“Yes, well, we’ll have to see, I suppose. I think she’ll be fine when she sees me. Surprised, for sure, but I think she’ll be pleased.”
When the woman walked away, presumably to get Phoebe, Nicholas decided a few words of prayer wouldn’t go astray. He still wasn’t sure about this prayer thing, but he’d been doing it more often of late. It felt strange talking to someone he couldn’t see, and he didn’t know if God heard him or not, but it was worth a shot. Especially when so much was at stake.
Bowing his head, he asked God to grant him favour and give him this opportunity to get to know Phoebe a little better. He also asked God to strengthen him and to help him with all of his struggles to believe.
He didn’t want to make a commitment to become a Christian just for Phoebe’s sake, but he did want to know God better and he also wanted to know Phoebe better. While the two were unrelated, he couldn’t deny the fact that the former would certainly be a benefit to the latter in the long run.
He felt strengthened after praying. Although he had no real idea if God heard him or not, every time he tried to pray, he often felt a peace and strength he’d not experienced before, so maybe his prayers were being heard.
It was no different this time. He felt energised, although there was no telling how long it would last, and if it would dissipate the moment he saw Phoebe. But right now, strength surged through him and he had a sense he wasn’t alone.
After a few moments, he saw her coming out of the building. She was wearing a soft cream blouse and dark trousers, and her hair bounced on her shoulders.
His heart pounded. She looked more beautiful than he’d ever seen her, but she wore a frown on her face. Feeling hot and sweaty when the older woman accompanying Phoebe pointed to his car, he undid the top button of his shirt and loosened his tie.
Phoebe hesitated. He didn’t blame her. She had no idea who was waiting for her, so he had no choice but to get out. Not wanting to frighten her, he opened the door and hesitantly climbed out and stood beside the vehicle, watching her expression as recognition dawned on her face.
It quickly became evident that she knew it was him, but she didn’t seem as thrilled as he would have liked. She seemed uncomfortable and maybe even a little annoyed.
He waited for her to start forward before he made a move. His palms grew clammy and his heart beat double time.
She walked slowly towards him. He wanted to know everything that was going through her mind in that moment, but he was also terrified. Maybe she wasn’t a fan of grand romantic gestures. Maybe she was the sort of woman who liked to be slowly wooed. He should have called first.
But she continued towards him, so he closed the car door and met her halfway. Reaching her, he smiled nervously. “Hello, Phoebe.”
Obviously puzzled, she gave him a polite, if somewhat cool, nod.
It was like a slap to the face. She didn’t want to see him. How had he gotten it so wrong?
Chapter 15
“What are you doing here, Nick?” Phoebe asked as she approached the man she never expected to see again. She wasn’t angry. Well, maybe a little. Nick had been less than honest with her back in Thailand, but she wasn’t mad he’d shown up. Merely shocked.
“Yes. I’m sorry. I should have called first.” He rubbed the back of his neck, and despite herself, she felt a little sorry for him.
“I’m just surprised to see you here, that’s all.”
“You didn’t call.” As his eyes lifted and met her gaze, there was an involuntary tingling in the pit of her stomach, and for a moment, instead of seeing a smartly dressed man standing in front of a Porsche, she saw a bearded man in Thailand standing in front of a mission building.
But Nick was a billionaire, and that changed everything. She gulped. “No, I didn’t. You didn’t tell me who you were.”
His mouth opened. “You know who I am?”
“Yes,” she replied curtly.
“Is that why you didn’t call? Because of who I am?”
Phoebe paused. His question was a challenge. He wasn’t asking if she’d ignored him because he hadn’t told her who he was. He wanted to know if she’d ignored him because of who he was. Was she so shallow that she’d reject him based on his financial situation?
She winced. “I don’t know. I wish I could say it was because I was annoyed you hadn’t been totally honest with me. But in truth? I had no idea how to act around a billionaire. I didn’t know how to talk to you once I knew who you were. How could I?” She felt like a fraud. Was she not a Christian? How could she have judged him on the basis of his financial position?
“Then you understand why I didn’t share more about it,” he replied quietly.
Phoebe felt her cheeks warm in shame. He was right.
“I don’t like being judged on my having money. It frustrates me that people can never see beyond that. I’m more than the wealth my family inherited. I’m more than my grandfather’s business. But people don’t see that. So yes, I kept my true identity quiet because I didn’t want you to be yet another young woman seeing the same.”
Phoebe’s blood started to boil. She could take his words the wrong way and twist them into an insult. You think I’m shallow like those other girls? But she pushed the thought away. It wasn’t what he meant. And even if it had been, it wasn’t entirely unfounded. She really had judged and made up her mind about him when she learned the extent of his wealth.
“I’m sorry for passing judgment on you based on your finances,” she whispered, somewhat reluctantly.
A lopsided grin spread across his face. “Apology accepted.”
For a moment, Phoebe felt annoyed. How had this been turned around on her? How had it gone from Nick being secretive about his identity, to her apologising for judging him? But God was convicting her. Yes, Nick had made a mistake in hiding his identity, but just because he was wealthy didn’t mean that God didn’t love him as much as He loved those who had nothing. Surely it was just as wrong for her to pass judgment on him as it had been for him to mislead her about his identity.
And now she could understand why he’d done it. It wasn’t hard to see how difficult it must be for him. Of course he would want to keep his wealth quiet.
He looked at her with his clear blue eyes. “Now we’ve got that sorted, would you like to have dinner with me?”
The question threw her. As far as she knew, he still wasn’t a Christian. It was very important to her that any potential life partner hold the same spiritual values as her. And how could she agree to a date with this man she knew so little about? Although, if she were honest, Nick still dominated her thoughts. But was he a good man? Could she trust him? She drew a deep breath and released it slowly while studying him. “You’re inviting me to dinner?” she repeated.
“Yes.” His gaze was as soft as his voice, totally disarming her.
“Right…” The word drifted from her mouth.
“Is that a ‘yes’ right? Or a ‘I can’t believe you’re asking me for dinner’ right?” He appeared to be holding his breath.
She couldn’t believe this was happening. Nicholas Barrington, billionaire businessman, was asking her to dinner. She let out a tiny giggle. “Of course it’s a ‘yes’ right!
“Really?” His eyes lit up, almost in disbelief.
“So long as you promise there’ll be no more secrets, then yes, I’m happy to have dinner with you.”
“There is something more.” He visibly gulped.
“More? Like what?”
“I was wondering if, not only could we do dinner, but could I visit your church? I like the one I’m at, but I’m curious about yours.”
She was entirely taken aback. Nick wanted to go to her church? He was taking an interest in something really important to her, even though he already attended elsewhere? “You want to come to my church with me?”
“Yes. It’s nothing against the one I’ve been attending, but I think there are other churches that might challenge my perspective further.”<
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Phoebe chewed on her lip. Talking like that, about perspective, indicated to her that he truly didn’t understand what the gospel message was all about, and she wondered what his church was like. Was it the sort that really preached the truth, or was it one that watered the gospel message down, but in doing so, left people wanting more? Whichever it was, it was enough to make him hungry.
But she had other concerns. Not ones she was willing to share with him, like what if the church folk didn’t respond well to him? Reed’s friends, his parents. How would they all respond if she brought a famous billionaire with her to church so soon after Reed’s passing? Would they be supportive, or would they think she was betraying his memory?
It had been just over a year, and while most days she still couldn’t believe the reality that Reed was gone, she also knew she had to move forward. She couldn’t hold onto her grief forever.
She cautiously nodded. “Yes. You can come to church with me. It’s the one on Crossview. It’s fairly small and old, but it’s visible from the road.”
“I know it. That’s where you go?”
“Yes. The service starts at nine o’clock. We can meet there.”
“Perfect. And maybe we can go to lunch afterwards.”
Phoebe nodded, still struggling to believe this was happening. “Sounds like a good idea. I think it’s a better option for now than going to dinner.”
Nick smiled broadly, clearly relieved by her responses. “All right. Until Sunday, then.”
She returned his smile. “Until Sunday.” But as he drove away and she walked to her car, her internal debate returned. Nicholas Barrington was the most eligible bachelor in town, according to Jennifer, and she was taking him to her church. What was she thinking? God, is this madness, or what?
Chapter 16
Nicholas woke early on Sunday morning, anxious about what the day ahead would hold. Deciding to go for a jog in the hope it might settle him, he quickly threw on his running gear and headed out.
At this time of morning, the streets around his area were almost deserted, just a few cyclists, another jogger, a young woman taking her dog for a walk. A far cry from the hordes of people and traffic he would have passed if he’d been in Bangkok instead of Sydney.
After running for almost a full hour, he returned home and jumped into the shower before dressing carefully, selecting the plainest clothes he owned, beige trousers and a white button-down shirt. More than anything, he wanted to blend, not stand out.
He arrived at Phoebe’s church ten minutes early, just like she’d asked him to. As soon as he parked, she pulled in behind him in her car.
Before opening the door, he took several deep breaths. Once or twice since surprising her the other day at her school, he’d almost called to cancel. As much as he wanted to be with her, he didn’t really know her, yet here he was, about to walk with her into her church. And it was so small, he wouldn’t be able to hide. He’d made a mistake. But how could he leave now? His heart thumped wildly. She was out of her car and walking towards his.
Steeling himself, he opened the door and smiled. She looked gorgeous in a knee-length floral skirt, and her hair glistened in the sunlight, giving it a rich glow. “Great timing,” he said with a nervous laugh.
“Yes.” She returned his smile. A good start. “Thanks for coming early. As you can see, a lot of people are arriving already, and I wanted to go over a few things with you.” She glanced over as another car drove in, but after lifting her hand in a quick wave, she turned back to him. “Since it’s not a large church, it’s going to be difficult for you to be anonymous. I’ll introduce you by your first name, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people recognise you. Even though I didn’t.”
He nodded slowly. He didn’t like hearing that, but he understood. It was difficult to go anywhere incognito since he and his company were often in the news. Especially recently. “I understand,” he replied, running his hands down his trousers.
“Are you worried?”
“Not worried so much as anxious.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Come on.” Phoebe nodded her head towards the door.
He walked beside her and kept his gaze low. He noticed a few stares and a couple of whispers. Phoebe also seemed to be trying to shrink. They slipped into a row near the back.
There couldn’t be more than a hundred people in the chapel. The church he’d been attending had well over a thousand. It was easier to hide there than here. But this church meant a lot to Phoebe and he knew there must be a good reason.
The music started, and while some of the songs included language from centuries past, he grasped such depth and intensity in the lyrics that he’d never experienced at his own church. It was like God teaching him something new and unreal through the words.
When the hymn ended, the pastor stood. After thanking God for His Word, he began to preach, and Nicholas felt the veil lift from his eyes.
Whatever he’d been trying to grasp, this was it. Suddenly, within reach, was a Jesus he couldn’t have fathomed. A Jesus who’d given up all He had in heaven with His Father, to come to earth as a human to rescue mankind from sin. The pastor quoted John chapter one, verse fourteen, ‘And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.’
Grace and truth! That was it! The fact that God demanded justice but had already issued it in the personhood of Jesus. That Jesus, completely God and completely man, had voluntarily come to earth to be the solution to mankind’s separation from God for all those who believed.
He’d not heard the gospel presented like this before, but it was so obvious now. How had he not seen it when he’d read through the Gospel of Matthew on his own?
Then the pastor talked about how Jesus’ coming had been foretold in the Old Testament, and, all over again, Nicholas felt completely overwhelmed with joy. If everyone heard the truth put this way, he felt certain that no one would ever reject it! How could they? It was an amazing act of love. A plan that God had had from the very beginning, even when He knew that His precious creation would reject Him and sin would take over their lives and cause them to do despicable acts, like trafficking young children. This was His plan of salvation! A way for sinful mankind to have a relationship with a holy and perfect God who loved His creation with an unrelenting love, and who just wanted them to love Him back.
Towards the end of the service, Nicholas found himself on the brink of tears. He didn’t want to weep in front of everyone, especially not Phoebe, but the goodness of God as it had been presented that day finally made sense. God was reaching out to him, and had been since the beginning of time. The gospel message was so much greater than he’d ever expected.
As the pastor closed the sermon, praying a prayer over the congregation, Nicholas brushed his eyes and mentally prepared questions to ask Phoebe after the service.
After the benediction, when everyone stood and began chatting with each other, Phoebe introduced him to a few of her friends. He almost wished they could slip out like he normally did, but that wasn’t going to happen.
“And these are Mr. and Mrs. Fisher,” she said, her voice suddenly edgy.
Mrs. Fisher, a kindly, middle-aged woman, took his hand and shook it warmly. “It’s so nice to meet you, Nicholas.” Her husband greeted him equally warmly before turning to Phoebe and giving her a fatherly kiss on the forehead which Nicholas found strange.
After the couple had gone, Nicholas asked her quietly about them.
She let out a small breath. “They’re the parents of my—of Reed,” she said, softly.
“Oh. I’m sorry. If I’d known, I would have made more of an effort.” Although they hadn’t spoken about Reed, from the way she looked at him, he knew that Holly had told her about their conversation.
“I’m glad you didn’t. They were supportive enough as it was. I’m glad you were just yourself.”
“And that’s all I want to be.”
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“What did you think of the service?” she asked as they made their way to their cars.
“It was amazing. I have so many questions. Shall we take my car to lunch? That way we can chat while we drive.”
“Sure.” When she smiled, her face lit up and his pulse quickened. She radiated a vitality that drew him like a magnet.
They drove to a nearby restaurant. It wasn’t overly fancy—he wanted her to feel comfortable for their first date. Walking up the stone stairs bordered on either side with palm branches swaying gently in the warm breeze, he felt exhilarated, filled with anticipation. The building was of Mediterranean style, and they chose a table in the alfresco area overlooking the city.
The waiter poured water and took their orders. Seated opposite Phoebe was a dream come true. But he still had questions. “What about that other passage the pastor quoted? From Isaiah, I think it was.”
“Yes. That’s a great passage. Jesus was prophesied to come throughout the whole of the Bible. We split it into Old Testament and New Testament because of the Covenants, but the whole thing points to Jesus. It’s amazing.”
Nicholas grew more and more fascinated. He felt energised in his spirit as he was learning something far greater and of more importance than anything else.
As they shared the pizza oozing with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and olives, they chatted easily about topics he’d never expected to talk with anybody about so freely. Phoebe’s faith was genuine and deep, and she had great understanding of her beliefs. It was easy to forget they were on a date, but when the waiter delivered their coffees and their gazes met and held, he knew he was falling for her. He wanted to reach out and touch her hand, but it was too soon.
“Tell me about your childhood, Phoebe. Where did you grow up?” he asked after the waiter left.
“Around here. My life is boring compared to yours.”
“I don’t think anything about you could be boring. You’re the most interesting woman I’ve ever met.”
Billionaires with Heart Boxset: Christian Romance Series Page 9