Family to the Rescue. Lissa Manley

could hardly wait to get over there after you left,” Rose added.

      “Not surprising.” Dylan loved all animals, but dogs in particular. Kim had promised him that he could have a dog as soon as they had their own place. Another reason, among many, that Kim needed a job and her independence.

      “I can’t keep him away,” Rose said. “Good thing Benny loves having Dylan around.”

      Kim was pretty sure Benny, a retired widower, had a bit of a crush on Rose, too. He blushed and stammered like a schoolboy every time he talked to her. Truth be told, Kim was envious of the awkward attention Benny paid to Rose. It made her yearn for someone of her own…but that would be a mistake.

      Kim turned and noticed Lily holding back on the porch.

      “Um…now that everyone is here safe and sound, I think I’m just gonna head home,” Lily said, rubbing her eyes. “I’m pooped.”

      Kim knew that feeling. “All right.” She went out onto the porch and hugged Lily. “Thank you so much for all your help today.” She stepped back and gave Lily a gentle smile. “I appreciate it. I haven’t really made friends since I got here and, well, I’ve been a bit lonely. Even though we only met today, it’s nice to know I have a new friend.” Kim was a social butterfly at heart, and had joined the church’s singles group for friendly fellowship; it was high time her social life arose from the dead. Well, most parts of it, anyway. The safe parts.

      “I’m glad I could help out,” Lily replied, returning Kim’s smile. “Call me if you need anything. I’m in the phone book. And remember, the singles group is having a progressive dinner in three weeks. You should definitely come.”

      “Sounds good,” Kim said. Spending time with people her own age was definitely on her To Do list.

      Lily waved goodbye and headed back to her car.

      Kim noted it was raining now, the fine drizzle coating everything in gray mist. Funny how fast the weather could change in Moonlight Cove.

      She shut the front door, noting that Seth and Aunt Rose had left the living room. Expecting to find them in the kitchen, she made her way through the cozy living room.

      The smell of freshly baked cookies permeated the air—snickerdoodles was Kim’s guess. With fatigue rolling over her in a wave, she headed through the arched doorway that led from the living room into the kitchen to the left, determined to see to Seth’s care before she gave in to her exhaustion.

      The homey blue, white and yellow kitchen was the heart of her aunt’s house. Remnants of her aunt’s cookie making session sat on the tiled counters…but Rose and Seth weren’t there.

      Frowning, Kim headed back out into the living room, turned left and went down the short hallway that led to the house’s three small bedrooms.

      Sure enough, Aunt Rose and Seth were in the first bedroom on the right, Dylan’s room. Seth was already stretched out on Dylan’s twin bed, and Aunt Rose was spreading a handmade patchwork quilt over him.

      Rose turned when Kim walked in. “He wasn’t looking good at all, so I decided it would be best if Seth, here, got some rest right away.” She smiled serenely. “This seemed like the best place for him.”

      Kim was so glad her aunt had seen what needed doing and had simply done it. She silently thanked God for making her aunt so intuitive, nurturing and levelheaded. A blessing, really, and a much-needed balancing force in a life turned upside down by Scott’s desertion.

      “Thank you, Aunt Rose,” she said. “As usual, you’re right.” She turned her attention to Seth, who definitely looked worse for wear. He must feel really rotten if he’d let her aunt put him to bed without any fuss.

      Kim moved closer, resisting the urge to sit on the bed the way she did when she said good-night to Dylan. This wasn’t her son, here. No, this was a full grown, very handsome, masculine man.

      Warning bells clanged in her head.

      She remained standing. “How are you doing?” she asked Seth.

      He shrugged, then winced. “I’ve got a headache.”

      Her heart tugged at his obvious discomfort. “After the hit your head took, I’m not surprised. So rest is just what you need.”

      “I won’t argue,” he said, his eyelids drooping. Obviously the trauma of the day was catching up to him in a big way.

      “Good.” She smiled down at him. “Get some rest.”

      She turned away, but before she could leave, he reached out and grabbed her hand. His touch sent sparks shooting up her arm. Her breathing snagged.

      “Thank you for letting me come here,” he said, squeezing her hand, looking right at her with those gorgeous eyes of his, pinning her in place.

      Kim’s tummy flip-flopped. His eyes were so blue, like the sky in summer, clear and beautiful. Completely compelling.

      Her heart fluttered and she forgot, very briefly, the past and the tough lessons it had taught her. Forgot that she needed to keep up her shields.

      But then sanity returned and she forced herself to pull her hand from his warm grasp and look away from him. She needed to get a grip. Now. “It was the least I could do,” she said. “You saved my life.”

      “I’m glad,” he said, then closed his eyes, well on his way to a meeting with the sandman.

      I’m glad, too.

      Her legs shaking, Kim turned and followed Aunt Rose out of the room.

      When they reached the living room, Aunt Rose turned around, gave Kim a quick once-over, then pulled her into a hug. “Are you all right, dear?”

      Kim nodded, breathing in the comforting scent of the lavender perfume Aunt Rose had worn for as long as Kim could remember. “I’m doing well, thanks to Seth.”

      Aunt Rose stepped back. “Why don’t you go change into something dry and cozy, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen so you can tell me what happened.”

      “Okay.” Kim pulled at her damp, itchy clothes. “I feel like a piece of freeze-dried seaweed.”

      She headed to her room and changed into a pair of black fleece sweatpants and matching top, then padded down the hall to the kitchen, taking care to walk quietly so she wouldn’t disturb the blue-eyed hero sleeping in her son’s bed.

      Rose smiled at her when she walked in. “You look like you need to eat. Why don’t you sit down and I’ll make you some tea and my special sandwiches. You can tell me what happened while I work. From the looks of things, it’s quite a story.”

      “It is quite a story,” Kim said. She could hardly believe the whole thing was real herself. “And sandwiches sound wonderful.” Her aunt’s mini peanut butter, honey and cinnamon sandwiches were a comfort food if there ever was one.

      Limbs shaking, she sank down into a kitchen chair next to the table. Kim gazed at Rose while she worked, her chest constricting with affection and gratitude. With Kim’s mom living in Hong Kong with her third—no, fourth—husband, and Kim’s dad out of the picture since he’d taken off with his secretary when Kim was twelve, moving in with one of them hadn’t been possible.

      And since Kim’s only other relative, her cousin, Grant, lived in a tiny studio apartment in Seattle, going there hadn’t been an option, either. The sad fact of the matter was, she’d had nowhere else to go when her ex had decided he didn’t want the responsibility of a family any more and had walked out and obtained a quickie divorce six months ago.

      Kim had used her small bit of savings to live on while she’d looked for a job in Los Angeles, but it had become clear after a few months that without a college degree, she wasn’t going to make enough to pay both rent and child care any time soon.

      Realistically, she needed a job, money and a degree. In teaching, if she had her wish.