Because of Him: A Christian Romance (New Hope Falls Book 2)

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  “You’re welcome. If you still have the key to the front door, you can just lock it. If not, I’ll come lock it behind you.”

  Kieran looked down at his key chain and saw that it was still where he’d clipped it earlier when he’d come by to give it to her. “Sorry. Guess I forgot earlier.”

  “No worries. You can use it to let yourself back in again later.”

  He nodded his thanks, then headed back downstairs. For the time being, he left his Jeep parked in front of Cara’s. It was close enough that he could come back to it if need be. If they left the police station for some reason, they’d take the police vehicles.

  As the hours passed, he survived on coffee and stale cookies that he’d found in his desk drawer. When the sun finally rose just before eight, he was fighting the exhaustion that came with having been up for twenty-four hours. The problem with daylight was that people were beginning to attempt to move around town even though they’d been told to stay home unless they absolutely had to go out.

  The police station began to field calls from people who were either stuck or who had been in an accident, and it took all of Kieran’s patience not to lecture people each time they had to deal with the aftermath of an accident. By noon, the power was back on, and he knew he had to get some rest, or he’d be the cause of the next accident.

  After making sure the guys at the station had a handle on things, Kieran wearily made his way to Cara’s to check on her and his mom, struggling, at times, to keep his footing in the drifts of snow. There were other people out and about. Some of the businesses were working to clear the snow from in front of their buildings.

  He chatted with a couple of them before he reached the studio door. After unlocking the door, he took his boots off and headed up the stairs to Cara’s. The apartment door was open, and the aroma drifting out made his stomach growl.

  “Hello, darling!” His mom came to meet him with a wide smile, wrapping him in a tight hug. When she pulled back and looked at him, she frowned. “You look so tired.”

  “I am. It was a long night, but the snow has let up some, and the power’s back on, so here’s hoping the worst has passed.”

  “Come eat something,” she said, tugging him toward the table.

  It seemed a bit like his mom had taken over Cara’s apartment. “I don’t want to impose.”

  His mom glanced over to where Cara stood, stirring something on the stove. Without looking away from what she was doing, she said, “It’s no imposition. We made plenty.”

  “In that case,” Kieran said as he sank down onto one of the chairs, “I’d love something to eat. Stale cookies just didn’t cut it.”

  Cara moved away from the stove to reach up into a cupboard and pull out some dishes. She set three bowls on the table, giving him a small smile before turning away. Thankfully, she didn’t appear to be upset or tense around his mom. He’d worried about that, but it was good to see that she seemed relaxed.

  “Your mom made us some beef vegetable soup,” Cara said as she returned with the pot from the stove. “And some biscuits.”

  “One of my favorite winter meals,” Kieran said, his tired gaze following Cara as she moved. He couldn’t keep himself from watching her. Exhaustion had lowered his defenses, and all he wanted was to be close to her.

  When they were all seated at the table, his mom said a prayer for the food. Kieran was hungry, and he knew that if he didn’t eat, he’d wake up starving, but it almost took more energy than he could muster up to lift the spoon to his mouth. When he did manage to get it to his lips, the taste of the soup made it worth the effort.

  Normally, he would have polished off two bowls and a couple of biscuits, but that time, he was done after one bowl and one biscuit because it was enough to take the edge off his hunger, which meant sleep rose to a higher priority. He gave them a brief update on where things stood for the town, but then gladly went to sit on the couch while his mom helped Cara clean up.

  He planned to take her back to her place then go home to crash. If he were lucky, he’d sleep until his alarm went the next morning, barring any more storm-related catastrophes that might require his attention.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Kieran wasn’t sure what woke him. He wasn’t uncomfortable, but he knew he wasn’t in his bed. Had he fallen asleep at his mom’s? The room was cloaked in shadows, making his waking slow.

  He stretched then looked to his side. The sun had set while he slept, but the soft glow from a nearby lamp cast enough light for him to recognize that he was still at Cara’s.

  With a groan, he pushed up into a sitting position. He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees as he scrubbed at his face. While the bone-deep exhaustion had eased, he was still tired. It chafed at him a bit that he’d been in Cara’s apartment for a few hours, and he’d spent them sleeping.

  “How are you feeling?”

  Kieran lifted his head to see Cara sitting in a chair near the window. Her legs were pulled up, and her arms were wrapped around them. He hadn’t even noticed her there because the lamp that was on was in the opposite corner of the room.

  He straightened then sighed. “Still tired but better than I was. Has the snow stopped?”

  “Yep. Pretty much. The wind is still tossing it around a bit, though.” She turned her head to look out the window. “A plow went down Main Street a bit ago.”

  Kieran groaned. “I’m guessing I have a nice pile of snow behind my car.”

  Cara laughed softly. “Yeah, I think you do.”

  “I probably should go,” Kieran said, even though he didn’t make a move to get up.

  Frankly, he didn’t really want to leave, but he knew he needed to. He was sure he’d already overstayed his welcome by falling asleep on her couch. He pushed back the soft blanket that was covering him and glanced around. “Where’s Mom?”

  “She went across the street to Norma’s a little while ago.”

  “Norma’s is open?”

  “They opened around four.”

  He glanced at his watch and saw it was a little before five. Maybe he’d stop by there to pick up some food before heading home.

  Cara leaned forward to turn on a lamp on the table next to her chair then she got up. “Do you want some more soup? There was lots left over from lunch.”

  “That’s probably because I only ate one bowl instead of the two or three I usually do.”

  Cara headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge, seeming to take for granted that he’d stay even though he hadn’t said he would. Kieran got up and stretched, trying to ease the tightness in his back. His uniform shirt was wrinkled, and he wasn’t feeling all that comfortable in his clothes right then.

  As he turned toward the kitchen, he saw that Cara had a large container on the counter and was ladling soup out of it into a couple of bowls. Apparently, he was staying, and he definitely wasn’t upset about that.

  “Can I help with anything?”

  “I think I can manage. Just sit yourself down.” She put the bowls into the microwave, then filled a couple of glasses with water and brought them over to the table. “How long will it take the town to recover from this storm?”

  “Not too long, partly because the weather is warming up in a couple of days. That will help to melt the snow.”

  “I’d kind of forgotten what it was like to have a significant snowfall.”

  “I suppose you got quite a lot of snow in Chicago.”

  Cara nodded. “I loved it as a kid until I realized that I didn’t get snow days off from school like other kids did since I was homeschooled. Of course, my mom caved after I protested having to do schoolwork when other kids had the day off. She spoiled me.”

  “I’m glad to hear that she spoiled you. My mom tended to spoil Sean and me too.”

  She brought the bowls over to the table then sat down across from him. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked him if he’d say thanks for their food. He was happy to do that and took the time to pray for those who had
been negatively impacted by the storm.

  After the prayer, she nudged a container in his direction. “We’ve got left-over biscuits too. Your mom was such a sweetie to make all of this. She’s a great cook.”

  “She is,” Kieran agreed. “Did she make any cookies? They are terrific.”

  “No cookies, but she did manage to find enough ingredients in my pantry to make brownies.”

  “Oh, I hope there are some left.”

  “She managed to protect a few for you.”

  Kieran broke one of the biscuits and dipped it in the soup. It was his favorite way to eat his mom’s biscuits when she served them with soup. “I hope it worked out okay to have her here.”

  Cara took a spoonful of soup, then she said, “It was fine. I’ll admit, I was a bit worried, but I needed to see for myself that what you were saying about her attitude toward my family was true.”

  “And did you?”

  She nodded. “We had a really good talk. She told me how she worked through her feelings about my dad, and then she asked me more about my mom and him and my life with them. I don’t know how our conversation left her feeling, but it was very cathartic for me. I haven’t had anyone that I could really talk to about that part of my life for a long time. Though I told you bits and pieces of it, the details I left out were things I needed to be able to talk about.”

  “Like your dad being in prison?” Kieran asked.

  “Yes, that, but also how it was losing my mom the way I did and being forced out of my career. Though I’d known I wasn’t going to stay with the ballet company forever, I’d always assumed I’d be able to leave on my own terms. My mom’s death took away my control of so many things.”

  “One of the things my mom reminded me of was that you didn’t have any control over who your parents were and that probably by the time you understood who your dad was, you’d already formed a close, loving relationship with him.”

  Cara stared at him for a moment then nodded. “I want you to know that I have never felt that my dad was innocent of what he was accused of or that he was misunderstood. I had to separate him in my mind. One part of him was a part I didn’t know. That was Marco Moretti, the mafia boss. The other part was the one I did know and love. My papa. He gave up everything for me, so while I know people might think otherwise, I know he was capable of love.”

  “I’ve come to understand that,” Kieran said, because he truly had. “I’m just sorry it took me so long. I had seen him as a monster for so many years that I couldn’t fathom viewing him in any other light.”

  “If you think I’m mad at you because you broke things off between us,” Cara began, “I’m not. I wasn’t able to automatically reconcile his two sides when I learned about his life in New York. And it wasn’t just the mafia part. I didn’t understand how he could love my mom and me and yet not divorce his wife so that he could be with us. So I understood why you couldn’t accept who I was. I never blamed you for that.”

  Kieran wanted to ask her what that meant for them now that he was willing to accept all parts of her life, but he’d promised not to pressure her. Even though it felt like that conversation had taken place ages ago, it really had only been a little over a day since they’d talked about it.

  “I really wasn’t sure that you could get to the point where you wouldn’t resent me for loving the man that had hurt your family so badly. In fact, I was fairly certain that wouldn’t be possible.”

  “But now?” Kieran needed to hear her answer even as he was a little afraid of what it might be.

  “Talking with your mom helped me realize that it was possible for you to get to that point. Never once did I get the feeling that she was viewing me through the lens of my father’s actions. And she told me that it pleased her to hear that he had become a Christian, and it just reinforced even more for her that forgiveness was the right choice. If God could forgive my dad for his sins, then it wouldn’t be her place to hold unforgiveness in her heart toward him.”

  Kieran nodded. “She told me the same thing.”

  “She also said that she understood that it might be difficult for me to trust that you could really change how you felt about my dad.”

  His heart sank at her words, yet he also understood. He’d just hoped she might be able to have faith in him.

  “I do want to trust you, though.” Her lips curved in a gentle smile. “I want us to try again to see if we can make this work. You see, I love you too, and having to accept that what we had was over before I even had a chance to tell you that, was very difficult for me.”

  Kieran stared at her in shock. He’d hoped that she’d give him another chance to show how much he loved her and that in time, she’d come to love him. But he hadn’t expected her to tell him already that she loved him on top of being willing to give him—give them—another chance.

  “Really? You love me? Even after what I did? What I said?”

  “Even then,” she said, her smile growing.

  Kieran abandoned his soup and got up from the table. He went to where Cara sat and sank to his knees beside her chair. She shifted so that she could look down at him as he reached for her hands. “I love you so much, Cara. Thank you for giving me another chance. You have no idea how much I want this to work.”

  She lifted one hand and ran her fingertips along his cheek. His eyes closed briefly, relishing the feel of her touch once again.

  “I think I do have an idea because I very much want this to work too.”

  “Promise me that you’ll always be open and honest with me about what you’re feeling. Please don’t try to hide things from me because you’re worried about how I’ll react. If this is going to work, you need to be able to express yourself freely. You need to tell me if I say or do something that upsets you because that’s the last thing I want to do.”

  “I will, but it works both ways, you know,” she told him. “I need to know what you’re feeling as well. I don’t want to cause you unnecessary pain, so you have to tell me if I say or do something that upsets you too.”

  It was a bit harder for him to promise her that, but in the end, he nodded. “I will keep seeing Pastor Evans during all of this, and if you want to join me, I’d love that.”

  “I think that might be a good idea.”

  Feeling like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Kieran got to his feet and pulled her up with him. Relief flooded him as he wrapped his arms around her and felt hers go around his waist. The feeling was so familiar, and something he’d missed so much in the weeks they’d been apart.

  He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the familiar scent of her shampoo. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  She tucked her head into the crook of his neck and tightened her arms around him. “I’ve missed you too.”

  When she moved her head a few moments later, he looked down at her face, his heart pounding at the emotion he saw there. Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to hers. He was so grateful to have her in his arms again when it had been possible that he might never have had another chance.

  He knew they had a lot to deal with, but because of God’s grace and mercy, Kieran was confident that they would be able to overcome everything together.

  EPILOGUE

  Cara shifted in her seat, her stomach a mass of nerves. She wasn’t sure when she’d last been this nervous.

  “Everything okay?” Sarah asked from across the table.

  “Yeah. It’s just a bit nerve-wracking to have Kieran meeting my brother without me there.”

  “Why aren’t you there?” Sarah scooped up a forkful of the slice of fruit pie she’d ordered.

  Cara was asking herself that very question. She should have insisted. “Kieran offered to pick him up then take him to tour the seminary he’s thinking of attending.”

  Sarah’s eyes widened. “Your brother is moving to New Hope?”

  “Possibly,” Cara said, eyeing her friend. She hadn’t given Sarah the details about the past she and Gio shared, only
that he was her half-brother, and that they hadn’t met until after their father’s death. The truth of their past would remain a secret known only by a few.

  “Is he single?”

  Cara stared at her for a moment then laughed. “You want to know if my brother’s single?”

  “I’m trying to…you know…move forward.” Sarah shrugged and sighed. “So, is he?”

  Cara gave her friend a sympathetic look before answering her question. “Well, last I heard, he was single, but I’m also not sure he’s looking to change that status at the moment.”

  With a sigh, Sarah slumped back, stabbing her pie with her fork. “Probably just as well.”

  “So, are your only standards for guys still that they be single and nice?”

  “I’ve added a few more things to the list,” Sarah said, a slightly dejected tone to her words. “Things like not being obsessed with money, and I’ve decided that local guys are probably best.”

  “Or at least willing to relocate.” Cara hated to see her friend upset, but she understood how she was feeling.

  “I think maybe I should steer clear of dating for awhile.”

  “Well, don’t let one bad experience turn you off completely.”

  Sarah stared down at her pie as she continued to jab at it with her fork. “Yeah, I know, but maybe I’m not as ready for a relationship as I thought I was.”

  “Well, I don’t think we necessarily have to feel ready. Goodness knows I didn’t feel like I was ready when I met Kieran. Sometimes love shows up when we least expect it.”

  Sarah shrugged. “After seeing Eli and Anna then you and Kieran, I wanted something like that for myself. It just kind of sucks that my attempt at finding love didn’t have your happy outcome.”

  “Just remember that for a time, I didn’t think my attempt had either. Now it’s my turn to pray for you.”

  “Did you feel a bit frustrated when I told you I’d pray for you and Kieran?” Sarah asked. “Because that’s kind of how I’m feeling at the moment.”

  “Not frustrated. It was more feeling like it was hopeless, but who was I to tell you not to pray.”