by Stacey Weeks
“What about the doctor?” Tucker asked.
She smiled back at him and slid into the driver’s seat. She had to keep moving or she might never leave. Tucker was trying to drag out her good-bye. He’d probably tipped off William and had visions of him swooping down the lane right before she left and convincing her to stay.
Her heart hiccupped. If only he would. If only he cared that much. If only she could believe it.
“When will you meet the specialist?” Tucker ducked his head under the frame of the car, preventing her from closing the door.
“They already told me this isn’t the death sentence that I first feared. I have another appointment in a week or so. It may not develop into anything. It’s more something that needs to be monitored because it could.”
“Does William know?”
“No.” She dipped her head. She’d almost called him so many times. But it didn’t matter anyway. Regardless of her medical condition, William clearly didn’t want her around. Why else would he have turned down the show? That made everything else moot.
“What about the show,” Tucker pressed. “When will he learn about that?”
“Mr. Foxshire will call him later today. I asked him to wait so I could be gone first. William doesn’t want to work with me, so he won’t take me railroading his opportunity well. But he needs this to save Paul’s farm. I want to give him time to come to terms with it, to see that this is the wise choice. My being here will just complicate things.” She shaded her eyes and looked up at her brother. “Please, let me go. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
His outstretched arm held the door open. “Jenna, are you sure?”
“I love you. But this is for the best.” She flashed him a final sad smile, gently nudged him out of the way, and pulled the door shut. She fired up the engine.
Tucker stepped in front of her again, slipped his phone into his pocket, and motioned for her to roll down her window.
“What now?” She didn’t have the energy to keep debating.
“Take County Road 19. I just got a text saying the main highway is backed up.”
Surprised at his concession to let her leave, she smiled. “Thanks.”
She spun her tires, giving her brother a backwards glance through the kicked up snow. This was the right thing to do. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye before it could fall and sucked back a deep breath. The right thing. No more tears. This was a good day, a good decision. A good start to the rest of her life.
They why did it hurt so much?
She glanced at herself in the rear view mirror and her mottled face made her laugh out loud. It came out with a snort that was part giggle, part sob. She wasn’t fooling anyone. Everything within her screamed she should stay. Every cell in her body yearned to run to William, for him to be her safe place. To bury herself in his arms forever. And for a brief stretch, she started to believe it was possible.
But no longer.
Putting anyone or anything in the position reserved for God was idolatry. God had convicted her heart that the only being capable of meeting emotional, physical, and spiritual needs was God Himself. Long ago she had hoped, maybe expected, William to meet all her needs. To be her hero. But William was a fallen sinful person, just like she was.
The safest arms to ever hold her were God’s. He was the only one who would never let her down. He was the One who would walk this road with her. Who could walk this road with her. Just as He had with Parker. Just as He had when she lost her baby. When all is lost, God remains.
God would help her return to Bayview in a few weeks and work alongside a man she had started to love again. God would help her work with integrity and honesty. And this short time away would serve to strengthen her faith. And that was just what she needed. Stronger faith.
She rounded the bend onto Country Road 19 and slammed her brakes at a sudden road block ahead. Her car fishtailed in a horrific arch that swung from ditch to ditch in the powdery snow. Her foot pressed flat against the floor and the pumping action of her antilock brakes did little to slow her momentum. Finally she stopped, just a hair shy of the bumper of an unmarked police car with flashing lights on the dashboard. It took a few more minutes for her racing heart to stop.
She choked out a breath. Her breathing slowed and she uncurled her aching fingers from the steering wheel one finger at a time. She shook her hands to get the blood flowing again. It took another calming breath before she could look up and see what had happened.
She squinted into the setting sunlight. Was that an accident ahead? She could only see one vehicle. Maybe it spun out like she did. But police officers didn’t block the road for nothing. She said a quick prayer for whoever it was beyond the blockade.
She shaded her eyes and studied the vehicles ahead. The blinding sunlight made it hard to make out exactly what was happening beyond the truck straddling the lane.
William’s truck.
She thrust her car into park and hurtled out of the seat. No, God! Please, no! Not William!
She sprinted toward the truck and fought against the crushing despair that filled her lungs with each breath. Let him be OK, Lord. I love him!
And it might be too late to tell him.
14
William’s heart lurched as her car swung like a pendulum from ditch to ditch. What had he done? Come on baby, you can do it. Steer out of it! He would never forgive himself if something happened to her now.
She regained control and her car stopped. He gulped relief. She stopped just shy of Officer Carl’s bumper. Another mercy from God. It had been hard enough to convince Carl to sacrifice his day off to go along with this crazy plan. If his car had been hit, it would have been game over.
Carl sauntered over and grinned. “Ready or not, here she comes.”
She burst from the car and raced toward them. He felt a pinch of regret over the wild panic in her eye. Please, God, help her understand why it had to be this way.
Carl took one look at Jenna and slapped William’s shoulder. “Good luck, man.”
Jenna dashed around Carl’s car, slipping on the snow-turned-slush. It only took about ten seconds to reach the truck, where William waited, but they were the longest ten seconds of his life.
She rounded the car and skidded to a halt, gulping air.
William casually leaned against his truck, sipping from a steaming to-go beverage cup. At least he hoped it looked casual. He chatted with Carl as if it wasn’t unusual for his truck to straddle a quiet country dirt road.
He turned her way and raised his beverage in an informal salute. “Going somewhere, sweetheart?”
Her expression alternated from looking like she wanted to pound her fists against his chest in anger to looking like she’d throw her arms around his shoulders in relief. He hoped she’d choose option number two.
She dragged her wild eyes down his frame and back up again. “I thought you had an accident! What are you doing sitting here like this?” She took two more steps toward him then bent over and rested her hands on her knees breathing in deep breaths.
What was he doing here? Something he should have done a long time ago, but had been afraid to do from that first day he saw her at Tucker’s place. Something she was afraid to let him do.
Something long overdue.
~*~
When William didn’t answer, she lifted her head. Bad idea. He sauntered toward her with a determination that stole her breath afresh. She had no hope of slowing her heart rate now. Not when he looked at her like that.
“I was waiting for you.” He planted his feet toe to toe with hers, invading her space, her mind, and her heart. There was no doubt in her mind that nothing was going to stop him from accomplishing his mission.
She backed up a step. Just seconds before she had declared her love for him in a panicked prayer, but now…now… “We’re in the middle of the road!” she blurted.
Carl winked at her and stepped away. He stood with his back to them as if he was r
eady to direct traffic around the barricade and William’s parked, not stalled, truck.
“Yeah, but it’s not a busy road.” William’s mischievous shrug and the hint of a smile made the corners of her lips twitch. She would not give him the satisfaction of smiling. Not until she figured out his plan.
“How did you—” she halted. “Tucker. He ratted me out.” No wonder Tucker had sent her this way. The highway wasn’t likely backed up at all. She flicked her hand toward Carl. “How did you manage this?”
“Carl’s an old friend and friendships go a long way in small towns.”
She whipped around and Carl tipped his ball cap in her direction. He even had the gall to wink. When she turned back, William stood even closer than before. So very close.
Oh my. Her hand fluttered up and rested over her heart.
“There is no place you can run that’s so far that I won’t come searching for you. Not this time.” He swayed forward until their bodies nearly touched. The space left between them vibrated with energy.
He cupped her chin in his hands. His calloused hands cradled her face with a tenderness she’d never known. Tiny flakes of snow rested on his eyelashes. His breath warmed the tip of her nose. “We are not leaving our business unfinished.”
Jenna trembled. Had the words been from Parker she would have shaken with fear, but coming from William, they landed with a gentle caress and a whispered promise.
“Were you running?” He motioned to her car.
“I was heading home,” she whispered.
“You are home.” William leaned in even closer. “I’m not letting you run away this time.” He moved his fingers into her hair entwining them behind her head. He gently tugged her until the space between them evaporated.
“I think it’s time that you and I had a talk.” His voice dropped so low that she had to press in to hear him.
“About what?” she murmured back, unable to look anywhere but his eyes.
“About us. About dating. About falling in love.” He pulled one hand loose from her hair and stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. The touch brought a sigh to her lips.
“Falling in love?” she repeated. If he hadn’t been holding her so tenderly, she might have backed away. Dreaming about a happy ending was altogether different than embracing one. Dare she trust him with her heart? What about her disease? And he didn’t know about the show yet. What if he didn’t appreciate her butting in and signing the contact? If they tried to be together and it didn’t work out—
She pulled back but he dropped one hand around her waist and snugged her back in while the other hand cupped the back of her head, tipping it gently so she could see his expression. She couldn’t help but notice how the curves of her body perfectly fit against his. Like they always had. Like they had been meant to be together. William’s heavy breath echoed her own as he watched for her response.
Her palm rested on his chest and his ribcage heaved within its confines. Her gaze dropped to his lips.
More than anything else, she wanted to taste his twitching lips again, but she pushed against his chest.
He dropped his other hand to her waist, but allowed her to force some space between them.
“What about my disease?” She held her breath. She wanted, oh she needed him to say he was all in.
“No matter how many days you have, I want to spend them with you. For better or worse. Richer or poorer. I need you,” his voice softened to a growl, “too much to let you walk away. I should have fought for you years ago and I failed. I won’t make that mistake again.” His head dipped.
She felt her eyes widen as his sweet breath mixed with hers and his next words warmed her lips. “The only way you are leaving now is if you don’t love me.”
“Even though my future is uncertain?” She sucked her lower lip into her mouth. Afraid to hope. Afraid to be let down again.
He moved in. She knew it was coming and was powerless to resist. She welcomed his gentle kiss that first hesitantly brushed across her lips, but once she sank into his embrace was deepened for a sweet moment of perfection.
Then he abruptly stepped back out of her arms. Out of her reach. Coolness swept between them and cleared her spinning head. Both of his arms hung deceivingly loose at his sides contrasted by the taut muscle twitching in his neck.
He was giving her room to process things. To walk away. Her love for him surged through her afresh.
She touched her fingertips to her lips. They tingled where he had grazed her flesh. Heat flooded her face and she contemplated all this kiss might mean.
She took a tentative step toward him and reached out her arm. That was all the encouragement he needed.
He closed the rest of the distance, catching her in his arms. “I thought I lost you,” he whispered, his lips grazed her cheek with each word.
“Me? Not the show?” She searched his eyes, needing to hear it.
“If any part of you doubts my intentions, I’ll move to the city to be closer to you. We’ll build our life there. I’ll earn your trust.”
“You’d walk away from it all?”
“It’s not walking away if I’m walking toward you.”
“I spoke with my doctor.” She searched his eyes again for any sign of withdrawal and only saw support and hope.
“And?”
“And the prognosis is good. There is a very high success rate with modern treatment.”
He let an audible breath whoosh out.
Carl directed a carload of teens from the church around them. The youth easily recognized William and leaned out the window cheering as they drove by. She felt her face flush.
He tugged her closer. “They’re cheering for you.”
Her eyes widened. “For me?”
“For us.”
She snuggled into his embrace and stood up on tiptoe to whisper into his ear. “I signed the contract,” she whispered.
His arms tightened. “I know. Mr. Foxshire is not so good at keeping secrets.”
She stiffened and dropped to her heels. He knew? Was all this—
“Hey,” he tipped up her chin. “I was coming for you no matter what. If you want to bail on the show and live in the city, I’ll be there. If you want to do the show, I’ll be here. Whatever you want, whatever you need. I’m here. For as long as you’ll have me. I’ll do—”
She placed a fingertip on his lips and stopped him. He was giving her everything. Now she wanted to give him something back. “I want to do the show. I want to save Paul’s farm. Because I love you.” She felt all the tension drain from his body at those three simple words. Why hadn’t she said them sooner?
“I love you, too, partner.” He tiptoed his fingers up her spine and cupped the back of her head. He nudged her head forward and pressed a soft, but firm kiss against her lips.
“Partners,” she murmured, “I like the sound of that.”
He leaned in again, but instead of claiming another kiss he stopped, nose to nose. “Partners in ministry, rebuilding and restoring homes for the glory of God. In life…in marriage.” He smiled with a question in his eyes.
Her breath caught. Marriage?
“I want to marry you, Jenna. I want to have babies with you. I want to fill a home with love and laughter. I want to give you all the things you have missed out on.”
Her heart slammed against her ribcage. Could God restore the years she had lost? Could her bottle of tears now hold only tears of joy? “Yes,” she whispered. “In marriage.”
“This time, we’ll do things right.” He placed a chaste kiss on her lips and then dropped to one knee onto the wet, slushy road. “I don’t have a proper ring yet, but Jenna Jenkins, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” He pulled out a small end of twine he had braided into a circle.
“Yes!” She threw her arms around William and he stood, lifting her feet off the ground. They shared one more kiss before Carl’s shrieking whistle pulled them apart.
“Keep it clean, folks,” he joked.
“Minors are watching.”
William looked back toward the car of teens that had pulled over to watch. He thrust a fist in the air and gave a whoop. Their horn blared and cheers rang out.
Tears filled Jenna’s eyes. Happy tears because God hadn’t let her run away from His good and perfect plan.
She shrieked as William lifted her off her feet and twirled her around. He placed her down gently and pressed his forehead against hers. “God brought you back. To Him. To Bayview. To me. To us.”
“To us,” she smiled. “I like the sound of that.”
Thank you
We appreciate you reading this White Rose Publishing title. For other inspirational stories, please visit our on-line bookstore at www.pelicanbookgroup.com.
For questions or more information, contact us at [email protected].
White Rose Publishing
Where Faith is the Cornerstone of Love™
an imprint of Pelican Book Group
www.PelicanBookGroup.com
Connect with Us
www.facebook.com/Pelicanbookgroup
www.twitter.com/pelicanbookgrp
To receive news and specials, subscribe to our bulletin
http://pelink.us/bulletin_
May God’s glory shine through
this inspirational work of fiction.
AMDG
You Can Help!
At Pelican Book Group it is our mission to entertain readers with fiction that uplifts the Gospel. It is our privilege to spend time with you awhile as you read our stories.
We believe you can help us to bring Christ into the lives of people across the globe. And you don’t have to open your wallet or even leave your house!
Here are 3 simple things you can do to help us bring illuminating fiction™ to people everywhere.
If you enjoyed this book, write a positive review. Post it at online retailers and websites where readers gather. And share your review with us at [email protected] (this does give us permission to reprint your review in whole or in part.)