Another Chance at Love (Another Series Book 1)

by Suzanne Sweeney

  I want her to know that I’m here with her, but my body betrays me. I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out. Maybe if I just reach out and grab her hand, she’ll know I’m okay. But my arm won’t budge. I fight and struggle, trying harder and harder to reach out, but it’s no use.

  This can’t be good. I cannot speak and I cannot move my arms and legs. I can’t even feel her lips when they brush against my skin.

  Am I . . .?

  Mom? Dad? Please, somebody do something – I beg with my eyes.

  I hear the beeping sounds quickening, keeping perfect rhythm with my frenzied heartbeat. I watch as Kensington slips away from me and I’m helpless to stop it.

  Suddenly, Kensington is back and we are transported to the boardwalk. It’s a beautiful day and again, she’s holding my hand. I love the feel of her small hand in mine. It fits perfectly inside mine, as if it was made to order. We walk from one end of the boardwalk to the other, and she just keeps talking to me about everything. I love the sound of her voice. She sounds like an angel.

  As we continue to stroll, the skies darken. There’s a storm approaching. I know I should take her inside, find safety from the tempest, but she’s a romantic. She insists we stay so she can watch the waves as they crash against the surf.

  We walk to the north end of the boardwalk, where the ocean meets the river and an inlet sits between as a channel, offering passage to the local fisherman. The inlet is lined with rocks, huge black boulders the size of a small vehicle. Quick as a flash, the waves grow, coming closer and closer, crashing on the rocks and splashing its salty spray all around us.

  The waves are fierce and powerful. They toss themselves against the rocks, proving their strength over and over again. Each wave brings fear, but is quickly followed by a respite of peace and relief as it recedes. Over and over I watch in utter helplessness, the rise and fall of it, the incoming and the outgoing.

  I don’t like it. We shouldn’t be here. This is dangerous. The skies grow darker and the waves continue to grow larger and larger, until they are nearly upon us. A siren blares, warning everyone to stay indoors and find shelter. But she doesn’t listen. Again, she takes my hand and dances under the raindrops. I am so mesmerized by her beauty and joy, I just watch and enjoy her abandon, ignoring all the impending signs of danger.

  I should insist she do the right thing. I must get her away from this place and bring her home – to my home. It’s not far. If we leave now, if she will just come with me, I can get us there quickly. We can shut the door and wait for the storm to pass.

  Yes, it’s time to go now.

  I don’t know why I waited so long to ask, because when I finally do speak the words, she simply smiles. “Lead the way home, Stretch.”

  Turning away from the water’s edge, we hurry back down the wooded planks. I pick up the pace as the waves crash over the railings. The water is at our feet and growing rapidly. Two more steps and the water is up to our knees. A few steps further and it’s nipping at her waist. It’s hard to push through the water.

  Each time it recedes, it drags us further away from my home. I grab her hand and hold tightly, willing us forward little by little. Just a bit closer and we will be there. I can see the front door now and I push us forward.

  The waters are cold and I can feel her shaking. “We’re almost there,” I tell her. “Just don’t let go of my hand.”

  By the sheer force of willpower, I get us there. I have one hand tightly grabbing hold of Kensington and the other is turning the doorknob. The door won’t budge. I’m going to have to try harder. With everything I’ve got, I throw myself at the door and it gives way, jolting me forward.

  It takes me a moment to realize what’s happening. I look down at my hand, and she’s not there. Did she let go? Did I let go? It doesn’t really matter. I search the churning water, desperate to find her.

  “Kensington!” I shout. “Where are you?”

  Just a few feet away, I spot her as she surfaces, her face awash in panic as the receding tide drags her further and further away from me. “Cole, help me!” she cries.

  She’s pulled under again and I lose sight of her as she’s dragged under again and again. Each time she surfaces, the distance between us grows, until we are on opposite sides of the beach. My body crashes against the railing that separates the boardwalk from the beach and I can do nothing but watch as she is carried away by the wrath of the sea.

  Her arms flail as she struggles to gain control. But it’s no use.

  She’s gone.

  I’ve failed her.

  I sob deep, gut wrenching sobs as the realization hits me. “No!” I scream out. “Come back to me, Kensington. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let go. I love you so much. I love you!”

  “Shh,” I hear her whisper as she wipes my tears away. “Don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry.”

  I squeeze my eyes shut. It hurts too much. The pain is too deep. This isn’t real.

  She’s touching my face, caressing my cheek. “Cole, I’m here. Look at me, baby. Open your eyes.”

  If this is a dream, so be it. The alternative is so much worse.

  Slowly, I open my eyes. The storm has passed and it’s blindingly bright. The sounds of machines have returned with their beeping and pinging. Little by little, her face comes into view. I’m so confused. I don’t know what’s real anymore.

  I was shot. And she was gone.

  But then she was back. Until the storm took her away from me again.

  I reach up to touch her face. If I can feel her, if her skin is warm and her touch is real, only then will I dare to believe.

  “Kensington?” She’s crying, so I wipe away her tears. “Why are you crying?” I ask.

  She doesn’t answer me right away. She cries harder, reaching for my hand and bringing it to her lips. She peppers kisses all over my hand that is now stained with her tears. Only this time, I can feel her soft lips pressed against my skin.

  “He’s awake!” she calls out. “Come quick – Diane, Jack, come see.”

  “I thought I lost you,” I whisper, finding it difficult to get the words out.

  She cautiously comes closer, sitting on the edge of my bed and taking my face in her hands. “I’m right here,” she repeats as she pushes away the hair framing my tired face.

  I close my eyes and lean into her touch. It feels like heaven as she runs her fingers through my hair, awakening each of my senses with every stroke.

  Her eyes are red. She looks tired. But there’s more. Black and blue shadows cover her jaw and darken an eye, revealing a hint of the torture she’s had to endure. Because I left her there, alone, and I wasn’t there to protect her.

  I let go when I should have held on.

  A tear of relief dots the corner of my eye. She reaches up to wipe it away and that’s when I get hit with another image – her arm is wrapped up in a cast. More pain and regret tears at my heart.

  She’s so strong. She’s a fighter. She’s still here, when everything in the universe threatened to take her away from me.

  A parade of friends and family file into my room, crowding one another. Everyone is talking at the same time. And staring. Let them stare. It doesn’t fucking matter, so long as Kenny is here with me, that’s all I care about.

  The words just spill out of my mouth. “You are so fucking beautiful.”

  She laughs at my words. “I think you’re still doped up. I’m a hot mess. Look at me.”

  I do look and all I see is the love in her eyes.

  My mother comes over and kisses me on the head. “It’s so good to see you, sweetheart. Your dad and I have been so worried about you.” Kenny makes a move to give me some space, but I won’t have it. I place my hands resolutely on her lap, keeping her firmly in place by my side. If I’m going to tolerate this unwanted attention, she’s going to suffer it with me.

  The two most important women in my life exchange glances across my hospital bed. It occurs to me that they’ve never met before.
My parents haven’t visited since the season began.

  “Mom, this is Kensington. Kensington, this is my mother, Diane.”

  They both look at me and grin. “Yes, dear. We’ve met. I’ve spent the last day and a half getting to know this young lady and her family and I must say, she’s quite a strong woman.”

  “Day and a half?” I repeat. I must have heard her wrong. “What day is it?”

  “It’s Tuesday, dear.”

  “Tuesday? What happened to Monday?”

  “You slept right through Monday and now it’s Tuesday.”

  “Oh. Okay.” I accept it and move on. It’s not as if there’s anything I can do to get back the lost time, anyway.

  All the women in my life take turns fussing all over me. My pillows are fluffed and my blankets are rearranged and then rearranged again.

  Cait, Brie and Declan are all hovering close by, too. I’d bet my bottom dollar they haven’t left Kenny’s side since all of this exploded.

  Adam’s here, too. He’s made himself the official gopher of our little coffee klatch. He’s made fast friends with the nurses and it just takes a smile from this big lug for them to offer him all kinds of treats – ice cold ginger ale, graham crackers, and all the Jell-O a man could hope for.

  Just as the party gets started, another familiar face appears on the other side of the door, hesitant to enter – it’s Kensington’s brother Philip. “Mind if I come in?”

  He looks haunted. His clothes are disheveled and there are dark circles under his eyes. He looks like I feel. “What the hell happened to you?” I ask.

  He answers sullenly, “I’ve been meaning to go home and shower, but . . .”

  Kensington gets up, kisses me on the head and steps away. “I think you two need to talk. I’ll be right over there if you need me.” She joins my mother and hers in the corner, chatting about God knows what.

  Fuck, she’s stunning. Even here, in this place, I can’t seem to take my eyes off her.

  “Mind if I sit down?” Philip asks as he pulls up a chair beside my hospital bed. “I don’t want to interrupt the fun. I just wanted to come down and see you with my own eyes.” He takes a deep breath. “And apologize.”

  I don’t understand. “Apologize? For what?”

  “You shouldn’t be here. As an officer, I’m sworn to protect and defend. I failed in my mission. I put you in a situation you were completely unprepared for. If I had to do it all over again, I would have locked you in the car and waited until backup arrived.”

  “Philip, I would have gotten out. You and I both know it’s true.”

  “Maybe. But it doesn’t change things. You almost died . . .”

  “But I didn’t. And neither did your sister. Everything played out the way it needed to.”

  “Maybe. I think you should know that we just got the ballistics back. You were shot with a twenty-two.”

  “That’s on the small side, isn’t it?”

  He nods. “I carry a 9mm sidearm. If it had been one of my shots, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.”

  “Have you ever been shot?” I ask him.

  He shakes his head. “I’ve been pepper sprayed and TASEd, but not shot.”

  “Well, I do not recommend it. It fucking sucks.”

  “I’ve never shot anyone before, either. If I’m being completely honest, I wasn’t entirely sure I didn’t shoot you.”

  Oh. Wow. “Well, then I guess I should thank you for not shooting me.”

  He laughs. “Longest two days of my life. I don’t know which was worse, waiting for the ballistics report or waiting for you to decide to wake up.”

  Well, damn. “It wasn’t exactly a cake walk for me, either. But you got him, right? That piece of shit? You took care of him?”

  “I did. I took him out of the picture – permanently.”

  “Then I would do it all over again. And I bet you would, too.” He’s haunted by this. It’s written all over his face.

  “Listen, I’m going to take Megan and Connor and get away for a while. I’m thinking about taking them to the Outer Banks for a vacation. Rent a beach house. Do some fishing. Sleep. Will you make me a promise?”

  “Sure. Name it.”

  “Take care of my little sister. She wants everyone to think she’s strong, but she’s no different from anyone else. She needs someone to watch over her, even if she doesn’t know it.”

  “On one condition,” I answer.

  He looks at me with shock and waits for me to explain.

  “Go home and shower first. Man, you stink!”

  He laughs, and I hope he can live with the decisions we’ve both made. Is there really a choice?

  The door opens and in walks a young man holding a clipboard with a stethoscope draped around his neck. “Mr. McGuire – you’re awake. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

  Kenny turns and smiles at the man. “Hi, Dr. Sharpe.”

  “Hello, Miss Harper. How are you feeling today? You’re looking better than the last time I saw you.”

  “Much better now,” she beams.

  He looks around the room, “Well, aren’t you popular? Unfortunately, I’m going to have to ask you to give me a few minutes alone with my patient.”

  “No! Kensington stays.” I have never seen this man before and I’ll be damned if I’ll allow him or anyone else to take her away from me. I just got her back.

  He smiles kindly. “Of course. That’s fine.”

  Before Evan leaves, he offers to return with a piece of Juliette’s famous cheesecake. I look up at Kenny before answering. “Don’t even think about it,” she reprimands the two of us for even considering it.

  The doctor returns his attention to me once everyone leaves. “I don’t think we’ve properly met.” He reaches his hand out to shake mine. “I’m Dr. Sharpe. I was the surgeon that removed the bullet from your chest. You’re a very lucky man. Your ribs took the brunt of the force and prevented the bullet from lacerating any major organs. You’ve got a cracked rib that should heal if you give it time.”

  “Thank you, doctor. Do you think I’ll be able to play again this season?”

  “It’s too soon to say. But it’s entirely possible that if you follow all the discharge directives carefully, you could be back on the field in a month or two.”

  “That’s wonderful. Can I eat?”

  “Are you hungry?”

  “Starving.”

  “Sure, you can eat. Start with something light. No steaks today.”

  Kensington steps aside so the doctor can listen to my breathing and check my bandages. “You should be able to go home in a day or two. We’re going to want to monitor you, watch for infections, but barring any complications, you should be home by Thursday. How does that sound?”

  “Great. Thank you, again.”

  We’re alone. Finally. Kenny returns to my side. She sits in chair beside me and rests her head on my lap as I run my fingers through her hair. She yawns.

  “Tired?” I ask.

  “Mm-hmm,” she hums. “I’ve been watching you sleep for so long, I was afraid to close my eyes. I wanted to be here when you woke up.”

  “Well, I’m awake now. You don’t have to worry any more. Close your eyes, sweetheart.”

  She yawns again. “Just for a few minutes.” I run my fingers through her hair, across her arm, down her back, careful to avoid touching the tender bruise on her face. It feels so good to touch her. I watch as her chests rises and falls more and more slowly. Before long, she is asleep. My poor girl. She must be exhausted.

  The door opens and my mother comes in to check on me followed closely behind by Kensington’s mother, Angela.

  I hold a finger up to my lip, “Shh. She just fell asleep,” I whisper.

  “She hasn’t slept much in the last few days,” my mother informs me. “You two have been through a lot together.”

  “I love her Mom.”

  My mother’s face lights up. I don’t think she’s ever heard me say
those words before. “I see that.”

  Her mother and mine smile conspiratorially as they scurry around the room sorting clothing and personal belongings into a closet. I can see them chatting, too, like they’re up to something. That ends the moment I stun them both into silence.

  “I’m going to marry her, so if the two of you want something to talk about, you can start planning our wedding.”

  They stare at me with their mouths wide open.

  “What?”

  “Does she know?”

  “Does who know?” I ask.

  Angela answers. “Kensington, dear. Did you talk to her about it yet?”

  Kensington lifts her head up off my lap, “Talk to me about what?”

  “Our wedding,” I tell her. “Want to get married?”

  She looks at me with an odd expression. “Today?”

  Ha. “No, I thought we’d wait a few days. If that’s alright with you.”

  She yawns. “Okay. Just not today. I’m so tired.” She puts her head back down on my lap and closes her eyes once again.

  Suddenly, her head springs up and she looks at me, her beautiful eyes all crinkly.

  Why is she looking at me like that?

  She scrunches up her face even more. “Did you just propose to me?”

  I smile. “You bet your sweet ass I did. And you said yes.”

  Kenny holds up her hand. “Forget it. You’re high.” She turns away. Addressing her mom and mine, she says, “He’s confused and babbling.”

  I wasn’t confused. “No I’m not. I asked. You said yes. There are witnesses.”

  God, I love her. I take her hand in mine. “Marry me.”

  Her breath hitches ever so slightly. “Okay,” she whispers.

  I have to be sure. “Yes?”

  Kenny nods, gracing me with a smile I know I’ll never again be without. “Yes,” she answers.

  I gently tug her to me, sealing my question with the amazing feel of her answering lips on mine.

  Mine.

  I make myself a solemn vow to love her for the rest of my life.

  CHARACTERS

  Listed alphabetically by first name