“It is.” He motioned toward the fountain, sporting silver balloons and flowing with red water. “I’ve got to join the quartet.”
“Go ahead.”
For the next few minutes the quartet performed “Somebody to Love.” After the song ended, applause echoed across the quad, and Hudson took in Melody’s smile with a happy heart. Did he dare trust that God had brought her into his life for a reason? His attendance at the Chapel Church had brought him closer to God and renewed his faith that had been dormant for the past few years. Working at The Village had showed him what putting faith into action was all about.
Was it time to rethink his wishes to keep skydiving and racing cars? If he quit doing those things, would that endear him to Melody? He wasn’t sure that was the answer. Making those changes might put him right back where he didn’t want to be—having someone else dictate his choices in life. But he didn’t need to make any decisions tonight. He only wanted to enjoy watching Melody in the next few minutes.
As the applause died and the crowd quieted, Ian stepped to the front of the group. “Thanks, everyone. Let’s give a big round of applause for our servers and volunteers who have made this evening fantastic.”
Again applause filled the air. Then Ian waved to quiet the gathering. “We are truly blessed to have a lot of wonderful people who live and work here in The Village. Tonight I want to thank one special person.” Ian motioned for Hudson to step forward. “Hudson Conrick and his company have been renovating one of our buildings so we can expand our women’s ministries. He has something he’d like to share with you this evening.”
Hudson turned to face the crowd. He surveyed the joy radiating from the faces illuminated by the lights from the fountain and the quad. “Thanks, Ian. It’s been my pleasure to work here and get to know many of you. Not long after I started the work here, I learned that there’s a bell in the chapel steeple. It’s been silent for a long time because the mechanism for ringing it has been broken. Tonight we’re going to change that.”
A murmur went through the group, and Hudson looked over at Melody. With her fingertips on her mouth, she gazed up at the steeple. Then she glanced at him, an expression of awe brightening her features. She dropped her hand as she smiled.
Giving Ian the signal, Hudson also turned his gaze. In the next second spotlights flooded the spire and the bell began to ring, its booming tones reverberating across the campus. A spontaneous cheer rippled through the gathering, followed by applause that accompanied the chiming bell. Hudson glanced Melody’s way. She was walking toward him.
Tears glistened in her eyes as she stopped in front of him. “You’re responsible for this?”
He nodded, his heart thundering along with the ringing bell. “As soon as you told me about it, I knew I had to fix it for you.”
Standing on her tiptoes, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. He gently held her in his arms and wished he never had to let her go. He wanted to lift her off the ground and twirl her around in a circle, but he resisted the urge.
She stepped away, her hand over her heart. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you. Thank you. I can never thank you enough.”
He wished he could tell her that she could thank him by not keeping him on the edges of her life. But he feared ruining this good moment between them.
The sound of the bell brought out residents from the women’s shelter, the children’s homes and even the nursing home. The quad became a sea of celebration. Folks lingered near the fountain even after the bell stopped ringing. Hudson took in the joy with a renewed appreciation for all he had in life. Sharing it had filled a lot of hearts with happiness, especially Melody’s. That was worth everything.
* * *
Luxury cars of every description lined the circular drive as Melody pulled her aging gray sedan to a stop in front of the Conrick mansion. Hudson had told her that he’d spent very little time in this house because his parents had moved here after he’d started attending a military prep school when he was fourteen. She couldn’t imagine leaving home at such an early age. Hudson had never said whether he’d liked the situation, but it was probably part of doing as he was told.
Three weeks had passed since the Valentine banquet and Hudson’s surprise gift. Her heart still melted at his thoughtfulness. With what seemed like a rather formal and cold upbringing, how had he become the warmhearted man she’d come to know? Maybe she would find out today.
With her stomach tied in knots, she approached the mammoth house with its massive front door. The leaded glass sparkled in the sunlight. What would she find on the other side? Would a butler answer when she rang the bell?
Holding her breath, Melody prayed that all would go well. Yet despite her prayer, the old feelings of inadequacy engulfed her as she stood there waiting for someone to answer the door. Would these women look down at her with pity? Would they talk about her behind her back after she left? Why did she still let her experiences from high school color her perceptions? She was a grown woman, a child of God, and He valued every person—rich or poor. It didn’t matter what these people thought.
She tried to let that idea permeate her mind, but she couldn’t forget that, in a sense, it did matter what they thought of her. She wanted to represent The Village in a positive light. Today she was the face of The Village. She had to make the best of this invitation from Hudson’s mother to tell her ladies’ group about these ministries.
A shadowy figure approached the door. When it opened, a woman of medium height with carefully coiffed brunette hair smiled and extended her hand. “Welcome, Melody. I’m Susan Conrick. We’re so glad you could share with us today.”
Melody’s nervousness melted under the warm greeting as a heartfelt smile curved her mouth. God was answering her prayer already. “Thanks for having me.”
“Come join the rest of the ladies in the solarium.” Susan gestured toward the back of the house. “I’ve been eager to meet you. Hudson has said so many wonderful things about you and The Village.”
“We’re grateful for the work he’s doing to expand our women’s shelter. It’s going well.” Melody wasn’t sure what to think about Hudson talking about her with his mother.
He’d become part of her daily life, but he’d kept his promise not to ask her for another date. She was the one who had insisted it be that way. So why did it bother her that he was abiding by her wishes? But this meeting with his mother wasn’t the time to examine that question.
“We thought it would be nice to enjoy the solarium room on a sunny day even though the temperatures outside are chilly. Our weather this winter has been quite crazy—warmer than normal one week and frigid the next.”
“Yes, it has. March definitely came in like a lion.” Melody took a calming breath. The weather was always an easy topic of conversation.
Susan chuckled as she led the way through the well-accessorized living room and past the huge kitchen accented with granite countertops and with built-ins of every kind. “Let’s hope it goes out like a lamb.”
“That’s my thinking, too.” Melody tried not to gawk at the display of wealth surrounding her. She prayed not to be judgmental or envious. The two seemed to go hand in hand. “Your home is beautiful.”
“Thank you. We enjoy it.”
Who wouldn’t? Melody pushed the thought away. Lord, I need Your help in all kinds of ways today. Keep my mind focused on You.
As they drew near to the solarium, the sound of laughter and conversation drifted their way. Susan stopped and turned to Melody. “Everyone’s eager to hear what you have to say, but first we’re going to enjoy lunch.”
“That’s fine. I’ll give my talk whenever you’re ready.” She tried to produce a genuine smile, but she couldn’t vanquish the fake one that curved her lips. The nerves had returned.
Susan didn’t move but turned
and looked Melody right in the eye. “I hope you don’t feel as though I’m trying to put you on the spot. I understand if you feel a bit nervous, but there’s no need. This is a lovely group of women, and we want to know how we can help your ministry. Treat us like old friends.”
Melody didn’t know quite how to respond. The woman had obviously recognized the nervous smile. “Thanks for trying to put me at ease.”
Susan nodded and forged ahead around the corner.
Melody nearly stopped in her tracks when the solarium came into view. Sunshine beamed through the glass ceiling and windows of the enclosure and reflected off the white marble floors, making the place look like a crystal palace. An oval glass-topped table, large enough to accommodate over a dozen people, sat at the far end of the room. Fine china and crystal goblets adorned the table. Spider plants hung from the beams in the ceiling while foliage of every description filled each corner. This marvelous room looked out on the pool that sparkled in the sunlight. Melody had never seen such a beautiful room.
The chatter stopped when Susan stepped across the threshold and walked through the seating area filled with rattan couches and chairs with colorful overstuffed cushions and glass-topped end tables. “Ladies, our guest has arrived. I’d like you to welcome Melody Hammond, women’s director at The Village of Hope Ministries.”
Melody nodded, smiled and prayed again. She could do this. She’d spoken at hundreds of events like this before. “Thank you for inviting me.”
Susan motioned to a chair at one end of the table. “Let’s have you sit here.”
She nodded as she sat on the padded chair. “Thank you.”
“Let’s say a prayer of thanksgiving for our food, and then we’ll make some introductions.” Susan sat in the empty chair to Melody’s right.
After the prayer, each lady introduced herself, and Melody employed her memory techniques to remember at least each first name. During the introductions, two women dressed in uniforms quietly rolled a cart into the room and began serving the salads—a combination of greens and fruit.
As they worked their way through the different courses, the women traded stories about their latest trips abroad and their grandchildren. Melody smiled and nodded and laughed at the appropriate times, but she had little to contribute to the conversation. It only served as a reminder to her that she didn’t fit into this world. She’d hoped not to feel this way, but it happened every time she had to attend such an event.
After everyone had finished eating, Susan stood. “I hope y’all enjoyed the lunch. We’ll go to the seating area for Melody’s presentation.”
A murmur of agreement accompanied the group as they made their way across the room. Melody congratulated herself when she remembered each lady’s name. After everyone was seated, she passed out brochures outlining the ministries at The Village. The women took a few moments to look over the information, then listened while she explained the services.
She finished her talk and asked for questions. Soon a lively conversation ensued and Melody’s nerves vanished as she talked about the things that were dearest to her heart and how God worked wonders in so many lives at The Village. As she answered questions, she realized she’d been all wrong about not fitting into their world. She might not have the same lifestyle, but they shared one thing—the desire to help others.
By the time she had finished, she had more volunteers for The Village shop and more monetary pledges for the expansion of the women’s shelter. Today’s meeting had turned out better than she’d ever expected. She should have known God would make everything good.
Susan came up to Melody as the others were leaving. “Please stay for a moment, so we can talk some more. If you have time.”
“I do.” Melody wondered what else Hudson’s mom had to say. Susan ushered Melody back into the solarium. “We might as well make ourselves comfortable here.”
Melody sat on one of the colorful couches and tried to relax. “What did you want to talk about?”
“First, I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your presentation. You did a wonderful job.”
“Thanks. It’s always a blessing to share the work of The Village.”
“I can tell it’s something you really care about.” Susan hesitated for a moment. “I’d like for you to share the same things with my whole family next weekend. It’s my husband’s birthday, and we always have a big celebration. Would you be able to join us on Saturday for dinner?”
Melody wondered why Susan couldn’t tell her family about The Village herself, or why her son couldn’t do it. Was she trying to promote a relationship between her and Hudson? Surely not. Melody doubted that she fit the profile of the ideal woman for Hudson—one who shared his social circle. She shouldn’t second-guess the reasons for this request. She should be glad for the opportunity. “I think I’m free, but I need to double-check my calendar and get back to you.”
“Excellent.” Susan settled back on the couch. “Tell me a little about yourself.”
Melody tried not to read anything into the conversation, but she couldn’t help wondering whether Susan was trying to get information because she suspected her son had an interest in a woman who didn’t fit into their world. “There isn’t much to tell.”
Susan waved a hand at Melody. “I’m sorry. That was really too open-ended. Did you grow up in Atlanta?”
Melody shook her head. “I’m from a small town in southern Georgia. My mother still lives there.”
“Do you get back to visit her very often?”
“Probably not as often as I should. I’ve tried to get her to move to this area, but she doesn’t like big cities.”
“She sounds like my mother. Bless her soul. We lived on a farm in South Georgia, and she never understood why I would want to live here. But I went to college and fell in love with a city boy.”
“How do you feel now about living in an urban area?”
“I don’t mind, but you must admit that our house isn’t exactly in the city.” Smiling, Susan shrugged. “It’s kind of the best of both worlds.”
“You do have a good bit of privacy here.”
“When my parents passed away, they gave Hudson the farm because he was the only grandson. You see, I was an only child. My parents wanted more children, but it wasn’t meant to be, so they were thrilled when I gave them four grandchildren. They doted on Hudson. The girls got money, and Hudson got the land.”
Hudson owned a farm. Melody wondered whether it was close to her hometown. What did it matter? She had no interest in the man. At least that’s what she kept telling herself. “What does he do with it?”
“The farm is made up of a lot of timberland, and he pays a manager to take care of it. We sometimes go down there for long weekends. The big, old rambling house where I lived as a child is still on the property. That’s where we stay. Sometimes Hudson rents out the house during hunting season.”
Melody chatted with Susan for several more minutes about nothing of much importance. Finally, she excused herself, but as Melody stepped onto the front porch, Susan acted as though she wanted to say something else. In the end she must have thought better of it.
Walking to her car, Melody wished she knew what was on the older woman’s mind. Did it have anything to do with Hudson, or was it something of little consequence?
Hudson’s mother was warm and charming. He must have taken after her rather than his father. Melody kept telling herself that she didn’t want to become involved with a man who participated in dangerous activities, but she was finding it harder and harder to convince herself that Hudson’s interest in those things was so terrible. But fear continued to niggle at the back of her mind whenever she thought of throwing caution aside and embracing a relationship with the handsome risk taker.
Chapter Nine
“We’re here. I hope you enjoy the evenin
g,” Hudson said after parking his car in front of his parents’ house.
“You sound doubtful.”
“Didn’t mean for it to come across that way.” He gave Melody a lopsided grin, hoping he wouldn’t have to take back his statement. His mom would make the evening wonderful even though he suspected she was matchmaking. That didn’t bother him, but what his dad might do concerned Hudson. The man could be charming but foreboding and unpredictable, as well.
Hudson walked Melody to the front door and prayed for a positive outcome for this party. For many years he’d dreaded attending his father’s birthday party. Too many times H.P. had used his birthday party to give Hudson new marching orders. Would that happen tonight, despite their recent talk?
For many of the recent ones, he’d been overseas and unable to attend. He couldn’t get out of this one, and to make things worse, his mother had invited Melody so she could tell the whole family about The Village.
He didn’t mind that she was coming with him or that she’d asked him to share his project, but he feared what kind of pronouncement his father would make on the occasion of his sixty-eighth birthday. Hudson didn’t want to argue with his father in front of company. In front of family was bad enough. Hudson could only hope the event would be one of celebration, peace and harmony. Even though he had numerous disagreements with his father, Hudson loved the man. He wanted Melody to like his family, too.
The door opened before they reached the front porch. His mother stepped out and gave him a hug, then turned to Melody. “Welcome. I’m so glad you could join us.”
“Me, too.”
Hudson watched for that tight smile that so often formed on Melody’s lips when she was trying to make you believe she was happy. But tonight her smile was genuine, and that buoyed his spirits. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so bad after all. “So where’s the birthday boy?”
Susan looped her arm through her son’s. “He’s waiting for you in the sitting room. Your sisters and the rest of the family have already arrived.”
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