Page 45 of Coff

After we broke up, I told myself I wasn’t in love. It was just infatuation. It had to be. I was young, and although we were together for over six months, most of that time was long distance. It was easy at first to believe I fell in love with the idea of her but not her.

I almost had myself fooled until I met Kate. By all accounts, she was perfect for me. But every time I kissed her, all I could see in my mind was Delaney. Then I started to compare the two, and Kate fell short every time. It became clear what I was doing wasn’t fair to Kate. After two months of dating, I ended it. She cried because she thought everything was fine.

It was then that I realized I couldn’t do that to another woman. Relationships weren’t for me. Not unless I could get Delaney out of my system.

Twelve years later, she’s still haunting me. And the reason we couldn’t be together, her father, is dead. But what can I do about it? She’s married. And she probably forgot about me a long time ago.

I lay there with my thoughts, and while I know I should let it go, I can’t. Maybe if I see for myself that she’s happy, I could move on. All it would take is one afternoon of watching her, then I could let her go. Now that I’ll have free time here, I decide that’s what I will do.

With a plan in place, I let myself fall asleep. There’s nothing I can do but get better and then get out of here.

CHAPTER4

Delaney

“Good morning!”Doris says, causing me to jump. “Oh, sorry, dear! I didn’t mean to scare you.”

I smile. “It’s fine. I’m just a bit jumpy today.”

Doris grows concerned. “Is everything all right? You’re here early.”

I stand and stretch. “Yes, everything is fine. I had a little extra time and thought I’d relax in the office. It’s always so quiet in here.” It’s a lie, but Doris doesn’t question it.

“Oh, I’ll let you relax then.” She puts her purse in a desk drawer and her jacket on a chair before leaving the room.

Once a week, I volunteer at the local library, helping with whatever they need. It was my dad’s suggestion a few years ago that I should try to connect more with the community. He figured if the community liked me, they would leave our family alone. He was right, for the most part.

I gladly accepted the role because it got me away from that mansion, the business, and most importantly, Nelson. And today, I’m thankful because after tossing and turning all night, only thinking about one thing, I knew I had to search for Logan.

Since I’m not sure if Nelson monitors my phone, I decided searching on the public library computers was my best option. Not that I can’t search for whatever or whoever I want to. Who the hell am I kidding? Nelson would probably hit me, take my phone, and go after Logan just to hurt me further.

How the hell did I get into this mess? There was a time I was independent, right? My mind goes to the nights I spent with Logan after we first met. Aside from that week I spent with him, I was following my dad’s orders.

I need to focus because there isn’t much time before the rest of the library employees arrive. Opening a browser window, I search for Logan Folger. The only hits that come up are of his running times back in high school.

Sighing, I lean back. Then I remember that he mentioned his brother, Brian. Or was it Bryan with aY? I search for both and get a hit.

Brian Folger is a special agent with the FBI working in the San Diego office. FBI? Could that be his brother? There’s only one way to find out. I’ll need to go in person. If I call and it is his brother, he’ll tell Logan.

But how would I explain to Nelson why I was gone all day? Maybe I could ask Samantha to say I’m with her. No. I blow out a breath. I’m not going to visit an FBI agent just because he might be Logan’s brother.

Instead, I search Brian’s name on various social media sites. Nothing. The more I search and find nothing, the more frustrated I become. Why the hell isn’t there anything about him out there?

Voices outside the door alert me that I’m out of time. I copy Brian’s work phone number just in case I change my mind and then close the browser.

I turn my attention to the pile of books on my left just as the door to the office opens.

“Delaney? You’re early.”

I glance up to see Janet staring at me. Janet is a nice but strict woman who must be in her sixties. While she appears elegant, wearing designer clothes, and her hair is always pulled back without one out of place, her damning stare is anything but. Rumor has it, she runs the library because her family funded it many years ago. I don’t know if that is true. But I do know her reputation for not tolerating anything she doesn’t deem appropriate is well known in our town. And that is the only reason Nelson didn’t throw a fit when I said I wanted to volunteer at the library.

My dad was all for it, viewing it as a great way for me to become involved in the community in a way that didn’t conflict with his business.

I tried to volunteer with the senior center working on various projects, such as knitting and painting with the residents. It’s not the art work I dreamed of, but at least it let me use my creative side. My dad said no, it was not a good use of my time.

What he meant was he wanted me working around someone who would benefit us in some way. And that is how I ended up at the library. Janet’s brother is the mayor of our town.

My mission was to make sure Janet and her brother both saw me as an honest woman willing to do anything to help my town. The moment Janet heard my last name, it was clear that wasn’t going to happen.

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