Page 42 of V is for Valentine
Felicity reached for her toothbrush as the familiar shaft of humiliation, blunted by time but still sharp enough to sting, shot through her. It had been on Valentine’s Day when her mountaineering adventurer explained that he was seeking new horizons, funded by his new company. This time she wasn’t invited along.
The moment when she’d realized the cost of compromising herself, of believing things she shouldn’t have, twisting the narrative because of love and sidestepping her own rules, was etched deeply in her memory. A teensy little voice had whispered, “I told you so,” as her insides froze.
Looking back, it might have been inevitable that Sean would leave her on Valentine’s Day; and if not then, on some other special occasion. He was a guy who liked to do dramatic and memorable things. She saw that now. Saw what she hadn’t allowed herself to see while she’d been wildly in love. Once she’d bent herself to fit into his life, his job was done and off he went to the next challenge, leaving her to deal with the aftermath. She was in a city she’d never planned to live in, two weeks into a job she wasn’t certain she’d like. And she was alone. Her job in Portland had been filled days after she’d left. It was impossible to return to a company that rarely had openings. She was officially in a mess of her own making.
And thoroughly grateful that her family didn’t know the whole truth, sparing her at least one humiliation…although in truth, it wasn’t the humiliation that bothered her in regard to her family—it was the prospect of causing them worry.
Bottom line: she’d abandoned everything to follow a man and gotten bit in the nether regions because of it.
Footnote: She would never do that again.
After days of raging at herself for being stupid, she’d decided enough was enough, engaged her backbone and began rebuilding—because that was what she did. She rebuilt and survived.
She’d immersed herself in her new job, focused on setting goals and achieving them, one by one, rebuilding her personal and professional self-confidence step by step. She refused to allow Sean to turn her into a hermit, so she dated if the opportunity arose, which it did, although honesty compelled her to admit that no one ever lit her fire the way Danny just had.
Fires burn out.
Felicity gave her reflection a sage nod. They did. Fires burned, then died.
She finished brushing her teeth and then reached for the headband to hold back her hair as she washed her face. She was making too much of this.
Danny was a smart guy, and he knew that she had a life in Seattle, just as he had a life here in Holly. There was a vibe between them, but they both knew nothing could come of it. They were better off as friends.
She spritzed cleanser into her palms and then rubbed them together. Things might feel a little different after the kiss, but those feelings would fade.
Yes.
Tomorrow things between her and Danny would ease back toward normal.
Chapter Eight
Trust Danny toshake up her life, and trust Tess to bring a dog to a spackling party.
But Neville, the terrier who’d brought Tess and her former crush Jason Regan together over Christmas, was utterly charming, so Felicity barely batted an eye when he pranced into the building ahead of Tess early Saturday morning, then rushed across the room to greet her.
“Couldn’t find a sitter?” she asked as she ruffled his coat and dodged doggie kisses.
“I’m dropping him at Dad’s later, but I thought the little guy might like to roam the school. He loves new places.”
“Just stay clear of the furnace room,” Danny said as he came up the stairs. Neville raced over to say hello.
“Is it dangerous?” Tess asked.
Danny shot Felicity a look that clearly said he’d assumed she’d shared the story with her sisters. She answered with a movement of her shoulder. Tess noted the wordless exchange, and added an odd look of her own, which Felicity pointedly ignored. Silent communication abounded, and she was in no mood for it. They had a job to do.
“Okay. Here’s the situation,” she said to her sisters like a coach lining out her squad for the next play. “There are a couple of thousand screw holes to patch.”
“We’ve done this before, Feliss,” Stevie said.
“A refresher never hurt anyone. And I know you guys work with gunky knives, because I’ve seen you. If the compound dries on the knife, clean it off.”
“Will do,” Tess said, leaning down to ruffle Neville’s ears.
“Here’s the important part,” Felicity said. “Perhaps you recall the mud flinging that has occurred at this stage on some of Dad’s other projects?”
“Vaguely,” Tess said as she stood.
“We were in high school,” Stevie pointed out. “It isn’t like—” Her words broke off as Tess flipped a little mud at her.
