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I opened my mouth to reply, just as a harsh ring cut through the intimate atmosphere in the room. It took me a long moment to realize it was my own cell. Shit. I had it blocked except for certain numbers at night, and they were all numbers I couldn’t afford to ignore.
“I’m sorry, I have to answer it,” I sighed, tugging myself away from Lars.
Lars groaned. “You really are trying to kill me,” he muttered, as he shifted back and let me free from his hold.
Struggling over to my bag, my feet unsteady, hair a nest and dress hanging off, I checked the display on my cell, and internally sighed.
“What’s up, Chris?” I asked, my brain and body on different pages, as I stared at Lars, lounging like the sexy as-hell rock legend he was, with his unbuttoned back shirt and low-slung jeans. His dark stubbled jaw set in frustration at the interruption and the hunger in his eyes made my breath catch.
“Some pipes have burst in the second-floor bathroom at Sunshine Home. I’m trying to stop the flooding, but I need a hand to call someone to come and help,” Chris said, sounding stressed. I could hear the echo of young voices in the background. I could only picture the upheaval this would cause the orphanage.
“I’m on my way. I’ll call someone on the way over,” I told him quickly.
Hanging up, I turned to Lars. “I’m sorry, but I have to run. It’s an emergency,” I told him.
Lars peeled himself off the sofa and followed me as I headed to the hallway. “It’s fine. I’ll come along, and see if I can help,” he said gruffly.
I grabbed my coat. “No! Don’t worry about it. It’s late and-,” I trailed off, as Lars pulled me to him.
“Charlie, don’t ask me to let you out of my sight when you just kissed me like that and…” he blew out a breath, struggling to put his feelings into words. “I don’t want to send you away alone right now. Humor me,” he said plainly.
I shrugged helplessly. “Ok, come along then, I just think you’ll probably regret offering. It’s Sunshine Home. I know you don’t have good memories of that place.”
Lars nodded, pulling his coat on. “Yeah well, maybe it’s time to confront some old ghosts. Come on,” he said, taking my hand, and pulling me toward the door.
* * *
Chris wasn’thappy to see Lars at my side when we arrived at the orphanage. He let us inside and narrowed his eyes at the musician.
“Hey man, I didn’t expect you,” he said flatly.
Lars merely shrugged. “Yeah, well, more hands in an emergency have to be better right?”
Chris nodded and looked at me. “Did you call someone?”
“Yep, and they are on their way. Did you get the water shut off?”
“Yeah, but I need help mopping up.”
“On it,” I muttered and turned to Lars. “You really don’t have to stay-,”
“Oh my god! Is that Lars Nielson” A high-pitched voice exclaimed behind us. We turned to find Delilah, one of the teens who lived in Sunshine Home, standing on the stair, staring at Lars as if she’d just caught Santa coming down the chimney. Her eyes were full of stars.
Lars ducked his head and grinned at her. “Nice to meet you,” he said.
Delilah let out a short scream and then clattered down the stairs. “Oh my god, you’re my favorite singer. Can you play something for us? I have a guitar… wait right here. Promise you’ll wait,” she asked desperately, her eyes darting to mine for reassurance.
“I’ll wait here,” Lars told her. “And I’d be happy to play something for you.”
Delilah let out another scream and turned and charged upstairs, shouting loudly as she went.
“Well, that ought to distract the kids while we clean up,” I remarked, and smiled at Lars. He grinned back, then Chris cleared his throat.
“Well, in that case, let’s go and get started while Lars looks after the kids,” he said awkwardly.
“Sounds good,” Lars said, just as Delilah appeared at the top of the stairs with her friends. “I have a feeling I’m going to be plenty busy.”
The flood wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d worried that it was. As soon as the plumber arrived, Chris and I left him to it and went to check the other rooms for water damage. We kept the conversation about the issue at hand and I was relieved. I didn’t want to argue with him again, and I felt awkward as hell about showing up with Lars in tow. Downstairs, the kids had gathered in the sitting room to hear Lars play. As we went downstairs to join them, soft strains of an acoustic guitar drifted to me and wrapped right around my heart.
