Guardian Angels – Ambivalent - 26

Mike hurried into the kitchen while Evan joined Paddy at the window, asking him, "Watching for Mr. Keefe?"

Paddy nodded. "Sort of. Not that he'd walk right up even if he does know Mike lives here."

"Could you sense it if he was in the neighborhood?" Evan asked, keeping his voice low.

"I should be able to, since he's a danger to Mike. If I didn't it would be time to turn in my wings."

"You could do that?" Evan asked in surprise. 

Paddy chucked. "Not really. This is a forever thing."

Evan nodded, glancing toward the kitchen. "You like him, don't you?"

Hedging his bets, Paddy replied, "He's a nice young man."

"Paddy, I've been watching you watching him when he wasn't aware of it. The look on your face… Well if I had to describe it, it would be one of yearning." He smiled a bit when Paddy shook his head. "You won't do anything about it. Probably because you think you can't, given what you are. That, in my opinion, would be stupid. Or more, it would be if he has any feelings for you."

Paddy snorted softly. "He sees me as a friend and a protector, nothing more."

"You're certain? You've… probed?"

"No I haven't! I wouldn't. That would be unethical at best and a total invasion of his privacy."

Evan grinned. "Then maybe I should do a little probing of my own, verbally."

"Don't you dare! Let it be, Evan. Nothing good could come of it. He's young. He's got his whole life ahead of him. Even if he does"—Paddy spread his hands—"have feelings for me as you put it, he deserves better. He should find a nice young man his own age, fall in love and go from there." Sighing, he added, "I have nothing to offer him. Hell, when this assignment is over I'll never see him again."

"Those are the rules you live by?" Evan asked in dismay.

"Yes. We're only around for our charges, when they need us to keep them safe or to push them in the right direction when they go way off course. Then we're gone and they're none the wiser that we were even around."

"Not true. You and Dom let us know who and what you are. And you're dealing with us now, too."

"Special case," Paddy replied tightly. "With Mike… Yeah, I'm visible to him because he needs me to be if I'm going to protect him. But he has no idea that I'm more than just someone who was around at the right time, in the right place, and offered my help. And that, my friend, is how it's going to stay."

Evan shook his head. "I think you're wrong but I'll stay out of it."

"Thank you. Now, shall we go see if dinner is ready?"