The afternoon seemed to drag on, especially with the mindless chatter of Miss Wilson droning in her ears. Before Heather knew it, dinnertime came around. She sat in her room, brushing her hair and making sure she looked picture perfect before going down. Even though Miss Wilson’s trendy outfits caught the attention of everyone around her, Heather didn’t let it bother her. She only wanted to look her best, especially in front of Michael. When she had finished, she closed the door behind her and headed toward the stairs.
There was a new guard on every floor, and the man stationed on her level seemed like a nice guy. He was slighter older than her and reminded her of the pictures Mrs. Covington had shown her of her late husband in his younger years.
When she passed him in the hall, the guard tipped his head as he introduced himself. “Hello, ma’am, I’m Charlie, Charlie Mann, and I’ll be on duty for your floor.” He removed his hat and smiled at her.
“Hello, Mr. Mann; it’s nice to meet you.”
“Oh no, ma’am, please call me Charlie. Outside of work and at church, I’m Mr. Mann. But on the job, I’m just Charlie. I’m here doing my job, just the same as you are.”
Heather’s face lit up. “You’re a Christian, Charlie?”
The wrinkles on the man’s cheeks vanished as his lips turned up into a smile. “Why, yes, I am. Been one since I was five years old.”
“That’s wonderful, Charlie. Do you go to church around here? I’ve been looking for a local church. The one I wanted to attend is closing down.”
“Yes, ma’am, I do. It’s over near Cliff Drive Park. It’s a big Christian church, and the pastor there is amazing. He preaches the word every Sunday, and they even have a potluck after service. They also have home Bible study groups you can attend.” Charlie bowed his head. “Oh, I apologize ma’am. Here I am going on and on taking up your time, and you’ve probably got something to do.” He turned to leave, but Heather stopped him.
“If you don’t mind, Charlie, could you possibly write the information down for me? I’d like to visit some time.” She grabbed a pen and pad of paper from her room for him to write on.
“Tell you what, if you don’t mind, I could just drive you over with me. I’m on duty Saturday night, and I had planned to go straight from here Sunday morning. I wouldn’t mind the company.” He smiled at her.
Heather felt comforting warmth from Mr. Mann. He seemed like a genuine man of God, one who could easily be an older brother or a deacon of the church. She was glad God had used him to share the news about a new church she could attend and decided it wouldn’t hurt to pay a visit on Sunday.
“I’d like that very much, Charlie.”
“Great! Then I guess I’ll see you Sunday! Well, and also anytime you come and go from your room I suppose.” A chuckle escaped his lips.
The two shook hands and went their separate ways. Heather navigated her way to the dining room and took a seat next to Evelyn. Cynthia was still there, having taken her spot to Michael’s left. Mr. Snyder, the lead guard on duty had also joined them as well as Mr. Mann, who Heather later learned was second in charge of the officers on duty there.
“Mr. Mann, I’m happy you could join us.” Heather was pleased to have a new friend to chat with over dinner.
“I take it you two have met?” Michael watched as Mr. Mann took a seat next to her.
“Yes, we spoke briefly upstairs just a little bit ago. In fact, Miss Parks has agreed to join me for service at my church this Sunday.” Mr. Mann turned and gave Heather a smile.
“That’s very nice of you, Mr. Mann.” Michael angled his brows as he took a sip of water from his glass.
“Aren’t they cute, Michael? They would make quite a couple don’t you think?” Cynthia smiled sarcastically.
Michael removed the glass from his lips and began to cough. When he had stopped choking, he glanced at his fiancée with wet eyes.
“I’m not so sure about that, Cynthia.” He glanced across the table and bit his lip. Michael couldn’t help feeling jealous at the possibility of Heather taking interest in another man, especially with the new security guard. An image of Heather and Mr. Mann spending countless hours talking and laughing outside her room caused a wave of heat to rise up the back of his neck. He was beginning to wonder if Mr. Snyder should have assigned a potbellied guard who was married to the second floor duty. Michael decided he would discuss the matter later in private with the lead security.
The guy’s too old for her, anyway.
Even though Michael had his fiancée sitting right next to him, he couldn’t push aside his concerns over Heather’s new found friend. It gnawed at his consciousness during the entire meal, causing him to lose his appetite. What could the guy know about the experiences that brought passionate joy to Heather? Only he had spent time learning the things she enjoyed and loved. The nurse appreciated art and enjoyed nights out in the gardens. She liked the smell of the flowers on a hot summer night, and most of all, she loved roses and carnations.
Michael couldn’t remember much about the conversation at the table that night. His attention was distracted by the joyful interaction between Heather and the guard, like a spy on a covert mission. Somehow, he feared Mr. Mann might capture her heart, and he didn’t trust them behind his back. He felt he had no other option but to keep a watchful eye on the two of them.
The tinkle of Heather’s laughter drifted over to him, and he dug his teeth deep into his lower lip.
“So Mr. Mann, tell me, what did you do before security?” He needed a distraction, anything to break the bond that was slowly forming between them.
Mr. Mann turned to face Michael. “I was a guard for another family for quite some time, but then they moved out of the country, and I found myself looking for a new job. Before that, I was in the military.” He smiled at Heather as he spoke.
“Your wife must be happy that you’ve secured another job. This is a great area with lots to do. So if you have grandchildren, they’ll never complain of boredom when they come to visit.”
There was a moment of awkward silence until Mr. Mann cleared his throat. “That’s great to hear. But actually, I’m not married, and I don’t have any children.” He turned to face Heather. “At least, not yet.” His gaze drifted back to Michael. “I know I look older than I appear. I inherited my father’s early graying, I’m afraid.” He laughed. “I’m only thirty-four. Only a couple of years older than yourself.”
He smiled at Heather as her face flushed with pink.
Why was Heather basking under the man’s compliments? Couldn’t she see it was part of his plan to woo her? Michael’s leg bounced uncontrollably. He was jealous, maybe insanely jealous of him, and he couldn’t stand the sight of Heather giggling like a teenager as if Mr. Mann were some new boyfriend. He turned his focus to Cynthia, determined to push the agonizing thoughts from his mind. But little did he know about what was going on in his fiancée’s mind.
Cynthia pressed her lips tightly together as she watched the play of emotions across Michael’s face. There was no doubt in the woman’s mind that her fiancé was obsessed with the mousy little nurse, and she wasn’t about to stand idly by and let fate take its course. A twisted smile spread across her face as a plot churned in her mind, a devious plot to fix the situation as soon as she and Michael were married. What he needed was a distraction from the unrefined woman, and she determined there was no other suitable candidate for the job than her. Cynthia quickly diverted his attention to finalizing their plans for the wedding dinner.
Heather couldn’t remember the last time she had smiled and laughed so much when talking to someone new. Charlie was witty, and his jokes made her laugh. He was a gentleman, and he shared stories about his family, especially his baby brother who was always getting into trouble. The only dark stain on the evening was Michael’s rudeness at the beginning of dinner. But after Miss Wilson doted all over him, he seemed to be too preoccupied to say anything else to embarrass Mr. Mann.
When dinner was done, Cynthia said her good-byes, but not before she made a scene about her safety, expressing her fears that the attacker might come after her next. Michael reassured her that she would be safe, and after much coaxing, she gave him an extra-long kiss and set out on her way. Mr. Mann returned to his post after thanking Mr. Robbins for a lovely evening.
Heather made one last stop at Evelyn’s room to check on her. Her health seemed better, and her complexion had almost returned to its normal rosy appearance. The girl had remained fever free for several hours, and Heather could feel the tension melt from her shoulders. She was about to kiss Evelyn good night when Michael walked in.
He stopped in the middle of the room and took in the image of Heather lightly brushing the tiny wisps of hair off of Evelyn’s brow. It had been a while since his daughter needed to wear her hat, and what resembled peachy fuzz was beginning to sprout all over her small head. His heart softened at the sight.
“How’s my tough girl doing?” A smile spread across his face as he walked to the other side of the bed.
“I stopped by before dinner, and she wasn’t hot then. What about now?” He gently touched her forehead.
Heather flashed a reassuring smile at him. “She seems to be doing much better, Michael. No fever since earlier today. That’s the longest since she came down with it. She seems to be getting stronger, and I think she’ll get over this soon.” Heather gazed at him as he took off his tie and jacket.
“Mr. Mann seems like an interesting man, doesn’t he?” She could sense the sarcasm in his voice.
“He’s very nice actually.”
Her response greeted him like nails across a chalkboard, and Michael could feel the tension spread through his back. He knew it would have been better to keep his mouth shut, but he couldn’t stop the words from slipping out of his mouth. “He’s too old for you, don’t you think?”
Heather’s face twisted with frustration. Her eyes bounced toward the door. “Michael, can I have a minute with you outside?” At that moment, Michael knew he had overstepped his boundaries. They said a quick good night to Evelyn, and Heather waited until they reached the foyer at the top of the stairs.
“Really Michael? Are you really going to be immature about this? I thought you had already made that clear at dinnertime.”
Michael shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just saying. I’m not so sure he’s the right type of guy for you. He probably hits on all the women he meets at work. You know how women fall for the macho tough guy.” Michael pressed on, knowing he was pushing the limits of their friendship.
“For your information ... Mr. Robbins ...” she put more emphasis on his name, “I have no intention of dating Charlie. He’s just a nice guy who’s taking me to church, that’s all there is to it. Now if you’ll please excuse me, I’ll be turning in for the night.” She stood to go to her own room, but Michael stepped in front of her.
“I’ve never seen you laugh like that around me before.” She could feel his minty breath on her face. He was close, close enough for her to pick up on the scent of his woodsy cologne. Her pulse beat faster.
Was Michael actually jealous of her? She looked up and met his eyes, and at that moment, her knees began to weaken. But Heather kept a straight face as if nothing bothered her.
“Don’t be silly, Michael. I laugh that way all the time.” She looked at his rumpled collar, and without thinking, she reached out a hand to fix the way it had rolled up. She looked up at him again and slowly pulled away. They stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Heather could feel the tension in the air, and the only sound she could hear was the pounding in her chest.
“Well, I-I don’t like it.” Michael tried to maintain a commanding tone, one he often used with his employees when they did something he didn’t approve of. But instead, his words came out like a child whose request for a cookie had been rejected.
A sigh escaped Heather’s lips as she pulled away from him. “Well, I’m sorry it bothers you, Michael. But I didn’t do anything wrong, and I would appreciate it if you kept your opinions about my personal life to yourself.”
Michael pressed his lips together. He wanted to tell her that she would be making a mistake by getting involved with Mr. Mann, and that the only person who was right for her would be him. But he couldn’t choke the words past the lump in his throat.
Heather backed a step from Michael. “Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I need to turn in for the night so I can be fresh when Evelyn wakes up.” There was a blank expression on Heather’s face as she pivoted away and headed to her room while Michael watched in silence.
Michael stood for what seemed like hours after Heather had walked away. He felt a wave of frustration begin to build inside. How could he blame Heather if she were interested in Charlie? After all, Michael was already engaged.
Ugh. Cynthia. He thought back to Heather’s words before they went to Thrill Mountain. “Something just seems off.” She had specifically been discussing Cynthia’s relationship with Evelyn. Still, he sensed “something off” in the way Cynthia treated everyone that day—and thinking back, every time she had visited.
There was no question that Heather, with her humble attire and generous heart, was better suited for him. There wasn’t an ounce of pride or hypocrisy in her petite body. Everything Heather said and did came from the heart, unlike Cynthia, who seemed to fake every positive attribute he had seen in her.
A heavy sigh escaped Michael’s lips before he strode over to his study to try to do some work. But no matter how much he stared at the papers on his desk, he couldn’t focus. Frustrated, he slammed a pen on top of the papers. Then he stepped out from behind the cherry desk and crumpled into bed as his upper lip began to tremble.
How did I screw up my life so badly? He waited in the darkness, as if the Almighty would whisper an answer. But the only answer to his question was the woeful sound of coyotes howling on the hillside behind the estate. That was his last thought before finally drifting into a shallow slumber.