by KL Donn
Sage wanted to know what the rest of the world believed. She wanted to learn how everyone else handled their own temptations and ideologies. Mostly, she wanted to know if God would forgive her for turning her back on her family after their betrayal.
She had been plagued with nightmares each night about what happened back home, of what caused her to leave. Of all the things before that. When the girl went missing all those years ago. Her mind was a fractured mess of memories and emotions, and she didn’t know what was real and what was fiction.
Even though Lochlan was always there to hold her when she awoke from the night sweats and pain of having to relive every horrible moment, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth. Not because she didn’t trust him, but because she saw the agony he went through when she was in the hospital. Knowing what happened and that he hadn’t been there to stop it was eating away at him. She just didn’t want to add to his worries.
There was so much for them to work through, together and alone. Which was a significant reason why Sage had needed to go to church so badly. Clarity was a powerful thing. Even though Lochlan had asked her to marry him, they hadn’t spoken of it again. Her heart said yes, sung it really, but her mind worried he would regret it.
“Welcome,” a clothed man greeted Sage as she entered the cathedral. Lorraine had insisted Braxton bring her to First Congregational Church because of its history and open arms in welcoming diversity.
Smiling at him shyly, she nodded, and Braxton led her to a row of pews so she could sit. Feeling overwhelmed, she looked around, soaking in the rich history and welcoming atmosphere. A large cross with Jesus clothed in white robes and bright flowers hung center at the front of the room. Large, imposing, she could feel the gentle sway of his acceptance to her hesitation.
“You want me to stay with you?” Braxton whispered from behind her.
Looking to the imposing man, with his tattoos and dark eyes, she said, “I’ll be fine.” Even if his presence was an odd comfort.
“I’ll wait on the steps for you.” He walked away, paying respects to the man who had welcomed them, Father Tom.
“You sure you won’t stay, young man, I’m about to rehearse this Sunday’s sermon. You’d be able to advise before I’m left to the wolves.” There was light-hearted laughter in the man’s words, as well as kinship with her stoic watchdog.
“Not today, Tom, but Sage could use an encouraging word or two.” Silence rained at Braxton’s parting words, and she didn’t know if she wanted to hug him or smack him. Which from what she’d been told, was often the way people felt around him.
A light hand startled Sage into turning towards the pastor. “I’m sorry, dear. I only wanted to introduce myself. I’m Father Tom Malcolm. Welcome to the First Congregational Church.” His smile was warm and welcoming, instantly putting her at ease.
“Thank you, Father, I’m Sage Marlowe.” Her voice was still shy and quiet.
“Please, I am not so formal, call me Tom.” At her nod, he asked, “What brings you here today, Sage?”
Unsure of how she felt about telling this stranger why she was feeling so lost, she shrugged.
“Alright, well, I was going to close the church to prepare my sermon for the weekend. You’re more than welcome to stay and listen if you’d like.” His kind offer couldn’t be refused as he walked to the podium and began speaking.
“This year we have been blessed with many new members to our church, and I would like to welcome you all and speak about new beginnings. Many a man and woman have tried to disprove the existence of God and His creations. I believe it cannot be done. Possibly, as has been suggested, God precedes existence. Instead, believing in God is a conscious choice we make—a choice for hope rather than despair; a choice of possibility over fate, of love over indifference.
“A faith choice.
“The good news is, God did not just create a new world, He is still creating it. Ensuring there is always a new beginning, a fresh start. Creation happens more than on this earth, it’s everywhere. He has an ongoing process of giving us more to discover daily.
“In a world dominated by money and power, God has made it so that the oppression and violence will run out of steam. The storms and floods, hurricanes and earthquakes, are all God’s way of balancing the world out.
“He’s making way for new beginnings. Giving us a clean slate to begin anew. Learn from our mistakes and move forward. As a whole, we can save our world and create new life. Good life.”
His words were encouraging and full of conviction. Sage felt them to her soul as he continued to speak. Closing her eyes, she soaked up his words, absorbing them into her heart as he spoke of forgiveness and healing. Accepting one’s self in peace and harmony.
Shocked when he spoke of starting fresh with new love and life, forgiving the hurt and pain, she sat with rapt attention on Father Tom as the truth spilled from his lips.
She was moved.
Her heart was forgiving with his simple words. Completely unaware of what he was doing for her without knowing her story.
When he was rounding out his sermon, he spoke, “In the first Hebrew Testament of the Bible, the verb translated into English as “create” from the story that begins the book of Genesis is only applied to God. We take what He has created and make anew in our lives. We create from His gifts. Only God can make all things new, and in this, he can grant you the ultimate freedoms. Forgiveness. Hope. Healing. New beginnings.
“Start over, start better, and be true to you. For that is what God wants for us all.
“Amen.”
The breath was stolen from her chest as tears rolled down her cheeks. It was as if he could see into her mind. Pulling out all of her darkest fears and hidden hope.
“What did you think, young Sage?” Startled once again, she jumped in her seat. “Skittish one, aren’t you?” He grinned at her.
“It was beautiful.” She didn’t know what else to say.
He seemed to look into her very soul as he studied her before saying, “Whatever it is that has hurt you, forgive first, healing comes second. Hope will bring you your new beginning.”
“Thank you, Father Tom.” She smiled at him with a wide, genuine grin as she stood from the back pew. Wanting, no needing, to see Lochlan.
“Your welcome anytime!” he called as she fled the church, her feet light as air as they carried her through the doors and to a waiting Braxton.
“Where’s the fire?” He smirked.
“Could we go see Lochlan?” She couldn’t suppress the excitement and relief she was feeling.
He eyed her critically before answering. “Yeah, sure. HBMR isn’t too far from here.”
Confused she tilted her head. “HBMR?”
“The name of their shop—Hogan Bros. Mechanics and Restoration.”
“Oh.” How had she forgotten that?
The drive was short, only a few blocks away, and she noticed the logo on the front of the building. In big bold letters was the acronym and above it was the full title. She understood Braxton’s use of the letters now. She’d never noticed it before.
Stepping out of the car, nerves hit her when she put her hand on the door. She didn’t know why. She’d been there a lot in the past. This time felt different, though. She wasn’t going in there as some silly sheltered girl. She was going in there as a legal-aged woman intent on seeing her… Was he her boyfriend? Fiancé? She didn’t know what they were.
“Sage!” Sophia’s happy voice was comforting as she greeted them before they made it into the office. “How are you? Are you feeling okay?”
“Relax, babe, or you’ll suffocate the poor girl.” Nox’s laughter was full of love for his woman. Sage envied it.
“I feel better.” She smiled at the couple.
“Braxton!” Sophia squealed.
“Watch it,” Nox growled, pulling the woman back into his embrace before she could hug the other man.
Stifling her giggle, Braxton elbowed Sage. “Quiet
you,” he said before turning his attention to Sophia. “How you doing, Soph? He treating you right?”
“Oh, my heavens, yes.” A dreamy look entered her eyes.
“What are you guys doing here?” Nox asked Braxton pointedly.
Before either of them could say a word, another man, the one who was always inappropriate, walked in from the back. “Hey, Soph,” he began before he saw everyone congregated together. Sage took a step back and to the side of Braxton as the man came closer to them. Nervousness overtook her at having someone she didn’t know and wasn’t comfortable with approach her. “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.” He was different this time somehow. Subdued.
“What do you need, Joey?” Sophia smiled as she helped him, obviously not having the same reservations as Sage.
“You want me to get Loch for you?” It wasn’t until a minute had passed and no one answered him that she realized the question was aimed at her.
“Umm, please?”
As Joey walked away, Nox and Soph shared a look of disbelief. Confirming it wasn’t just her, who barely knew the man, that had noticed something was different about him.
“Sage?” Loch’s voice lit her entire body up. “What are you doing here?” He ignored everyone else as he approached her, still hiding beside Braxton.
“Oh…well”—his hands seemed to roam her entire upper frame, throwing her for a loop—“I asked Braxton to bring me here after we went to church.” Suddenly shy in front of so many people, her voice lost strength.
“Church?” he questioned, puzzled. “What for?”
“Insight.” She didn’t know how to explain to him how difficult it has been since she hadn’t been in the presence of the Lord.
“Did you find what you were looking for?” There was no judgment in his attentive gaze. The hard lines on his face spoke of the need for her to have everything she needed.
“I believe so.” She beamed delicately.
“Good.” His grin matched her own. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed the side of her neck, making Sage sigh with contentment. “How about Brax takes you to my place, and I make you dinner tonight?” There was a desire for something she didn’t understand in his voice as he whispered in her ear.
“Are you sure?”
“I think it’d be nice. We can talk.”
“I’d like that.”
“Me, too,” he murmured, kissing slowly along her jaw on his way to her mouth. Stealing her breath and making her body buzz, she felt wild in his arms. They didn’t remain that way for more than a few seconds as throats clearing had her pulling away. “Soph, will you call Ma for me; tell her Sage is staying with me tonight?”
“Oh sure, leave me to get in trouble.” There was laughter in the woman’s voice, but Sage didn’t want anyone getting in trouble.
“Oh, please don’t. Not if it’ll cause strife.” Just the thought caused panic to slither down her spine like a snake in water.
“I was kidding, Sage.” Sophia walked over to her, gripping one hand in both of her own. “I was simply teasing, Lochlan.”
“Are you sure?” It was a real fear for her. Discord was something she could no longer handle. Not after everything that had happened.
“Promise.” Sophia winked at her as she walked away and followed Nox to his office.
“Are you sure you’re alright, Sage?” Loch had a look of great concern on his face.
Unable to hide her misgivings, her throat was tight as she spoke. “After everything, I just don’t want… I can’t handle…” She couldn’t get the sentence to form.
“I got you, Angel.” His arms, rippling with tension, wrapped around her shoulders, bringing her flush to his chest. The erratic beating of his heart alarming her more. He was angry.
“I’m sorry.” She breathed into him.
Leaning down so his mouth was next to her ear, he told her, “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about, Angel.”
“You’re angry,” she rebutted.
“I am.” She tried to pull away. “But not at you. At your family. At the state you’ve been left in.” Even mad, his words remained soft, relaxing her.
As they parted ways, him with the promise of being home in a couple of hours, her with the promise not to fret, Loch kissed her again.
Deeply.
Packed full of more emotion than she could ever decipher. Her body came alive once again as his strong hands held her in a tight grip as he plundered her mouth. Her nerve endings caught on fire with a need burning deep in her gut for something she couldn’t comprehend. Their bodies were flush from lips to knees as Loch seemingly deepened the kiss into something stronger than she had ever felt before. He left her aching as he pulled away slowly, sipping from her lips.
Unconsciously Sage sucked her bottom lip into her mouth as their heated gazes met. His murmured, “We’ll talk about that, too,” left her wondering and wanting for the rest of the day.
Chapter Twelve
Love would never be a promise of a rose garden unless it was showered with the light of faith, water of sincerity, and air of passion.
As Loch was getting ready to leave for the day, Nox stopped him, knowing the shop was empty save for them. “What’s up with Joey?”
Uncomfortable with what was now evident to the others and not wanting to spill any of Joey’s secrets after they’d talked more over the afternoon, he told his brother, “He just needs some space.”
“You sure, man? You’re closer to all the guys than Levi or me. If there’s something I should know, you need to tell me.”
Not wanting to play games and just get home to Sage, Loch said, “Look, if he wants us to know, Nox, he’ll speak up. It’s Joey, he can’t stay quiet for long.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Nox seemed distracted.
“What’s up, bro?” As much as he wanted to leave, he couldn’t when his brother had something on his mind.
“Elianna. Soph is worried because she hasn’t heard from her. I know her and Asher had their issues, but it’s more than that. Somethings going on with her.”
“She’ll come to you when she’s ready. She’s not exactly the most open person, man. She’s locked up tighter than Fort Knox.”
“I guess,” Nox muttered. “You and Sage doing okay?”
“We would be if I could get to her.” Loch deadpanned.
“Sorry, kid. Get out of here.”
“Later.”
Finally free, Loch wasted no time leaving. Cruising the few minutes it took to get home, it went by quickly as he nailed every green light on the way.
Grinning as he pulled up to his small Tudor style house, Sage was sitting on the front steps, Braxton beside her. Right where she belonged. With a throw blanket across her shoulders, long billowing skirt swishing in the wind, and a cup of something warm in her hands, she looked at peace.
“Lochlan.” Her cheerful voice brought a huge grin to his face as she dismounted the steps towards him.
Meeting in the middle of the sidewalk, he pulled her into his arms. “Hi, Angel,” he whispered as he kissed her lips gently. A soft touch to keep them from devouring each other.
“Mmmm,” she hummed into his neck.
“Have a good day?” he asked her, briefly meeting Braxton’s hard gaze.
“Yes, I just love your home.” She smiled up at him again.
“I’ll be around,” Brax announced as he walked past them.
“Thanks, man.”
They stood in their embrace for a while after everything went quiet again. Neither felt the need to move or break the silence. Holding Sage close to his heart, Loch sensed he was more settled than he had been in a long time. Knowing she was there and safe appeased his active mind from all the things he couldn’t and hadn’t protected her from.
“You hungry?”
“Famished.” She pulled his hand as she walked towards the house.
“Have you eaten today?” He worried when she wasn’t with him.
“Ummm…”
F
rustrated, he admonished her. “You have to remember to eat, Sage. You’ll only get sick again if you don’t.”
“I know. I got distracted, and I was agonizing over stuff this morning. I forgot.” Her blush was immediate.
“I have some frozen lasagna in the freezer, shouldn’t take long to heat up.”
“I love lasagna.” She sighed as they walked through the front door.
Closing it behind them, Loch led her into the kitchen, bypassing the living room with the overstuffed furniture and empty shelves. Even though he’d spent quite a bit of time and money on decorating and getting the place up to par for starting a new life, he hadn’t personalized it much, waiting to see the path he would travel. Pictures of his family littered a few walls and sat on a couple of shelves. There were some model cars he’d built and painted for his dad when he was younger displayed in a hidden nook by the stairs. When he’d passed on, Loch’s mother gave them back to him. A treasure she called them.
“I really love the calming tones in here,” she commented and befuddled Loch.
“It’s white.” He looked around, trying to see what she did.
Twisting her lips from side to side, only enticing him to kiss her again, she said thoughtfully, “It’s not just white. You have all these other things to bring balance to the room.”
“Like what?”
Pointing to the screened patio door off the back of the house she explained. “You have the natural light pouring in rather than flooding it with fluorescent. The black marble in your planters brings in a bit of balance between the white walls and cabinets and the dark appliances.”
Looking at the room through her eyes, he saw what she did. Maybe he had made it a home after all. He always figured that would come when a woman’s touch had entered each room.
“Huh, I hadn’t realized that.” Pulling the lasagna from the freezer, he placed it in the oven to be heated. Taking Sage’s hand, he guided her to the small bench seat beside the patio doors and said, “Tell me about Morgan.”
Morgan.