Prelude: Prequel to The Lewis Legacy Series

by JoAnn Durgin

  He heard the sweet hitch in her breath as Sarah took them from him. “Thank you, although these roses are technically stolen property.”

  “Well, then, we’re even because you’ve stolen my heart.” Corny, yes, but her brown eyes softened.

  “You make it hard for a girl to resist you when you say things like that, Captain.”

  “The only woman I care about is you, Sarah.”

  She held the roses up to her nose and gave him a small smile.

  “You have a little mustard.” With one finger, he gently removed it from the corner of her mouth. Rubbing his fingers together, he leaned forward, hoping she might meet him halfway. Instead, she reached into the pocket of her uniform. Pulling out a piece of green, rectangular paper, she offered it to him.

  His heart heavy, Sam took it from her. He didn’t need to look at it to know it was the cashier’s check. What it represented. What returning it meant.

  “You’re my benefactor, aren’t you?”

  His pulse raced, but Sarah deserved nothing less than the truth. “Yes. At least I tried. I had the best of intentions, and I was only trying to help you. If it’s needed, please forgive me.”

  “No forgiveness is needed. I was more upset than anything. Well, maybe a little mad. When I got home from the carnival, Tess talked with me and helped me see it more from your perspective. Then when I saw the Bible verse for tomorrow’s lesson, that clinched it. You’ve got to love the way the Lord works.” The corners of her mouth lifted.

  “I was just thinking the same thing. In ways our finite minds can’t fathom,” he said. “Remind me to thank Tess later, but are you absolutely positive this is what you want?”

  Sarah nodded but her lower lip trembled. “I understand what you were trying to do, Sam, and I appreciate it, but I can’t accept your money. It wouldn’t be right. Please understand it’s not a personal rejection.”

  “Would it help if my dad was the one who gave it to you? If it was for a lesser amount, or if it was an official bank loan?”

  She frowned. “No, and in no way would I qualify for a bank loan.”

  “I disagree. You’re twenty-one, you make a decent wage, you’ve had a solid job for years, and unless you have a gambling addiction of which I’m unaware, you have no debt. Those qualifications would actually make you a very good candidate.” He hadn’t even thought of that possibility until this moment. Perhaps he was fumbling, but he had to try. Even before he saw her shaking her head, Sam should have known Sarah wouldn’t accept his suggestion as a viable option.

  “I can’t allow anyone else to give me the money. I need to earn it myself.”

  Jimmy’s words came to mind. Right. A woman who felt the need to earn cherry jelly beans as a kid would never consider a bank loan. That would mean she owed someone something. Heaven forbid. Sam’s jaw tightened. Could the woman be any more stubborn? At the moment, he wanted to shake some sense into her and then kiss her. Kiss her long and hard. Never let her go.

  “I love you for what you tried to do.”

  Sam’s gaze met hers and held it steady. “I love you, too. So much.”

  “Give me a reason to stay, Sam.” Sarah’s eyes glistened in the dim light.

  Lowering his head, he prayed for the strength to resist pulling her into his arms, this woman who held his heart. He couldn’t bear the thought of letting her go to Austin. Increasingly, it’s all he could think about and distracted him at work, at home, and even in church. Lifting his chin, with everything in him, Sam fought what he was about to say. “I can’t.”

  “I see. My mistake. I thought. . .” Her shoulders heaved and, rising from the swing, she walked quickly to the front door.

  “Sarah, wait—”

  When she turned back to him, the heartbreak in her features shattered him. Crossing the space between them in seconds, cradling her face in his hands, he brought his mouth down on hers. If he couldn’t tell her with his words, he wanted her to know with his kiss. The kiss went on and on, but he couldn’t stop. Sarah kissed him back with equal passion. The force of emotion surging between them was palpable. Never had he kissed a woman like this. Never did he want to stop kissing her.

  The warmth of her fingers seared through the thin cotton of his shirt. He wanted more, but he couldn’t compromise her reputation. Devouring Sarah on her front porch would be bad enough if any of their neighbors happened to pass by now. Not that he cared what anyone else thought of him. He wanted the world to know how deeply he cared for Sarah. How he loved her enough to let her go even though everything in him fought against it.

  How would he be able to function, not seeing Sarah in the diner every day, not sharing their special times at the creek? Splashing and swimming. The long talks. Sitting together in church and sharing a hymnal. Helping the kids at the school carnival. Sharing their fears and triumphs. Teasing and pretending it meant nothing when it meant everything. Practicing softball. Indulging in kisses and caresses that stirred desire and needed to be tempered in order to maintain their sanity.

  He’d somehow manage to go through the motions of life, but nothing would be the same.

  “You, Sarah Jordan, are the most precious person in my life.” Sam felt moisture on her cheeks and tugged her closer into the circle of his arms. “Don’t cry,” he murmured against lips softer than silk. Brushing strands of her long blonde hair away from her forehead, he softly kissed her temple. “It’ll be okay, baby. I promise. We’ll figure out something.”

  Sarah cried into his shoulder. “I don’t want to go if it means leaving you behind.” Wiping the back of her hand over her eyes, she half laughed, half cried. With the pads of his thumbs, he brushed moisture from her cheeks. Her big eyes, so trusting, searched his.

  Lord, help me give Sarah the right answers. What she needs to hear for her heart.

  “Guys aren’t the best at talking about feelings. I can tell you one thing: I’ve never felt so alive since coming back home to Rockbridge and finding you, rediscovering you, all over again.”

  “I’ve been here all along, Sam. Perhaps waiting for you. I don’t know,” she said, lowering her gaze. “I’m so confused.”

  “Pray about it, and I will, too. Let the Lord give us the answer. In the meantime,” he said, digging in his pocket, “I have something for you.”

  “My prize?”

  He stopped. “Well, no. I gave it to Miranda and her brother. Hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all, but what was it?”

  “A red plastic cup with the school name on it that says something like, ‘I won the dunking challenge!’” He shrugged and gave her a repentant grin.

  “That’s okay.” Sarah’s gaze traveled to his hand. “What do you have there?”

  He handed her the package of jelly beans. Perhaps it would work to his advantage. “A peace offering?”

  She smiled and ran her finger over the package and then looked up at him, love shining in her eyes. “You went to the diner tonight? And spoke with Jimmy?”

  Sam nodded. “I did. He loves you as much as I do. He advised me to keep you supplied with jelly beans in the future. Cherry jelly beans, to be specific.”

  Sarah blew out a sigh. “He’s such a dear.”

  “So are you. Now, turn your head for me. Please.” Without question, she did as he asked. Not speaking, Sam gently removed the pins holding her hair in place.

  She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair, tousling it.

  “Let me do it.” Sam stroked her hair, being careful not to tangle it more. Her beautiful hair, so shiny and soft.

  “That feels wonderful,” Sarah murmured. “Thank you. Seems foot massage isn’t the only thing you know how to do well. If you’ve ever worked in a hair salon, I don’t want to know.”

  Sam continued his efforts. After a few more minutes, he tucked her hand in his and rested their joined hands over his heart. “Can you feel how hard and fast my heart is beating?”

  She splayed her fingers over the fabric of his t
hin shirt. All over again, the warmth of her touch seared straight through him as much as her smile. “I do that to you?”

  “All that and more.” Unable to resist her, Sam kissed her again. This time soft and tender. Not as a goodbye, but as a precious promise.

  “So, what does this mean?” Sarah said, easing out of his arms and offering him her hand.

  “It means I want to be with you. Together, we’ll find a way to get you to Austin.”

  She studied him. “Sam, why is fulfilling my dream so important to you?”

  He smiled and lightly skimmed the pad of his thumb over her cheek. “Ah, Sarah.” He kissed her again. “In your dreams, I see my future.”

  Chapter 39

  ♥

  Wednesday Evening

  “Girls, I can’t ever thank you enough. What a wonderful surprise!” Mom cried after she walked inside the house, and she immediately noticed the results of their redecorating efforts. “You’re both so busy, and I don’t know how you found the time to do all this. Oh, it looks absolutely beautiful.”

  She gave them both hugs and then, as if in a daze, Mom put her hands over her mouth and glanced around the living room with big eyes, drinking it all in. Finally, she lowered her hands and managed to speak. “Bill, look what the kids have done for us! Isn’t it wonderful?”

  “Sure is. As long as my chair’s in its same place, I’m fine.” Almost as soon as they’d walked in the door, Dad had made a beeline for that favorite chair. Collapsing in it, he sighed with satisfaction.

  Pleased to see her mother so happy, Sarah winked at Tess. She opened the screen door for Sam as he came inside the house, weighted down with suitcases and assorted bags.

  “Thank you, son.” Bill instructed him to take everything to the master bedroom at the back of the house.

  “Glad to help.” Sam gave Sarah a quick wink as he headed for the hallway leading to the bedrooms. He’d changed out of his suit before coming to the house, and Sarah loved seeing him in his jeans and blue striped cotton shirt. As usual, the black Stetson was perched on his head. He’d told her he missed wearing it while serving in the Air Force. She’d noticed he’d been wearing the hat with his business suits, and he often parked it on the seat beside him at the diner.

  “We had help from a couple of handsome guys and a crew from the church singles group,” Sarah told her parents.

  Dad chuckled as Sam came back into the living room. “Maybe you’d better sit with me, Captain Lewis. Fill me in.” He shot a grin at Sarah. “Seems like it’s been an eventful week here.” As the ladies departed to the kitchen, Sarah heard Dad telling Sam about places they’d visited in the Denver area, including a tour of the new Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Sarah smiled, knowing how much her father must have loved it.

  “We’ve done the living room and the kitchen so far, but we can work on other rooms in the house, if you’d like.” Tess worked beside Sarah as they prepared a light supper of soup and sandwiches. When Mom offered to help, Sarah put a hand on her shoulder and made her sit at the table. She kept them laughing with stories of her sister, Mary, and news from the Colorado side of the family. As she listened, Sarah arranged turkey, ham and roast beef sandwiches on a platter and then pulled out the homemade potato salad from the Frigidaire. She’d made the potato salad for a recent church function, and a certain tall cowboy had raved about it to the point of embarrassment. Not that she ever minded Sam’s compliments.

  As they ate their meal a short time later, Sam squeezed Sarah’s hand beneath the table so many times she lost count. She nudged his knee more than once, not caring if it was inappropriate, and they’d exchanged silly glances as often as possible. Mom and Dad watched them, trading smiles of their own. The expression in her mother’s eyes was wistful. Could it be she was reliving memories of shared moments like this with Dad from the early days of their own courtship? At one point, she noticed her parents holding hands on top of the table. That was something she hadn’t witnessed in forever.

  “Looks like Captain Lewis has stolen my daughter’s heart.” The ladies washed up the dishes and Sam once again kept company with her father. Thankfully, Mom lowered her voice before she made that statement. Tess had left the kitchen to retrieve something out of Mom’s suitcase, and Sarah suspected her mother’s request was an excuse for them to talk privately.

  “He’s wonderful, Mom.” Sarah felt quick tears sting her eyes. “I never would have believed it possible, but he’s in love with me.”

  Mom walked over to where she stood at the sink, put her arms around her and hugged her from behind. “Honey, why wouldn’t he love you? I know what I said before about the difference in your ages, but I can see now that it doesn’t matter. You’ve always been mature for your age.” Releasing her, Mom moved beside her, both facing the kitchen window. “Even when you were much younger, I sometimes thought you could teach your old mother a thing or two. You and Sam have been friends for a long time, and you seem to have a lot in common. More importantly,” she said with a slight catch in her voice, “you and Sam share a love of the Lord and a desire to serve Him. That’s a bond like none other. I can tell how much you love him. It’s in your eyes when you look at him. He’s a good man, Sarah, and you’ll be happy together.”

  Sarah finished the dishes and they sat down at the table. “It’s premature to talk about such things.”

  “Perhaps, but it’ll happen.” Her mother sipped from a glass of water. “When Sam comes to ask your father for your hand in marriage, we’ll give him our blessing.”

  Sarah’s cheeks felt warm, and she prayed Sam couldn’t overhear their conversation. Dad had turned on the television, and based on the familiar newscaster’s voice, she assumed the men must be watching the news. Hopefully, the sound would drown out what was being discussed in the kitchen.

  “Tess and Charlie Sorrel are dating, too. He’s good for her, Mom, and she seems to really like him.”

  “That’s an answer to prayer. Maybe your father and I should go away more often. You’re in that early stage of your relationship with Sam, honey. Enjoy it. That euphoria and passion you’re feeling right now won’t last forever, but love can endure through the years and be very satisfying in many different ways.”

  Sarah nodded. “I know.” For now, she’d enjoy the euphoria. And yes, the passion. In her heart, she looked forward to the kind of passion to be shared in a marriage relationship. Sorry, Mrs. Bittenbottom. Yes, I think about these things before marriage.

  Tess came back into the kitchen and held up a blue cup emblazoned with the U.S. Force Academy logo. “Is this what you wanted me to find, Mom? Seriously? It took long enough.”

  “That’s it. Sarah, honey, that’s your souvenir from Colorado.”

  Sarah’s eyes grew wide as Tess handed the cup to her. “How did you. . .”

  Mom shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I suspected you had an affinity for a handsome fly boy right here in Rockbridge.”

  ♥

  Sam sat beside Sarah on the porch swing outside the Jordan home later in the evening. Shortly after they’d gone outside, Nadine turned on the porch light. Although he knew Bill and Nadine trusted him, and even though he was getting older by the minute, they were Sarah’s parents. As such, they were asserting the boundaries. He could only respect their wishes, and he fully intended to honor their daughter. Never would he put Sarah in a position to compromise her. He loved her, and he’d be patient.

  The only sound to break the quiet of the night was the pesky buzzing of the insects attracted to the outside light.

  “I’m glad you could have supper with us tonight,” Sarah said. “The invitation’s always open. You don’t need to ask or let us know in advance. Just stop by after work.”

  He laughed. “Admit it. You just needed someone with muscles to bring in the luggage.”

  “Hey, I’ve got muscles.” She raised her arm and flexed for him.

  “Not bad,” Sam said, squeezing her upper arm. “You been working out?�
�

  “Other than swimming at Thornton’s Creek, no. And lifting trays at Perry’s, of course.”

  Whatever she was doing, it worked. “Thanks for the perpetual invite,” he said, “but I’m not sure your mother would appreciate such a casual ‘do drop in’ policy.”

  “She likes you, Sam. So does Dad. They wouldn’t mind.” She turned to face him on the swing. “Did I ever tell you that Mom was engaged once before?” When he shook his head, she launched into her story. “She was engaged to her high school sweetheart, but she broke the engagement when she caught him kissing another girl. He’d claimed to be a Christian man, and it left her disillusioned for a few years, thinking men were unfaithful liars. Then she moved from Colorado to San Antonio to live with a widowed aunt for a few years, and worked as a legal secretary. Through clients, she met a young civil engineer named William Jordan. After asking her out for over a year, and repeatedly being turned down, he finally told her to let him know if she ever changed her mind. Then one night, Nadine showed up on his doorstep. As rain poured down, Bill opened the door and she said four words to him. Can you guess what they were?”

  Sam’s mind had wandered a bit during her story. When he didn’t answer, Sarah poked him in the ribs. “I have no idea,” he said. “What did she say?”

  “I changed my mind.”

  “Aw, come on, Sarah. Cut me a break. I got distracted by your beauty. Tell me what she said.”

  She laughed and then laughed some more. “That was what Mom said. ‘I changed my mind.’ Oh never mind. What were you thinking about? Or should I even ask?”

  He’d started to move his arm behind her but then stopped, teasing her. With a smile, she took his arm and planted it behind her. Pushing against the floor of the porch with his cowboy boot, he started them swinging.