Ashes: An Everyday Heroes Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by Gail Haris

  “You are?”

  “Yes. Breakfast every morning, and supper for when you come home. It’ll be nice to have another body to share a meal with.”

  I look at the sweet woman sitting before me. Maybe she’s doing this out of the kindness of her heart, or she’s just tired of being lonely, either way, it tugs at my heart strings.

  I don’t know how I let her talk me into it, but while examining Lolly, she convinced me to stay with her at her place until I find a new apartment. She reminds me of my mom and aunts, they just somehow lure you into doing whatever it is they want. Plus, they refuse to take no for an answer, so there’s that.

  Before I go to Lolly’s house, I’m going by my apartment to look through it and see if anything is salvageable. The living room is all black and beyond recognition. Ugh, there’s a distinct smell the farther I move through the house. What’s not smoke and charred from the fire, appears to have water damage. I pull my shirt over my nose, and head to my bedroom. I pull out my suitcase that’s stored in the far end of the closet and go through my bedroom packing what I feel I can’t live without. Anything in the living room and most of the kitchen area is a loss. Unfortunately, my laptop was left in there. It’s melted. Fabulous.

  I throw my suitcase in the trunk of my car and follow the directions to Lolly’s house. I’m surprised by the house’s size for a single, elderly woman. It’s not huge, but it’s definitely a lot of space for one person. Her yard is in pristine condition with lots of plants, though. I park in her driveway and pop the trunk. When I lift the lid, I cough. The smoke smell is clinging strong to my suitcase. I may have just lost everything that is made of fabric.

  “Natalia!” Lolly comes down the steps of her front porch and shuffles her way to me. “What’s the frown for? Do you not like the neighborhood? The house?”

  “Oh no! It’s a beautiful home, and lovely neighborhood. My stuff just stinks. It reeks of smoke.”

  “Not to worry. I’m an expert at getting that ol’ smell out. I’ll fix ya right up, sweetheart.”

  “What do you do?”

  She holds up a finger and smiles. “That’s my secret. Just trust this old lady to get it done.”

  She reaches for my suitcase, but I hurry up and grab it. “Don’t overdo it again, Lolly.”

  Lolly places her bony knuckles on her tiny hips. “Now, Natalia, this arrangement isn’t going to work if you’re going to be playing house nurse.”

  “I don’t stop being a nurse just because I’m not in the hospital.”

  “Try.” With that, she turns and waves for me to follow her. Dragging my suitcase, I follow her up the walkway. The wooden floors creak as I step in, and I instantly fall in love with the house. So much character and charm. There’s no rhyme or reason to the decoration, it’s just a home that’s been lived in. The frames are all different colors, filled with a variety of photos. The blankets on the couch look like they are homemade. The blue recliner doesn’t match the beige couch. This is a home. My heart aches a little because this is the style of home I grew up in. All that’s missing are loud voices and Walter Mercado on the television.

  “Here’s your room. Clean sheets and a private bath.”

  “This is a large room for a guest bedroom.” I look around the large room and the elegant wooden bedframe. How many people have a king-size bed in their guest bedroom?

  “Yes, well, it used to be my room. But with my husband gone, I didn’t need all this space. I’ll be right across the hall.”

  My heart hurts for her loss. I don’t know how long he’s been gone, but it doesn’t matter. She’s lost her love, and now she’s all alone in this house. I’m so glad I came here. I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but at least for now, Lolly won’t be alone. I glance across the hall at the other bedroom. “Does that bedroom have a private bath as well? I don’t feel right taking the largest room.”

  “The bathroom is right next door to it. It’s fine.” She fidgets from foot to foot and then smiles. “Go on…get settled in.”

  She hurries off…well, as fast as she can manage, and I watch after her. Lolly Collins is something else. There was definitely a little gleam in her eyes. Maybe she’s just excited that I’m here. But something tells me she’s up to something. I just don’t know what it is yet.

  Carter

  I suck in as much oxygen as possible. I sit up in the bed and struggle to catch my breath. Slamming my fists on the bed I let out a curse. “Son-of-a-bitch.” I jerk the blanket off of me and run to the bathroom. After I vomit, I hop in the shower and grab handfuls of my hair. “Fuck!” I scream.

  I’m so tired of living like this. Night after night the same damn nightmares. This vicious cycle, never ending. I just want it to stop. I just want one night where I close my eyes and I don’t see them. The cold tile against my sweaty forehead helps calm me. As soon as I tamp down the anger, the sadness creeps in. I press my lips tightly together and try to rein it in, regain control of my emotions, but it’s a losing battle. Punching the tile, I release another scream, along with releasing all my pain…and I cry until there’s nothing left.

  When I walk into Lolly’s house, I’m immediately on high alert. She’s not in the kitchen. I’m already tense from not getting a good night’s sleep, so I rush to her bedroom and my heart is about to beat out of my chest. Her bedroom door is closed. Lolly never closes her bedroom door. I count down from five to prepare myself for the worst. I jerk the door open and see her body underneath the covers. She’s still in bed. This is bad. This is really, really bad. I hurry to her bedside, and without really looking, place a hand on the body. I realize too late that the figure in the bed has black hair, not gray, and isn’t in curlers. My eyes go wide and my jaw drops.

  Natalia! What the hell?

  She jumps up and, before I can react, her fist connects with my jaw with such force I stumble a little. Damn. She’s got some strength.

  Before I can compliment her, she’s seething. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “I thought you were Lolly.” I hold my hands up in defense, wanting to rub at my jaw that she’s just clocked.

  Her face turns to one of disgust. “You come into your grandmother’s bedroom while she’s sleeping?”

  “No. No, no. I was worried because I couldn’t find her. She’s usually up by now. Her door is never shut. She fell yesterday for the second time…remember? So I was worried she’d fallen somewhere.” Natalia runs a hand through her dark strands. She’s wearing one of Lolly’s pastel, lace and frilly nightgowns. And the sun is shining through the window. I’m slightly disturbed with being aroused on one hand, but also because that’s still one of Lolly’s nightgown. Ugh, this is fucked up. We’re at a standstill, so I take a step closer to the bed and lean toward her, “My, Lolly, what big eyes you have?” Though she’s clearly fighting it, Natalia finally laughs. “You’re dressed like my grandma and in her bed…what’s up with that?”

  She huffs because she knows I’m right, and that my assumptions about her being my granny are spot on.

  “Obviously, I’m not the big bad wolf. And you’re definitely no Little Red.” She smirks and her body visibly relaxes.

  “Well, if you want to huff and puff and blow me, I can dress in red.” I can’t believe I just said that out loud. I start to apologize for my crude comment, but she rolls her eyes.

  “Wrong fairytale. You’re obviously no Prince Charming.”

  I raise an eyebrow and slide onto the bed, sitting on my side. “Maybe I’m the Beast.”

  Her honey eyes darken, and her full lips part slightly. What is happening? It’s been a long time since I’ve flirted. Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve ever found a woman so alluring. Absolutely fucking captivating. I swallow as she licks her lips, and I feel myself harden.

  Lolly’s voice cuts through the room. “Enough with story time. Breakfast is ready you two.”

  Natalia laughs as my cheeks flame with heat from embarrassment. Lolly gives me a stern look, so I bow my h
ead and hurry out of the room. I take my place at the table and wait for Lolly and Natalia to come. The food smells amazing. Lolly’s biscuits made from scratch, eggs, bacon, and sausage gravy. I can’t wait. They better hurry before I begin without them though.

  I’m anxious as I sit there trying to get my body to calm down. It’s been years, fucking years, since I’ve gotten so worked up over a woman. And she was wearing my grandmother’s nightgown. I feel like a damn pervert. What was Natalia even doing wearing Lolly’s nightgown?

  When Natalia walks in I almost fall over. The sun is shining through the windows and she almost appears to me like an angel gliding across the room toward me. She’s so gorgeous, but it’s more. It’s the way her eyes shine with so much life and how she carries herself with so much grace and pride. She’s only in a pair of blue scrubs, but she looks more breathtaking than any member of royalty, actress, super model…actually, any woman my eyes have ever seen.

  A sharp pain at the back of my neck brings me out of my trance. “Stop staring at the poor woman,” Lolly hisses in my ear.

  “What did you just hit me with?”

  She holds up a wooden spoon and then turns her back on me to focus on finishing breakfast. I clear my throat and look back at Natalia. “So, where are you from?”

  She cocks her head and smiles. “San Francisco. Born and raised. My parents are from Puerto Rico. They got married at eighteen and moved here. We’ve taken a few summer vacations there to visit with family.”

  Lolly slides into the chair next to Natalia. “Oh, next time you go, take me with you. I’d love to go find me a Latin lover. Spend a few nights on the beach, some sand between my toes…and other places.”

  I cringe and release an involuntary shake. Natalia on the other hand giggles. “Only if we take turns being each other’s wing woman. I need to find someone as well.”

  “Deal. Although, I can’t imagine how you’re still single.”

  That makes two of us.

  “I just got out of a relationship not too long ago. I’m so ready to move on from that disaster. Seems I have horrible luck when it comes to men, or it’s just the men around here. I’m looking in the wrong places.”

  “Well, I found my husband out on a farm. I guess you could say he was the prize-winning hog.” Lolly laughs at her own joke and then calms down. “I’m kidding. But he was a prize. Pop’s been gone for some years. And I’m tired of being alone.”

  Natalia takes her hand. “You’re not alone, Lolly.”

  “Well, instead of a ‘Pop’, maybe you could find me a ‘Papi’?”

  They both laugh while I lose my appetite. My Lolly doesn’t need anyone replacing Pops. Is she really that lonely? I never thought about her wanting a companion in her life, and that makes me feel selfish and ashamed. But she still doesn’t need to be running around as a wing woman for this twenty-something-year-old. Hopefully, Natalia is only humoring Lolly.

  “We’ll go out sometime…deal?”

  “Are you serious?” Lolly and I say at the same time, but in completely different tones.

  “Sure. My new friends, Dylan and Macy, invited me out again. Once I’m settled, I’ll take them up on it.”

  Lolly beams and nods with so much enthusiasm I can’t say no. Natalia turns her eyes to me. Although I’m not interested in a relationship, I can’t help but wonder what she thinks when she looks at me. Is she thinking she might have found a possible candidate for easing her lonely nights? But then her eyes narrow, and all hope vanishes. I hold her piercing stare and ask, “I take it you spent the night here, then?”

  “Yes.”

  I clear my throat. “Are you…”

  Lolly smacks me again with the wooden spoon. “She’s my new roommate, Carter. Leave her alone.”

  Roommate? “How exactly did this come about?”

  Whap! I flinch and resist the urge to snatch that spoon from Lolly. She scolds me, “Mind your manners.” Then she practically sings, “We’re just two, single, lovely ladies rooming together.”

  Natalia smiles at Lolly and nods in agreement. I think it’s time for me to go before I get myself in any more trouble. I don’t know how many more hits I can handle from the wooden spoon.

  When I stand up, I release a little hiss. The wound on my side hasn’t been feeling right. Lolly doesn’t miss it. Unfortunately. “Natalia, will you check Carter’s side, dear?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “Yes, I will.”

  We both speak at the same time.

  Before I can make my escape, both women corner me. Lolly lifts my shirt and points. “I tried to stitch it up, but he keeps pulling them loose.”

  “It looks like it’s trying to get infected. Yeah, the stitches are really loose.” A shiver runs through me when I feel her breath against my skin as she leans closer to examine me. “Let me grab my bag.”

  “Oh, I’ll get it. Where is it?”

  I focus on breathing as I feel her hand against my side. I really wish Lolly would’ve let Natalia go get her bag. I’m starting to become angry because I’ve been fine shutting myself off from any reaction to women, in general. I make the mistake of looking down right as she looks up at me. Those eyes. I want to kiss her. Or maybe I want her hands and lips to travel a little lower. Fuck.

  I quickly look straight ahead and grind my teeth.

  “Does it hurt?” she asks as I growl. “Sorry, I was trying to see how loose the stitches are.”

  Oh, it hurts. But I’m more focused on the pain between my legs. This woman is dangerous. “No. My stitches are fine.”

  “Here we are!” Lolly smiles at me and I give her a frown.

  Natalia goes to work with applying some kind of liquid to clean the wound, then she restitches it. I hiss but remain still. Once she’s finished, she applies cream and a bandage over the stitches.

  “All finished.”

  I can’t get out of the house fast enough. I mumble a “thanks” and hurry out. I don’t like how my body keeps reacting to her. I want her. Dammit. I do. But it’s not going to happen. Hopefully she finds her own place, and soon.

  Thankfully it had been a peaceful day at the station. I stroll into my bedroom and begin undressing. I’m standing there in my boxers when I feel a draft and realize I must have left my window open. I don’t remember opening it, but it’s possible. My hands freeze on the top of the window ledge. I’m standing there in only my boxers, and just a few feet away, across the lawn, is Natalia, who is only wearing a black tank top and white lace panties. She’s in Lolly’s bedroom again. We’re standing in identical positions at our windows. Both of us with our arms stretched above us, positioned to close the windows.

  I gulp as my imagination conjures up all kinds of things I’d love to do to this woman. I’m burning up. It’d be easy to get to her, take maybe three long strides, and climb through her window. Then, I’d take her in my arms, and spend the rest of the night—wait—what am I saying?

  Our eyes are locked on each other. I bite my bottom lip and she does the same. I quirk a brow at her. Even with the dim lighting from her room, and from across the lawn, I can see the red tint in her cheeks. Her honey eyes widen, and she sucks in her lips. I look down and notice I’m fully erect before her. My breathing is starting to become labored, and I’m not sure what to do now. Should I make a move? No. I’ve not had a relationship yet that didn’t end in tragedy. My high school relationship ended because I was out with her when my parents burned alive. My fiancée practically fucked my brother while he was driving, thus causing them to die in a car crash. The anger and bitterness creeps back in. My desire is quickly snuffed out. I slam the window down and jerk my curtains closed. Releasing a heavy breath, I fall on my bed. I’ve got to get any hope or ideas out of my head. It was one thing to be curious about her. To want to know if she was okay and who she was, but to want her. That’s more dangerous than any burning building that I’ve ever walked into.

  Natalia

  I slowly pull the curtains closed, an
d then grab a housecoat, tying it tightly closed. What just happened? I don’t remember opening the bedroom window. In fact, I remember it being closed, along with the curtains. Otherwise I wouldn’t have pranced around half naked. How embarrassing that Carter saw me? He didn’t look away immediately. In fact, he got his fill before slamming the window and jerking the curtains closed. Why did he look so angry? I was embarrassed, of course, but it seemed like he was being flirty. He quirked his brow and was openly staring. Then, a darkness fell over him. I know I didn’t do anything, so what set him off? Clearly, he has his own issues, and I am not interested in getting involved with another jerk.

  Before I can go to bed, I need to address Lolly about her neighbor. “Lolly,” I call out.

  “Yes?” she asks as she peeks her head out of her bedroom door.

  “Does…does your grandson live next door?”

  “Oh, yes, he does.” She smiles brightly and then looks me up and down.

  “You told me you were lonely. Yet, your grandson lives right next door.”

  “Oh dear, I forgot to close your window. I opened it to let fresh air in. He didn’t see you in your undergarments, did he? His bedroom is right across from that one.”

  I cross my arms and narrow my eyes at her. “Lolly. Did you open both our windows?”

  “Why, yes. I usually go over to Carter’s house to check up on things, make sure the boy has everything in order. He usually does. He’ll make some lucky woman a very good husband. Anyway, I’m straying off topic. I wanted you both to get some fresh air in your rooms. Hope that didn’t lead to any embarrassing moments…or just a moment, perhaps?”

  I don’t answer but continue to stare at her. I know what you’re up to, you mischievous woman. She smiles and slowly shuts the door. I hear a faint chuckle and the shuffle of her house-slipped feet. That sneaky little woman.