She leaned down and kissed his cheek.
“Good night, my brave boy.”
CHAPTER 4
Lainey woke justafter 6 a.m.
The tall windows flooded her bedroom with sunlight. Ugh. Time to invest in blackout shades if she ever wanted to sleep late. Not that Luke ever let her sleep late.
That was the dream.
Reality was a nine-year-old boy with too much energy too early in the morning.
The pale gray floor-length drapes at each corner looked beautiful but weren’t cutting it. Still, the high ceilings and tall windows were just one more reason why she bought this townhome. It felt open and fresh.
She’d painted the walls a soothing gray, trimmed the woodwork in bright white, and layered the space in soft textures. The bed coverings were cream and brown, and a patterned rug in smoky neutrals covered the floor. It was sleek but homey, and she loved it.
After stretching the kinks out of her back, she padded into her en suite, the tile cool under her feet. She showered with her favorite lavender body wash, brushed her teeth, and pulled on a sleeveless top and a pair of shorts. Florida mornings startedcool, but the heat rolled in fast. She paused at the doorway, cocked her ears to hear if Luke was up or not. No sounds yet.
Perfect.
Lainey hoped to steal a few minutes alone on the screened-in lanai with a cup of coffee before he got up.
She peeked into Luke’s room. Still asleep.
His sweet little face was smooshed into the pillow, with only the top of his head visible.
The space-themed comforter he chose for his bed had already slid onto the floor.
His Lego creations lined the bookshelves, surrounded by well-loved books. Reading was one of his greatest pleasures, right up there with building and all things space. The glow-in-the-dark stars they put up on the ceiling were fading fast in the morning light.
She smiled, then tiptoed downstairs, put on the coffee and grabbed her computer to catch up on emails. When the sharp smell of freshly brewed coffee hit her nose, she put the computer down. Nothing of interest this morning, thankfully.
Mug in hand, she stepped onto the screened-in lanai.
Sipping the hot elixir while she looked out over the peaceful lake was the perfect way to start her day.
The lanai was big enough for a suite of patio furniture and a table but no grill. She didn’t grill. Never had.
She settled into the rocking chair—her favorite seat—and set the mug on the small table next to it. The chair creaked softly as she rocked. The lake was just coming alive. Already a small family of mallards was swimming around, making soft noises. Last year, a pair of wood ducks had taken up residency but left. They were quite beautiful but loud as hell.
The morning air was cool but would warm up fast. Later, it would be hot.
This was normally a sweet moment alone for her.
Not today.
She couldn’t stop thinking about the graffiti from yesterday. Was it just local kids acting out like the police thought? Or something more?
Could Richard have found her?
He knew she was moving here. Knew her mother lived not far from here. But would he really stoop that low? Sure, they parted on less than positive terms, but she never thought he’d lash out like this. Then again, Richard always hated losing control.
Bah. She curled her fingers tighter around the mug. This was her time. Her second chance.
She wasn’t going to waste it on Richard. Or for that matter, let anything else derail the life she was building. Not again.
Lainey took a slow sip of coffee.
