Love Inspired June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Patricia Johns

  But she’d turned away. He wasn’t sure if she’d even heard him. She stared at the wreck of the Mason Jar. The wreck of her dream.

  To his amazement, people started pouring out of the Mason Jar. A handful at first. Then a baker’s dozen and more. Until the sidewalk was crowded with women and children.

  Zach rushed forward when he spotted his great-aunt IdaLee. Lila and AnnaBeth stood beside the diminutive old woman. IdaLee had her arms around both their small children.

  Bradley patched up Mayor Watson. Callie McAbee had her arm around Amber Green’s shoulders. Shayla had Callie’s little boy perched on her hip. Trudy held Callie’s daughter, Maisie, by the hand.

  A trained EMT before he landed the part-time job at the TFD, Luke came to Amber’s assistance. Owing to her advanced labor, there was no way she’d make it over the mountain to the nearest hospital in time.

  It became glaringly obvious Amber was a nurse. Even in the face of progressively intense contractions, she remained calm. She made the decision to deliver her baby at the nearby pediatrician’s office.

  He tasked one of the crew to venture on foot to fetch Ethan, Amber’s husband.

  ErmaJean held on to Lucy and Stella. “Check the workshop behind the house,” she directed the firefighter. She gave the twins a big smile. “What an exciting day. You’re going to be big sisters soon.”

  When Will looked around again, Kara was nowhere to be seen. He wished he’d had more time to make sure she was all right. But there were a thousand matters to be dealt with. A hundred questions to be answered.

  He set up a temporary command center at the fire station until Bridger could return. Will needed to concentrate on search and rescue, but he wasn’t sure what to do about Maddox. To his relief, Pops appeared and took Maddox home. Which Will was thankful to hear remained intact.

  Word soon spread about the destruction. The tornado in its fickle fashion had wiped out some locations and left the adjacent structures untouched. People, who’d ridden out the storm safely, emerged from the surrounding neighborhoods to lend a hand. There were many gratitude-filled reunions as loved ones lost were found.

  He kept a lookout for Kara, but she wasn’t downtown. He figured she must have walked home. It was hard for him to see the damage the Jar had sustained. How much worse for her.

  Over the next hour working alongside Bridger, a nagging concern for Kara continued to dog him.

  Prickly as a pineapple and with an independent streak a mile wide, she wouldn’t welcome his interference. As soon as he could safely turn operations over to his lieutenant, he’d track her down. If for nothing more than to satisfy his own aching need to reassure himself she was indeed okay.

  * * *

  Unable to bear the sad sight of the Mason Jar, Kara turned her back on the café. In a daze, she began walking away from the scene of the disaster. Heading toward her rental, it made her sick to think of all her money down the drain for renovations.

  And she worried how long it would take the insurance check to come in. Hurrying down Main Street, she dodged the debris-littered sidewalks and turned into her neighborhood. Anxiety over how long the café would have to remain closed for repairs fretted the edges of her mind.

  She slipped her hand into her skirt pocket. Her fingers touched cold metal. Taken aback, she stopped in front of IdaLee Moore’s Victorian. She’d forgotten that she’d stuck the mini Eiffel Tower into her pocket. She still wasn’t sure why, but she was glad she had. She had so little of her mom. Only memories.

  Kara recalled how strong her mother had been in the face of her father’s sudden death. How brave she’d been when they were evicted from their apartment. When they’d been forced to live out of their car. When her mother was diagnosed with cancer and faced impending death.

  Raising her chin, Kara gave herself a good talking-to. She had her health. She and Mama G would rebuild the café. She might have lost Will and Maddox. But she had new friends. Her heart would heal. Eventually. Right?

  She was so very thankful everyone on the square had survived the tornado. She’d survived so much already. She would survive this setback, as well.

  And she also had a little creature in her life, waiting for her to give him his dinner. Possibly frightened by the storm. Probably scratching at the door and needing the comfort of his human. She could do with some tabby-style comfort herself.

  Everything would be fine. She was a fighter and she’d rise from this latest challenge, as well.

  Squaring her shoulders, she continued down the sidewalk to her rental. She was pleased to see IdaLee’s house looked undisturbed. And also Lila’s quaint, pale yellow bungalow next door. Rounding the corner to her street, she ground to a halt.

  Wait. Her heart skipped a beat. Her house. Her stomach lurched. Where was her house?

  In the capricious, random nature of tornados, the twister had hopscotched down Main Street, passed over IdaLee’s street without harm, and apparently touched down once more on Kara’s block. Ripping off the roof. Collapsing the walls. Scattering the contents of her life to the four winds. Stripping her house down to the foundation.

  The details ran helter-skelter through her mind as she raced toward what remained. “Soufflé!” she cried. “Soufflé!”

  However, even as she searched, ploughing through detritus, lifting up broken shards of paneling, she knew. Nothing could’ve survived underneath the weight of the house. Not a human, much less a tiny cat.

  But that didn’t stop her from sifting through the rubble. Tears poured down her cheeks. Her fingernails tore. Her hands grimy, she swiped at her face, not caring about the dirt she left behind.

  She didn’t know why she continued. Only if nothing else, that she had to keep looking for Soufflé’s broken little body. Although, what she’d do when she found him she didn’t stop to consider.

  What ran through her mind on a replaying loop was how much he needed her. She had to find him. She had to.

  Kara sobbed. She raged. No one else might need her, or want her in this town. But Soufflé did. He loved her. Not many people had loved her. But Soufflé had.

  “Soufflé!” she screamed. “Where are you? Can you hear me?”

  This couldn’t be happening. Not to her. Not again. Losing everyone and everything she’d ever cared about in one fell swoop.

  “No. No. No.”

  Eventually, her strength, her frenzy, ran its course. She stumbled over a brick. She fell against a splintered two-by-four, scraping her arm and drawing blood. But she didn’t care.

  She did a slow turn, unable to take in or absorb the complete wreckage of her life. All at once, the hope that had always been such a hallmark of her personality deserted her. Including the optimism her mother had bequeathed to her in the face of homelessness, disease and death.

  Without it—without hope—there was nothing. Nothing left to fight for. Nothing left to believe in. Nothing would ever get better for her.

  Nothing.

  “Where are you, God?” she rasped.

  Her deepest, darkest fears had become reality. How had this happened to her? How had she found herself in this place again?

  Swaying, her knees gave out on her.

  Despite everything she’d done to outrun it. Despite Mama G. Despite culinary school. Despite her drive and hard work.

  Kara sank to the ground.

  She was homeless again. The ever-lurking bogeyman of her childhood had found her once more. She was still the same frightened, hungry child who’d lost her father, her home, soon to lose her mother. Her entire world. And this...

  This was the last straw. Who could survive this? Not her. Not hit after unrelenting hit.

  She’d never felt as alone, as heartsick or as lost in her life.

  * * *

  Zach appeared at his elbow. “Chief.”

  Coordinating the rescue efforts, Will l
ooked up from the residential map of Truelove tacked to the wall of the fire station. No fatalities thus far. A few minor injuries.

  Some of the orchards had suffered crop damage, but thankfully, no lives were lost. The church had escaped unscathed. Most of the property damage was minimal.

  And everyone everywhere—courtesy of the Truelove grapevine—was talking about Kara’s quick-thinking courage. She’d saved lives. She was a hero.

  “My aunt IdaLee says you need to come.” Zach clutched his helmet in his hands. “Right now.”

  IdaLee had been one of the people who rode out the tornado in the diner. He could’ve sworn he’d seen Lila and her fiancé take IdaLee home. Sam had rushed back from a job site near Asheville as soon as he heard the report on the radio.

  “Is Miss IdaLee having some sort of delayed reaction?”

  The men were slowly working their way in concentric circles through the surrounding neighborhoods, going door-to-door assessing the damage and making sure everyone was okay. He’d sent Zach and some of the other volunteers to the older, historic neighborhood where IdaLee lived.

  “It’s Kara, sir. Aunt IdaLee says you need to come quick.”

  Will’s heart leaped into his throat. “What’s wrong with Kara?”

  “Her house is gone, Chief. Destroyed. Everything inside, too.” Zach looked at the floor. “And she can’t find her cat. She’s been searching the block for hours.”

  “Oh, no.” Poor Soufflé. “Kara must be devastated.”

  “AnnaBeth and Mrs. Desmond down the block have been trying to get her to come inside Aunt IdaLee’s house. But she won’t leave until she finds her cat.” Zach swallowed. “Yet, if she did locate the little guy, I hate to think what she’d actually find...”

  He locked eyes with the young man. “That mustn’t be allowed to happen.”

  Zach nodded.

  “Tell Miss IdaLee I’m on my way.”

  Until the streets were cleared, it would be quicker to walk versus driving over in his vehicle. The nagging concern he’d felt earlier had turned into a raging, frantic desperation to reach her.

  He jogged past the square and the diner. Reaching the neighborhood, he spotted IdaLee on her porch, her cell pressed to her ear. He practically ran the last two blocks. Out of breath, his chest heaving, he ground to a stop beside the small band of onlookers.

  Lila was crying. Sam had his arm around her. Jonas Stone cradled his hat in his hands, looking as helpless as all of them felt.

  Kara had always been petite, but until this moment he’d never seen how fragile the feisty chef truly was. Nor how precious she was to him.

  “Please, Kara, honey...” Mrs. Desmond cajoled. “Let’s get you a nice strong cup of tea. With lots of sugar.”

  It may have been the first time he’d ever seen the portly older woman without her Chihuahua.

  He took a step inside the circle of debris.

  Poking at a pile of rubble, Kara’s head shot up. “No. Stop.”

  He was taken aback by the vehemence in her voice. Dried tears stained her cheeks. His heart twisted. Her elbow was scraped and bleeding. Torn and dirty, her skirt was probably past salvaging.

  AnnaBeth gave him an anguished look. “She’s afraid someone might step on Soufflé and hurt him.”

  He glanced at the sky. It would be dark soon. The light was slowly beginning to fade. She couldn’t stay out here all night.

  “Kara, please... Talk to me...”

  “I can’t.” Head bent once more, she returned to her fruitless search. “Got to find Soufflé. He doesn’t like the dark.”

  “Let me help you find the tabby.” He stretched out his hand. “Please, darlin’. You don’t have to do this alone.”

  She raised her gaze. “But I am alone.”

  And something—perhaps the final wall he’d erected around his heart—shattered inside him.

  “I have to find Soufflé, Will.” She tilted her head. “When Maddox finds out that Soufflé is—” her voice caught “—is missing, he’ll be so upset.”

  “Don’t worry, Kara. I’ll make sure he understands. It’ll be okay.”

  She gave him a faint, sad smile that broke his heart. “People always say that, but it isn’t true, you know. I thought maybe just this once...” She looked beyond him toward town. “That perhaps here it would be. But it isn’t. It never is.” She bit her lip. “Not for me.”

  “It’s too dark to look anymore, Kara. But I promise I’ll be out here at first light searching for your cat.”

  She studied him. “I never went looking for a pet. But the stray found me. You had it right all along about not opening your heart. Not trusting. Not loving. I wish...” She sighed. “It doesn’t matter what I wish.”

  He blinked back the moisture dotting his eyes. He wasn’t right about love. Not about so many things, especially when it came to Kara.

  A silver Mercedes pulled up to the corner. Glorieta Ferguson got out of the car. Gray silk scarf fluttering behind her, she hurried over. “I was already headed back to Truelove when I heard the news bulletin.”

  Lila drew her aside and filled her in on what was happening.

  The barbecue queen gave him a steely mama bear look. “I can’t think when I’ve been as disappointed in someone as I have in you, young man.”

  “Not nearly as disappointed as I am in myself right now, Miss Glorieta. How did you know about...?”

  Her plum-lined lips thinned. “Never doubt an honorary matchmaker. Our network is everywhere.”

  Aka Pops.

  “Now, step aside.” She shouldered past Will, stopping at the perimeter of the debris field. “Kara.” Her voice became brisk. “I’m going to need you to come with me now, sweet child. Right this minute.”

  Kara turned. “Mama G? What’re you doing here?”

  Glorieta held out her hand. “It’s time to go, sugar. Time to come home.”

  Kara’s delicate shoulders drooped. “I don’t have a home, Mama G. Why does this keep happening to me?”

  Why does what keep happening to her? Will felt like he was missing something. Something vital he didn’t understand about Kara.

  Had she lived through a tornado before? Is that why she’d known what to do earlier for the people caught in the storm at the square?

  Glorieta’s chin wobbled, but her tone held firm. “Everyone is concerned about you. You’re scaring us, honey.”

  Her forehead puckering, for the first time Kara seemed to notice the others standing nearby. “I didn’t mean to worry anyone.”

  “I know you didn’t.” Glorieta opened her palm. “Take my hand, sugar pie. Please.”

  She took a step toward her foster mom. And another.

  “Why does everyone always leave me?” Her eyes cut to Will, spearing his heart. “Ev-everyone.” Her voice hitched.

  “God doesn’t, Kara.” Glorieta grabbed her hand, pulling her closer, away from the destruction. “Not ever.”

  AnnaBeth released a gust of breath. The relief among the rest was palpable. Lila sagged against Sam.

  Shock setting in, Kara quivered like a beech leaf in a winter gale. Taking off his TFD jacket, Will slipped it around her shoulders. What he really wanted to do was to take her in his arms, but he’d given up the right to do that.

  Mrs. Desmond moved to stand on Kara’s other side. “I live around the corner, Miss Glorieta. And I have so many empty rooms since my children flew the nest. Perhaps you two would take supper with me this evening?”

  Glorieta’s cheeks lifted. “I thank you kindly for the invitation.” Lines fanned out from the corners of her dark eyes. “My Kara and I would be most pleased to accept.”

  The two women continued to converse as they led Kara slowly down the block. He watched them walk away and he so wanted to make everything better for her. But even if it had been within his powe
r, his comfort was the last thing on earth she would have welcomed.

  A few hours later he left the station in the capable hands of Bradley. He needed to check on his father and son. At the flash of his headlights turning into the driveway, Maddox appeared, waiting for him inside the storm door.

  Wearing his pint-size firefighter hat, his little boy waved. And his heart lifted. No day was ever so bad his son couldn’t brighten it.

  Maddox had the door open for him before he was halfway up the steps.

  “I can’t stay long.” He gathered Maddox into his arms and kissed his head. “Just wanted to check on you two.”

  Kara had most probably saved his child’s life today. Saved him again.

  Wiping his hands on a dish towel slung over his shoulder, Pops turned from the stove. “I kept your dinner warm.”

  “I don’t really—”

  “Running on fumes doesn’t do anybody any good.” Pops plopped a helping of the stovetop concoction on a plate. “You need to refuel.”

  “Any word from across the street about Amber and her baby?”

  Pops emptied the dishwasher. “ErmaJean called just before you arrived. Mother and son are doing well.”

  He heaved a sigh of relief. “Finally, some good news out of this day.”

  Maddox hovered at his elbow while Will shoveled food into his mouth. “When can I see Karwa, Daddy?”

  He winced. Pops gave him a look like yeah, Dad, explain your way out of this one.

  “Can I go feed Soufflé tomorrow?”

  He put down his fork. “I need to tell you something, son. And you’re going to have to be very, very brave.”

  Pops pulled out a chair at the table and sat down. “What’s happened?”

  Will took Maddox into his lap and explained how the tornado had destroyed Kara’s little house.

  Pops shook his head. “I’m sorry to hear that. And with the café out of commission, too, she must be feeling overwhelmed.”

  Maddox’s brows bunched. “Miss Karwa and Soufflé can stay at our house. It’s better when she’s here anyway.”

  It was better when Kara was with them. Unfortunately, he’d come to that realization too late for it to matter. And he still hadn’t told his son the worst part—that thanks to Will’s hardheaded stupidity he’d lost Kara from their lives forever.