An Unexpected Rescue (Oak Springs Series Book 1)

by Sherri McDuffie

  As the last hymn ended, the congregation headed toward the door, where the minister waited to greet them. After shaking hands, Derik said, “Reverend, I’d like you to meet Kelly Hastings. Kelly, this is Reverend Mike Bridges.”

  “She had a sleep over at our house, and she might come and live with us,” Win said, grinning up at Kelly.

  Kelly turned five shades of red. She would’ve made a mad dash to her car and driven straight out of town if the minister hadn’t been shaking her hand. He continued to hold it, as he looked at Win, then at Kelly, and finally Derik.

  Reverend Bridges cleared his throat. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Kelly. I hope you’ll come back again, soon.”

  “Th-Thank you,” she stammered through her embarrassment. As soon as he released his grip, she took off across the parking lot, praying for a large hole to open up and swallow her alive.

  Derik and the minister watched Kelly hurry to her car. Reverend Bridges looked at Derik and said, “Charming young lady.”

  Derik sighed. “She watched the boys for me Friday night while I was on a call. She slept in the guest room.”

  “Of course.”

  Derik took both boys by the shoulders and hurried them to the truck. I need to have a serious talk with these guys about men and women . . . and soon.

  Chapter 7

  Kelly was sitting in a corner booth of the diner, scanning the paper, when Penny walked up. “What can I get for you? Or are you meeting someone?”

  “Tea, please.” She opened the menu and began to study her choices. “Are you still serving breakfast? I overslept and didn’t get a chance to eat at the inn.”

  Penny glanced at her watch and said, “No, breakfast is over,” and walked away to get the drink. When she returned a few minutes later, Kelly was yawning. “Sounds like you had another late night.”

  “No, I just didn’t sleep well. I have a lot of things on my mind.” Kelly closed the menu and smiled at the waitress. “What can you recommend?”

  “Meatloaf,” Penny said flatly.

  Okay, so that’s the way it is going to be. “Not today, thank you. I’ll just take a fruit plate, with tuna salad.”

  She was almost through with her meal when the waitress returned. “Do you need anything else? How about dessert?” she asked, tapping her pencil on her pad.

  Kelly laid her fork on her plate. “What I need is a job. Do you know if the diner has an opening, or if anyone in town is hiring? I bet working in this place people tell you all the local gossip.”

  Penny looked surprised. “Yeah, I do hear a lot of what’s going on around town. We aren’t hiring, that I know of. Sue Lee threatens to quit at least twice a week, but she’s been saying that for the past twelve years. Do you want some pie? Today we have apple and lemon.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice, “You don’t want the lemon, too sour for my taste.”

  Kelly smiled at the woman. “Thanks for the warning. Apple sounds good.”

  The waitress left, and Kelly returned to her paper. Suddenly, a huge slice of warm apple pie, with a scoop of ice cream, appeared in front of her. She glanced at Penny in surprise. The waitress shrugged. “The ice cream’s on the house today.” She laid the ticket on the table and walked away. Kelly wondered if a truce had just been declared.

  She was finishing dessert when Derik called and said her car was ready. She paid her bill, leaving Penny a nice tip, and headed to the shop.

  When she walked in, the man working at the register looked up. “The boss wants to talk to you. Hang on, and I’ll get him.” He punched a button on the intercom, and his voice echoed throughout the building. “Derik, she’s here.” He nodded toward Kelly and said, “He’ll be here in just a minute.”

  Kelly blushed. Everyone turned and looked to see who “she” was. Derik entered through a side door, dressed in blue overalls and wiping his hands on a shop rag. He glared at the man behind the counter before facing Kelly. “Sorry about that.” He glanced at the man once again. “Come on in.” He motioned toward his office.

  He closed the door and took a seat behind his desk. “Well, just what we thought, a wire shorted out in the electrical system. You’re lucky, though. There were signs of a small fire. The car could have burned.” He leaned back in his chair and placed his fingers in a steeple under his chin. “How did the house look?”

  “Horrible, and smelled even worse. I marked that one off my list right away.”

  “How about the job search? Any luck there?”

  “No, I asked at the diner, but Penny said they weren’t hiring. Of course, I don’t know if I can believe that or not, since she thinks I’m interested in her boyfriend. But she did promise to let me know if she heard of anything. She even gave me a giant slab of apple pie with a truckload of ice cream, but that may have been her way of making sure I got fat.”

  “Are you?”

  “Am I what? Fat?”

  “Interested, in her so-called boyfriend.” He sat forward and placed his elbows on the desk. “Are you?”

  She looked at his rugged face. His dark brow was raised in question, but she couldn’t read any other expression. Derik was handsome and polite. Kelly thought he had a great body and a killer butt. I’m interested all right, but if he knew that, he may rescind the job offer. I already changed things when I asked to rent the guest room. I need that job and a place to live, so I have no choice but to keep this business only, just like he said. I don’t want to give him any reason to have second thoughts. “No offense, but I’ve never interfered in a romantic relationship, and I’m not going to start now. The only thing I’m interested in is the job, and renting your spare room.”

  Derik continued to watch her. Kelly thought she saw disappointment cross his face, but she couldn’t be sure. She had no idea what was going through his mind.

  “Good. Well, here’s the final bill on your car. I did the work myself, so I didn’t charge you labor.” He shook his head to stop her argument, as he slid the paper toward her. “The offer of three payments is still good.”

  Kelly’s eyes filled with tears. By waiving the labor charges, the bill was almost half of the original estimate. Without thinking, she circled the desk and threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

  Kelly felt his body stiffen. She stepped back and stammered, “I-I’m so sorry.” She gathered her purse and the bill and said, “I’ll go make the first payment. May I have my car back today?”

  “Sure, it’s parked at the side of the building.” He was still sitting at his desk, looking at her with an expression she couldn’t read.

  As she reached the door, he said, “Kelly, I’m sorry about what happened at church yesterday. Win’s young. He didn’t realize what he was saying. I talked to him. As a matter of fact, my board of directors and I had a meeting last night.”

  She glanced over her shoulder, hand still on the doorknob, “And?”

  “It was unanimous. You can rent the guest room.”

  She closed the door and returned to the chair in front of his desk. “Are you sure this isn’t going to cause any problems?”

  “I told you, there’s nothing going on between Penny and me, in spite of what she thinks. Besides, this is a business arrangement, strictly business, right?” he said with raised brows.

  “Right.” She reached across the desk and shook his hand.

  “Good. There are a few things we need to talk about, if you have time.”

  “Sure,” she said, sitting back in the chair and folding her hands in her lap.

  He explained the job and the pay and told her she’d have two days off a week but that that was subject to change, depending on any calls he might get. Kelly agreed to everything.

  “There are a few more items the board specifically mentioned.” Derik smiled as he reached into a desk drawer and pu
lled out a folded sheet of notebook paper. When he laid the wrinkled page on his desk, Kelly was surprised to see everything was written in crayon. He cleared his throat and began to read in a very formal and solemn tone. “Kelly gets to read to us every night.” He grinned then continued, “Kelly’s gotta cook hotdogs once a week.” He glanced up, and Kelly nodded back in agreement. Derik returned to the list. “Kelly will—” His face went still as he paused and glanced at her then back to the paper. “I haven’t read over these yet. We’ll just skip that one.”

  “No, please, go ahead. After all, aren’t contracts supposed to be negotiable?”

  Looking a little uncomfortable, he read, “Kelly will kiss us every night.” His eyes met hers.

  Kelly tried to swallow the lump growing in her throat. She straightened her back and, with tears in her eyes, said, “Derik, I’ll do the best I can, with all the terms, if you and your board of directors agree to hire me.”

  Derik stood and shook her hand. “Welcome aboard, Kelly. Here’s a key. You can move in as soon as you want.”

  “I need two or three days to go home, I mean my apartment, and finish packing. Will that be okay?”

  Derik agreed, and after Kelly made her first payment, she went to the hotel, gathered her things, and checked out. Within an hour, she was on the highway and already missing the little town disappearing behind her.

  Derik spent the rest of the day thinking about Kelly moving into his house. The boys were looking forward to having someone new to cook for them. They liked Kelly, and so did he. And that was exactly why he needed to keep reminding himself that she wasn’t interested. This was business only. Strictly business.

  Chapter 8

  With the radio on and the window down, Kelly let the miles disappear behind her. Four hours later, she parked in front of the large brick building she once called home. The apartment was exactly as she left it a few days earlier, except for a few additional pieces of clothing thrown over the chairs. Mikki was a great roommate, but she had an aversion to hanging up her clothes. Kelly had stopped trying to break her of the habit of covering the furniture with her wardrobe a long time ago.

  As she dropped her bag into a kitchen chair, her roommate came rushing down the hall, dark, beaded dreadlocks flying. “Hi, Kelly,” she squealed. “I’ve been so excited since you called and said you were coming back. Please tell me you’ve changed your mind and you’re going to stay.”

  Kelly hugged her friend. “Sorry, Mikki, I haven’t changed my mind. I’m only here to get the rest of my things. Do you want to help me pack?”

  “No, I don’t want to help you pack, but I will. Gosh, Kelly, I can’t believe you’re really going to do this. I guess this means you’ve found another place to live. Did you get a job already?”

  “Yes, I’m going to be watching two boys for a widower. He’s letting me rent his guest room.”

  “Whoa, what’s this widower like? Is he good looking? How did you luck into that job?”

  “It’s a long story. I’ll explain everything after I’ve had some sleep. I’m exhausted. We can talk tomorrow while we’re packing. And yes, he’s good looking, very good looking.”

  The next morning, as they ate breakfast, Kelly told Mikki how she met Derik and about the night she watched his sons. After they cleaned the kitchen, the two friends went to Kelly’s bedroom to tackle the job at hand. The boxes she’d stacked against the wall before she left were still there. Some were already full and labeled. They began packing the rest of Kelly’s belongings while she explained what Derik’s boys had added to her job description.

  “Oh girl, he’s got to you already. I can tell. Your eyes light up every time you talk about him. How serious is this?” Mikki asked.

  “No, you don’t understand. I do like him, but he can’t know that. We agreed this was a business deal. Besides, there’s a waitress who has her eye on him. He says there isn’t anything going on, but they do date, so I’m not going to step into the middle of that. No, this is just business.”

  “Okay, you have a new job and a new place to live, but what about Jarrod?”

  “Mikki, I told you how things are with Jarrod. We were just friends, but even that is over now. What he did at the party was the final straw.”

  “He’s been calling night and day, Kelly. He’s really upset that you left the party like that. And he’s furious that you blocked his calls. He even came here looking for you. When he saw these boxes, he got real mad.”

  “He was in my room? You let him in my room?”

  “I didn’t actually let him. He just pushed past me when I told him you weren’t here. I guess he thought I was lying.”

  Kelly fell on the bed and dropped her arm over her eyes. “He’s going to have to accept that I’m moving and that’s all there is to it. I don’t know how to make that any clearer to him.”

  The girls continued to talk and pack. It was about lunchtime when Kelly said, “While you finish with that box, I’ll run to the deli and grab a couple of sandwiches.” When she opened the front door, she came face to face with Jarrod Dinson. He was standing in the hallway with his arm raised, ready to knock. She held the door but didn’t invite him inside. “What are you doing here, Jarrod?”

  “What am I doing here? That’s a hell of a question to ask your boyfriend. I think I should be the one asking you a few questions, like where the hell have you been? And why did you block my calls?”

  “You’re not my boyfriend. You were never my boyfriend. We were friends—that’s all. I don’t have to answer to you, or anyone. Now, it’s late. I’ve got more packing to do, and then I’m going to bed. In the morning I’m leaving, just like I said I was. Goodnight, Jarrod. And goodbye.”

  Kelly began to close the door when his arm shot out, shoving the door open as he walked into the apartment. “You aren’t going anywhere, Kelly. Not until we’ve had a chance to talk. This is where you belong. There isn’t any reason for you to do something stupid.” He sat down on the sofa. “You and me, we have a good thing, Kelly. Okay, you might be a little mad at me right now, but I can make you forget about that.” He took her hand and attempted to pull her onto his lap.

  She jerked away, putting space between them. “Jarrod, you need to leave. I want you to get out. Now!” she said through gritted teeth.

  He crossed his ankle over his knee and draped an arm across the back of the sofa. “Sweetie, I’m not leaving until we talk about this. You might as well come over here and sit down.”

  “No, Jarrod! I’m not going to talk to you anymore. I’ve already explained things. There is no us. We went out to eat a few times, and we took a class together, but that is all. I don’t like you like that. Get out and stay out!”

  He moved with lightning speed. One moment he was on the sofa, and the next he had her pinned against the wall with his body. Grasping her jaw, he lowered his mouth to kiss her. She turned her face, causing his lips to connect with her cheek. He grabbed her hair and hit her with such force that she would have fallen to the floor if he hadn’t been holding her. The second punch was almost immediate, jerking her head back and making her knees weak. The third strike sent blood splattering on the wall.

  “Shut your eyes, Kelly!” Mikki yelled. Jarrod looked over his shoulder, and she sprayed mace in his eyes. He immediately released Kelly’s hair and covered his face with his hands. He was still screaming obscenities at the two women when Mikki shoved him out the door and locked it. She grabbed Kelly, who was coughing and sputtering, and led her to the kitchen sink. They rinsed her eyes with cold water until there was a knock on the door.

  “Police, open up.”

  Mikki went to the door while Kelly continued to wash her face. An officer stepped into the kitchen. “What happened here tonight?” When Kelly turned to answer, she saw him cringe. “We have EMTs on the way.” He pulled out a chair. “Sit
down and tell me what’s going on.”

  She began to explain when Mikki, who’d been talking with a second policeman, walked into the room. “Oh man, Kelly, he sure did a number on your face. I’ll get you a cool rag.” Mikki handed Kelly a wet towel which she placed against her jaw. A commotion at the door drew everyone’s attention as the EMTs entered the apartment. They evaluated Kelly and applied a couple of butterfly bandages below her lip and above her eye. They suggested she go to the hospital for a more thorough examination, but she refused.

  “I’ll take her in if she has any problems. I’m a nurse,” Mikki said.

  A voice from the officer’s radio filled the room. He responded in code then informed everyone that Jarrod had been found and was in custody.

  Kelly broke into tears. “I don’t want to press charges. I don’t want to ever see him again.”

  “You won’t be pressing charges . . . the state will. We’re required to arrest the assailant when we see signs of assault. I need to take some pictures, and then we’ll be out of your way,” the officer said.

  After everyone left the apartment, Kelly and Mikki sat at the kitchen table. Kelly kept the cool rag pressed against her face. “Who called the cops?”

  “I did. When I saw that he wasn’t leaving after you told him to and he was starting to get angry, I called them then got my mace. I was scared, Kelly. I’ve never seen that side of Jarrod. Now I know what you were talking about.”

  “He’s never gone this far. I told you, the abuse was always pushing and things like that, until the slap at the party. But I could tell he was losing control. That’s one reason I wanted to end all contact with him.”

  Too upset to sleep, the girls went back to Kelly’s room and worked until the last box was sealed. When Kelly woke the next morning, she was in pain from her scalp to her shoulders. She had the worst headache of her life and had to fight off bouts of nausea and dizziness. In spite of her injuries, she and Mikki managed to enjoy their last breakfast as roommates. They loaded the last boxes in her SUV and hugged goodbye. Kelly stopped to fill the car with gas, went to the bank, then headed toward her new home and new life.