2. Mike

2

MIKE

"Okay," I said, blowing out a frustrated-as-fuck breath as I held out my arms in an attempt to keep two furious women far enough from each other. "Let's just calm down."

One was in her mid-eighties, and the other one was a spry seventy-five, but they were pushing against my hands and snarling at each other like two gray-haired pit bulls ready to pounce.

After almost thirty years as neighbors, one would think they'd learn to get along or at least tolerate each other. This feud had gone on for as long as I could remember and was ignited by the stupidest things.

"Well, Mikey, if she could keep that damn dog from barking all day and night, maybe I could get some sleep," Mrs. Scarpullo, the older of the two, jabbed her finger at Mrs. Wagner as if she were reaching out to stab her.

"He doesn't bark all day and night," Mrs. Wagner spat out as she rolled her eyes. "You're being dramatic. As usual. He barks when he sees something. He's a watchdog, which is something I would think you'd appreciate for your own safety."

"He's a watchdog?" Mrs. Scarpullo huffed out a laugh. "What does he watch? Bees and flies buzzing around the weeds in your garden? The mailman? All he does is make noise and keep me up at night. Do something about it."

Mrs. Wagner scoffed. "What would you like me to do?"

"Either keep him calm, buy a muzzle, or get rid of him."

" Stop ," I said with enough irritation in my voice to make Mrs. Scarpullo rear back as if I'd taken a swing at her. Both women had known me for long enough to call me Mikey, and I guessed they still didn't think of their old friend Rose Russo's little grandson as an officer of the law. I half expected one of them to scold me for using that tone of voice.

But I had that problem with most people in town. It was an annoying circumstance of becoming a cop in the same town I'd grown up in. It had been an uphill battle to make longtime residents who'd once dropped candy in my pumpkin pail on Halloween view me as someone in a position of authority.

I'd moved out of town when I was only four years old and came back later as a teenager, but these women most likely still thought of me as the same little boy I'd been when I'd moved out of Kelly Lakes with my mother after my parents divorced. I was sure most assumed there was some tragic story as to why I'd come back to live with my father after years of only visiting him on the weekends.

I'd made Kelly Lakes home and blindsided everyone, especially my parents, when I'd told them right after my college graduation that I had signed up for the police academy and wanted to become a cop. My stepmother, Peyton, had been the only one able to look past her concern to congratulate me.

My mother and father had managed to agree on something for once in my life, each asking me what the hell I was thinking the second after I'd delivered my news.

I wasn't sure what was worse. Knowing that my job, even though calls to this house were the most action I'd seen in a few days, was probably keeping my parents up at night, or that Mrs. Scarpullo and Mrs. Wagner, along with so many others in town, thought it was cute that little Mikey wore a police uniform now.

I was here almost every week, as one would always call the cops on the other. And although everyone knew everyone in this town, I was usually the one sent here to break it up since they were "family friends" and I was almost their neighbor, since my apartment was a few houses away from theirs.

Both of those connections had gotten me absolutely nowhere.

Most of the calls the station received were harmless, like this one. Bickering neighbors, squabbles over land space when someone would veer too far to the edge of a property or had the nerve to park in front of someone's house, but cops were privy to a Kelly Lakes hidden from most of the residents.

I'd learned early on that even if a town seemed safe, it still had a dark side, just like everywhere else. I'd been as surprised as anyone to learn about it after I'd joined the KLPD.

Domestic violence calls to homes I never would have imagined had shocked me, especially when I'd witnessed how ugly it had become by the time we arrived. We had issues with residents dealing drugs here and there, although Keith, the chief of police and my father's best friend, was always good about squashing that quickly.

He used nosy residents to his advantage, and even though he used us to watch the town, he'd walk around once or twice per week on different days as if he were a regular beat cop, "keeping the residents honest" since they never knew when the chief would pass by.

There wasn't much anyone could get away with—at least not for very long—in a town this small with a police chief who made it his business to know everything that went on within town limits.

He'd tell us our jobs were to "keep it boring" because boring was good. But while I'd never wish for anything bad to happen here, I was sick of breaking up this ongoing fight between two adults who would continue to bicker until one either moved or stopped breathing, no matter how many of us came out here to attempt some kind of peace between them.

"Listen, ladies, I think we can appreciate that Mrs. Wagner's dog is a watchdog, which does help you out as well, right, Mrs. Scarpullo?"

I got an irritated hmm in return, but she was still for the moment.

"And Mrs. Wagner, if you could please try to keep him calm as much as you can in the late evenings, that would be a neighborly compromise, right?"

"Well, he's a dog that should have a right to play in his yard. He should be free in nature." She shot Mrs. Scarpullo a glare over my shoulder.

"Yes, but this isn't the woods. If you want him to roam and play, head down the road where the lake is and I can't hear anything." Mrs. Scarpullo sneered, but she kept her distance.

"I think taking him on walks in the afternoons to keep him active and calm when he returns could be a wonderful solution, right?" I glanced at Mrs. Wagner. "Then you'll all have peace and quiet."

I was flying by the seat of my pants with this one. Did I think making the dog run around in the woods would help, or that she would even take him? Not a clue, but this was my last visit here for a while. I'd ask if our sergeant could come out here instead the next time something ridiculous would inevitably put them at each other's throats.

I'd never seen Jude crack a smile on shift. If these ladies couldn't respond to reason, maybe some good old-fashioned intimidation would work—or at least give me a break for a bit.

"I knew that intelligent ladies like you would be able to come to an agreement." I tipped my hat. "Unless there's anything else, I need to get back."

They glowered at me, the same tilt to their pursed lips as I headed out of Mrs. Wagner's yard toward the front of the house. My shift was almost over, but I drove the cruiser over to Main Street to check things out. Most of the kids were at the lake during the day after school let out for summer, but a few always looked to get into a little trouble in town.

Even though I felt as if I'd just dealt with two children, I could deal with reckless immaturity when it was age-appropriate.

While I was in the academy, I'd considered moving to a bigger city or a different town, where I'd be Officer Russo and wouldn't have to fight to be taken seriously. But I loved this town and being close to my family. Keith had said the only way to get everyone used to me being a cop was to put in the work, and I was more than happy to do that, even if it frustrated the shit out of me at times.

I made my way down the street and ended up at my father's office. I'd worked with him a few summers at various construction jobs in Kelly Lakes and neighboring towns. He'd always say how much he loved working with me, and while I'd appreciated the time with him and what he'd taught me, construction wasn't something I'd wanted to do for a living.

Dad had never pressured me and had said he'd support anything I wanted to do. He would have been happy with any profession I'd picked—except this one.

But I could tell that he was trying.

"I didn't think I'd find you here," I said as I stepped through the door. "Peyton told me you've been out at the crack of dawn all week."

Dad laughed when he lifted his head from whatever paperwork he was mulling over at his desk.

"I have. Happens when you book a big job two towns over." He dropped his head into his hands and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Your stepmother keeps telling me to let the guys handle it, but I like the work, even if I'm fucking exhausted now."

My stepmother liked to call us "before and after" since we shared the same color eyes, profile, and almost the same build. His was from working with his hands all his life, while mine was courtesy of the police station gym.

Dad and I were even about the same height, although I was an inch taller. He still had a full head of hair the exact shade of brown as mine, only with growing spots of gray at his temples and in the bristles of his beard.

"To what do I owe this lovely surprise. Everything okay?"

"I was in the neighborhood," I said, laughing at my father's smirk.

"You always seem to be." Dad grinned. "Not that I mind. It's nice to see my son." He pulled me into a hug. "How's it been? Okay?"

"Not bad. Mrs. Wagner and Mrs. Scarpullo are at it again, but other than that, quiet this week."

Dad laughed and shook his head. "They have been at it since I was a kid. But I guess it's good if that was the worst of your week, right?" Dad's smile shrank an inch as his eyes flicked to my gun belt.

I'd been a cop for almost two years, but every time he saw me in uniform, tension pulled at his features, even if he tried like hell to hide it. I wondered at times if Keith had ever confided in him about what went on here sometimes that no one else knew about, or if he was just that uneasy about his only son carrying a gun for a living.

"You're still taking Keely to the water park next week, right? She's been packed since school let out last week."

I laughed, picturing her hot-pink backpack bursting at the zippers. I'd bet each bathing suit was covered in sequins. My baby sister loved anything bright, and if it sparkled, even better. Sometimes the glare off one of her outfits would give me a headache.

"Of course. I know it's not your thing, but you could come with us."

"No." He shook his head, a deep chuckle shaking his shoulders. "We all know better than to take time away from her and her big brother."

Keely was nine years old and the only woman in my life now. No one was ever as happy to see me as she was, and while I tried to make time for her as much as I could, it never seemed to be enough.

But I adored my little sister, and I'd miss these days when she grew up and realized there were so many cooler people to hang out with than me.

We all babied her, but she was a sweet kid, if a bit spoiled—or a lot spoiled. Sometimes I was a little jealous that she was able to grow up living with our dad.

Keely had lived with our dad full time since she was born, not only on Saturdays and Sundays. She could love him freely without having to unlearn how her mother always told her to feel about him.

Keely never had to hide her love for one parent so as not to hurt the other or go through what I had.

And still went through whenever I'd get a text or phone call from my mother.

"How's everything around here?" I asked, taking a seat in front of my father's desk.

"Good. Now. My new office manager started yesterday and not a second too soon. She just stepped out for a break. Maxine left all the financials a mess, and she's been digging through it since she started. I'll introduce you when she's back."

"I actually met her already."

My father's head snapped up.

"You met Lila? When?"

"I ran into her when she got into town and met up with Claudia at the bar. I only spoke to her for a few minutes. Claudia said she's from Philly."

I left out most of the story, how I'd caught her when she'd almost passed out and that I hadn't gotten those hazel eyes out of my head or been able to shake off the tingle when I thought of her curvy body pressed against mine.

I didn't want to embarrass her or give away how much of a first impression she'd left on me.

When I'd first noticed her, I'd thought she might have been lost or had to stop and was looking for help since I knew she wasn't a resident. She hadn't struck me as someone up to no good, despite her comment assuming I'd thought she was trying to break in.

Something had drawn me to her, as if I had to be the one to rescue her if she was in trouble. Even though that was my job description, for her, it felt more like a visceral need than an obligation.

Strange as hell, yet powerful enough for that fleeting moment to roll around in my head ever since.

"She's sort of related to Claudia. I spoke to her over the phone before she moved up here. She'd just been laid off and didn't mind moving. Perfect timing for me."

"She moved all the way from Philly to work here ? No offense, Dad," I said when I spotted his raised brow.

He drained the last drop of probably ice-cold coffee from his mug.

"She said she was looking for a change. Claudia vouched for her, and she seems like a nice girl. Quiet so far, but she's been in the weeds of this accounting fiasco almost since the minute she walked in, so we've only really talked shop since she started. I'm sure Claudia will introduce her to the whole town by the weekend, and she won't be so new for long."

Dad snickered as I tensed up, thinking of all the guys in town who would love to meet a beautiful woman who'd come to Kelly Lakes all alone. Why the hell did that irritate me so much if I'd only met her for five minutes?

I knew how this town was. Most had good intentions, but when it came to someone new, that caused a wave of fascination.

Was that my problem? I was fixated on the shiny and beautiful new thing in town, and that was why I wanted to know more?

But that wasn't it. Sure, I was curious like anyone else when someone new moved here, but not to the point of itching to know more about her and why she'd moved all the way from Philly to be an office manager for a small-town construction company.

"It is lucky she was able to start so fast."

Dad nodded. "She needed a job. She had glowing recommendations from her last manager, and when I had the usual background and credit check done, all was clear and in good standing. So why she wanted to move is none of my or anyone else's business."

He shot me a look as he stacked the papers in his hands and dropped them into a folder.

"Which I bet not many around here will accept when they meet her. You know how it is when someone new moves here. The welcoming committee gets pushy."

"I guess she's staying with Claudia and Jude."

Dad clicked the pen he was writing with, squinting at me as he tossed it into the #1 Dad mug I'd made him in Cub Scouts.

"You seem very interested. Is there a reason you're so invested in why she came here and where she's staying, Officer Russo?"

"No, I'm not. I'm just curious, that's all," I stammered, clearing my throat as I straightened in the chair. I didn't want to be pushy like everyone else she'd encounter here, but even if I couldn't figure out the root of it, the curiosity was gnawing at me.

"She's actually your new neighbor. She just moved in to the downstairs apartment the Franco sisters rent out of their house."

"Really?" I said, leaning back in the chair.

"What's the really for?"

"Their downstairs apartment only became available very recently, like two weeks ago. How did Claudia set her up so fast?"

Dad shrugged. "You know how all the information in this town runs through the bar. Claudia is usually the first to know anything and talks to more people here than Keith does. He told me the other day he should start paying her a consultant's fee for what she passes along to him." Dad laughed, turning around to pick up his empty mug.

Keith was also my stepmother's uncle. He'd fallen out with my father for a while when Dad and Peyton first got together, but they had grown close again in the years since. And that was just another example of how the circles overlapped here.

The very attractive new girl in town lived not even a block away from me, but that wasn't the reason I was so intrigued. Well, not the only reason.

"Any more questions?" Dad raised a brow at me over his shoulder as he took his mug over to the small sink in the back of his office.

"No, but you have to admit it's weird that somebody would just pick up and move here. We're a little dot on a map that you have to zoom in about a million times to see."

"True." My father nodded and lifted a shoulder. "But people still move here, like Peyton and Claudia."

"Peyton is Keith's niece. She knew about Kelly Lakes from him, and Claudia knew Peyton."

"And Lila knew Claudia. So, there's your connection."

My father drew an imaginary line in the air.

"If you want to ask her any other questions, she should be back in a few minutes."

He headed to the back room. Maybe I was overthinking all this. If she was single and didn't need to stay in her town and Claudia found a job and apartment for her, why wouldn't she move here?

And why did I have to know?

Keith and Jude, my sergeant and Claudia's husband, had always advised all of us to never ignore our instincts, even if they weren't based on actual facts. Legally, there was only so much we could do with those instincts if we didn't have anything concrete to back it up, but we could watch from a distance.

But in this instance, I couldn't tell if my instincts were cop-related or just an instant attraction to a stranger who now seemed to have been thrown into my orbit, working for my father and living in my neighborhood.

Along with the spark I couldn't shake off from when her body had leaned into mine, there was something in those beautiful eyes besides the flecks of green when the sunlight hit them just right.

I'd sensed trepidation, or maybe it had just been exhaustion from driving for a long time without a break.

As if she couldn't get out of Philly fast enough.

Moving to a new town so different from where she was from probably had her flustered along with feeling weak from not having eaten anything for all those hours.

Maybe she was just afraid of falling over, even though my hold on her had been strong enough for her to remind me I'd taken too long to let go.

If this weird feeling was right and there was more to it, as my father had said, it was none of my business, and she was his employee.

Wherever my motivation to find out more about her was coming from, I needed to step back before I made things messy right from the start.

"Speak of the devil," my father whispered to me after he came back to his desk. "Hey, I told you to take a longer break than that."

I swiveled my head to find Lila behind me, stepping through the front door and clutching a plastic cup of what looked like a half-empty iced coffee.

"No, it's fine. I couldn't really relax, thinking of all I had to clean up." She smiled and shifted toward the desk in the front, shaking the ice in her cup when her gaze slid to mine.

"That is not a one-day thing. I don't want my new employee to burn out on her first two days." Dad stood from his desk and made his way over, looking between us with a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

"I'd introduce you to my son, but he told me you already met."

Her eyes widened when they found mine again, probably thinking I'd spilled the entire story of how I'd found her and how she'd fallen against me.

"Yes, I told my dad that I ran into you when you met up with Claudia the other day. Nice to see you again."

I smiled and gave her a little shake of my head.

Her shoulders drooped with relief as a grin broke out on her face, stealing the air out of my lungs.

I hadn't really seen her smile the day we met. It had been more like an embarrassed grimace, but this smile lit up her whole face and was so damn breathtaking, I had to drag my gaze away.

The dating pool in a small town was only so big. Dating apps weren't for me, and even as I'd watched my friends couple up lately, I hadn't been inclined to put in the effort to meet someone new.

It was hard for me to get serious with anyone to begin with. Big feelings always scared me, seeing as how my mother never got over divorcing my father, so I avoided them whenever I could.

Dad had once confessed to me that before Peyton, he'd kept all other women at a distance because he never wanted to hurt anyone again.

Their worries had rubbed off on me, and I approached all relationships the same way he had.

Maybe the root of my inappropriate curiosity was just being lonely.

Regardless of where it was coming from or why, I had to find a way to make it stop.

"Well, nice to see you again too, Officer Mike."

Her berry-colored lips curved up as she slipped her purse off her shoulder. She wore a purple sundress that swished around her legs, teasing her toned thighs as she gathered up the paperwork on top of the desk and put it into a big pile. Her chocolate brown hair brushed her shoulders as her eyes flicked from me to the papers in her hand.

"I was wondering when I'd see you again. I figured in a town this small, you'd run into everybody multiple times."

"Sometimes in the same day," I said, trying to make a joke and cringing when an involuntary rasp laced my tone. "And I told you to drop the officer."

"So."

Our heads both snapped to my father's voice, as if we'd forgotten he was standing there and this was his place of business.

Or at least I had for a minute.

"I think I'm going to close early. You've made a lot of headway, and like I said, I don't want you to burn out. So why don't you relax for the night?" He flicked his wrist to check his watch. "It's already five o'clock, and you've been here since before eight."

"Oh, I don't mind," Lila said, her earrings dangling as she shook her head. They were dainty, as my sister would say, thin gold strings brushing her jaw and drawing my eyes to the graceful slope of her neck.

Again, what the hell was wrong with me? I'd been pissed for most of the day from being treated like a kid, and now I was a teenager drooling over the gorgeous woman working for my father.

"There's really not a lot to do at my apartment until I get some more furniture."

"Well, I'm a little burned out," my father said. "And I'd like to see my wife and daughter before they go to sleep for once this week. You'll meet them soon. Now that school is out, they like to stop by." Dad slapped me on the back. "Lucky me that my kids love me enough to visit me."

He raised a brow as a smirk curled at the side of his mouth. It was a familiar look, like when I was a kid and he knew I was lying about something but would entertain my bullshit until I decided to tell him the truth.

Like why I was almost ogling his new office manager and badgering him with questions about her.

"You could follow me as I lock up." He motioned for us to come with him to the door.

"Okay, you're the boss," Lila said, shutting down the computer as I tried not to notice her teeth sink into her lush bottom lip in concentration. "Making sure I back up all the work I did so I don't have to redo it tomorrow."

"I was just telling my son that you were a smart girl," Dad said, shooting me a look as he held the door open. "Come for dinner if you want, Mike."

"Maybe. I have an hour left on my shift, if Mrs. Wagner and Mrs. Scarpullo don't kill each other before I clock out. I was just going to walk around, get some air, make sure the kids aren't getting into trouble."

"Ah, I was lucky." My father patted my cheek after he locked the door and glanced at Lila. "My son never got into too much trouble. He was a good kid."

"Makes sense that he became a cop, then," Lila said, shooting us a soft smile.

"I suppose." Dad's smile was tight as he shifted toward his truck parked in front of the office.

"Well, Lila, thank you, and have a good night. Mike, I hope to see you later."

"Where are you parked?" I asked Lila as my father climbed into his truck.

"Just up the street." She pointed to the corner. I recognized her small blue sedan from when it had been parked in front of the bar.

"I'll take a walk with you. My cruiser is parked up the block."

"That's not necessary. I swear I'm not woozy today." She chuckled before the smile melted from her face. "Thank you for not telling your father how you first…found me. Or for at least leaving out the embarrassing parts."

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," I told her as we ambled down the small sidewalk. "You had a long drive and without anything to eat. And I didn't think you were up to anything. I thought maybe you needed help."

"So you didn't think I was a perp?" The corner of her mouth twitched.

"I assure you, I didn't." A smile I couldn't help ran across my face when she blew out a long breath.

"Well, thank you, Officer Mike."

"Please stop," I said with a groan. "No one calls me Officer Mike."

Her cute little nose scrunched up. "What do they call you?"

"Well, some of the older ladies in town who know my grandmother call me Mikey. I broke my father out of that habit when I was fourteen, but I have less success with the older folks."

"But Mikey is cute," she said, her lips tilting in a teasing grin.

Fuck, she was pretty.

"This is me?—"

She froze, sucking in a gasp and bringing her hand to her chest.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, um, my tire is flat. It looks like it was ripped or slashed." She craned her neck, looking behind her as if she was searching for something she didn't want to find.

Her throaty voice turned small, almost like a strangled whisper.

"Let me take a look," I said, draping my hand over her shoulder as her rigid body quivered against my palm.

I stepped closer to the car and spotted a nail sticking out of one side of the tire.

"Come look," I said, my voice low as I crooked my finger. "You must have run over a nail when you pulled over. The dry cleaner on the corner likes to do their own renovations sometimes, and when they do, the street is a mess. My stepmother ran over a nail not too long ago." I pointed to more nails along the curb. "See? I'm sure this breaks some kind of law. I'll look into it tomorrow and make sure they clean it up."

"Yeah," she breathed out as her body sagged with relief. "Makes sense."

"Hey, are you okay?" I came over to her, bending to meet her terrified gaze.

"Yeah, I-I just," she stammered, her throat working when she lifted her head, "I don't know how to change a tire."

"I could change it pretty quickly. In fact, my best friend from high school owns the mechanic and body shop in town."

She nodded, still taking short breaths in and out.

"That's lucky," she said, sputtering out a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, part of the small-town charm," I tried to joke, but her skin was still pale as she tried to smile back.

"I'll get the spare on, and you can follow me there. It's only a few minutes away. This is his late night so he doesn't close until seven."

"Oh, that's very kind of you. But I should be able to get home with the spare." She slipped a stray lock of hair over her ear with a trembling hand.

I shook my head. "It's not safe to drive with the donut for too long. And you don't have to if you can change it out right now. He'll even give you the family and friends discount since you work for my father and are sort of related to my sort-of aunt."

She took in a shaky breath as she bobbed her head. "Claudia did say you were her sort-of nephew."

"There you go. All legit." I sent her a wink, hoping it would relax her.

A flat tire was never a good thing, but it seemed like more than just a nuisance for her. Her pale skin and shaky breaths seemed like they stemmed from more than just not knowing how to change a tire.

It was as if she'd had her tires slashed before and was afraid whoever had done it was back.

"Hey, it's okay."

I wrapped my hand around her tiny wrist and let my thumb drift back and forth over the beat of her racing pulse, registering the jolt where my skin touched hers, despite my growing concern.

I was crossing a line by touching her, but she seemed so frightened, almost paralyzed with panic. Maybe my instincts weren't so far off and something had happened to her to make her come here.

I needed to calm her down, change her tire, and get her over to Aaron's shop so she could drive home safely. Her home that was so close to mine, where I would be fighting the urge to check on her later.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it, but aren't you on shift still?

"You're a resident in need of help. I did swear to serve and protect."

She pursed her lips. "I don't know the law that well, but I get the feeling changing my tire isn't part of your obligation to the police department."

"Well, maybe you're right. I don't want to let a beautiful woman drive around with a bad tire. So, in that respect, yes, I'm doing this because I want to and because I should."

She dragged her hand through her hair as she nodded, and I held back a cringe when I realized what I'd just said.

Calling her a beautiful woman had just slipped out, and the last thing I wanted to do was make her even more uncomfortable. I blamed it on this ridiculous and immediate pull toward her that I seemed to be shit at resisting so far.

"Aaron can change it for you tonight, and you can get on your way. And you don't have to worry about going there in the morning before work."

Her eyes searched mine, and again, I spotted that something I couldn't pinpoint. The something that had me all out of sorts and I couldn't explain why or figure out how to pull back.

"I really don't want to put you out."

"Like I said, you're not putting me out. My father would want you to get to work safely and get home safely. So—" I pressed a dramatic hand to my chest "—I am doing this out of my duty to the Kelly Lakes Police Department and Jake Russo, both of whom would have my ass if I didn't do the right thing."

My heart stuttered in my chest when an almost real laugh fell from her lips.

"Okay." She clenched her eyes shut and nodded. "Thank you. Truly."

I let my gaze linger on her for a long minute before I headed to her trunk. Lila was beautiful, mysterious, and, I was now convinced, running from something.

Cop or not, I knew it was still none of my business, but I wouldn't be able to rest until I found out.