“For being Tilly’s knight in shining armor, even though she doesn’t know it. Most people would think she’s just another eccentric artist with a flair for drama, but you only care about her being scared. You’re ready to leap to her defense within seconds of hearing her plight.” I caressed his cheek, feeling the stubble along his strong jawline. “I am a lucky woman.”
Sean sighed happily. “This makes all the bad coffee, night shifts, stakeouts, paperwork, and lousy pay worthwhile. Let’s go chase the shadows away from Tilly’s place. And after that, I’ll check your closet for monsters before tucking you into bed.”
IN TILLY’S NEIGHBORHOOD, the streetlamps cast a warm incandescence onto the sidewalks and road. Some of the houses were dark, but most of them had lights on, giving the community a welcoming feel despite the darkness of the night.
Scrutinizing the shadows while he drove, Sean pulled up in front of Tilly’s house and parked. He kissed me and said quietly, “Wait here while I look around.” Patrolling up and down the sidewalk, he peered around trees and bushes and scanned the houses on the other side of the street. He ventured up Tilly’s driveway and surveyed the hedge at the side of the garage.
Colored lights from a flat-screen TV shimmered through the bay window at the front of the house. I could see Tilly on the couch with Peter leaning against her. Her husband relaxed on a recliner with Emma on his lap. The tableau filled me with a sense of nostalgia, transporting me to a time when Trey was Peter’s age. We used to cuddle up on the couch just like Tilly and her son, watching reruns of Murder, She Wrote. Trey would snuggle in closer during suspenseful scenes, and we’d make a game of trying to figure out “whodunit” before Jessica Fletcher.
“Well, it all seems peaceful around the neighborhood.” Sean’s entry into the car pulled me back to the present. “There doesn’t seem to be anything suspicious; no one is lurking in the bushes. I think you can rest easy tonight.” Sean touched my knee and then started the car.
“Especially with you nearby,” I said, leaning over to kiss his cheek.
By contrast, everything was dark when we drove up the driveway of my cozy yellow cottage. I had left no lights on that morning when I went to work and hadn’t been home since.
“Looks a little gloomy,” I observed. “After Tilly’s.”
“We’ll soon have it glowing.” Sean reached for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before opening his door. I pulled my door handle, and suddenly his police radio squawked, crackling an indiscernible code. With an apologetic look in my direction, he responded to the dispatcher. “My ETA is twenty minutes.” He then cradled my face in his hands, gently brushing his lips against mine. “I’m so sorry, Lila. I really need to go.”
Disappointed, I nodded and tried not to show my frustration at how his job always seemed to interfere with our plans. “I understand.” I sighed. “At least we were able to have cappuccinos together.”
IN THE OFFICE that Thursday, I threw myself into work while waiting for Trey to arrive. At the same time, I tried to avoid the thoughts that had troubled my sleep during the night. I loved being with Sean, and we were good together, but the demands of his job were preventing us from taking our connection to the next level. It was true that the qualities that made him such a special man—his compassion and kindness, his strength and loyalty—were also what made him a great cop. Still, I was beginning to wonder about the future of our relationship.
I was reading a unique proposal for a paranormal mystery about a woman who’d sprouted wings when there was a knock on the door.
“Mom?” Trey stepped over the threshold. “I hope I’m not interrupting. Nana said you’d be expecting me.”
I smiled broadly at the other man in my life and walked around my desk to hug him. “Not at all, Trey. You can interrupt me anytime.” I was about to suggest that we go downstairs to Espresso Yourself, but then thought better of it, since I was planning to propose a clandestine operation to my son. “Can I get you a coffee from the kitchen?” I asked instead.
“No, thanks. I’ve stopped drinking caffeine. It’s totally addictive, you know.”
Raising my eyebrows at what were probably Iris’s words coming out of my son’s mouth, I gestured toward my guest chair. “So what’s up?” I asked as I lowered myself into my own seat.
“Oh, nothing specific. Just wanted to hang out with you for a bit…” His voice trailed off. “I’m feeling kind of unsure about things at the co-op. Like, how long I want to stay there? And if it’s really what I want to do with my life.”
I tried to keep my expression neutral in order to not reveal how much this delighted me. If he were beginning to question his future at the co-op, then perhaps he would seriously consider going to college in January. “Have things changed that much for you? You were so fulfilled at first,” I ventured.