Page 60 of Love and Order

Once they arrived in Virginia Beach, Finn pulled onto the main road along the coast, and they opened their windows to let the fresh salt air in.

“I’m not sure how long the courthouse will take,” he said as he pulled into a parking lot outside the city clerk’s office.

“I’m just along for the kisses,” she blurted out. Something had shifted, and she couldn’t seem to not be into this gorgeous attentive man.

“In that case…” He leaned over the center counsel to kiss her with such passion he stole her breath and had her debating on if they could fit in the back seat. “You’ll have to wait until we get to the hotel,” he said, squeezing her hip and. trailing kisses down her neck.

“Stop reading my mind.”

Once out of the car, he held her hand as they walked into the old building and took a number to get in line and request records.

Not surprisingly, he had to fill out mounds of paperwork to request copies of old court documents and then wait for the clerk to find time to pull the files and make copies.

“What are you hoping to find in these documents anyway?” Hailey asked, unable to let her inquisitive mind stay dormant.

“Just old custody stuff.” Finn waited in line again once he completed the forms and then turned with a grimace.

“Are you too hungry for one more stop?” he asked.

“Nope, I had snacks in my bag while you were filing paperwork so we can finish your work and then check into the hotel.”

“You’re so agreeable this close to the beach,” he said, leading her back out to the car. Hugging her into his side, he wrapped one arm around her, and she slipped both arms around his waist to give him a tight squeeze.

“Truthfully, I’m just eager to check into our hotel and get you on that heart-shaped bed you mentioned,” she said.

“Now you’re talking.”

Finn opened her door for her before they drove a few miles inland where the roads were all familiar. But when he pulled into a parking lot outside the rehab center and nursing home where her grandmother had stayed, her shoulders tightened, and the lightheartedness of the day washed away.

“Why are we here?” she asked with unease.

Finn turned off the car. “I think someone linked to my client died here. I know it’s morbid, but I’m hoping they’ll give me a copy of her file, and maybe the names of her next of kin.”

Hailey realized dozens of elderly people probably died at the facility each year, but she didn’t like the idea of walking back through the cold foyer or seeing the staff who look sad from dealing with sick or dying people all the time.

“I think I’ll wait in the car, if that’s okay?”

“Sure. If you’d rather, I can take you to the hotel first and come back.”

“No, we’re here. I’ll just get some fresh air out by the pond while I wait.” She pointed to a man-made pond off to the right with a few benches.

“Okay, you keep the keys in case you get hot.”

Sitting on the stone bench, Hailey wondered who would hire a corporate lawyer to track down an old family member. Why wouldn’t they do it themselves? People could be so cold and impersonal. Maybe it was a family member they never knew. She always assumed she must have some relatives on her dad’s side she never met. Did they ever even know she existed?

“Well, that was a wasted stop. They said they destroy all the personal records a year after someone dies,” Finn said as he strolled up.

“Sorry.” She was relieved they could go.

“Hey, how’d you know about this pond?” he asked, rubbing his hand up her back and giving her neck a gentle squeeze.

“My gran lived here for a little bit, after a stroke. We tried rehab, and she seemed to be making some progress but then had another stroke and died.”

Finn sat next to her and swooped her into his lap. “Why didn’t you say anything? I’m sorry. This must be really shocking and sad to be here.”

She fiddled with his shirt and thought about how she really was feeling being back in the town where she’d found a semblance of family.

“I didn’t really know my grandmother all that well, but she did show me kindness. She helped me, and I helped her, until she got sick and died.”

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