Jenna nodded her head and then placed a hand on Trey’s arm, “I’ll do what I can. As for the crying in the shower thing, it’s something us women do when we don’t want to burden anyone else with our tears. I’ve spent more than my fair share of time crying in the shower. I’ll see what I can do to get her to talk to me, but I won’t force the issue. She’ll talk when she’s ready, we just have to be there to listen when that times comes.”
Trey reached a hand out and clasped Jenna’s neck, “You’re something special, do you know that?”
“Not really. I’m just me.”
“Well, just you is pretty special and I want you to know that I’m amazed at the strength you’ve shown these last two days. I know its bad timing, but I want a chance to get to know you better. I know I only asked for a few days, until the paperwork arrived from Denver, but would you consider sticking around a bit longer.”
Jenna looked into his warm eyes and felt her heartbeat kick up just a notch, “I might already be considering that.”
Trey looked at her with a smile, “Really?” He waited until she nodded and then he leaned a bit closer, “That’s good. That’s real good.”
Jenna could feel herself leaning into him, and once again found herself wishing he would take her in his strong arms. She could smell his aftershave, and she could see where he had nicked himself that morning while shaving, but none of that really was as important as the fact that he was looking at her with such warmth and…caring? Affection? She couldn’t quite place the emotion she saw in his eyes, but it made her feel all gooey inside and she didn’t want him to ever stop looking at her like that.
Trey watched her watching him and longed to take the next step in building a relationship with her, but he held himself back. It’s still too soon. Kissing her on the forehead, he released his hold on her and then stepped back, “Good. I hear there’s a harvest party next weekend over at the high school. Would you go with me?”
Jenna was still trying to process the fact that Trey had just kissed her. Not romantically on the lips, but on the forehead. Nevertheless, it hadn’t felt platonic, and he wasn’t related to her. She gazed up at him and silently nodded, her eyes straying to his lips before moving back up to his eyes.
Trey could see the question on her face, and whispered softly, “Slowly, Jenna. We’re going to take things slowly and step by step. You’ve been through enough heartache, I won’t be responsible for adding to it.”
Jenna thought his comments were the sweetest thing she’d ever heard. Her experience with romance was almost non-existent, and the role models she’d had the last few years weren’t any kind of recommendation for building strong relationships. She mentally flashed back to the way her parents had been prior to her mother’s death. They had been completely devoted to one another, and focused solely on caring for each other in a way that she had recognized was special, even as a young girl.
That was what she wanted in a relationship, and whether or not Trey was the man to explore that with, she wasn’t sure. As she watched him jog around the front of the vehicle, Teresa’s words from that morning came back to her – Don’t be afraid, and trust in God’s plan for your life.
As they headed back to Trey’s home, Jenna said a silent prayer asking God to give her wisdom and the strength needed to help her friend. Jenna was already starting to heal, and now it was time to help Michelle do the same. Her future in Cathedral Hills, and possibly with Trey, was still up in the air, but for the moment, she was at peace, knowing that she was exactly where she was supposed to be. She’d leave tomorrow in His capable hands!
Epilogue
“Michelle?” Tyler Jameson asked, trying to keep the shock from his voice.
Michelle heard someone call her name and whirled around, almost dropping the paperwork she held in her hands. She scanned the area around the fire ring until she placed the voice. Tyler? Oh God, what is he doing here?
“Tyler.” Michelle was proud of herself for keeping her voice nice and calm. “What brings you to Camp Red Bird?”
“I’m taking over the horseback riding program and thinking about retiring.” Tyler looked Michelle over, narrowing his eyes as he took in her too-slim figure and the dark circles beneath her eyes. “Have you been sick?”
Heartbroken? Yes! Physically ill? No! “Not really, I just haven’t been getting a lot of sleep.” There is no way I’m going to admit how badly you hurt me. I’m made of stronger stuff than that!
“So, the camp seems to be going well.”
“It is. I thought you were still competing. I didn’t realize you had decided to retire.” You couldn’t even call and tell me that our last fight was pointless after all? Michelle swallowed back the tears that were threatening to fall. She shuffled her feet, anxious to get away from him before she made a complete fool of herself.
Tyler and she had been dancing around their attraction to each other since they were seniors in high school. Then he had taken off on the rodeo circuit, and she had gone away to college. She’d run into him at a rodeo on the eastern slope two years earlier, and the two had reconnected.
He had still been traveling on the circuit, but Colorado Springs had been an easy jaunt from Denver in-between competitions. He had come to town at least once a month and she had rearranged her schedule to spend as much time with him as possible.
When the State finals had been in Denver, she had driven down to watch and been horrified to see the top bull rider on the circuit have his neck broken when his glove had gotten caught up in the ropes. Before they’d been able to free him, his neck had snapped and he’d stopped breathing. The medical team had worked on him for hours, but he had finally been declared dead the next day.
She had pleaded with Tyler to stop and find something else to do. That same rodeo he’d dislocated his shoulder, requiring a surgical fix, and three months of therapy before he was released to start riding again. Michelle had been sure he felt for her the same way she felt for him. They had discussed coming back to Cathedral Hills and starting a rodeo training school and a therapeutic riding program for kids, but once he’d received his doctor’s release, he’d been off and running.
The last time she’d seen him, they had argued fiercely over what she viewed as his defection and lack of feelings for her. He tried to explain to her he just needed one more successful season, but she hadn’t been willing to listen. When he drove away, she mourned his loss, sure she would be mourning him for real in the very near future.
Tyler watched the emotions on Michelle’s face, knowing she was remembering the way he’d left a year and some ago. He hadn’t handled her fears very well, and had accused her of wanting to control him and steal his dreams from him. The accusations had been unfair, and he had acted out in a very juvenile fashion, driving away and nearly getting himself killed that weekend when he drew a bull he knew he couldn’t ride and not withdrawing.
He’d spent five days in the hospital for broken ribs, and a broken collarbone, but still his pride had kept him going. The latest disaster to befall one of his own, had finally woken him up and managed to help him realize what was truly important in life. He’d gone straight to Michelle, hoping to beg her for forgiveness and start again, only to find out that she had quit her job suddenly and gone back home.
That information had spurred his decisions, and it had taken him only three weeks to put the ball in motion. He’d been planning to look Michelle up this weekend, and was totally unprepared for this meeting. Here. In this place.
Swallowing, he offered, “I was planning on looking you up this weekend, once I got settled in Cathedral Hills. I was hoping you’d have dinner with me or something.”
Michelle started shaking her head as she backed away from him. “No. I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m glad you decided to retire. I’m sure your parents will be glad to have you back home.”
“Michelle, wait…we need to talk. I know the last time…”
Michelle kept backing up, not even caring tha
t she was very close to the edge of the slope. “Tyler, really, I don’t have time to talk right now. I need to get these forms over to …”
“Michelle, watch out…”
“Don’t worry about me. I…,” her voice broke off on a cry as she took one too many steps backwards, losing her footing and starting a backwards fall down the slope of the mountain.
Michelle threw the papers up in the air, trying to twist her body to break her fall and keep from ending up at the bottom of the ravine, but her foot caught in a root. She felt and heard a loud wrenching sound from her ankle as she fell to her side, ending with her upside down and only saved from tumbling further by the agonizing pain in her ankle.
“Michelle! Hang on! Don’t move!” Tyler hurriedly scrambled down the slope until he was level with her hips. “Reach up and give me your hands and I’ll untangle your foot.”
Michelle tried to breathe through the pain and do as he requested, but as she started to pull herself up, the pain overwhelmed her and she blacked out.
Tyler noticed the exact moment she fainted, and made short work of untangling her foot and then pulling her back up to even ground. The camp nurse removed her boot and after a careful examination, didn’t think anything was broken, but also didn’t want Michelle trying to drive on it.
When Tyler stepped in and offered to drive her home, Michelle said nothing, but Tyler didn’t let it phase him. He knew he had hurt her, and he saw this as a chance to start making amends. He tried to engage her in conversation as they drove down the mountain, but Michelle refused to even look at him.
When they arrived at Trey’s house, he watched as she hobbled inside the house and shut him out. He didn’t press the issue, but if Michelle thought things were finished between them, she didn’t know him very well at all. He was as tenacious as they came, and he was determined to show Michelle that their futures belonged together. As he drove away from Trey’s home, he started planning his campaign. Michelle Cottrell belonged with him. Now he just needed to prove to her that he knew that as well!
Why should I be discouraged and why should the shadows fall?
Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home?
When Jesus is my portion, my constant Friend is He,
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.
I sing because I'm happy;
I sing because I'm free;
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me.
Let not your heart be troubled; these tender words I hear;
And resting on his goodness I lose my doubts and fears;
For by the path He leadeth but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.
I sing because I'm happy;
I sing because I'm free;
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted; whenever clouds arise;
When songs give place to sighing; when hope within me dies;
I draw the closer to Him; from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.
Lyrics taken from http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/religious_music/his_eye_is_on_the_sparrow.html
Thank You
I hope you enjoyed this story and would love to know what you thought about it. If you have a moment to spare, I would appreciate it if you could leave a review of this book at Amazon. Your opinion goes a long way in helping others decide if a book is for them.
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Thank you so much.
Morris
About the Author
Morris Fenris was born into a poor family in the Fiji Islands. Thanks to his own grit, determination and the support of his loving parents, he was able to embark on a journey that has seen him attain a good education and work in many parts of the world.
Morris has been writing since childhood, drawing on his experiences in life and emulating the styles of his favorite authors.
Morris enjoys reading and writing in a wide range of genres and has plans for many more books. If you’d like to get in touch with this author, please message him on Twitter at #MorrisFenris or find him on Facebook.
Book List
Links to other books by Morris Fenris:
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Montana-Christian-Christmas-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00GU2DJBO
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-California-Christian-Christmas-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00MK9UGSA
http://www.amazon.com/Lifetime-Morris-Fenris-ebook/dp/B00FG0WJB2
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Christmas-Vampires-paranormal-Christian-ebook/dp/B00G7GBIL6
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Christmas-Heart-Warming-Forgiveness-Togetherness-ebook/dp/B00GHPFYO4
http://www.amazon.com/Family-Life-Heart-Warming-Relationship-Togetherness-ebook/dp/B00GM2Y0TM
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Heart-Warming-Holidays-Forgiveness-Togetherness-ebook/dp/B00G1XIORG
http://www.amazon.com/Adults-Books-Christmas-Stories-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B00GR0SFOU
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Fantasy-Adventure-paranormal-Paranormal-ebook/dp/B00IOMHKFE
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Beginnings-Christian-Christmas-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00OPE4NQE
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Young-Christian-Christmas-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00PB09BUO
http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Christmas-Reunion-Christian-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00PVCLLT6
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-High-Road-Western-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00QH2FD98
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-High-Road-Book-Matthew-ebook/product-reviews/B00RAT7DYK
Jenna and Trey: Christian Romance (Cathedral Hills Book 1) Page 10