system, even when you are at home. Why not just be extra careful?”
“Okay, I promise. Now talk to me about you. I’m sick of my life right now.”
Lianna’s friend was pouring herself into work even more than usual. As far as she knew, Izzy had no social life, other than her coffee dates with Lianna and Sunday dinners with her large extended family.
“What’s there to talk about? All I need is a bunch of cats at this point.”
“I know that work is busy … how’s your family?”
“They’re fine, other than having an awful daughter. They were so excited when I moved back and I see them once a week for an hour, tops.”
“I bet they don’t feel that way. They are all so proud of you, Izzy.”
“Oh, yeah? Ask Abue how she feels about her thirty something, desperately single granddaughter who wears, gasp, pants to work.”
Lianna couldn’t help the laugh that escaped.
Isabela rolled her eyes, “I’d rather talk about the vacation episode on Housewives.”
****
It was pouring rain and about as dark as midnight, when Lianna parked down the street from school Monday morning. Today she would sell her soul for her own personal parking spot right in front of the doors. Of course, all the close spots were already taken by the organized parents who left on time during an onslaught like this.
She braced herself with a steadying breath, then reached for the umbrella that lived on the passenger side floor. The umbrella was nowhere to be found and her stomach sank when she remembered leaving it on the front steps of her in-laws. Mentally face palming, she turned to rally the troops.
“Get ready to run, guys.”
The three of them hopped out of the minivan, throwing on coats and backpacks as they moved. The crew raced as fast as a six and almost four-year-old in gum boots could. By the time she reached the school entrance, they looked like a family of drowned rats. Adding insult to injury, neither child turned to reward her with a goodbye kiss. She settled for calling out, “Have a great day! I love you!” as they disappeared down the hall.
Lianna pondered stopping at home to change before work as she trudged back to her warm, dry vehicle. The extra stop might make her late, but at least she would look presentable. Picking up her pace, she made it three steps before colliding with a very wide, very impressive chest. Gabe’s scent registered even before she looked up into his face. Why did fate insist on tormenting her this way?
“Whoa,” he said, surprise transforming his stern face.
A Calvin Klein ad in the flesh, he stood there with a tailored navy-blue suit, crisp white shirt, and most importantly, an umbrella over his head. All Lianna could do was gawk at him.
“Bye, Dad!” Jacob exclaimed as he chased the other students into the building. Gabe craned his neck as he shouted, “See ya, bud,” to his long-gone son.
“Morning,” Lianna squeaked out as she tried to duck past him.
Mondays were the only day of the week that Gabe took Jacob to school. Mondays were also the only day of the week Lianna spent extra time getting ready for work. She told herself that it was because Mondays set the tone for the week and looking good was feeling good and blah, blah, blah.
This morning she wished she had her usual hoodie on, because then her hair wouldn’t look like a Chia Pet.
“Morning.” That rich, husky voice put some heat back into Lianna’s freezing limbs.
“Did you walk?” He turned to follow her. Lianna would often walk the brisk mile to school when the weather cooperated.
“No, it only looks that way because I forgot my umbrella.”
“Where’d you park? I’ll walk you to the car,” he said, raising the umbrella to shield her.
She stopped and looked at him. This newfound banter was starting to irritate her. Just when she was making peace with him only speaking when spoken to, being the bare minimum conversationalist, he decided they were apparently friends again. Of all mornings to be Chatty Cathy . She focused on closing her nostrils to his smell.
“I’m wet… I mean, I’m already wet, uh, don’t worry about it, I got soaked on the way here.” Not having a conversation that wasn’t forced apparently turned her into a flipping idiot. His mouth twisted into a smirk.
“I can see that,” he coughed out, “but it’s fine, I’m in no rush.”
Lianna considered making a run for it, just bolting for her car. But she’d made a big enough fool out of herself for one morning, so she went with it.
“Okay, if you really don’t mind.”
“I don’t,” he reassured her.
As they started for the car, he stepped closer, extending the umbrella so it covered her more than him. Their shoulders touched in the process, and he made no effort to pull away.
“I parked by the lane.”
Eyes downcast, Lianna tried to avoid making more eye contact than necessary. Gabe was practically standing over her and she was willing to bet her eye makeup resembled that raccoon he cleaned up the other day.
“Okay. So, were you able to have any semblance of a normal weekend? I didn’t hear from you, so I assumed everything was quiet yesterday.”
Did he expect to hear from me? Better question, did he want to?
“Nothing exciting,” she exhaled.
Lianna knew she should try here, but just wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries. Undaunted, he filled the silence by telling her about meeting up with some work buddies Saturday night. As he easily chatted, Lianna half listened, half tried to figure out why he was so cheerful on a Monday morning? Oh, God, maybe he got laid over the weekend!
Pushing that awful thought aside, she scoured her brain for better explanations. Whatever it was, flashes of the old Gabe came rushing back. The Gabe who seemed comfortable in her presence, who laughed easily and smiled even easier. The man she had fallen so hard for. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed him until now.
They walked slowly towards her car, almost as if he were dragging his feet intentionally. “We’re almost there,” Lianna interrupted, picking up the pace.
“Why do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Always assume you’re an inconvenience.”
“Oh, I don’t know, sorry,” she said, realizing how pathetic she sounded.
Gabe cleared his throat. “You’re not, you know, a burden. I’m sorry if I made you feel like one. I ah, well, I know you need … I just don’t mind helping out.”
He offered her a weak but sympathetic smile, and just like that Lianna’s heart sank. Gabe’s words clicked on a light bulb in her soggy head. He felt bad for her. It was pity that fueled his charity this morning. She would bet it was also pity, not interest, that had him trying to be friends again. The realization transformed any sadness she felt into anger.
Lianna spent most of the last two years painting a smile on her face, as neighbors and teachers looked at her with puppy dog eyes. Never in her life had she been pitied before losing her husband, and it wasn’t a feeling she cared to get used to. She figured if she looked like she was coping, people would take her at face value, assuming she was fine. Lianna harbored too much guilt to handle the sympathetic stares. She couldn’t bear them from Gabe now too.
“Listen, I know I must look like a charity case, especially this morning, but I’m not your burden to bear,” she ground out.
Gabe stopped walking, his gorgeous face looking baffled, maybe even hurt. But Lianna felt herself unraveling and needed to be as far away from him as possible.
“My car’s right over there, thanks for the walk,” she called out as she jogged from under his umbrella toward her minivan before he could get out a word of protest.
****
Gabe adjusted his windshield wipers as the rain slowed down to a sporadic drip. Unfortunately, the damage was already done from the weather, and he now sat in the resulting bumper to bumper traffic. Vancouver saw its fair share of rain, but you would never know it by the way people drove when the sky opened up.
Today was the only day of the week Gabe had to battle the traffic getting downtown because he took Jacob to school. Usually, the ride was pleasant despite the extra traffic, because he got to reminisce on a morning spent with his son. Catching a glimpse of a certain someone’s pretty face didn’t hurt either.
As he sat there drumming his thumbs on the steering wheel, it occurred to him that the damage was also done with Lianna. He still wasn’t sure what had happened this morning. Things had been so easy between them before. Now, every conversation was forced, every word carefully selected to avoid flaring an argument. Knowing it was his fault didn’t make it any easier. The SUV’s Bluetooth dinged, interrupting the sports radio.
“What’s up, man? They were just going to start talking about the BC Lions.” Gabe said.
In a city that breathed hockey, Gabe had to work to get his fill of football talk. Dan Hauser, his one-time police partner, and now the second-in-command in the overworked drug unit, laughed.
“Spoiler alert, we watched it together at the bar. They lost.”
“I know, asshole. But I’d like to hear if the entire offensive line is getting tanked or just the coach.”
“I only watch for the receiver, number sixteen, that makes those circus catches, don’t pay much attention to the line,” Dan said.
Gabe hadn’t been able to pay much attention to the game either. After the events involving Lianna earlier Saturday morning, he was grateful for his buddies’ invite to meet up for a beer. The distraction was nice, in theory. The guys, all fellow law enforcement, had agreed something was off about that dead raccoon story. Gabe would bet his house that the neighbor had fabricated most of his version of events.
Maybe it was the alcohol, but after getting home from the bar, Gabe was antsy. He laid in bed for hours staring at his ceiling fan. By early morning, he had decided to stop pushing Lianna away. There were a hundred reasons why he didn’t want to stay away from her anymore, probably a thousand why he should.
The deciding factor was that he couldn’t deny that his coldness was forcing her to interact with a potentially unstable neighbor. Lianna might not realize it, but that man next door was enamored with her. Gabe couldn’t blame the guy for that, but he could make sure the man couldn’t act on his feelings.
“Shithead, are you listening to me?” Dan asked.
“Nope, what did you say?”
Dan huffed, “I said, I have a possible POI you might be familiar with. He was a suspect in that gang hit at the coffee shop drive-thru last year.”
“The one that took place in the middle of the day?”
“The only homicide to take place in a drive-thru lane last year, man! What’s up with you this morning?”
“Sorry. Listen, the traffic’s insane, and I had a crappy start to the day.”
“You didn’t see your woman, raccoon lady, this morning? She usually puts a smile on your ugly mug.”
Until a few weeks ago when I self destructed that. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But thanks for reminding me. I want to run a background check on that neighbor I told you about.”
“Maybe she’s having a little side thing with the neighbor? Anyway, you wanna hit the gym at lunch? I’ll pick your brain about my perp then.”
Gabe didn’t take the bait. “Yeah, text me when you’re heading down to the gym. I’m almost at the office now.”
As they clicked off, his friend’s words continued to circle in his head. Your woman . Possessiveness flooded him. Not only did he like the sound of that, but he already felt that way. Although he had no right to, Gabe felt like he had a special claim on Lianna. In a perfect world, he would gladly be hers.
Would she even be interested? Part of the reason he kept his distance in the first place, was because he saw desire in Lianna’s eyes on the day of the boys’ ill-fated science project. Did he imagine it?
Gabe had been so sure she was interested in him, but maybe he had mistaken her friendliness as flirtation. Lianna was pleasant and kind with everyone. She was even nice to her neighbor and clearly, she had no interest in him. Right ? Gabe should be relieved, glad even that Lianna didn’t want anything more from him, it made things easier. Then why did the realization make his mood as dark as the dreary sky overhead?
****
Gabe exited the elevator onto his office floor forty minutes after he intended to. The chorus of voices reached his ears even before his eyes could adjust to the copious amount of light the wall-to-wall windows let in. Even on an overcast day, the office was flooded by natural light. As usual, the space was buzzing with energy, as people walked, heads down in paperwork.
Scowl securely in place, Gabe was glad he agreed to meet Dan at the gym during lunch. There was a shitload of agitation he needed to unleash. Setting off in the direction of his office, he felt around for his cell phone when it chimed. Encountering his holster, then his wallet, he finally retrieved the cell from his back pocket. There was a text message from Lianna. More anxious than he should be, he stopped walking and quickly swiped right on his screen.
Sorry for being a grump this morning. Hope you have a great rest of your day. Also, blue is your color.
The text was concluded with a red-cheeked emoji that looked embarrassed.
Gabe read the message again. Then a third time, before Jimmy, who the guys lovingly called, “the receptionist” hollered out, “What’s got such a big smile on your face this morning, Sarge?”
Realizing that he was standing in the middle of the hallway grinning like a jackass, Gabe cleared his throat. “What color is this suit, Jim?”
“My wife always says I’m color blind, but I think that’s blue. Dark blue, like navy.”
Hiding his grin this time, Gabe nodded then went down the hall and into his office. Once there, he barely put down his briefcase before reading the text message again.
He shouldn’t be this happy over a text. But Lianna thought he looked good in blue. That had to mean something. Realizing he was sitting there smiling again, Gabe shook his head. After reading the message one last time he typed out,
It’s no problem. I am always happy to help.
No, he couldn’t write that, or she’d feel like a charity case or whatever she had called herself. Deleting and starting again he wrote,
Hope you have a great day too.
Then he spent a whole minute debating whether to use a smiley face emoji before deciding not to. By the time his response was sent, he was sweating through his dress shirt. Gabe couldn’t remember being this twisted up over a woman before. Damn, he was in trouble. One thing was blatantly clear—he could no longer pretend Lianna didn’t affect him in a major way. Since he had already decided that he couldn’t push her away, his next dilemma was how he was going to stop himself from acting on his feelings for her.