Meet me by Lavender Valley

Chapter 13 - The broken picture frame

We had been back from the cabin for 3 days now. I was sad when we had to leave the cabin, but I needed to get back to reality at some point.

I opened the wooden clothes drawer that stood across from my bed. I lifted my stack of clothes before taking out the plastic bag with the broken picture frame. I stared at the picture. It was a picture of me and my mother that was taken when I was still a teenager. I smiled as I looked at our smiling faces. I wished that she could've seen me now and met Drew. My smile dropped as I looked at the cracks in the glass of the picture frame.

We weren't as lucky to believe that the robbers had just trashed the bottom half of the house. No, they trashed the house upstairs as well. My room in particular had looked horrible when Drew helped me to clean it up after we had returned from the cabin.

I decided to go to work early today. After I had dressed I walked to Drew's room and gave his door a soft knock before opening it.

"You're up early." He greeted me with a smile as he laid in bed. The bedsheets were lying low on his waist giving me a full view of his muscular chest.

"I wanted to go to work early today. Those croissants aren't going to bake themselves."

He chuckled in agreement. I stepped closer to him to give him a goodbye kiss when I saw what he held in his hands.

My brows rose as I smiled. "Wait, is that-?"

"It's nothing." Drew said quickly as he shoved the familiar-looking book under the pillow next to him.

"Now I have to know!" I said as I lunged onto his bed to grab the book from under the pillow. Drew grabbed my waist to pull me away, but not before I could snatch the book. Drew pulled me onto his lap. I sat in his lap with the yellow book in my hands with a giddy smile on my face.

"I knew it! Oh, my gosh Drew I can't believe you're  reading Better than the movies!" I smiled broadly. I looked at the book in my hands and stilled.

"Wait, this book is in mint condition." I frowned. I thought Drew had lent mine since I left it on the living room table, but this was a brand-new book. My book had tabs in as well and this one had none.

My heart gave a small leap. "Did you buy a book just because of me?"

"I wanted to know what you liked to read so I can get you similar books in the future." He said shyly as his hands were playing with the belt loops of my jeans.

That's it. The dam had officially flooded over. I caught him in a hug. He let out a breath of surprise.

I pressed a long and loving kiss on his lips.

I pulled away reluctantly when I remembered that I had to leave soon.

"I have to go to work otherwise I'm going to be late, but this conversation is definitely going to continue later." I said as I pointed at him with a smile.

I left his room and as I walked down the stairs my smile dropped.

The fact that he was doing so much for me made me feel really bad about what I was about to do.

***

My nerves were almost eating me alive as I pushed the door open and strode into the police station.

I walked up to the receptionist and asked her to direct me to his office. At least she seemed cheery on this Wednesday morning.

After she gave me directions to his office I thanked her and quickly walked to his office. I had to be quick otherwise I'd be late for work.

I stared at the name on the door. Deputy Easton Callahan.

I hoped I wouldn't regret this. I felt like I was betraying Lexi and Drew, but I had to know. I couldn't just wait for some new information to pop up. I had to take matters into my own hands.

I knocked on his door.

"Come in." He mumbled distractedly. I opened the door and I saw that his table was filled with papers. He was probably working on a case. My eyes drifted over the pictures and I noticed that some of them were from the night our house had been broken into. So he was working on the robber's case. That brought me some comfort at least.

I quickly spoke before I lost my nerve and ran out. "Hey, you're Easton right?"

His eyes held mine as he tilted his head. "You're Eloise, I remember you from the other night."

"Yeah, that was me."

He closed the files on his table and he raised his brows in question. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I was wondering if you could you could analyse this for me to check if you can get any prints off of it?"
"I found it in the house and thought it might be a lead." I continued.

He took the framed photo out of my hands and looked it over. His steely blue eyes drifted up to meet mine.

"I'll see what I can do." He set the plastic bag with the photo frame on his table.

I smiled a grateful smile. "Thank you."

"No problem. I'll let you know if I find anything." He said as he nodded.

I was about to leave when he spoke.
"Some words of advice, don't go looking for trouble otherwise it will find you." Easton said with a solemn expression.

My smile dropped. I gave him a small nod goodbye before stepping out of his office. I had a feeling trouble would find me either way and I wasn't going down without a fight.

I let out a small breath of relief. Now all I had to do was wait. Something I wasn't that good at, unfortunately.

I walked out of the police station with a small feeling of triumph. These robbers weren't going to get away with this. They messed with the wrong woman.

I arrived at work in record time after driving to the coffee shop from the police station.

The doorbell chimed as I opened the door to the coffee shop. The coffee shop was empty. I closed the door behind me with a soft click.

Suddenly Lexi's head popped out from the open doorway leading into the kitchen. Her brows rose and when she realised it was just me she smiled. "Oh, it's just you."
She walked out of the kitchen to stand closer to me.

"Expecting someone else?" I smirked.

"What? No!" She blushed.

I laughed. "I'm kidding. Mostly." I smiled.

"Don't you think it's time we get started on the croissants?" Lexi changed the subject.

"Yes, they won't bake themselves!" I followed her into the kitchen.

As I baked with Lexi I started to feel more guilty for going behind her and Drew's back to find out more about the robberies. I had to do it, they would have discouraged me otherwise.

Sooner or later I had to tell them though. I'm just hoping that they won't push me away when I do.