Chapter Thirty-Six
A blanket of snow covers the yard Christmas Eve. While Dad and Mom wonder if the plows are out, I chuckle. I’m such an Adirondacks resident this weather doesn’t seem that bad.
“Can we still drive around after service and look at light displays?” Meg bounds down the stairs two at a time.
“It’s going to depend on the weather. The TV weatherman said we might get three more inches tonight.” Mom packs her shoes in her purse and puts on boots. Funny, in Speculator Falls, I just keep my boots on.
“Let’s get going. Not sure how the roads are going to be. I don’t want to be late.” Dad reaches for his keys off the rack by the back door.
We’re closer to the front entrance, so Mom opens the door when the phone rings.
“I’ll get it. Go on to the car and start it. I’ll hit the garage door opener.” Dad waves us off while he walks to the cordless.
Ten minutes later he emerges. He slides in the driver’s seat, and Mom glances at her watch.
“Must have been important.”
“I thought it was. Now, let’s celebrate Christ’s birth.”
Meg gets her wish and Dad cruises us around Boardman and Canfield to look at lights. I don’t see any evidence that the plows came through.
“Are you sure about this, dear?” Mom looks to him.
“We’ll go slowly. It’s a tradition. I can’t say no.” He grins.
An hour later Meg chooses a Grinch display on Herbert Road in Canfield as her favorite. My choice is the entire manger scene with a spotlight on baby Jesus.
“I vote for the manger, too.” Dad glances at his watch. “Honey? What’s your vote?”
“I’m with Jenna. Now, let’s go home. I can make cocoa again if you want.”
Dad smiles. “Sounds good.”
When we pull into the garage, I notice our tree in the living room window is lit. “Did you turn the tree on?”
I shut the car door and walk up the garage steps.
“I don’t think so. Did you two?” Mom shuts her door.
I pick up my pace, leaving the garage for the kitchen. If someone left the tree on, the lights could be hot after all our time driving around. After putting my purse on the counter, I head for the living room, my focus on getting to our inside light display.
And find Ben on our couch.
Holding a poinsettia.
“I got this for your family.” His voice is low, deep, and nearly heart-dropping to hear.
I can’t move. “What—how did you? Why are you here?”
He puts the plant down and stands, reaching me in two strides. “I have so much to tell you.”
“You didn’t want to wait until New Year’s?” Where are Dad, Mom, and Meg?
“That’s one of the things I needed to say. I misunderstood you when you were talking with Pastor Craig about teaching Sunday school. I thought you were leaving Speculator Falls for good. I tried to accept it, but Jenna, I wanted to say so much. The timing seemed off. Then I had to stay at the board meeting when you shared that amazing news about the center.” He squeezes my arm. “Then I got sick. And it was Grandma who mentioned your visit here. She realized I was confused.”
“You thought I was quitting my job and moving back?” I cross my arms against my chest.
“Until today. But that’s the thing, I wanted to tell you not to. That you belong in Speculator Falls. You’re a true resident, a beloved one.” Ben takes another step closer. He’s officially in my personal space.
“I thought you couldn’t trust me after that ride I took with Kyle.”
“I’ve been miserable. When the bank approved my loan for the expansion, you were the first person I wanted to tell.”
My hands reach out to his arms. “You got the loan?”
“And I kept you at arms’ length and then kicked myself for it. Then Grandma gave me a little talking to. There’s more. I already paid off the loan.” His smile keeps widening.
“What? You haven’t even broken ground, have you?”
“No. But I was the third person Howard chose to bless with his inheritance. Jay met with me separately because we had to go through the bank paperwork, too. I can make Grandpa’s vision for JB’s a reality, debt-free.” He takes my hands and gives them both a kiss.
“And Howard’s kindness eliminates any plans Kyle has for Speculator Falls.” My grin matches his.
“After talking to Grandma, I asked her for your address here and got the first flight out. I called your dad from the airport and explained how I messed up. He left the door open for me.”
And took his time driving around. Now it makes sense.
“Jenna, I’ve had feelings for you since you blew into town and hit Grandpa’s flowerbox. You challenge me, drive me nuts, but most of all, you’ve inspired me to let go of my fear.” He releases my hands and places his around my waist.
My arms drape over his shoulders. “You’ve shown so much growth, Ben, and I threw it all in your face that night. It took me awhile, but I realized I needed to follow your example and surrender my fears and trust God.”
“It’s a risk, you know. Moving in faith.” He leans in and delivers a kiss that sends a charge from head to toe.
“The rewards are great, don’t you think?”
“Jenna Anderson, I love you. Would you do me the honor of marrying me?” He steps back, digs in his pocket, and pulls out a princess cut ring.
I gasp and blink.
“Yay!” Meg’s at the living room perimeter with Mom and Dad, who are smiling.
“I think becoming Mrs. Ben Regan would be…” I think back to my prom sash and personalized snow globe. “Spectacular.”
Author’s Note
Thank you for journeying with Ben, Jenna and everyone in Speculator Falls. These characters first formed in my imagination back in the early 1990’s when I first visited the real Speculator, New York. My plan was to write it out and share with a couple friends. The thought of publishing it wasn’t something I entertained. Back then I was too afraid of failure to try.
Surrender is something I include in most everything I do, including writing. Through my relationship with Jesus, in time I truly entrusted all my fears and feelings to Him. When I finally let go of my fear of rejection, the dream to write became a passion. Because of you, it is a reality. Thank you for trusting me.
Ben and Jenna’s story is about surrendering fear of loss, change and the fear of not belonging. You might not have lost people or relationships like Ben, or moved on a whim to a mountain community for a job like Jenna, but chances are you can relate to their fears. My prayer is that you would place those fears in the hands of the Friend who is rooting for you, believing in you, and ready for you to take that first step in faith. Jesus understands surrender and He longs to be a daily part of your life. Place your trust in the One who created you and the Adirondack Mountains and choose a friendship with His Son today.
I’d love to hear your surrender story. Please contact me at [email protected].
Blessings to you.
About the Author
Julie Arduini’s passion is to encourage readers to find freedom through surrender. She knows it has to start with her so she admits she’s surrendering “the good, the bad, and---maybe one day---the chocolate.”
She desires in her fiction to not only bring hope to those struggling with surrender issues, she wants to highlight the various Upstate New York settings she enjoyed for over three decades. Entrusted, Entangled and Engaged pay homage to the beautiful Adirondack Mountains.
Julie is also one of the authors in the sequel to A Dozen Apologies, The Love Boat Bachelor.
She holds a BA in Communications from the State University of New York at Geneseo and is a graduate of the Christian Writers Guild. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the 2011 winner of the JournEzine Christmas Contest. Every other Wednesday she blogs at the popular site Christians Read. She enjoys reviewing books and encouraging
others at juliearduini.com.
When she’s not writing, reading or blogging she enjoys taking amateur nature pictures and nurturing youth. With a heart to encourage others, she enjoys interacting with readers through social media and can be found throughout social media @JulieArduini.
She resides in NE Ohio with her husband and two children and is blessed to be a step-mom to two adult children and son-in-law who reside in Wisconsin. All of them know not to mess with her chocolate stash.
Visit Julie on the Web:
www.JulieArduini.com
Coming
February 2015!
Romance is a joke.
After the love of Brent Teague’s life came back into his world only to marry someone else, Brent is through with women. He might be through with being a pastor, too.
Brent was so sure that God brought Mara Adkins home to him so they could marry and live happily ever after. Six months after her wedding to another man, that theory is obviously a dud. If Brent could be so wrong about that, who’s to say he’s not mistaken about God calling him to pastoral ministry?
Tired of watching Brent flounder for direction, Brent’s feisty older sister boots him out of Spartanburg and onto a cruise ship. Brent’s old college buddy manages the ship’s staff, and he’s thrilled to finagle Brent into the role of chaplain for the two-week cruise.
As the ship sets sail, Brent starts to relax. Maybe a cruise wasn’t such a bad idea after all. But there’s just one little thing no one told him. He’s not on any ordinary cruise. He’s on The Love Boat.
What’s a sworn bachelor to do on a Caribbean cruise full of romance and love? He’ll either have to jump ship or embrace the unforgettable romantic comedy headed his way.
Watch www.WriteIntegrity.com
for exciting announcements and updates!
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Entrusted (Adirondack Surrender Series Book 1) Page 20