Her Guardian Shifter

by Karen Whiddon

  “Kind of?” he teased, realizing he’d do just about anything to wipe the worry and stress out of her gaze. “Don’t worry. Everything will work out.”

  Though her nod came slowly, at least she agreed. “Thank goodness your furniture hasn’t arrived yet. I’d feel terrible if it had gotten damaged in the fire.”

  “It wasn’t your fault,” he said, then reconsidered. “Was it? Do they have any idea what caused the fire?”

  “They’re thinking an electrical short. Nothing that I did. Even though I had built a fire in the fireplace, that wasn’t where the other fire originated.” Shoulders slumped, she stepped away, out of his arms. He let her go.

  Someone called to her and she hurried off without a backward glance.

  Though standing around doing nothing went against his nature, there wasn’t any way Eric could get closer to the hub of activity without endangering his son. So he stayed put, watching from a distance, and wishing he could offer more assurances and comfort to JJ. While he didn’t know much about her personal circumstances, she didn’t appear to have a good support system or many resources she could fall back on, being new in town. Of course, he was in a similar situation himself.

  Wow. Just wow. When he’d planned on starting over, beginning a new life, he hadn’t imagined anything like this. But he’d be okay, even if he had to tap into some of his savings to pay for another place to live.

  It appeared that the fire department was wrapping things up. Eric checked on Garth, who, amazingly, continued to sleep. When one of the sooty firefighters came by, Eric questioned him. “How bad is the damage?” he asked.

  The man shrugged, dragging his arm across his sooty face. “Lots of smoke and water damage. We had to cut a couple holes in the walls to check for flames. Maybe one or two in the roof, as well. Some of the windows were broken.”

  Eric nodded. “Is it safe to go inside?”

  “Actually, we’d prefer you didn’t.”

  “I have a three-month-old son.” Gesturing at the truck cab, Eric frowned. “We lived in the downstairs unit. I just need to get his formula and diapers. Who do I need to talk to in order to get permission to do that?” Getting permission was only a formality. If they refused, Eric would simply wait until they left to go inside and grab his things.

  “Talk to the chief.” The firefighter pointed at another man, who was heading their way. “Good luck.”

  The chief listened while Eric repeated his request. “Fine,” he said. “You can go. But only to grab what you absolutely need and get out. And you’ll need to do it quickly. The soot and dirty water might make you sick. Don’t eat or drink anything. Oh, and you’ll need a flashlight. We had to cut the utilities for safety. Too much chance of gas leaks or electric shorts that could have endangered my men or you. Do not attempt to turn them back on yourself.”

  Eric nodded. “When can we get a copy of the fire report?”

  “It’ll be ready in a few days. Just stop by the fire marshal’s office.”

  “And after that?”

  “You’ll need to contact your insurance agent.” The man peered at Eric. “You did have insurance, right?”

  Since he could only assume so, Eric nodded. “Right. I mean, who doesn’t have insurance?”

  “Exactly. Once the insurance company comes out and takes a look, they’ll hire a company to come in and do cleanup. I think they’ll also make any and all repairs needed.”

  The firefighter caught sight of Garth. “Hey, is that your kid?”

  “Yes. I put him in there to keep him out of the cold.”

  The man eyed him. “Good thinking. Listen, do you and your wife have someplace to go?”

  “Oh, she’s...” Eric swallowed. “I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” he said instead.

  “Glad to hear it. If not, you can always contact the Red Cross or the Salvation Army. Now if you don’t mind grabbing your baby, we’ve got to get back to the firehouse.”

  After retrieving Garth, Eric and JJ stood side by side and watched the fire engine pull away, the police car right behind it. A few of the neighbors—though not many, since the icy night wind still blew—had come out on their front porches to watch. One by one, they went inside. Aside from the lingering scent of charred wood and smoke, the neighborhood returned to the way it had been.

  Chapter 10

  “From this direction, the house still looks the same,” JJ mused, her voice wobbly again. Eric put his arm around her, offering support. Though initially she stiffened, a second later she relaxed and leaned against him.

  “They said we can go inside and get out what we need,” he told her, repeating what the chief had said.

  “Good.” She shook her head. “I don’t mind helping you, since we can’t go to the top floor. I doubt anything of mine is going to be usable, anyway.”

  Keeping his son’s carrier close again, Eric started for the front door. Garth had opened his eyes and appeared to be looking around, but hadn’t started crying yet. They needed to get formula and diapers, as well as multiple changes of clothing.

  When he realized JJ wasn’t following, he stopped. “Aren’t you coming?”

  Still standing in the same place, she cut her gaze from him to the house. Finally, she swallowed hard. “I guess so. It’s silly, but I’m afraid to see what’s happened to the inside.”

  “Come on.” He held out his free hand. “You might as well. You’ve got to face it eventually.”

  She searched his face and finally nodded. “You’re right,” she said, sliding her gloved fingers around his. He liked the way it felt, much more than he should have.

  “Do you have a flashlight?” he asked as they climbed up on the porch. “They had to cut the power.”

  “I keep one in my kitchen, for when the electricity goes out. But that’s upstairs.”

  Inside, the dank smoke smell was even worse. Eric repeated what the firefighter had said.

  “So we have to get what you need and get out?” she asked. “And then what? Where can we go?”

  “We’ll figure that out,” he assured her. “Right now, let’s grab what we can. Once we’re in my car, if you can point me to a motel, we’ll get a room so we can all get some rest.”

  She opened her mouth and then closed it. “Okay,” she finally said. “As long as we’re here, I want to check out the damage upstairs. I’ll meet you back here in ten minutes.”

  “I’m not sure it’s safe,” he told her.

  “I’m just going to open my front door and peek inside. I might as well see how bad it is.”

  He hated letting her go upstairs alone, but there was no way he was taking Garth up there. “Are you sure you really need to? I can buy you some clothes or makeup or whatever else you need.”

  “It’s okay,” she said quietly. “I’ll be careful. See you in the foyer in ten minutes.” She paused. “Do you have a flashlight or do you need to borrow mine?”

  “I’ve got one.” He’d found one inside the drawer of a small curio cabinet near the door. All it had needed was new batteries and it worked perfectly.

  Watching her as she climbed the stairs, he finally shook his head, picked up Garth’s carrier and headed into his own space to gather what he needed. Inside his place, there was a lot of water damage and he thought maybe some smoke damage, too, though it was hard to tell, using the small beam of his flashlight.

  One half-full box of diapers and a carton of formula, plus clothes for both himself and the baby. Unfortunately, he couldn’t carry all this and Garth, too, so Eric moved as much as he could to just outside his front door. He’d get it in the car once he could ask JJ to keep an eye on Garth.

  When he returned to the foyer, she was already waiting. She agreed to watch Garth in the SUV, so once he’d loaded the baby into his infant carrier and her duffel bag
into the back, he went inside for his things.

  She directed him to a small motel a few miles away. When they pulled up shortly after 4:00 a.m., he parked and turned to her. “I’m going to get us a room, okay?”

  “I’ll need my own,” she told him, clearly exhausted. “I can pay.”

  “What if we have to stay here for a few days?” he asked. “Or even longer. I’m not trying to be nosy, but I don’t know your financial situation.”

  “It’s...fluid,” she said, flashing him a quick, embarrassed smile. “Cash poor, right now. I’ve got a bit in savings, but I’ll need some of it to meet the deductible on my policy. I’m going to call my insurance company in the morning,” she continued, lifting her chin bravely. “After I get some rest, I’ll figure out where exactly I’m going to live until everything is repaired. Hopefully, Rhonda will allow me to bunk on her couch or in her guest bedroom for a few weeks.”

  He nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

  “But what about you? What will you do if this turns out to be some long, drawn-out thing?”

  “I’ve been checking out some buildings online for my business. I’d planned to meet with a Realtor soon, so I’ll do that. Maybe I can find one with a small apartment above the garage. That’s not ideal for the long term, because I have to keep a clear separation between home and work, but maybe it’ll do for now. At least until the house is repaired.”

  “Whew.” A ghost of a smile flitted across her lips. “I was worried you’d say you and Garth were going back to California.”

  Surprised—and a bit touched that she even cared—he grimaced. “There’s nothing back there for me.”

  After he’d paid the deposit and received a room key, he reconsidered. Maybe he should get her a separate room. But tonight, they were both so tired that all they wanted to do was sleep—if Garth would let them. Eric decided for tonight they’d share. If she wanted to change things up in the morning, he’d deal with it then. Most likely, she’d get ahold of her friend next door and go stay there.

  Once they were inside the small room, she dropped her duffel on a bed and vanished into the bathroom. He changed Garth, thankful that he’d bathed him before he’d gone to bed, and warmed up some formula using the little hotplate he’d thought to bring along.

  Once his son had been fed and burped, Eric carried him around the room, swaying softly and singing an old Norwegian lullaby he remembered his grandmother singing to his younger brother. They’d been born in the United States, but after their father’s disappearance, their mother had taken both her sons to Norway and left them with her own mother, who’d raised them. Despite their young age—Eric had been three and Lars just eighteen months—they hadn’t seen or heard from their mom again until they were teenagers. Then, both parents had shown up at their doorway and moved them all to California. It had been difficult for them to readjust to a family they’d never known, but they’d managed. Now, Eric could see why his parents had done what they did. What he couldn’t understand was why, a day after Lars had turned eighteen, both Mom and Dad had vanished again. This time, they’d never come back.

  Another reason Eric would never leave his son.

  Once little Garth had fallen asleep, Eric set him in his portable crib—thank God for that thing—and stripped down to his boxers before climbing in between the sheets. He planned to only rest his eyes until JJ returned. He figured they’d talk a little and then they’d both catch some much-needed sleep.

  * * *

  After washing her face and hands, JJ grimaced at her image in the bathroom mirror. She felt grimy all over and her hair stank of smoke. Yawning, she knew she should take a quick shower, but she wasn’t sure how much longer her wobbly legs would hold her upright. It’d have to wait until she got some sleep.

  A sound from the other room... She strained to hear. When she realized what it was, she smiled. It sounded like Eric was singing some sort of lullaby to his son. When he stopped a moment later, she figured the baby had most likely fallen asleep.

  Speaking of sleep. All she had left to do was brush her teeth and she could do the same.

  When she’d finished, she opened the door slowly and quietly, not wanting to wake Garth. To her surprise, she saw Eric had climbed into one of the beds and dozed off.

  This lessened the awkwardness somehow. Tiptoeing to the other bed, she turned out the light and pulled back the covers. About to get in between her sheets, still fully clothed, she hesitated. Her clothes smelled like smoke and soot. What about Eric? Had he stripped before getting into his bed? Peering over there, she judged by the little pile of clothes on the floor that he had.

  Holding her breath and hoping he didn’t wake, she hurriedly stripped down to her bra and panties. Then, at the last moment, she removed her bra. Much better. Once she’d gotten decently covered, she breathed a sigh of relief. And then found herself imagining his buff body naked against the sheets.

  Ah, good thing she was so exhausted. Too tired to do more than briefly picture waking up next to him, she closed her eyes and willed herself to fall asleep.

  An infant’s cries startled her awake. She sat bolt upright, blinking. Sunlight sneaking from the sides of the curtains brought some light into the room. Enough to see Eric, wearing nothing but a pair of plaid boxer shorts, swinging his muscular legs over the side of his bed as he hurried to attend to his son.

  She couldn’t stop staring. She slid back under her sheets and watched through her eyelashes, hoping he’d think she still slept.

  Muscles she hadn’t even realized he possessed rippled along his back as he bent over to pick up the baby. The whole broad-shoulders-narrow-waist thing worked for him, too. Her entire body tingled.

  More than that—watching the tenderness with which he treated his son, she wanted to melt. In her experience, men like him were rare. Shawn had cared about only his job and his status and himself. Oh, he’d known how badly she wanted her own family, and he’d dangled this possibility like a carrot in front of a starving rabbit. But after a while she’d come to realize he’d never meant a word of it. He’d made no secret of the way he despised children. The idea of him ever becoming a father was frightening.

  The same way marrying him would have been.

  Eric coughed, drawing her attention back to him. “Are you going to get up or just lie there and pretend to be sleeping?” he asked, his voice teasing.

  She blushed—all over. “I was waiting for you to finish up first,” she said, which wasn’t entirely untrue. “I didn’t want to hog the bathroom if you needed to use it.”

  “Oh, go ahead. I was up earlier and it’s going to be a little while before I get done taking care of Garth.”

  Sitting up, she blinked and tugged the covers back to her chin. She’d completely forgotten she’d stripped down to her panties and nothing else.

  Keeping the sheet wrapped tightly around her, she reached down and fumbled around on the floor until she’d located her bra and clothing. When she looked up, she saw Eric watching her with an amused expression.

  “It’s about to get even funnier,” she told him, as she yanked the covers up and over her, making as big a tent as she could so she could dress.

  “There.” Triumphant, she threw back the covers and got up—only to realize she had her shirt on inside out and backward. At least she was covered. She marched off to the bathroom, knowing a hot shower would do wonders toward making her feel human again.

  Later, she made some phone calls and watched the baby while Eric showered. He’d given his son a sponge bath earlier, which made little Garth all giggles. JJ had melted watching this, and had to resist the urge to ask if she could help.

  Her insurance agent had already heard about the fire. He promised to put a rush on processing a claim, adding that he’d make sure and have someone out there quickly to take a look.

  When Eric emerge
d from the bathroom, his hair still damp, he suggested they make a stop at the pancake house for breakfast and then check out her place. Though part of her dreaded seeing the damage in the stark light of day, she knew she needed to, so she agreed.

  Breakfast was lovely, the three of them in a back booth, while JJ struggled to remind herself this wasn’t her family, even if the waitress persisted in thinking they were. But this scene reminded her of what she’d wanted for so long. Shawn hadn’t succeeded in killing that dream for her and she still had hope that someday she’d have a husband and child of her own. For now, she had too much reality to deal with.

  The instant they pulled up in front of her house, her heart caught in her throat. Last night, after the firefighters and police had left, she’d seen the place only in darkness. Now, in the unforgiving light of day, she saw the soot staining the formerly white wood, the busted-out windows and the long, spiky icicles that had formed where the water had drained. Her pretty little house looked awful. Damaged and deserted, like something after a war.

  “Oh,” she said. Only it came out like something else entirely, a low, guttural sound as if from an animal in pain.

  Eric looked at her. “It’ll be okay, I promise. Once your insurance company gets started, they’ll have this place looking as good as new.”

  Blinking back tears, she nodded. “My agent says the company will send a claims adjuster out here sometime this week. They also need to review the fire report. They told me I’d need to find another place to live for at least thirty days.” Her voice broke and she took a deep breath, determined to steady it. “He also said it could even be longer.”

  Eric squeezed her shoulder. “I’m sorry. Hopefully, it won’t be. Come on, let’s go take a look. We just need to be very careful. At least now that it’s not dark, we can find our way around, even without electricity.”

  “I’m worried about the pipes freezing,” she said, as she pushed open the car door and stepped outside. She waited, shivering in the chilly air despite her warm jacket, while Eric unbuckled Garth’s carrier. He’d dressed his son warmly, from a little knit cap to matching mittens and boots.