Because of Him: A Christian Romance (New Hope Falls Book 2)

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  “Right now, dating isn’t an option.”

  And it wasn’t. No matter how interested he might be, he needed to be careful. He didn’t think he’d imagined the wariness in Cara’s interactions with him. She had been reluctant to allow him too close.

  “But you need to start dating again soon,” his mother insisted. “You can’t just stop living because of what happened with Toni.”

  “I’ve hardly stopped living, Mom.” Kieran plopped a spoonful of mashed potatoes on his plate. “You know that I’ve needed to focus on my job since taking over. We might not have a lot of crime around here, but I do have plenty of other responsibilities.”

  “Your father had lots of responsibilities, but he still made time for me.”

  Kieran wasn’t going to argue with her about that, even though he didn’t really think that his dad had given priority to his wife or his sons. His job had definitely come first, and a lot of days, it had felt to Kieran like his buddies on the force had come second. Several times a week, he’d gone out for drinks after his shift, while his wife and kids waited for him at home.

  It was probably why his mom had devoted so much of her time to her sons. He loved her for that, but at the same time, he felt badly for her. He was aware that no one deserved anything—good or bad—in their life, but there was a big part of him that felt that his mom deserved more than what she’d ended up with.

  Unfortunately, if anyone had stopped living, it was his mom. She lived in the small house that had been left to her when her brother—the previous police chief—had died of a heart attack. The only times she left the house were to attend church and to sometimes go to her friend Mary’s house. He came to have dinner with her three or four times a week, and he took care of anything she needed done around the house.

  Other than that, his once social mom stayed holed up in the house. She was better now than when they’d first returned from New York, but at any given time, he was more likely to find her at home than out doing stuff. She read lots and had her favorite shows on television. Somewhere along the line, she’d taken up quilting and had figured out how to order the fabric she wanted online, so she didn’t even need to leave the house for that.

  “All I’m saying is that I want you to have someone,” his mom said, her words soft and tremulous.

  It wasn’t that he didn’t want that for himself, but at the same time, he’d already thought he’d found his someone only to have the relationship fall apart. There would be no guarantee that if he found another someone that she wouldn’t walk away too. Maybe he was doing himself and any potential dates a favor by staying single.

  “I’m fine, Mom. I’m trusting that if God has someone for me, He’ll make it clear to both me and to her that it’s His will for us to enter into relationship. In the meantime, I will continue to live my life as I have been.”

  His mom sighed, then nodded. She wouldn’t argue with that since she’d been the one to always teach him and Sean to trust God. Even though his dad had rarely gone to church, his mom had remained true to the faith she’d been raised with and had tried her best to raise her sons to have faith in God as well. Sadly, he and Sean hadn’t always been receptive to her efforts in their younger years.

  By the time he left, he was ready to call it a day. Even though he only lived a block away, he drove home since he’d driven his car downtown earlier that day, before coming to his Mom’s. His house was a rental since he hadn’t yet found a house that he wanted to buy. Not that New Hope Falls had a lot of options that fit his budget, but he held out hope that a house he liked and could afford would come available one of these days.

  In the meantime, the two-bedroom single story ranch style house was more than adequate. As he approached it, he pressed the button to open his garage. Once parked, he entered the house through the mudroom. There was a bedroom to the right that served as an office of sorts with a chair, a desk, and a printer. He tended to use his laptop while in the recliner or in bed, so the office didn’t get much use.

  He made his way to his bedroom and gathered up his laundry, then carried it to the laundry room just off the kitchen. After he’d loaded the washer, he turned on the television to break up the silence. With the sound of Bluebloods playing on the TV, he finished cleaning up the kitchen.

  Realistically, he shouldn’t have much cleaning to do since he lived alone, but he had a bad habit of putting it off until it had piled up more than it should have. On any given day, he would have preferred to be outside, mowing the grass or pulling weeds. Not scraping food off plates before putting them in the dishwasher.

  By the time he was done, it was time to switch over his laundry. Then he was ready to settle into his recliner with a cup of decaf coffee and his laptop. His attention was half on the television and half on the laptop’s screen.

  So far, his searches through social media for Cara’s information had been fruitless. That made him even more curious because, in this day and age, who didn’t have at least one account? Okay, so maybe Eli McNamara didn’t, but his girlfriend, Arianna Carrington-Harder, certainly made up for it by having a huge social media following.

  He considered that for a moment…the reason why Eli didn’t have a social media presence. That made sense given his situation as a person of interest in the disappearance of his high school girlfriend ten years earlier. So did that mean that Cara had a reason like that to keep herself off social media?

  That idea sank into Kieran’s brain, and he knew he was going to have to fight hard not to plug her name into a few searches at the station. He had no reason other than purely personal curiosity. She hadn’t given him any legal reason to delve into her life or her background. Until it came to that point, he wouldn’t cross that line.

  That decision, however, didn’t clear his mind of thoughts of Cara. He could still see her soft gray eyes, watching him. Unreadable, but not completely closed off. She might be hiding parts of her life from him—from people in general—but she wasn’t totally removed from the town where she’d made her life.

  Kieran’s attention came back to the present in time to see the credits roll on the large television in front of him. He’d have to watch the show again another time to see how the episode ended.

  With a sigh, he used the remote to shut off the television then pushed up out of the recliner. He took his empty coffee mug into the kitchen and added it to the other dirty dishes in the dishwasher before turning it on. He pulled his laundry out of the dryer hanging up the shirts he’d need to iron before he wore them. Ironing was yet another chore he wasn’t thrilled to have to do, but it was a necessary evil considering his profession.

  As he crawled into bed a short time later, he resolved to keep his distance from Cara. He needed to not be distracted from other things, like the interview he was going to have to sit through with the detective from Everett the next day.

  Three days later, he found himself back at the dance studio. He’d eaten his lunch at Norma’s while sitting in a booth that overlooked the street and also the studio. When he was done, he made his way across the street, hoping Cara would be available. There hadn’t been any sign of movement through the glass window while he ate, but he decided to take a chance on her availability anyway.

  When he reached the door, he tugged on the handle, but it didn’t move. He rapped on the glass and waited, hoping he’d see her come out from her office. When she didn’t appear after the second time he knocked, Kieran stared at the window. It took him a couple of seconds to focus in on the small black numbers under the shadow dancers on the glass.

  He pulled his phone out and punched the number in before lifting the phone to his ear. It rang twice before Cara’s voice came over the line with the name of her studio.

  “Hey, Cara, this is Kieran.”

  “Kieran?”

  “Uh, yeah. Kieran Sutherland.”

  There was a whisper of a laugh before she said, “I know who you are. I was just surprised you had this number.”

  “It
’s on your window,” he pointed out.

  “So it is.” She paused. “What can I do for you, Chief?”

  “I need another look at your camera footage, if you have the time.”

  “Was there another break-in?”

  “No. This is something different.”

  “Okay?”

  “Are you in your office?”

  “Not at the moment. I’m upstairs in my apartment.”

  “Would you have a few minutes now, or should I come back later?”

  “Are you downstairs?”

  “Yep. I’m loitering around in front of your door.”

  “Isn’t there a law against that?”

  Kieran laughed. “Not that I’d tell you about. I’d hate to have to ask one of my guys to arrest me.”

  He could have sworn she giggled before saying, “I’ll be right down.”

  Kieran hung up then turned around when he heard someone call his name. He lifted his hand in greeting before the older man headed into Norma’s, hoping that the news that he was once again at the dance studio didn’t get back to his mom. She hadn’t brought the subject up when he’d been at her house for dinner the previous night, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t pick it up again.

  “Kieran?”

  He swung back around to see Cara standing with the door open. Her hair was down, and she wore a light pink turtleneck sweater, and her long legs were encased in a pair of fitted black jeans. No matter what she wore, she looked like a dancer and moved with graceful steps.

  “Hey.”

  “C’mon in.” Cara stepped back as he walked toward her.

  Once he was inside the waiting area, she pulled the door closed and turned the lock. With a nod of her head, she walked toward the office.

  “So, what are we looking for this time if it’s not a break-in?” she asked once she’d settled in front of her monitor.

  “Did you happen to hear anything yesterday afternoon?”

  “Hear anything?”

  “Apparently there was a run-in between a couple of cars out in front of your studio.”

  She looked over at him, her eyebrows raised. “This is about a car accident?”

  Kieran sighed. “Yeah. Two of our elderly residents tried to occupy the same space with their vehicles. Unfortunately, they’re each blaming the other for the mishap, and I’m getting conflicting statements from witnesses. I’m hoping for video proof of what actually happened, so I don’t have to rely on those witnesses.”

  Cara was still staring at him with a look akin to bewilderment. “You need footage to determine which of two elderly people is at fault in a car accident?”

  “Actually, more like a bumper tap.”

  She laughed then, giving a small shake of her head. “Do these crimes keep you awake at night, Chief?”

  “Oh, you know it.” Kieran leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers across his stomach. “I’m up ‘til all hours trying to solve them.”

  “Good to know,” she said with a smile. “So what time of day are you looking at?”

  Kieran gave her the approximate time then waited as she brought up the footage on the screen. When she angled the monitor toward him, he sat forward to watch the scene play out. As he’d suspected, the parked car had pulled into the path of the oncoming vehicle. The driver of the parked car had vehemently denied being in the wrong. It wasn’t a big deal, and he could have solved it eventually, but having video evidence would just bring the altercation to an end that much quicker.

  “Can you send me the file with that footage?” Kieran asked.

  Cara’s brows drew together for a moment. “I’ve never done that before, but I’ll see if I can figure it out.”

  “I might have a tech guy that could help you out if need be.”

  She shook her head without hesitation. “No. I’ll figure it out.”

  Knowing that she was touchy about her security, Kieran decided to just let her handle it. It wasn’t like this was a murder that required timely information in order to solve it. Maybe if she had a problem with it, she’d call him, and he could come back again.

  No…nope. He wasn’t supposed to be thinking that way about her.

  “Well, if you change your mind, just let me know.”

  “I will,” Cara said. “Was there anything else?”

  “No.” Kieran pulled his legs in and got to his feet, knowing he shouldn’t linger. “Thanks for your help with this.”

  “You’re welcome.” Cara tapped a few more keys then stood up. As they walked to the front door, she said, “Maybe the town needs to invest in some CCTV cameras to help settle disputes and solve break-ins.”

  “You might have a point. I might bring that up to the mayor and the town council at our next meeting.”

  “Really?” Cara sounded surprised he was taking her suggestion seriously.

  “Why not? It seems like crime is picking up around here.”

  “One can never have too many cameras.”

  Given the number she had, Kieran figured that perhaps that was her life’s motto. He said goodbye then headed back toward his office, inordinately proud of the fact that he’d managed to not only not buy her lunch, but that he’d left without spending too much time with her. Certainly not as much time as he’d wanted.

  He made his way down the sidewalk toward the station, greeting people as he walked. He wondered how many of the people knew Cara by name. She’d been in New Hope a few years now. That should have been enough time for people to get to know her, provided she’d been willing to let people get that close to her.

  Of course, in the years since she’d been there, he hadn’t gotten to know her. That was changing now, though. She was a member of his town, and he planned to treat her like he did every other resident of New Hope Falls.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Cara stared at the monitor and tried to figure out how to save just the one section of the video. She’d googled it but found nothing helpful. In the end, she just saved the day’s video since she’d been able to figure that much out. Unfortunately, the file was too big to send to the email address Kieran had given her.

  Finally, she went upstairs and dug through her junk drawer to find a USB drive. Once she found one, she went back down to her office, transferred the file from her computer to the drive, then debated what to do with the drive. She could call Kieran to come back and get it, but she was finding that having him in her space was a little too enjoyable.

  Maybe it was time to take a little more control by going to his place of work. Then she could leave when she wanted to.

  Mind made up, she went upstairs again and changed her shoes, switching out her flats for a pair of boots. She grabbed a jacket then left the studio, arming the alarm before locking the door.

  Standing in front of the studio, she glanced around, taking note of the vehicles parked on the street and the people walking on the sidewalk. It was something she did each time she left the studio. It had become a habit over the past few years, but if anyone had asked her what she was actually looking for, she wasn’t sure she could have answered them. A car with an out-of-state license plate? A guy that looked like a mafia goon? Someone with a gun?

  She hoped that it would be something like that, but in truth, it was more likely to be something—someone—a lot more subtle. If…when…someone found her, she, in all likelihood, wouldn’t see them coming until it was too late. All she hoped was that no one else was caught in the crossfire.

  With a sigh, she gripped the USB drive more tightly in her hand and headed down the sidewalk. She got a whiff of freshly baked pastries when the door of the bakery swung open as she passed by. The two young women who walked out gave her friendly smiles before turning and walking in the opposite direction.

  She loved Main Street, and right then, she was glad she’d made the decision to come to New Hope Falls. Settling in a large city might have allowed her to get lost in the crowd, but she would have felt that she had lost a part of herself as well. Being in
New Hope Falls might not allow her to blend in, but now, a few years after moving there, she was surrounded by familiar faces even if she couldn’t put a name to all those faces.

  The beauty of the town and its warmth enveloped her, making her feel like she was a part of it even though she kept herself at a bit of a distance. It was like the town didn’t care how she might hold herself apart, it was going to surround and embrace her, regardless. She knew the cadence of the town, the flow of its lifeblood. The town was adorned in the beauty of autumn colors with fall flowers and the changing trees.

  A breeze swept over Cara from behind, causing her to shove her hands into the pockets of her jacket and lift her shoulders. She quickened her steps, and when she reached the station, she pulled the door open without any hesitation.

  The woman seated behind the reception desk looked at her over the narrow rectangle-shaped glasses she wore. With a practiced move, she removed them and shoved them into the pile of curls on top of her head.

  “Hello, there,” she said with a smile. “You’re Cara, right? From the dance studio?”

  In the months following her arrival, observations like that would have freaked her out, but now she just smiled and nodded. As she approached the desk, she said, “Is Ki—the chief in?”

  The woman’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Sure. I’ll just let him know you’re here.”

  She picked up the phone on her desk and relayed the information that Cara was there then hung up. “I’m Lisa, by the way.”

  Cara shook the hand the woman held out to her. “Nice to meet you.”

  “So,” Lisa began. “Do you have a place in your dance studio for someone like me?”

  “Someone like you?” Cara asked, trying to figure out what, in particular, the woman might be referring to.

  “You know….old, out of shape.”

  Cara smiled. “First of all, you’re not old, and second, if you feel you’re out of shape, don’t let that hold you back. I don’t run aerobic-style classes. My classes are more about stretching and strengthening.”