See How She Runs (The Chronicles of Izzy #1)(33)

“Well, we are actually expecting a visitor. That is what I initially came in here to tell you along with the apology, obviously," he said as though he guessed my thoughts.

“Who is coming?" I asked, hoping that it might be Mike. Another familiar face might make things easier for me. After all, it had just been Kennan and I for the past few days, and the closed quarters were causing all sorts of drama between us. A third person would be a welcome change.

“No one you know," he said squashing that hope. “It is another Guardian. His name is Ian and he is a pain in my ever loving arse. But, he has some information that might be able to help us. So, he is headed up here and will be here sometime this evening. I just wanted to give you a heads up that he is a bit, well different," he said as if different were the nicest word he could come up with to describe the guy.

“Alright, I consider myself warned. So, is there anything I can do to help around here before he comes? Any food or anything I can help cook? I mean, manual labor is still out with my feet being all jacked, but I could do some light filing or something," I said with a glimmer of my old self returning. The prospect of having another person around to mediate Kennan and I was exciting. Despite his warnings about Ian, I was looking forward to meeting another Guardian.

“This isn’t an office, there is no light filing. Maybe you could clean the bathroom or something?" He looked at me seriously for a beat before cracking into a broad smile.

I punched him in the arm and was surprised to feel the weight lift from my shoulders. The past few days had been difficult not knowing where I stood with Kennan and now we were at least on even ground. I did not know how long it would last, but I would take a cue from my mom and enjoy what I had right now and not worry about what tomorrow might bring. I was pretty sure if I did not stay grounded in the now, I would go insane. What with the visions and all.

“Almighty Guardian, if it would please you for me to clean your bathroom, then how can I possibly refuse?" I deadpanned before feeling the sudden need to say something more. I needed to say something that had more substance before we moved into the land of denial and fluffy rainbow happiness.

“Kennan,” I started hesitantly, “I am sorry it took me so long to come around. It had to of been hard living all of those years with no end in sight. So, yeah, that and I am really sorry for trying to stick my nose where it did not belong."

Kennan stood up, yanking me with him and pulled me into his arms. His embrace was a balm to my raw emotions. I had not realized how frayed I was starting to feel. But I supposed with the emotional rollercoaster I had been on the past few days, it should have been obvious. I sighed as I let his warmth envelope me. I was suddenly struck by how right it felt to be there in his arms, as if that were the safest place in the world. His heart beat a soothing rhythm in my ear. He held me like that for a minute before releasing me and looking down into my face.

“I would have waited another thousand years to find you. It is more of an honor than you know to protect you. An honor and a pain of course. We both know you aren’t going to make this easy on me," he said with a smile that finally reached his eyes.

Then he let me go with instructions to relax and read something or watch a movie while he worked. He set about picking the place up before he went in the kitchen and fixed us some lunch. The rest of the afternoon passed that way. I read and relaxed for the first time since this whole thing began, and Kennan moved around the cabin getting things ready.





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FIFTEEN





After dinner, there was a knock on the door. Before either of us could get it, in burst what could only be described as the strangest sight I had ever seen. In walked Ian. He met my eyes, and a giant smile engulfed his gorgeous face. I was starting to think that all Guardians were blessed with mega hotness. His good looks aside, his overall appearance was a bit hard to swallow. He was just as tall as Kennan, but where Kennan dressed in reserved clothing that could be considered sporty, Ian was dressed in some of the loudest clothes I had ever seen. He was wearing plaid pants that were probably better suited to a golf course, a loud yellow shirt printed paisley, and his hair was bleached at the ends and sticking up in spikes all over his head. I was sure my jaw was on the floor. His eyes sparked with a sort of humor I had caught in Kennan’s a thousand times before. Something told me that this man was more of a trickster than Kennan could ever be.

“Well, hello there Lass. You must be the adorable Izzy I have heard so much about," ,he said with a bare hint of brogue lacing his accent.

“Um, yeah, I am Izzy," I said, after finally regaining my composure.

“Well, then let’s get right down to the serious stuff and get that out of the way shall we?" He moved into the cabin and embraced Kennan before moving to sit next to me on the couch. “Alright, this is gonna suck, and I hate doing the whole serious doom and gloom, so I am just gonna come out and say it so we can move on to jollier topics. Yeah?”

I nodded trying not to stare at the strange man sitting next to me. He had apparently never heard of the concept of personal space. Just as the thought danced through my mind he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. He looked as serious as I thought him capable before continuing with what he needed to say. Dread filled my stomach. Something told me it took a lot to make Ian serious about anything.