His mom had been a bit standoffish at first, and Lindsay could see how much she doted on her Nathaniel. But once she complimented the woman’s cooking and backed it up by eating healthy servings of the dishes she’d prepared, Than’s mother had warmed right up to her. His siblings were all friendly as was his dad, but it had been his nephew and nieces that she’d felt most comfortable with. They reminded her a lot of Danny as well as the kids they’d run into in the Philippines on their trip.
“So was it as bad as you’d feared?” Than asked as he took her hand in his.
“Not at all. Your family is lovely. And it was great to be able to have more Filipino food.”
Than’s thumb rubbed back and forth over her hand. “You definitely won my mom over when you showed her how much you appreciated the dishes she’d prepared.”
“I hope she knows I wasn’t just saying that. It really was terrific.”
“She knows.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “If she’d had any doubts, she would have told me, but instead, when she hugged me goodbye, she told me she liked you.”
Lindsay smiled. “Your mom is sweet, and I see where you get your good looks from.”
Than chuckled. “I like to hear you say that.”
“That your mom is sweet?”
“Well, yes that, but also that you think I’m good looking.”
Lindsay scoffed. “Like you’ve never heard that before.”
“Ah, but you’re the only one I want to hear it from now.”
Lindsay felt her heart clench at his words. She squeezed his hand. It was odd to consider how deeply she felt about him, but she supposed that in a way, they’d had fourteen dates while in the Philippines. Each day they’d been together, she’d learned something new about him. And given the situations they’d been in, they’d learned more about each other than they would have going on nice fun dates in Minneapolis.
After two weeks apart after such intense times of being together, Lindsay was certain that this man was meant for her.
As Than pulled into the parking spot next to her car, Lindsay felt disappointed that their evening was coming to an end. Even though she’d enjoyed the evening with his family, she’d been looking forward to spending time with him…just the two of them.
Than released her hand to put the car in park, but then he picked it up again. In the darkness of the vehicle, Lindsay couldn’t see his face and she really wanted to.
He lifted her hand to his lips again and then said, “I’m not quite ready for this night to end.”
Lindsay smiled. “Me, either.”
“How about you drive your car back to the mansion, and I’ll pick you up there.”
“Sounds good to me,” Lindsay said.
“But first.” Than reached out and slid his hand along her neck and pulled her toward him.
Lindsay lifted her hand to grip his wrist as his lips settled against hers. She felt flickers of the passion that had flared to life during that kiss outside the orphanage. But instead of kissing her with the intensity that he had then, Than kept the kiss soft and gentle.
When the kiss ended, he rested his forehead against hers. “I have missed you so much.”
The emotion in his voice brought tears to Lindsay’s eyes. She cupped his cheek in her hand, enjoying the feel of his five o’clock shadow against her palm. “I’ve missed you, too. More than I had thought I would.” She paused, swallowed. “So much it scared me.”
“Scared you?” Than asked, his voice soft.
“Missing you that much meant that you were more important to me than anyone else has ever been. And it was scary not knowing if you felt the same way.”
“Oh, I did. I do. The only reason I stayed away was because I promised you time. And I did cheat a little when I went to see Lincoln. Only you weren’t there.”
“I was there,” Lindsay said. “My bedroom window looks out over the pool.”
Than pulled back a bit from her. “You were watching me at the pool?”
“Sure. I couldn’t resist. Did they tell you I wasn’t there?”
“No. I just assumed you weren’t because you didn’t make an appearance. Why didn’t you?”
Lindsay sighed. “Like I said earlier, there was something stopping me from contacting you. Today was the first time when I woke up that I felt a sense of peace about talking with you again.”
Than nodded. “I have lots to tell you. Let’s go drop your car off so we can talk. I want to be able to see you. After so long apart I’ve missed your beautiful face.”
Lindsay felt a rush of warmth at his words. “Okay. Meet you there.”
She pressed one last kiss to his lips before climbing out and getting into her car.
~*~*~
Thanks to the lighter evening traffic, Than had no problem following Lindsay back to her place. She didn’t even bother going into the house once she parked. When Than pulled up behind her car, she was waiting to get back in.
“Do you have a curfew?” he asked as she climbed into his car.
Lindsay laughed. “I have no idea. It’s been so long since I’ve been on a date, but I’m going to say no.”
“Good.”
He hadn’t been sure where they should go. He wanted to be able to talk to her without interruptions, but knew that going to his apartment was out of the question. Instead, he went to the next best place.
Before she could comment on his choice of Denny’s, he said, “They’re open twenty-four hours so we’re not going to get kicked out. The other option was my place, and I think that’s probably not a good idea.”
When the hostess took them to a booth, Than waited until she’d settled in one side before he slid in next to her.
“Sorry,” he said with a grin. “I don’t want to be sitting across the table from you.”
After they’d placed the order for drinks and a dessert, Than slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side.
“How has your return to life here been?” he asked, wanting to know everything he’d missed the past two weeks.
Lindsay shrugged. “There are times I get so engrossed in my work and such that I forget, but then when I remember again, I get so angry. I feel like I should never be able to forget what all we went through there. The good and the bad.”
“I know how you feel, but I think that’s normal, too. You do have a life here that’s very different from there. I think your heart will always remember, even if your mind might forget for a time.”
“One good thing is that I’ve become more involved with the charitable side of Hamilton Enterprises with Lucas. Sometimes it feels like it’s just a drop in a giant bucket when I think of all the needs out in the world. But I know that every little bit helps, even if it doesn’t completely solve the underlying problems.” She glanced over at him. “You said you had lots to tell me. What’s been going on with you?”
Than glanced down at Lindsay, still not quite used to seeing her look at him without a trace of reserve. He doubted that she had even a clue of what that did to him. He wanted to know more about how she’d gotten to that point, but first, he needed to share his own story.
He told her how he’d been able to spend time with Eric and Trent and get the answers he needed. They had been patient with him as he’d tried to work through everything he’d experienced and learned while in the Philippines. Both men had told him they’d been praying for him and had asked God to reveal Himself to Than while in the midst of the mission team.
And God had indeed done that. His moment of clarity had come when Eric had explained he needed to only accept the gift God offered in order to gain salvation and eternal life. That no matter how good of a guy he was, he needed to accept that Jesus had died for his sins. Four days ago, he’d done just that. Barb’s words from their trip came back to him. He understood now in a way he hadn’t on that day.
“I’m so happy for you, Than,” Lindsay said as she slipped her arms around his waist and gave him a tight hug. “You know, I�
�m about at the same point you are. Oh, I’ve been attending church for years and at one time made the decision just like you did, but I haven’t grown.” She sat back a little from him. “I wonder if Eric, Stacey, Trent, and Victoria would be willing to meet with us. Kinda like a couples’ Bible study.”
“I think that’s a terrific idea,” Than said. “Maybe even Lucas and Brooke would like to be involved.”
Their conversation over the next two hours ranged from serious and emotional to lighthearted and humorous. Around two in the morning, they ordered a plate of smothered cheese fries to share. As they talked and laughed together, Than realized that while there were things that had changed in Lindsay while they were on their trip, some of the things he was seeing in her now weren’t a result of those changes. They were parts of herself that she kept from people she didn’t trust. From him.
Feeling a rush of emotion, Than bent down and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. Sliding a hand to the back of his neck, Lindsay leaned into him. If his heart hadn’t been completely gone by that point already, he’d surely have lost it right then.
When the kiss ended, she sat back a bit and tilted her head. “What was that for?”
“Do I need a reason to kiss you?” Than asked, trying to interject some lightness into the emotions he was feeling.
Lindsay grinned. “No, you most certainly don’t, but it just felt like that kiss was prompted by something.”
Would he scare her away with his observation? He didn’t think he could handle it if she shut down on him now. Still, he wanted to communicate with her in ways he never had with anyone else.
He looked down at her, allowing his expression to go serious. Her gray eyes were soft, her gaze open and expectant. “You trust me.”
She blinked once at his words, and her gaze slipped away for a moment, but then she looked back at him and nodded. “Yes, I do. Did this just come to you now?”
Than thought about that. “I think it’s been a kind of gradual thing, starting when you shared about your dad during the flight to the Philippines. But it just struck me now because you’re acting the way you only seem to act when you’re around people like Danny or Lucas. I’ve seen it before but always understood that it was only because I happened to be there, not because I inspired that response in you. But now…it’s just me here. You trust me not to hurt you.”
Lindsay stared at him and then nodded. “On the trip, I had no choice but to trust you with my safety. It took a while longer to get to the point where I felt I could trust you with…everything else.” Her gaze dropped as she trailed a finger down the front of his shirt. “But that’s not to say I won’t ever struggle with jealousy. I know there are a lot of women out there who would gladly take you off my hands.”
“They could only do that if I were looking for a way out.” Than placed his hand over hers and moved it to cover his heart. “And I’m not. I know your concerns. And they are…were valid. At one time, I would have balked at focusing on just one woman for any length of time. And anything more permanent was definitely not in my future. I mean, how did I know that the minute I tied myself to one woman, a better one wouldn’t come along? But that all started to change after our date. I tried to continue on as usual once you turned me down, but after three dates with other women, I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
Lindsay arched a brow at him. “You’ve only been on three dates in the past eight months?”
Than nodded. “And those all occurred in the month following our date. So technically, I haven’t had a date at all in seven months. And in that time I realized that I didn’t need to worry that a better woman might come along because I’d already found the best one for me. I just needed to be patient and wait for you to accept that I was the best one for you.” Than pressed his hand more firmly over hers, wanting her to feel the beat of his heart. “I know that technically we haven’t even had a real second date, but I don’t need that in order to tell you that I love you, Lindsay.”
He felt her hand jerk beneath his and then curl into a fist, gathering the fabric of his shirt into her grip. “You love me?”
Than stared into her eyes that had turned to liquid silver and smiled. “I certainly do. And you’re the only woman—aside from the ones in my family—that I’ve ever said that to. A year ago I would have laughed at anyone who said I’d be professing my love to you sitting in a booth in Denny’s in the middle of the night, but right now there’s no place else I’d rather be and no one else I’d rather be with than you.”
“Oh, Than.” Lindsay leaned closer to him, her eyelashes spiky with unshed tears. “I love you, too. Sorry it took me so long to get with the program.”
Than shook his head. “It’s God’s perfect time. Anything sooner might have resulted in a relationship that would have floundered. Right now, I’m confident in God’s plan for us, and the timing for this is part of that.”
He bent to press another kiss to her lips, knowing that this time she’d understand what prompted it. The kiss was soft and sweet, full of the love and promise they had for each other. And as they kissed, Than pledged to guard Lindsay’s heart and their love like they were the most precious things on earth.
Because they were.
EPILOGUE
Lindsay tried not to feel sad and alone, but it was hard not to since Than had been away for over two weeks. She’d known that there would be stretches of time like this when he would be away because of his job. And so far they’d dealt with it one other time. This time was different though. It was her birthday, and he hadn’t even called to wish her happy birthday. Nor had there been a card or any type of acknowledgment of her special day from him.
Her family had made it special for her though. Her mom had taken her out for breakfast and then to do some birthday shopping. She’d ended up with a new dress which she was wearing for their family dinner at Thom and Amanda’s restaurant. It would have been a perfect end to the day…if only Than were there to share it with her.
“I’m so hungry I could eat everything on the menu,” Danny said, slipping his hand into hers as they walked from the parking lot to the restaurant.
They were trailing behind Lucas, Brooke, Lincoln and her mom, but Danny didn’t seem to be in any hurry to catch up. And neither was Lindsay. She loved her nephew beyond words and spending time with him ranked second only to spending time with Than. In fact, being with both of them together was one of her favorite things.
Danny was the one who’d first broke through the walls around her heart. He’d offered her affection and love almost from the first time they’d met, and it had only grown from there. And she’d quickly learned she could be completely herself with him because he never held back anything when he was around her. She thanked God every day for bringing Brooke and Danny into their lives.
“Hey! There’s a plane, Auntie!”
Lindsay stopped and looked up at the sky, shading her eyes. Danny had a fascination with planes, and she wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up as a pilot one day. The fact that his father had almost died in a plane accident didn’t seem to be a deterrent at all. Lindsay just looked at the plane wishing it was bringing Than home.
“C’mon, you guys!” Lincoln called from where he stood holding the door to the restaurant open.
“They’re such spoilsports,” Lindsay said with a grin at Danny as they jogged the last few feet to the restaurant.
They had just stepped in the door when there was a resounding SURPRISE! Lindsay froze in shock while Danny danced around her, obviously beyond delighted that they’d truly surprised her.
She looked around the room for that one face she longed to see. But he wasn’t there. Pushing aside her disappointment, she focused on those who were there because their presence touched her more than she could say. Barb. Mark and Mel. Eric and his family. Trent and Victoria. A group from BlackThorpe. Several of her co-workers. And Than’s family. She was so glad to see them all there, too. If Than couldn’t be there, she was glad they were. I
n the six months they’d been dating, she’d grown to love them as if they were her own family.
She felt an arm slip around her shoulders and looked up to see Lucas standing there, a big smile on his face.
“Well, I wasn’t sure we could actually surprise Lindsay, but it looks like we pulled it off!” There was a round of cheers and applause. “Why don’t you all find seats so we can get this party started?”
Lucas led her to a seat that had balloons attached to the back. On the table beside the chair was a vase with three roses. One white. One pink. One red. She knew that they were from Than and blinked back tears as she reached out to touch one of them.
“Than is the mastermind behind this whole evening and has been a pain in the butt trying to make sure everything was perfect.” Lucas touched her shoulder as he looked down at her. “And he wanted to be here. We had planned a Skype session, but then his plans changed again and he has been out of contact. Thankfully, we knew that might happen so he took the time to make you a video in case this was how things ended up.”
Lindsay looked around and realized that several people had their phones out and were videoing her. She was overwhelmed with love for these people who had chosen to spend their evening celebrating her birthday with her.
“We’ve set up a screen here so we can project his message for you, Linds.”
Her eyes widened when Than’s face filled the screen that sat at the end of the room. It was frozen for a second and then he smiled, his brown eyes warm. Lindsay felt a rush of tears as she reached out toward his image. She loved this man so much—even more than the night they’d professed their love for each other.
“Hi, sweetheart. Happy birthday! I wish I could give you this message in person, but…” His broad shoulders lifted and fell as a rueful expression flitted across his face. “I want you to know that these past six months with you have been the best of my life. All I’d hoped for when Lucas asked me to be your bodyguard for the mission trip was to get you to go out on a second date with me. Instead, I found a faith that has turned my life around and a love that’s filled my heart.” He leaned forward and Lindsay had to gather her hand into a fist to keep from reaching out toward him again. “When I told you that night in Denny’s that I knew I didn’t need to keep looking for the perfect woman for me, I meant it. You might drive me nuts on occasion. And yes, I know I’ve driven you crazy, too. But at the end of each day, I have gone to bed knowing I love you even more than I did the day before. You are my forever, Lindsay. So…” He relaxed back and a smile lifted the corner of his mouth, his eyes sparkling. “The next time I see you, I’m going to have a question for you. And I expect you to have your answer ready.”
Guarding Her Heart: A Christian Romance (BlackThorpe Security Book 1) Page 23