They said their goodbyes with hugs and kisses all around, and Allie climbed into Eric’s chilly pickup. When he started the ignition, she looked at the glowing blue clock on the dashboard.
“We missed Joanie’s bath.” She shivered and huddled inside her jacket.
Eric flipped the heat dial all the way to the red side. “We’re not going home yet.”
She looked at his profile. “We’re not?”
The truck pulled out of the church lot onto Main Street. Eric shook his head. “We haven’t finished our talk yet. We can’t do it at home without worrying about Mother overhearing.”
That was certainly true. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
The air blowing through the vent gradually warmed. Allie cupped her cold hands in front of it. Eric turned the fan on higher, and she lifted her feet toward the lower vent to warm them too.
Allie had told him all about her opportunity to keep Sally Jo’s Varie Cose records on her computer the minute he walked through the door this evening. He’d been as excited as she. They’d discussed the sale of her inventory last night. So that just left one thing to talk about.
Allie gulped. The silence in the cab gathered around her like the darkness. God had become such a constant presence in her life in the past few days, more and more real with each minute that passed. She knew how Eric felt about anything to do with religion. But this thing she’d found had nothing to do with religion. It was far more personal than that.
“Eric, something happened to me Saturday night, and I need to tell you about it.”
He took his eyes off the road for a moment to glance at her. “I’m listening.”
Hesitantly, Allie began telling him about her mounting fears over the past few weeks, her feelings of insecurity over her weight, her irritation with his absorption with televised sports games. As she talked her confidence grew. By the time she got to the encounter in the kitchen at the sleepover, the words rushed out of her like water from a rain gutter.
“It sounds crazy, Eric, but I felt God there. I know he was telling me that he loves me, that I’m precious to him. That feeling hasn’t gone away. I’ve felt him ever since. Even in the seconds before my car ran into that cow, I knew he was right there, watching out for Joanie and me.”
She leaned across the seat, straining against the shoulder strap, and placed a hand on his leg. “The other night I stayed up late praying. About my job. About us. That’s why I decided to close my business, because I felt like the Lord was telling me that it was okay, I could rely on him to take care of me. On him,” she paused, then went on in a small voice, “and on you.”
His glance slid sideways to lock with hers. “You didn’t know that before?”
She held his gaze as she shook her head. “Not really, not deeply. I finally figured out why. It was Daddy.”
He turned the steering wheel and downshifted. “Your father? You mean because he was unfaithful to your mother?”
“Not just to Mom. To me and Joan and Tori too. I realized I’ve been watching for warning signs that you were going to leave me like Daddy left me. He used to come home from work and plant himself in front of the television set and stay there for hours.”
Understanding dawned in Eric’s face. “You thought I was becoming like him.”
“Exactly. And when I saw Molly flirting with you . . .”
She faced forward, unwilling to look him in the eye.
The car rolled to a stop on the side of a dark road. Eric turned off the engine and cut the lights, then popped off his seat belt and slid toward her.
“Do you see where we are?” He released her seat belt.
Allie looked through the windows. They were parked on a cul-de-sac with huge houses around them. She didn’t recognize the neighborhood.
“I’ll give you a hint.” He slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “I brought you here one night after a date between our junior and senior years at college.”
Allie gasped. “Eric! Are we in Cumberland Hills?” She was glad the darkness hid her blush. They’d gone parking here, but that was when these houses were still under construction.
“We are.”
He pressed her head to his chest and slowly caressed her hair until the tension left her body and she relaxed against him. She heard his heart beating a slow, even pulse against her ear.
“I don’t mind telling you that I said a prayer or two myself yesterday. On the way to the hospital.” His hand stroked her head. “I haven’t prayed since I was a kid, but after I stormed out of the house the other night, I ended up at the church. I had a conversation with Reverend Jacobsen.”
“You talked to the minister?” She tried to sit up and look at him, but he held her tight. His chin moved against her head as he nodded.
“He talked about God the way Joan did tonight. The way Ken does. Like you did just now. I realized for years I’ve let one jerk sour me against religion in general, and especially against God. I’d forgotten what my grandmother taught me a long time ago, that God is personal. He’s not a building, or even a group of people. He’s real. And he’s not just about showing up for church on Sunday morning.” She felt his throat move as he swallowed. “He’s about love.”
A sense of wonder crept over Allie. She never in a million years thought she would hear her antireligious husband speak of God’s love.
Thank you, thank you. Eric might not be ready to join the mission team or anything, but he was making progress. God must be working overtime on her problems.
Eric pushed her back with a gentle hand until they were facing each other. His eyes were black pools of passion that bore into hers. When he spoke, his breath felt warm against her lips.
“You don’t have to worry about Molly or any other woman, ever. You are the only one for me.”
Her stomach gave a delicious flip-flop. “Even though I’m not as skinny as I used to be?”
He slowly leaned forward until his lips rested against hers with a featherlight touch. “You are so incredibly beautiful you take my breath away.”
Allie surrendered to a kiss that she felt all the way down to her toes.
28
Allie saw a strange car parked in their driveway behind Betty’s when they turned the corner onto their street. “Whose car is that?”
Eric shook his head. “I’ve never seen it before.”
She grasped the shoulder strap in a tight grip. Betty didn’t know anyone in town. What if something was wrong? Eric guided the truck to the curb in front of the house, and Allie was out the door before the engine died. She dashed across the yard, barely noticing the cold that seeped from the grass through her shoes, aware that Eric was right behind her.
They burst through the front door, and then stopped. A gray-haired man was seated on the sofa beside Betty, Joanie in his arms. It took Allie’s brain a few seconds to process what she was seeing before she recognized him.
“Don!” she exclaimed, at the same moment Eric said, “Dad!”
“Hey, there they are.” Don’s voice boomed. He turned to Betty and awkwardly extended the baby toward her. “You’d better take her. Been too long since I held one that size. I’ll drop her if I try to walk with her.”
The transfer made, Don came around the coffee table and wrapped them both in a strong-armed hug. “Good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too, Dad.” Eric clapped his father on the back. “Bit of a surprise, though. I didn’t know you were coming.”
Don pulled back to give them both a bushy eyebrow shrug. “Neither did I, till yesterday. But it seems my wife had other plans. She rented me a car and told me to get my hind end down here so I could drive her back home in her car.”
Allie looked at Betty, who wore a smug smile. Well, well, well. Looks like her mother-in-law had finally developed some communication skills.
“We’ve made some other plans too.” Don returned to the couch while Allie and Eric each sat in a chair. Do
n placed an arm across the back, and Allie noticed how Betty shifted slightly so her head rested against his arm. “I hope you two can stand us hanging around more often.”
Allie’s gaze flew to Don’s face. For a second she entertained the horrible thought that Don was suggesting they both move in.
“I’ll be retiring when this job ends next summer. We’re going to do a bit of traveling, see the world. And we’re going to put the old house up for sale, look for one down here.” He cupped Betty’s shoulder. “Your mother has taken a liking to Danville.”
Eric’s smile made Allie’s heart light. “That’s great news, Dad! We’d love having you and Mom close.”
Allie locked gazes with her mother-in-law and they exchanged a private smile. Her eyes held a spark of something Allie hadn’t seen there before. To Allie’s amazement, Betty looked happy.
On Sunday morning Allie walked proudly beside her husband down the sidewalk from the parking lot to the front entrance of the church, carrying her baby. Sunlight sparkled on grass wet with melted frost. When she’d stepped out on the front porch this morning to pick up the paper, Allie had seen her breath. Frigid weather had officially arrived to stay.
They blended into a line of people filing toward the church. Allie noticed the tight set of Eric’s jaw and slipped a hand into his. Though he had not been to church on Sunday morning in over fifteen years, he didn’t even blink an eye yesterday when she mentioned attending as a family.
The moment they stepped through the double-glass doors, Joanie was snatched out of her hands.
“There you are, you little darling! Come see your favorite aunt.” Tori tried to whisk the baby away, but Joan blocked her.
“Favorite aunt? In your dreams.” The stern look she leveled on Tori melted when her gaze lowered to Joanie. “Oh, look at her fuzzy white coat and her little hat and her mittens! Isn’t she the most adorable child you’ve ever seen?” Her diamond sparkled as she rubbed Joanie’s coat.
People were starting to stare. Besides making a spectacle of themselves, Allie saw that they were blocking the entrance. She shepherded her sisters to one side. On the other side of the foyer, she noticed Ryan Adams covertly watching Tori across the heads of the people who filed into the sanctuary. That one deserved keeping an eye on.
Joan glanced through the glass doors behind them. “Eric, did your parents go back to Detroit?”
He nodded. “They left yesterday. Dad said he didn’t bring any clothes suitable for church. Besides, I think this week has been the first time he’s taken any time off in years. He was getting antsy to ‘get back to the grindstone,’ as he put it.”
Tori still clutched the baby. “A shame they couldn’t stay for Sunday dinner. I haven’t seen your dad since the wedding.”
Allie grinned. “In a few more months you’ll be seeing plenty of them both. They’re planning to move here to be near their granddaughter.”
“I don’t blame them a bit for that.” Tori dropped a quick kiss on Joanie’s forehead.
The organ began the prelude, the deep tones vibrating through the open sanctuary doors. Joan edged away. “Gram and Ken are saving our places. I’ll see you in there after you get Joanie settled in the nursery.”
“I’ll go too.” As Tori transferred the baby into Eric’s arms, she looked at him through narrowed eyelids. “I’m kind of surprised to see you here this morning. I thought you didn’t like hanging out with religious fanatics.”
Allie saw Eric’s gaze slide over to Ryan, who was obviously waiting to follow Tori into the sanctuary. Eric really enjoyed playing basketball with him and the other guys Thursday night.
He shrugged a shoulder. “Let’s just say I’m prepared to revise my opinion.”
When Tori had disappeared, Allie tucked her hand into the crook of Eric’s arm. They headed for the nursery, a sense of well-being settling more deeply over Allie with every step. She clung to the arm of the man whose breath she still took away, and leaned on the everlasting arms of the One who cherished her as his precious child.
She was loved. Truly, deeply loved.
Acknowledgments
Any writer will tell you that no book is created by only one person. It takes the combined knowledge and experience of a lot of people to produce a story rich enough to capture the imaginations and touch the hearts of readers. This book is no exception. The task of thanking everyone who helped me with Age before Beauty is almost as daunting as writing the book itself!
My husband is my biggest supporter in every way. Thank you, Ted, for believing in me.
Susie Smith and Beth Marlowe are my sources of inspiration and encouragement in so many areas of life. Thank you both for being awesome sisters. And Susie, thank you for crying in all the right places.
My daughter, Christy Delliskave, is not only one of the best blessings God has given me, she’s an incredibly encouraging reader. Thank you, Christy, for loving Allie’s story as much as I do.
My stepson, Dennis Smith, set me straight on a couple of important matters related to police procedure, and I’m really grateful. How cool to have a police officer in the family so I can pester him with all the questions I’m too embarrassed to ask a stranger!
Lisa Roller of the Danville/Boyle 911 Center introduced me to the world and language of the dispatcher and gave me awesome insights into her day-to-day experiences. I’m thankful for the time she and her co-workers gave me, and for the inspiration they provided. And I’m also deeply grateful for their dedication to saving lives and helping people in need.
Tambra Rasmussen helped me tremendously by explaining the inner workings of an at-home sales business similar to the one I created in Age before Beauty. Her enthusiasm is contagious and couldn’t help but spill over into Allie’s business. Tambra is a great proofreader, too, and I really appreciate her attention to detail.
Ronda Wells, MD, helped me understand emergency treatment procedures after an accident. I’m grateful for her expertise and for her willingness to respond to my questions quickly. (And for the house call during the ACFW conference.)
Thanks to Cindy Swanson, the professional voice behind the book trailer for Age before Beauty. If you haven’t seen it, go to my website (www.VirginiaSmith.org) and listen to Cindy’s work. She’s awesome.
My dear friend Trudy Kirk has a sympathetic ear and the most comfortable kitchen in the world. Thanks, Trudy, for listening to me talk through the plot and for offering advice when I needed it.
Elizabeth Ludwig is not only an incredibly talented writer, she’s also a gifted freelance editor. Thanks so much for your help!
Thanks to Barbara Penegor for proofreading the manuscript and making great suggestions. Barbara, if I could afford it, I’d get you a Kate Spade handbag, but you’ll have to settle for my gratitude.
I had several excellent critique partners who read the first few chapters of this book and provided insights to make it better. Thanks to Vicki Tiede, Tracy Ruckman, and Richard Leonard. And special thanks to my mother, Amy Barkman, not only for a terrific critique, but for picking up on some local inconsistencies that no one else would have caught. No doubt she saved me from receiving tons of emails from people who want to make sure I know the 911 Center is on Fourth Street, not Second Street.
Thanks to my agent, Wendy Lawton, for everything she does on my behalf. She’s awesome, and I’m blessed to have her as my partner in this crazy industry.
The people at Revell and Baker Publishing Group are wonderful to work with. Huge thanks to Vicki Crumpton and Barb Barnes for helping me craft this story, and for polishing it until it sparkled. To mention everyone who worked to get this book from my computer to the bookstore shelves, I’d have to reprint the company directory. Since that’s not possible, please know that I truly appreciate your efforts and your expertise.
Finally, not a single word of this book—or any book I write, for that matter—is possible without my Lord and Savior. Thank you, thank you! You did it again.
Virginia Smith is a writer
of humorous novels, a speaker, singer, snow skier, motorcycle enthusiast, and an avid scuba diver. Someday, she insists, she’s going to find a way to do all those things at once without killing herself or her longsuffering husband. She launched her career as a novelist with the release of her debut, Just As I Am (Kregel), in March 2006, and has been cranking out God-honoring fiction ever since. An energetic speaker, she loves to exemplify God’s truth by comparing real-life situations to well-known works of fiction, such as her popular talk, “Biblical Truth in Star Trek.” She attributes the popularity of that talk primarily to the Star Trek uniform. Visit her website at www.VirginiaSmith.org.
Dumped, dateless, and desperate
—what’s a girl to do?
This modern-day Cinderella story combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry. Book 1 in the Sister-to-Sister series.
a division of Baker Publishing Group
www.RevellBooks.com
Available wherever books are sold
Age Before Beauty Page 25