Third Love (Heaven Sent Book 3)

by Mary Abshire

  “Do you handle switching things?” Emily asked.

  “The owner will once I give him your information,” she said. “When were you thinking of moving in?”

  “Tonight or tomorrow if possible,” Emily said. “We have the funds saved.”

  “Wow. Okay. That’s great,” she said, sounding surprised. “I didn’t think anyone would be able to move in so fast.”

  “We’re staying with my parents and we’d like to get out soon,” Emily said. “I love my parents, but Spencer and I are married. We need our own space.”

  “I understand completely,” Kimberly said. “Now, do you both work?”

  “I’m self-employed. I work from my laptop. Spencer is a nurse.” Emily hoped Kimberly wouldn’t ask for more details. Although Andrew’s position with Mercy Hospital hadn’t been secured, she had a good feeling he’d get hired on after he provided the credentials Troy was creating. But even if Andrew didn’t get a job there, his lack of one wouldn’t be a problem. As long as the lease got paid, nobody would care about his employment status.

  “Okay, well, I didn’t think to bring the documents with me. If you want to follow me back to my office, we can go over the lease. My office is maybe ten minutes from here,” Kimberly said.

  “Actually, if you give me the address, we can meet you at your office in say…” Emily looked back at Andrew.

  “Half hour is good,” he said.

  Emily shifted her attention back to the realtor. “Is that fine with you?”

  “Perfect,” she said.

  “Twelve hundred fifty plus six hundred, right?” Emily asked as Andrew came to stand next to her.

  “Yes, and there’s a fifty dollar processing fee too,” Kimberly said.

  “Any other fees?” Andrew asked.

  “No.” Kimberly shook her head. “That’s it.”

  Emily looked at Andrew and smiled. “We have a new home now.”

  Chapter Seven

  Glass doors scooted to the sides before Andrew and Emily walked into the library. They passed inside a large entryway before another pair of doors whooshed sideways and granted them entrance. The smell of old books was a perfume Andrew could never forget. He’d spent many days in a Chicago library during his college years. He’d met many young ladies there too. They’d constantly distracted him from his studies, but he managed.

  “Excuse me,” Emily said softly as she approached the check-out desk on the left. Three employees stood behind the counter. One older man helped a customer. An overweight woman sat, staring at a computer. A thin older lady checked books from a cart.

  The woman with plump cheeks and a double chin sitting by the computer lifted her gaze to Emily. “Yes?”

  “Where can I find computers for research and printing?” Emily asked.

  The woman lifted her beefy arm and pointed. “Back in the corner. Prints and copies are fifteen cents each. Follow the prompts on the screen to pay for them.”

  “Thank you,” Emily said before she started heading to the place the woman had directed her to go.

  “Are you sure about this?” Andrew asked, walking beside her.

  “Yeah, this is the quickest way to print out everything Troy sent.”

  They passed between tall shelves filled with books. The stale odor started to tickle his nose. Funny, he didn’t remember the libraries in heaven smelling the same. But then, he learned since he’d returned to Earth that most things in heaven had been diluted. Food and drinks didn’t taste as good. Emotions weren’t as lively. Liquor and nicotine had no effect. The differences took some time to adjust to, but he managed. Heaven was still a great place to spend life after death.

  “I’m glad I checked my email after we left the meeting with the realtor. Once I print off the documents Troy sent and we go sign the lease, you can turn in your application,” Emily said.

  “Good thinking.”

  Andrew had completed the application while she’d napped earlier. He’d brought it with him, hoping he could return it soon. It seemed he would get that chance now.

  They reached the end of a second set of shelves and the area opened up to three rows of two desks with computers. Customers occupied half of them. Emily strode toward the vacant desk on the right. She set her purse on it before rolling the chair back. As she sat, Andrew came to stand behind her. He crossed his arms while she worked her magic on the computer.

  His thoughts returned to the house they were going to lease. Emily had found it incredible the property backed up to the demon’s home. He’d been equally surprised and he didn’t think it was a coincidence. The rare turn of events supported his belief that someone in heaven had the ability to control a few things.

  He recalled the enjoyable moment of holding her in his arms when they were staring out the patio door. Her hair smelled of a light sea scent, fresh and soothing. She hadn’t tensed or resisted when he’d brought her closer to his body. When she’d brushed her hand over his, her gentle touch had awakened his sleeping cock. He tried to keep it back just enough so it wouldn’t press against her and she wouldn’t notice. If she had, she hid it well. But when she brought her lips to his, he’d nearly gone numb, except in his groin. He couldn’t believe she’d given him a kiss, even if it were a simple peck. The fact she’d done it blew his mind and sent his erection shooting up. He was glad when she’d walked away to talk to the realtor since he’d sported a massive hard-on and had to calm it to save himself from embarrassment.

  “Everything’s here,” Emily said, bringing his attention back to the present.

  The screen showed a message from Troy and several small thumb-size documents. She clicked on one of them. The screen changed to show a diploma from Loyola University with the name Spencer Reynolds.

  “It looks similar to the one I had under my real name,” he said.

  She dug into her purse. “He sent several documents I need to print. This could take several minutes.” She withdrew her wallet and opened it.

  Andrew turned and sat on the edge of the desk. “What did you think of the home, other than being where it’s located?”

  “It was fine,” she said as she removed a card from her billfold. Her gaze jumped between the monitor and the card between her fingers.

  “It’s a nice starter home.”

  While he’d held her, he briefly had considered what it might be like to be married and starting a family in a new home. When he’d been alive, he’d planned to finish his education and follow in his father’s footsteps as a doctor. Then he’d hoped to meet a woman who would steal his breath away and make him crazy for her. They’d find a nice house outside the city and have a couple of children. Three seemed like a good number. His wife wouldn’t have to work since he would make enough for both of them. After he’d died and gone to heaven, he’d never thought of the dream again. Until he’d held Emily in his arms.

  “Yeah, a little on the small side, but like you said, it’s a starter home for a couple,” she said as she typed. The printer on the desk started humming.

  “Do you ever think of settling down one day with someone?” he asked.

  She glanced at him. “Honestly, no.”

  “Why not?”

  She kept her back to him and shrugged. “I just don’t see it in my future.”

  “Have you ever considered getting married and having kids?”

  She took the printed document and set it on the desk. “I’ve known for a long time I don’t want kids. As for getting married, I don’t think there is a man on this planet or any other one who can convince me he will make me happy forever. In case you hadn’t noticed, I don’t need a man.” She clicked on the next document.

  “What if you met a man who swept you off your feet, would you think about settling down and having kids?”

  “If a man swept me off my feet, then it’s likely because I hurt myself and can’t walk,” she said with a slight curl of her lips.

  “You know what I mean.”

  She hit a few keys on the keyb
oard before she looked up at him. “I don’t think about anything like that because it won’t happen. I am here helping you and who knows how long that will take. But for the sake of conversation, say you’re done in six months and go back to heaven. Will I rethink about my future and want to meet someone? I don’t know. I can’t answer that. I live for today and plan for tomorrow if I can. The future is a mystery and it will remain that way.”

  “How do you know it won’t happen?”

  “Because I know.”

  “That’s not a reason.”

  “I don’t believe in Mr. Right. I don’t believe in fairy tales.”

  Her cell buzzed from within her purse. Brows drawn together, she fished out her phone. “It’s Kimberly,” she said before she answered the call.

  Andrew stood and lowered his arms. He wondered why the realtor had called back so soon after they’d left about fifteen minutes ago. He hoped there wasn’t a problem.

  “Yes, that’s fine,” Emily said. “It’s not a problem. We’ll see you in a bit.” Emily returned the cell to her bag.

  “What did she say?”

  “She got a call from her daughter and has to run home to take care of something. She asked if we could meet her an hour from now at her office.”

  “That will give us time to drop off my application at the hospital.”

  Emily faced the computer. The printer continued spitting out papers as she clicked on items on the screen.

  “This shouldn’t take much longer,” she said. “Check the documents to make sure the dates and information match your résumé.”

  Andrew walked around her. He lifted the papers from the desk and the printer. The diploma had the correct name, degree, and date. The certificates appeared authentic with the correct information too. He shuffled through the other documents and checked for errors. Each one looked good. He studied the names on his reference page.

  “Who is Sean Brown, Stacy Keaton, and Jeremy Fossel?” Andrew asked.

  Emily rose and looked at the sheet he was eyeing. “Oh, make up a story since they’re your references.” She peered closer at the woman’s information. “That’s my number.”

  “Why would he…”

  “So I can pretend to be someone who worked with you who can recommend you for a job,” she said. “He’ll pose as the other two people.”

  Andrew recalled he’d overheard her talking to Troy about references. Now it made sense what they were doing. “You can be a doctor in the neonatal care of Cook County hospital.”

  “I’m a doctor and a wife. Are there any other roles to add?”

  “Lover?” He gave her a crooked smile.

  “And here I thought you might prefer a real one instead of a fake one. I guess I was wrong.” She sat down and hit a few keys.

  Words failed to leave his open mouth as he stared at her. Had he heard her right? Was she willing to be a lover? He had to have misunderstood her. They played games so much it was getting difficult to decipher reality from fiction at times.

  “Do the documents look okay?” she asked as she returned her card to her wallet.

  He shook the confusion from his mind. “They look good. The dates match.”

  “And your application is in the car, right?”

  “Yes.”

  She shut down the email window and then stuffed her billfold into her purse. “It takes twenty minutes to there and twenty to get back. We have just enough time for you to run in and drop off your application, then return to meet Kimberly.”

  “Let’s do it.”

  Andrew held onto the papers while he walked beside her. He still had a few jumbled marbles from their recent conversation. Had she been willing to be his lover? Damn, he wanted to know.

  Within minutes they were back on the road and heading toward Mercy Hospital. Andrew organized all the documents so they would be in order with the application. Holding everything in place on his lap, he gazed out the window and recalled their chat about meeting someone to settle down with.

  “Do you really believe you won’t fall in love with a man one day and want to be his wife and have his children?” Andrew asked.

  She sighed heavily and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “Andrew, it’s a nice dream, but it’s not for everyone. Some people were meant to be alone. I don’t see you rushing to find that special woman to get married. From what you told me, you’re not that kind of guy to settle with one girl. News flash, most men are like you.”

  “Sure, I dated a lot when I’d been alive, but I’d always hoped to find that special woman. In heaven … it was different. I knew I couldn’t have children and I was having fun.”

  “Am I to believe that since you’ve returned you are now interested in procreating? If that’s the case, they really did a number on you before they sent you here.”

  “It’s not just that.”

  “I’m willing to bet if you could have sex with any woman at any time that you would.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  Her brows rose. “Really? Because you’ve not stopped flirting with me since day one and I’ve seen you eye other women too. Are you telling me your heavenly council has actually reformed you by sending you to Earth?”

  Andrew sensed she was shifting the subject away from her to him. Why was she avoiding his question? What was she afraid of?

  “If you met someone and fell in love, why wouldn’t you want to be with him and maybe have children one day?” he asked.

  “If that ever happened, zombies will have taken over.”

  “I’m trying to be serious,” he said with a hint of irritation in his tone.

  “If by some miracle that happened, then yeah, I’d want the dream.”

  “But you don’t think it will.”

  “I’m realistic, so no.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s like I said, some people are meant to be alone,” she said as she turned into the hospital entrance.

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “Believe what you want. I don’t care.”

  “Everyone is capable of loving and being loved.”

  “Loving or lusting? There’s a difference and most people don’t realize it.”

  He inhaled a deep breath. Clearly, the topic of love was a touchy one for her. For whatever reason, she had convinced herself that she couldn’t be loved. He assumed that had to be the issue since she seemed capable of giving love. Maybe growing up in a home without loving parents had given her the idea. It had to stem from somewhere and that would be the most logical place. Andrew wanted to discuss the matter more, but his time had run out. She drove up to the curb at the main entrance.

  “I’ll drive around for a bit. Just call me when you’re on your way out,” she said.

  Holding onto the papers, Andrew pushed open the door. Before leaving he asked, “Do I get a kiss for good luck?”

  “If you get an interview, I’ll give you a kiss. How’s that?”

  His cock twitched while his heart acquired extra beats. “I’ll take it,” he said before he exited the Jeep.

  Smiling, he headed inside the large hospital with his application in hand. She’d promised him a kiss and he’d demand payment when he got his interview. He hoped she would be ready.

  Past the reception desk and waiting area, Andrew headed for the main elevators in the center. One arrived promptly and he took it up to the twelfth floor. His bearings were off since he’d come in from a different way, but thanks to the signs on the walls, he managed to find the human resources office.

  The blonde receptionist he’d spoken with earlier sat behind the desk. She smiled as he entered.

  “I was told to speak with Cathy about a nursing position,” Andrew said.

  “Have you filled out an application?”

  He held up the papers. “I have it completed, my résumé, degree, and certificates attached.”

  “She’s going to be very happy. Let me see if I can get a hold of her. Have a seat while I try to reach her.
”

  Andrew twisted and found a small waiting area with four chairs. A board on the wall above two of the seats contained a listing of job openings. Andrew flipped through the documents as the receptionist spoke on the phone. He spotted openings in the neonatal care and maternity units. He wanted to work in the same department as the demon, but in case he couldn’t he wanted to have a back-up option.

  “Sir?” the receptionist called out.

  Andrew spun to face her.

  “If you’ll have a seat, she’ll be out in a few minutes,” she said.

  “Thank you.”

  Andrew’s day had started slow and lacking in progress, but it sure had improved steadily. He’d thought he would have to drop off his documents, but delivering them to the hiring manager was better.

  A slightly overweight woman dressed in a knee-length black skirt with a blue blouse and black blazer stepped around the corner. She had dark shoulder-length hair, a round face, and tanned skin. She was a few inches taller than Emily and walked with a confident stride toward the front. She had a soft white aura, indicating she was on the right path to heaven. Many hospital employees had a similar glow, but there were many that did not. Her gaze met Andrew’s and she smiled. Assuming she was coming to speak with him, Andrew rose.

  “I’m Cathy Murphy,” she said as she shoved her hand forward.

  “Spencer Reynolds,” he said, accepting her handshake.

  “Mr. Reynolds, I hear you’re a nurse.”

  “Yes, I relocated from Chicago and I’m looking for a job. I brought all my credentials with me.” He handed the papers to her and she took them.

  “Where did you work in Chicago?” she asked as she glanced at his application.

  “The neonatal care unit at Cook County hospital.”

  Her gaze shot to his. “Do you have time to talk with me for a bit and maybe one of my colleagues?”

  The question startled him. He hadn’t been ready for an on-the-spot interview. “Uh, sure.”

  Cathy turned to the receptionist. “Linda, can you see if Doctor Simmons might be available for a few minutes to speak with an applicant? If he’s not, check with Doctor Whitmore.”