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More silence. Another sip. The rich roast sat like acid on her tongue. She set her mug down, stomach churning.
“So … dogs?” Raegan raised her brows.
Neutral subject. “Hmm.” Felicity gave a small nod. “Three pugs. Millie, Maisie, and Maggie.” She gave Raegan the highlights of meeting Galina and how she ended up with the pugs.
“Does this mean you’re staying?” Reagan asked, hopefulness threading her voice.
Her body went still. You have a tell when you lie. She lifted her mug, forced another sip. “Still deciding.”
“Well, I hope you do. It’ll be good for Jack to get to know his aunt.”
Aunt. Hell. She had a nephew.
“Maybe even meet a man, have a kiddo yourself.”
Thankfully, she had swallowed the coffee. She liked kids well enough but never wanted any of her own. Yet the image of a curly-haired imp with Ronan’s blue eyes came to mind. Felicity forced the picture away. “Not happening,” she muttered, unwelcome regret flooding her.
A soft laugh broke from Raegan. “Fate has a way of altering plans.”
Not if you write your own fate.
“I never anticipated meeting Beau. Staying here.”
“But you left.”
Regret flashed across Raegan’s face. “I couldn’t take the chance of Vasily finding me.”
Which is why you need to stay on the course you’ve set, Felicity Graham.
“I’m sorry I never did more. Back then. If I’d been stronger, had even a tenth of your courage—”
“Stop.” Raegan grabbed her hand again. “It’s in the past. He had years to break your spirit. I heard. The crying. The pleading. The nights you begged him to stop.” Her voice wavered. “You did what you had to do to survive. And we got out. We both got out. That’s what matters.”
“But I left you…”
“No.” Raegan’s reply was immediate. “You saved yourself. For once, you put yourself first, and that mattered.” She held Felicity’s gaze. “Look at you now. You survived. You built a life.”
“You’re too forgiving.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. More, when I asked for your help, you didn’t hesitate. You coming here … it freed me to do what I needed to do without worrying about the people I love.”
Emotion burned her throat, forcing Felicity to swallow hard. “Not sure what you love about Bella,” she rasped. “I’ve come close to slapping her a few times.”
“Had a run-in with her yesterday,” Raegan murmured.
“I know.” Felicity managed a wry smile. “The whole town knows.”
Raegan groaned. “Great. It’s going to take a while to earn back their trust. But” — she leaned back in the chair, stretching her back — “it will be worth it. Clearbrook is a place of healing.”
Xena lumbered to her feet and padded toward the bottom of the stairs.
“Mama?” a young voice called.
“In the kitchen, honey.”
The boy shuffled into view. Dark hair. Dark eyes. He stopped short when he spotted Felicity. “Who are you?”
Felicity opened her mouth, but no words came out.
