Guarding Her Heart: A Christian Romance (BlackThorpe Security Book 1)

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  Certain that he hadn’t gotten as much sleep as she had, Lindsay decided not to try to riffle through her suitcase for clothes to wear. Instead, she quietly wheeled her bag out of the room and down the hall to the bathroom. She poked her head inside to see if any men were there, but it was only the mother and daughter from the mission team. Lindsay was glad to see a smile on the girl’s face this morning after hearing her crying the night before.

  They’d already opened the storm shutters in that room as it was flooded with natural light. The abundance of light seemed to indicate that the storm had passed.

  “Good morning, Lindsay,” the woman said with a smile. “Did you get some sleep?”

  “Yes. Although I’m not sure how much. I’m still a bit out of whack with the time here.”

  “I hear you. I’m constantly asking my husband the time.”

  “Speaking of which, do you happen to know what time it is?”

  “I think it’s close to six.”

  “Thanks,” Lindsay said as she lifted her suitcase up on the counter to look through it for clothes. “Have you been outside yet?”

  The woman shook her head. “I’m a little scared to see what’s out there, to be honest. I’ve never been in the midst of a storm that packed such a punch. I can’t imagine the damage it’s done.”

  Lindsay nodded, pulling out a pair of black cotton capris and a hot pink T-shirt. “Neither have I. And to be perfectly frank, I hope I never am again.”

  “Me, too,” the teenager agreed.

  “There’s some breakfast in the room we ate in last night. Now that that’s all over, I think I have an appetite once again,” the woman said as she zipped up her toiletries bag and tucked it under her arm. “See you in a few.”

  Lindsay went into one of the stalls and quickly changed out of the clothes she’d slept in. When she stepped to the sink to wash her hands, she caught a glimpse of herself in the large mirror on the wall. She definitely looked the worse for wear and didn’t have her full kit of makeup to rectify the situation.

  At that thought, she scowled. Where on earth was her mind? And how screwed up were her priorities? A storm had just ripped through a country where poverty was a way of life for so many. There were no doubt people wondering how to feed their children this morning, and she was worried about makeup?

  As she stared at her reflection, Lindsay knew that this was one more important shift that needed to happen in her life. For too long she’d worn her clothes and makeup as a shield. She portrayed to the world what she wanted them to see. The person she was when it was just those she loved and trusted was the one she kept hidden from the world. It wasn’t that she thought they wouldn’t accept her, but it was more about her sharing that person with people who—in her mind—hadn’t earned the right to come into that part of her life. She compartmentalized her life quite well when it came to business and even church versus her family and close friends. Too well.

  Her thoughts went to Than. He’d had glimpses of that side of her life already, even though it wasn’t because she’d wanted him to. Today though, she would make that conscious choice. And even though she’d only brought along a little bit of makeup, Lindsay made the decision to let even that go.

  Before she could change her mind, she switched on the tap and splashed cold water on her face. Using her towel, she patted it dry and then put on the moisturizer with SPF in it just in case they were going to be outside later. She might be forgoing the makeup, but she didn’t need the agony of a sunburn on her face to distract her either.

  After running a quick brush through her hair, she pulled it back once again and then began to return her things to her suitcase. As she headed back to the room, Lindsay was surprised she didn’t feel more tired after the events of the past night. She was thankful that she’d managed to get some sleep and hoped that her energy levels would stay up as they dealt with the aftermath.

  As she stepped into the room, Lindsay immediately noticed that it was no longer shadowed by the storm shutters. Her gaze went in the direction of the bunk bed where Than had been sleeping earlier, but it was empty. She spotted him bent over his suitcase that was open on the bed she’d slept on. As she approached, he straightened. His expression was indecipherable as his gaze went from the top of her head to her feet and then met hers.

  “Did you get enough sleep?” he asked, his voice gravelly. The five o’clock shadow he usually sported looked a bit heavier than usual, almost heading in the direction of a full beard.

  Lindsay nodded. “More than you got, I’m sure.”

  “I’m fine. This isn’t the first job where I haven’t gotten my eight hours of beauty sleep.”

  She tilted her head as she took in the dark smudges beneath his eyes. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this. It was supposed to have been an easy gig for you.”

  Than’s eyes narrowed briefly. “Why are you apologizing? None of this was your fault. I doubt even a Hamilton can control the weather.”

  Lindsay shrugged. “That’s true. But still.”

  “But nothing. I’ve now been told by three people that they think God brought me here, so who am I to argue with that?”

  As she took in his words, Lindsay realized that she felt the same way. She may have balked at having him come along initially, but once things began to unfold the way they had, she had been very grateful that he’d been there. “No, it’s not a good idea to argue with God.”

  A smile lifted the corner of Than’s mouth. “Listen, let me get cleaned up and then we’ll see what’s on the agenda for today. I’m pretty sure it will have very little to do with painting. I also need to talk to you about a couple other things that have come up.”

  Lindsay nodded. “Okay. Someone said there’s breakfast, so I’m going to go see if I can find some coffee.” She gestured to her suitcase. “Should I just leave this here? Or are we able to go back to our rooms upstairs?”

  Than ran a hand through his hair making it stand out in all directions. “I’m not sure. I think they’ll want to make sure there’s no damage to the roof before they allow people back up there.”

  “I’ll just leave it here then.” She pulled it to the end of the bed and snapped the handle down. As she straightened, she found Than’s gaze on her face. “What?”

  “You look different.”

  And just like that, her resolve to go on without her mask began to slip away. She grasped onto it and squared her shoulders. Looking him straight in the eye, Lindsay said, “No makeup.”

  A full on smile spread across Than’s face. “I like it.”

  Lindsay was pretty sure her eyebrows shot up nearly into her hairline, but then she remembered that Than was all about making women feel good. Of course, he’d tell her he liked it. Anything else would have made her feel bad. Telling herself that it really didn’t matter, she just gave him a quick smile. “I’m going to find that breakfast. Or at least some coffee.”

  “Save some for me.” Than’s voice followed her out of the room.

  Once in the hall, Lindsay stopped and looked back at the doorway. Had any of that exchange violated the no flirting wager? Probably. But then she realized that she didn’t really care about that anymore.

  Not wanting to be caught loitering, Lindsay continued in search of caffeine and sustenance of some sort. When the aroma of coffee greeted her, she knew her caffeine search would be successful. Hopefully, there would be food of some nature, too. If not, she would eat some of the protein bars she’d brought.

  As she stepped into the room, she spotted Barb sitting at a table with a mug in her hands. The woman smiled as she joined her.

  “Is that coffee?” Lindsay asked.

  “You bet.” Barb gestured with her head to the other end of the room. “And they’ve got some fruit and bread, too.”

  Lindsay greeted the others who were at the table. One of the kitchen workers handed her a cup of coffee and then gestured to where the sugar and powdered creamer sat. Though she usually didn’t use anything
but liquid cream in her coffee, she wasn’t going to be fussy about it this time around. There was an assortment of fruit on a large plate and a basket held more of the buns she liked.

  Grateful for anything to stave off the hunger pangs in her stomach, Lindsay placed a banana and some pineapple on the plate they handed her and then took one of the pan de sal. After she had settled down in the seat next to Barb, Lindsay lifted the cup of coffee and closed her eyes as the first hot sip slid down her throat.

  For just that moment, she could imagine she was sitting at the desk in her office having her second cup of coffee of the day. She always had her first cup while getting ready for work. She even had a Keurig machine in her suite of rooms at the mansion.

  Her eyes popped open at the memory. She hadn’t really thought it was a luxury when she’d bought it, but suddenly it seemed like a huge extravagance.

  Setting the cup down on the table, Lindsay picked up the banana and peeled it but then paused to say a prayer of thanks for the food and for safety through the night. That first bite of the banana was near to perfection for her. And her stomach growled in appreciation as well.

  Lindsay glanced over at Barb. “Did you eat already?”

  She nodded. “And I’m on my second cup of coffee. I have a feeling I’m going to need the jolt today.”

  “Have you been outside?”

  “Yes. But I just stood on the porch. Didn’t venture out too far.”

  Lindsay lowered the banana to her plate. “How bad is it?”

  “No doubt better than it could have been if the buildings hadn’t been as sturdy and the windows hadn’t been covered by those shutters. Lots of branches all around.”

  “I wonder how bad the town we came through is.”

  Barb shrugged. “I imagine that it’s in worse shape. We didn’t get flooding, but they may have with the amount of rain that came down.”

  Than appeared in the doorway, and Lindsay watched him as he walked to the table where the breakfast food waited. He’d changed into a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt. She realized he was armed when she spotted the noticeable bulge in the small of his back.

  “I’ve heard nothing but praise for your young man,” Barb said.

  Lindsay glanced over at her. “You know he’s not my young man.”

  Barb just smiled as she lifted her cup to her lips.

  Without looking in Than’s direction again, Lindsay picked up the banana and finished it in two bites. As she moved onto the pineapple, she let her gaze take in the rest of the people in the room. It looked like all the team members were there and a couple of the missionaries as well. She was sure that they were wondering about what lay ahead for them like she was.

  She remembered that Than had said he’d needed to talk to her about a couple of things, and Lindsay had a funny feeling she knew what at least one of them was. And if he thought she was going to pack it in and head for home, he had another thing coming. She suspected he already knew that—he wasn’t a stranger to her sticking to her guns on something—but she was pretty sure he had to at least present her with the opportunity.

  “Morning, Barb.”

  12

  Lindsay looked up to see Than take a seat across from them. Her eyes widened briefly as she took in his appearance. She tried to remember if she’d ever seen Than with a completely bare face. It seemed that he had cultivated the ultimate five o’clock shadow because he’d always had a bit of scruff on his face whenever she’d seen him.

  Obviously reading her reaction correctly, Than rubbed a hand across his chin. “It was either this or tracking down a weed whacker by tonight.”

  Barb chuckled. “You remind me of my husband with that. If he went more than a couple of days without shaving, it was already looking like a full-fledged beard.”

  Than nodded as he peeled a banana. “And with the heat that’s likely to come, it would be more of a nuisance.”

  Barb continued to chat with Than as he ate, but before he had finished, Mark joined them.

  “Did you manage to get some rest?” Mark asked as he swung a chair around and sat down, leaning his arms on the back of it.

  Than nodded. “You?”

  “More than I thought I would, but now the harsh reality is kinda setting in.”

  Again Than nodded. “What’s on the schedule for today?”

  Mark looked at Barb. “Actually, I’m hoping that you’ll do us a favor, Barb.”

  The older woman’s brows drew together. “What’s that?”

  “Elliot is going to take a group down into the town to check on some people and see what happened there overnight. I know you have medical training, and I wonder if you’d be willing to go with him in case there are situations where help is needed.”

  Barb nodded. “I can do that. Would I be able to look over the supplies you have in the clinic before we go?”

  “I’ll have Mel take you over there now if you’d like. There is usually a doctor who comes in a couple days a week and a nurse who is at the clinic full time. With school out, however, the doctor doesn’t come around as much, but the nurse is here and she’s coming, too.”

  As Barb stood, she laid a hand on Lindsay’s shoulder. “See you later.”

  Lindsay watched her friend walk away and then met Than’s gaze. “What are we going to do?”

  “Well, first of all, before you commit to doing anything, you need to know that your brother is adamant about you returning home as soon as it’s possible to get you out of here. He’s almost to the point where he’s prepared to round up a helicopter himself to fly in here and get you.”

  Lindsay scowled. “That’s not what I want. I need to stay here. I am here for a reason—just like you are. I’m not going anywhere. Besides, how do you know he wants to do this?”

  “I have a satellite phone that I’ve been using to keep in contact with the office and your family during the storm.”

  “Really? Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “We decided to keep the presence of the phone a secret because we couldn’t have everyone trying to call their families.” Than went on to explain about a list of contact information and how he’d called his assistant with updates. “But I think you’re going to need to be the one to tell Lucas you do not want to go along with his plan. He might think I have an ulterior motive for trying to get you to stay here.”

  Lindsay arched a brow but then nodded. “I can do that. And I also want to go down into the town with Barb.”

  Than stared at her, his gaze serious. “Are you sure? We have no idea what we’ll find down there.”

  “I’m sure. I came here to help, and I think that means I need to be where help is needed most. And I don’t think that’s up here.”

  “First, you call and talk to your brother. I’ll chat with Mark about us going with Elliot. But if we do go, you need to change into jeans and shoes with a good sole on them. I don’t want you getting your legs or feet cut up by debris that might be down there.” Than took one last swallow from his cup. “Let’s go back to the room, and I’ll let you make the call from there while I talk to Mark.”

  But before they could get to their feet, Elliot walked into the room and greeted those there.

  “I want to update you all on how things stand this morning.” He pulled off the ball cap he wore and ran a hand through his hair before replacing it. “First of all, it could have been so much worse, so for that, I’m very grateful. However, the reality is that we did sustain damage and some of it is significant. There is a portion of roof blown off two buildings. The second level of the school has quite a bit of damage to the floor and the furniture that were on that end of the building where the roof is gone. The same is true for the dining room. Thankfully, the kitchen is basically still intact.

  “The power went out so we’ve fired up the generator we have. At the moment, it is just powering the appliances in the kitchen. We need to check the lines to see if we can go ahead and power up the rest of the center. The branches that were bl
own down may have done damage to those lines.

  “For now it is safe to go back upstairs to your originally assigned rooms. You should be able to take showers though they may be with cold water for the time being. Also, don’t drink water from any of the taps. We will provide bottled water as long as we can, but eventually we will have to move to boiled water. Food-wise, the meals will be a bit simpler from here on out. We may not have much in the way of fresh fruit until we can see what’s happened to the town below.” Elliot looked over to where Lindsay and Than sat. “One final thing. I know several of you have asked about making contact with your families back in the U.S. At the moment, cell service seems to be unavailable, most likely due to a lot of people trying to use the network. However, we have had access to a satellite phone during the storm. Than Miller, who works for BlackThorpe Security, forwarded a list of all of your contact information to his assistant before the storm hit, just in case. Throughout the duration of the storm, he phoned his assistant and gave her updates. She in turn passed those updates on to everyone on that contact list. Your families are all aware that the storm has passed, and we are all safe.”

  There was a round of applause through the room, and Lindsay glanced at Than in time to see him dip his head but otherwise give no acknowledgment for the appreciation of what he’d done.

  “I realize that some of you might want to utilize the phone, but I am asking that unless it’s a dire emergency, you hold off for now. We appreciate all that Than has done for us already, so for now we’re asking that you allow us to keep the phone free for emergencies. He will continue to phone in an update at least once a day unless more is warranted.”

  “We will be putting you to work helping to get the center cleaned up instead of the painting and repair we’d originally planned on. There will be a group going into town to check out the situation there. Lunch will be ready around noon, and we’ll re-evaluate the situation then.”