Hope Falls: Guardian Angel (KW) (WI 2.5)

by Mari Carr

  To Kevin.

  Home.

  Chapter Two

  Kevin stirred at the sound of a door closing, which alerted him to the painful stiffness in his neck. Angel had woken up around three a.m., crying. He’d brought her downstairs and turned on her favorite Disney movie, Frozen, and the two of them had fallen asleep somewhere in the middle of it. The TV was back to the menu screen, the sounds of “Let it Go” filling the silence.

  He glanced down at Angel, wincing as he moved his head. She was curled up in a ball next to him on the couch, her cheeks stained with dried tears.

  It had been a horrible night.

  A movement by the entrance to the living room caught his attention, and he turned to find Rory looking at them. Her eyes looked just like those of their little niece’s, the bright blue muted to gray by tears.

  Kevin rose slowly, trying to stretch out some of the stiffness. No sooner had he reached his feet than Rory was there, wrapping her arms around him.

  He tightened his grip around her shoulders. She probably thought he was comforting her, but the truth was he was barely managing to hold himself together. The only thing that had gotten him through the night was the fact that she was on the way. He’d struggled with that feeling.

  After all, he’d spent the last year either cursing her name or fighting the agony she left in her wake when she broke things off and left without a backward glance. Now, all of those feelings were muted, replaced by something even more painful.

  He was devastated, and all he’d been able to think about since Callie’s death was how much he needed Rory with him. He couldn’t do this alone.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” he murmured.

  He couldn’t tell if she was crying, her face was pressed too tightly against his chest.

  “I just don’t understand…how…” she started, the words going unspoken.

  He couldn’t understand it either. He’d spent the better part of yesterday in a mad dash, racing from his office to the hospital after receiving a phone call from Callie’s neighbor about her collapsing in the front yard. Kevin had moved from one task to the next, answering the doctor’s questions, finding someone to pick Angel up at preschool and take care of her until he could get her, texting Rory.

  Callie had been born with diabetes, battling the disease her whole life. Doctors had warned her and Keith that it would be too hard on her body if she had a child, but Keith adored his wife, denying her nothing, so when she insisted she would have a baby, he’d relented, despite his own fears and anxieties.

  She’d never fully bounced back after Angel’s birth, Kevin knew that, but he didn’t realize she’d been ill lately. She hadn’t disclosed that information to him, though it was clear after talking to the doctor there had been signs in the past few weeks she wasn’t well. She’d had several appointments and tests run as they had tried to determine what was wrong with her. Callie, in true “I don’t want to be a bother” fashion, hadn’t told him about any of it.

  So he had stood outside her room in the ICU all day yesterday, blindsided, knocked down by a punch he never saw coming. That feeling of bewilderment turned to utter shock when Callie’s kidneys failed and she died.

  One minute she was there. The next gone.

  The entire day had moved in slow motion until that point. Then, it switched into fast-forward, and he’d had the sensation of clinging to something unseen for dear life. When he heard Rory’s voice on the phone, he realized he’d been holding on for her.

  He and Rory embraced each other for several long minutes. It probably would have gone on forever if a sleepy little voice from behind them hadn’t spoken up.

  “Mimi?”

  Rory released him in an instant, moving toward her niece and pulling her onto her lap. Angel had struggled with the mouthful that was Rory’s name when she was learning to talk. Somewhere along the line, she gave up trying, declaring her Aunt Mimi.

  “There’s my beautiful Angel.” Rory rocked her as she placed kisses on her cheeks and the tip of her nose. Ordinarily the kiss attack—as Rory called it—would produce nonstop giggles. Today, Angel didn’t even crack a smile.

  “Mommy went to Heaven,” Angel said solemnly.

  Those were the exact words Kevin had used yesterday to break the news to Angel.

  Rory blinked rapidly, stemming the tears she obviously didn’t want to shed in front of the little girl. “I know, baby.”

  “I’m going to stay here,” Angel announced. That had been her teary question last night, the one that had woken her up at three a.m. She’d been terrified she’d have to leave her home, her Little Mermaid bedroom, and her beloved swing set. Kevin assured her they’d stay here as long as she wanted. In truth, he wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, but he’d made that promise, hating to see his sweet niece so scared.

  He and Rory were Angel’s godparents, the legal guardians. They were named in Cassie’s will as the two who would care for her daughter should anything happen to her. He recalled the day she’d asked him if he was willing to take on that responsibility. He hadn’t hesitated to say yes, and he meant it with all his heart. But that didn’t mean he’d expected to find himself raising a four-year-old girl. With Rory. Which was going to be downright tricky, given her career and their past.

  Rory’s music kept her on the road, while Kevin’s feet were firmly planted in Hope Falls. He’d stumbled across the small town shortly after graduating from college. He had treated himself to a road trip, determined to see a bit of the world before settling down in a high-pressured office job in Chicago. While exploring the area around Lake Tahoe, he’d driven through Hope Falls. He’d stopped for lunch at Sue Ann’s Café, listened to the owner Sue Ann, Mr. King and some of the other locals telling tales, laughing, enjoying each other’s company, and he felt as if he’d come home.

  Next thing he knew, he was looking for an apartment to rent and hanging out his shingle as an accountant in the sleepy, peaceful town. He’d never regretted his decision. Not once.

  Rory glanced at him. “Is it okay if I stay here too?”

  His brow creased. “Of course it is. We need…” He didn’t finish his sentence, aware that Angel was sitting with them, listening. He and Rory needed to talk, needed to sort out what came next. She was a musician and her home was the road. Kevin respected her career, her talent, her drive to succeed. From the first time he’d heard her sing, he knew if anyone would make it to the big time, it was going to be Rory.

  Last year, he’d thought he’d seen signs that she was looking for a change. So he’d foolishly asked her to stay in Hope Falls with him. And learned exactly how dedicated she was to her career choice. She’d picked it over him. It had hurt him deeply, even as he’d forced himself to acknowledge the fact she’d never lied to him about her life’s ambition. She hadn’t pretended their affair was anything more than the occasional hookups. He was the one who’d built it up as something more, seen and felt things that clearly hadn’t been there.

  Rory was going to be a rock star. But that didn’t mean Kevin wanted that lifestyle for Angel. As she’d curled up next to him on the couch last night, crying herself to sleep, he’d known that she was meant to be his little girl. In truth, she always had been. His older brother’s life had been yanked away just before her birth and he’d never lain eyes on the sweet baby. Kevin had made a vow to his brother after his funeral that his child would never want for anything, including a father’s love. Mercifully, Callie had moved to Hope Falls and given him that opportunity.

  Angel was his girl. She always would be. He was going to be the father his brother never got the chance to be.

  Kevin prayed Rory would understand his desire to offer the child a normal life in his safe little town. He knew it would never be enough for someone with Rory’s love of life in the fast lane, but it would be the perfect place to raise Angel. Callie had obviously thought so too, hence her move from Chicago.

  While Kevin didn’t want to get into a battle for cu
stody, he was determined to fight for Angel if push came to shove.

  “We can talk about all of that later,” he said, glancing down at Angel. “In the meantime, you can stay as long as you want.”

  Rory smiled, her lower lip shaking slightly. She looked exhausted.

  “Did you get any sleep on the plane?” he asked.

  She shook her head.

  One quick peek at Angel rubbing her sleepy eyes proved she was still tired as well from her restless night.

  “Why don’t we all try to grab a couple more hours of sleep?” he suggested, claiming one end of the sectional as Rory dropped down on the other, Angel in her arms.

  “That sounds really good to me,” Rory said, her eyes heavy and puffy from crying. She tucked the little girl in front of her, the two of them spooning as they closed their eyelids. He doubted it took either of them more than a few minutes to fall into a deep sleep.

  His own eyes were drooping as he watched them. Rory was just as beautiful as always, and he felt those same damn emotions welling up inside him. He’d fallen for her the night of Callie and Keith’s wedding, and those feelings had never waned.

  When he closed his eyes, he let the memory of that night take him back to his favorite dream—of Rory spinning in his arms on the dance floor of the ballroom, and then the way she curled up in his arms after they’d made love. He’d spent years trying to hold on to the woman, but she never remained in his arms for long.

  “Kevin?”

  He smiled at the distant voice, still asleep. Rory was nestled against him in his dream, both of them naked. “Rory,” he whispered.

  “Try again.” This time the voice was quieter, a bit confused. It was enough to rouse him.

  He blinked his eyes open and spotted Cheryl. He shook his head as he tried to push himself upright on the couch. He was alone.

  The sound of bacon frying and Angel giggling told Kevin where Rory had gone.

  “Cheryl. I’m sorry. I didn’t sleep well last night. What time is it?”

  Cheryl glanced at her cell. “Nearly eleven. I came over because I thought you might want some help.” Her eyes ventured toward the kitchen. “Looks like you have some.”

  “Callie’s sister, Rory, got here this morning. She took the redeye and we were all wiped out, so we laid back down.”

  “Yeah. I guessed as much when I found you all sacked out here on the couch.”

  She answered his curious look.

  “The door wasn’t locked and no one answered when I knocked. I got worried. I started cleaning the kitchen, and I must have woken Rory and Angel up. Sorry about that.”

  Man, he was usually a very light sleeper, any sound at all waking him. He must have been exhausted.

  “No problem, honest. Thanks for coming to help.”

  “Rory’s the singer, right? The Road Rebels?”

  He nodded. “She was with them, but the band broke up, so now she’s trying to break big as a solo act.”

  Cheryl had moved to Hope Falls about six months ago. They’d met through a mutual friend her first week in town and since then, they’d gone out about a dozen times. She was a nice woman, someone he could easily be friends with. Just friends.

  However, there was no question Cheryl was hoping for more. Callie had chastised him a few times in the past couple of weeks or so, telling him it wasn’t fair of him to string the woman along.

  That hadn’t been his intention. After all, they had a good time together and he’d made it clear he wasn’t looking for anything serious. Callie had rolled her eyes at that comment and told him men always said that, which meant it had zero effect on a woman who was falling in love. As soon as he’d heard the word love, he had vowed to break things off with Cheryl, not wanting to hurt her. And he would have.

  If…

  The events of the previous day crashed in on him again.

  His sister-in-law, Callie, had become his best friend since her move to Hope Falls. They’d both lost the most important person in their life when that bullet struck Keith. As such, they had clung to each other, matching life preservers. And when the bottom fell out with Rory, Callie had coached him through it, promising him that things would work out.

  Rory didn’t realize that Callie had known about them and, in truth, he hadn’t been the one to spill the beans. Callie had asked him about his relationship with Rory point-blank about three years earlier, and he’d confessed, then begged her to keep his admission a secret from her sister. Callie had been his most trusted confidante. There had been so many days when he’d felt like she and Angel were the only things keeping him going.

  “Kevin?”

  He’d been quiet for too long, lost in his thoughts. “I’m sorry, Cheryl. I have a lot of things to figure out.”

  Cheryl nodded sympathetically. “Yeah. I know. Do you want me to go to the funeral home with you?”

  He shook his head. “No. Rory will want to do that. Make the decisions for her sister’s funeral.”

  “Oh yeah,” Cheryl said. “Of course. How about I stay here with Angel? I can field phone calls and grab the ten tons of food all the neighbors are going to start descending on this place with.”

  He smiled. This was why he liked Cheryl so much. She was affable, easygoing, friendly. More than once, he wished he could feel some spark of attraction to her, because she would make some lucky man a really wonderful wife. Instead, his stupid heart was hung up on a woman who didn’t want him.

  Rory’s voice drifted from the kitchen. She was singing Angel’s favorite Taylor Swift song, and Kevin could just imagine the little girl dancing along. Angel loved to dance.

  “Wow. She’s really good,” Cheryl said. “How long is she staying?”

  Kevin shrugged. “We haven’t had a chance to talk. We’re Angel’s godparents, and now,” he swallowed heavily, “her legal guardians. I guess we need to sort out…” Again, his words drifted away unformed. His brain wasn’t functioning today. Instead, it felt as if he were slogging through mud and all the mechanics were gummed up, jammed.

  Angel appeared at the doorway. “Mimi wanted me to tell you breakfast is ready if you want some. Bacon and eggs.” Then the little girl lowered her voice. “It doesn’t look like Mommy’s, but Mimi said the black bits add flavor.”

  Kevin laughed, the sound foreign after too many hours of outright sorrow. “Sounds like Rory’s cooking hasn’t gotten any better.” He stood next to Cheryl, who joined them in the kitchen, chatting to Rory about her career and the famous musicians she’d met and performed with. By the end of the meal, Cheryl appeared to be completely starstruck.

  “Why don’t I help you get dressed, Angel?” Cheryl offered. “I’ll braid your hair if you’d like.”

  Angel nodded enthusiastically. “Can I wear my princess dress? The one you got me at Disneyland?” she asked Rory.

  “Oh, I don’t think—” Cheryl began.

  But Rory had already said, “Sure.”

  Cheryl took Angel’s hand, leaving Kevin alone with Rory.

  “Cheryl’s offered to take care of Angel this afternoon, so we can head into town, to the funeral home to make some arrangements.”

  “That’s nice of her. I like her.” Rory paused, her gaze steadfastly down, studying her empty plate. “Are the two of you dating?”

  Under any other circumstances, this conversation would most likely have led to a fight, Kevin still smarting over her rejection. He could almost imagine himself telling her it was none of her business.

  But now…it was her business. Everything was. They were tied together by a child, which meant he would need to know everywhere she was going and when she’d be there, just as she was entitled to know who he was dating, what women he was introducing to Angel.

  They’d gone from casual relationship to nothing to parents, all in the course of a single year.

  “We are, but…” He blew out a long sigh.

  “You’re going to break it off.”

  He nodded. “Yeah. It was actually Callie
who told me it was time to end it. Cheryl has feelings that I don’t share.”

  “I see.”

  He hated this feeling of being exposed. How was she interpreting his words? Did she realize he was still in love with her? Then he decided he wasn’t going to be the only one walking around here with his chest cut open for inspection. “What about you? You dating anyone?”

  She shook her head. “No. Not since,” she paused before saying, “Eddie.”

  Kevin scowled, not bothering to hide his displeasure at hearing that name. Eddie was the reason he’d pushed the issue of a more serious relationship, tried to change their status quo. She had dated Eddie for nearly six months, and Kevin had spent every minute of the time praying the relationship would fail, swearing if it did, he wouldn’t miss his chance to tell her how he felt.

  The relationship failed. He confessed. She rejected.

  Game over.

  “I see,” he mimicked softly, not sure how else to reply because he felt ridiculous for the wave of relief coursing through him.

  Rory sighed, glancing out the window. “It’s a pretty day here. It was freezing on the East Coast.”

  “That’s right. You were in Baltimore for that competition. How did it go?” Kevin asked, recalling Callie’s excitement each week when Rory made it to the next round of February Stars. It had been a huge Internet success and Rory had acquired a pretty significant fan base in Hope Falls as she moved through the competition each week.

  He hadn’t watched it. Hadn’t been able to.

  “I won.”

  With those two words, the rest of Kevin’s world exploded.

  The grand prize in the contest was a world tour as the opening act for The Universe, one of the greatest rock bands in history. When music fans discussed the best bands ever, the list always included The Beatles, The Stones, and The Universe. Rory had just taken her waffling career and given it one hell of a kick start. She’d done it. After so many years of struggling, she’d ensured her success.

  “That’s incredible. When does the tour start?”