Finding Faith (Love's Compass Book 4)

by Melanie D. Snitker

  Aaron must have noticed. “Why don’t you get something to eat and drink? You haven’t had lunch. You’re probably starving.”

  Wow, she’d completely forgotten. “You’re right.” She led the way into the kitchen and opened the fridge. After getting the carton of orange juice, she poured herself a glass. “Would you like some?”

  He shook his head. “I’m good, thanks. I need to get back to work here in a minute. I’ll grab something on the way.” The fridge was still open and he was studying the meager contents with a raised eyebrow. “I think you need to go grocery shopping.”

  Serenity put the glass of orange juice down without taking a drink and nudged the fridge closed with a foot. “We’re on a tight budget.” She had no doubt any member of her family would have given her the same look if they saw the fridge, too. At the hospital, she hadn’t given much thought to the medical bill that would inevitably come in the mail. Realizing it now made her want to curl up on the couch next to Gideon and pretend they didn’t need anything from the real world. Not today. Her palms pressed against the surface of the table and she leaned forward.

  “Hey, you.” Aaron’s strong hands grasped her arms and gently turned her to face him. “What is it?”

  She made sure Gideon was still asleep and lowered her voice. “I have no idea how I’m going to pay the deductible from today.” What was it about this man that seemed to coax the truth out of her? She was going to handle this. She had to. But the way he held her arms, looked at her with compassion, made her want to lean into him. Share the burden. But it wasn’t his responsibility.

  ~

  Aaron could see the war waging inside Serenity. Her gaze flitted from his face to something behind him. She was fighting it — battling against letting him into her life.

  “Things’ll come together. Your family will…”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I’ve let people bail me out of situations all my life. I can’t let them do it again.” She looked desperate.

  “You couldn’t be more wrong.” His hands slid up her arms to frame her face. “You could have bailed out of motherhood, but you didn’t. You chose to raise Gideon and love him no matter what. When you moved here, you weren’t bailing. You were doing the exact opposite. You left behind your support system to start a new life. You didn’t bail today when your son needed you most. In fact, you held it together for him when I bet you felt like you were falling apart inside.” God, please let her see the truth in this.

  Tears filled her eyes and she tried to blink them away. The warmth from her cheeks sent sensations skittering across his skin. A lone tear escaped and slid down the side of her face. Aaron used the pad of his thumb to wipe it away.

  “You, Serenity Chandler, are a strong woman who is doing what she needs to for her family. You can handle anything on your own. But it doesn’t mean you should.”

  She took in a deep breath and released it. The vulnerability on her face hit him right in the gut, but it was the trust in her eyes that pierced his heart. There were many reasons why he should take a step back and leave. But all of them — including his job — shrank in comparison to the possibilities that could exist with the woman standing in front of him. If he left now, he knew he’d regret not giving this a chance.

  Against his better judgement, he threaded his fingers through the silky strands of her hair. His fingertips brushed the skin on the back of her neck.

  Completely lost in the depth of her chocolate eyes, he heard her inhale sharply when she lifted a hand and lightly stroked the hair that was curling over his ears. Her fingers were soft and cool against his skin. They were close enough now that her warm breath touched his chin.

  Aaron moved, his lips lightly brushing hers. She leaned into him and he put an arm around her waist, bringing her closer. He dipped his head and explored her lips in a gentle caress. He hoped it expressed not only his interest in her but his need to be there for her — to be the person she could count on.

  When she clasped her hands behind his neck and murmured his name, his heart leapt in his chest. He wanted to continue kissing her, to hold her forever. If only that were possible.

  He rested his forehead against hers and took a fortifying breath. “I’ve got to get back to work. I’m sorry.” Leaving was the last thing he wanted to do. In a matter of minutes, everything in his life had changed. He was going to talk to Cynthia, go to the board. There had to be something he could do about the guidelines and he wasn’t going to give up until he found a way around them.

  Serenity lifted her chin. “I know. I understand. Thank you for coming with us to the hospital.”

  “You’re welcome. Can I call later and see how you’re both doing?” She nodded, pulling her bottom lip in between her teeth. Aaron groaned and captured that lip in a brief kiss. Heaven help him, it was going to take a train to drag him away from her if he didn’t move now. He took a step backwards but kept holding her hands in his. “I’ll call you tonight. Try to get some rest while Gideon’s sleeping. Tell him I’m thinking about him, okay?”

  “I will.”

  They stared at each other until Aaron chuckled and kissed her cheek. “Okay. I’m leaving now.”

  She giggled. “Bye, Aaron.”

  “Bye, Serenity.”

  He heard the door click closed behind him and took the stairs two at a time. His mind was already going over options and plans for how he could pursue a relationship with Serenity and still keep his job. There had to be a way because walking away from the beautiful woman and her son was no longer an option.

  ~

  Serenity’s hand lingered on the doorknob. She softly touched a finger to her lips and smiled. The scent of Aaron’s woodsy aftershave lingered in the air. She took in a deep breath as the memory of being in his arms enveloped her.

  Gideon shifted on the couch and she turned to check on him. His eyes remained closed, his mouth open slightly as he slept. She brushed some hair away from his face before going back to the kitchen and sitting down.

  Her phone buzzed and she picked it up to see who the text was from. Aaron’s name flashed on the screen.

  “Let me know if you guys need me to bring anything by tonight. I miss you already.”

  She grinned and texted him back.

  “Thanks. I think we’ll be fine. I miss you, too.”

  Nervous energy collided with a giddiness that drove Serenity from her chair to the sink. She might as well wash the dishes because she wasn’t going to be able to concentrate on much else for a long while.

  ~

  Aaron arrived back at the school. He whistled as he made his way down the hall and ran into Zane.

  His friend raised an eyebrow and grinned. “You’d better not let Cynthia catch you this happy after spending time with Serenity.”

  “What are you even talking about?”

  “You’re whistling and all dreamy-eyed. You remind me of a love-sick teenager.”

  Aaron shifted his weight under Zane’s scrutiny as heat climbed the back of his neck. He shrugged, admitting defeat on this one. They continued down the hallway to Aaron’s classroom.

  “I’m not saying you did anything wrong. But Cynthia heard about the injury and someone mentioned you’d gone to check on them. Word is, she didn’t look too thrilled.”

  Yeah, because that was unusual. Aaron wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her look anything but unhappy. Even still, if she so much as suspected he had feelings for Serenity, his job could be on the line. Serenity’s, too, if Cynthia decided to get nasty. They were going to have to keep it behind the scenes at work until he could arrange a meeting with the board.

  Aaron moved to close the door to his classroom. “She’s been in a bad mood all day.”

  Zane crossed his arms and sat on the corner of a table. “How’s Gideon doing? Letty’s texted me twice asking if I’d heard from you.”

  “He’s okay. Serenity took him home. He ended up with five stitches and was a real champ the whole time. I imagine Serenity will
wait and see how he is tomorrow to decide whether he’ll be coming back to school then or needs a day.”

  Zane withdrew his cell phone and typed out a text message. Aaron assumed he was filling Letty in. “I’m glad he’s okay. She was shaken up about it. She hates it when a student gets hurt on her watch.”

  Aaron smiled. “That’s because she’s one of the best teachers I’ve known. These kids are lucky to have her. I’m planning on calling Serenity this evening. I’ll be sure to text you when I get an update on Gideon.”

  “Thanks.” Zane studied him for a moment and grinned. “You’re falling for Serenity, aren’t you?”

  “Am I that obvious?”

  Zane shrugged. “Maybe just to those who know you well. What are you going to do, man?”

  Aaron groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m working on a plan to approach the board and officially request that the guideline be dropped.” He wished he felt certain about the plan actually working. “Serenity’s never mentioned the guidelines. I’m not sure she even knows about them. It’s only fair that I talk to her about it — give her a heads-up.” Thinking about the conversation filled him with dread. What if she thought it was enough of a reason to put an end to their relationship before it had a chance to start? “Especially if there’s a chance Cynthia could get nasty about it and fire us both. I’m pretty sure losing her job would mean Gideon leaving the school. I can’t be responsible for that.”

  Zane shook his head. “You’re getting way ahead of yourself.”

  “I don’t think I am.”

  Zane nodded. “You know you have our support. If there’s anything we can do to help, let us know.”

  “I appreciate that.” He watched as Zane went through the door and disappeared from sight. Despite the worry over what he should do about Cynthia, the memory of his kiss with Serenity kept his heart sailing the rest of the afternoon.

  Chapter Fourteen

  It’d been over twenty-four hours since Serenity had watched Aaron walk out her door and it felt more like an eternity. The feel of his lips on hers left an impression that wasn’t going to fade anytime soon. She hadn’t let a man get close to her since Jay. She’d never even been tempted. Yet she managed to meet a man that had the ability to send her heart galloping with one of his smiles.

  Not unlike his toe-curling kisses. Her hand moved to touch her lips of their own accord. Memories of the way he’d held her brought color to her cheeks and warmth to her heart.

  She’d felt safe. Wanted.

  And it scared her. Ever since she and Gideon moved, she’d been handling everything on her own. It was exactly what she wanted to do. Except that Aaron made her want to lean on him.

  True to his word, Aaron had called last night after he got home. They talked about work, the weather, Serenity’s crochet, and Aaron’s music. Before she knew it, the clock read eleven and they decided they should probably say goodbye and get some rest.

  Before hanging up the phone, Aaron had asked if he could bring pizza by the next day and have an early dinner with them. Serenity wasn’t about to turn him down.

  Now she kept pacing between the kitchen and the living room, as if that would move time along any quicker. She made another batch of cookies and had them cooling on the counter. She’d taken one to Gideon in his room when she heard something at the front door.

  Blood raced through her veins as she forced herself to walk calmly to the door. She pulled it open, a smile already stretching across her face.

  To find no one outside.

  Gideon raced up beside her and she stuck a hand out to stop him from exiting the house. “Hold on, big guy. I thought that was the Music Man. But no one’s here. Stay inside for a minute, please.” She waited long enough to make sure he obeyed and took several steps out onto the porch. She swiveled her head, taking in the front of the house and street.

  There was nothing worth being alarmed about, but the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Kia rubbed against her ankles. Serenity picked her up and absently rubbed her ears.

  Serenity shivered just as Aaron’s car parked along the curb. He got out and jogged around the vehicle to the passenger side where he retrieved three pizza boxes. A bright smile lit up his face until he got close enough to see her expression. Concern flashed in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  She told him about the sound at the door, chill bumps lining her arms. She didn’t feel as exposed now that Aaron was there, but she still couldn’t quite shake the impression that they were being watched. With a wary glance at the road, she started to close the door behind them.

  Aaron shot her a concerned glance and set the boxes down on the table. “I’m going to go outside and take a look.”

  Serenity shook her head. “I’m sure I’m being paranoid.”

  He appeared doubtful. “I’m a fan of listening to your instincts. I’ll be right back.”

  She stayed at the door until he returned. “Did you see anything?”

  “Nothing obvious. You’re keeping your doors locked at all times, right?”

  She nodded and closed the door. She set Kia down on the floor. “I’m almost neurotic about it.”

  “Good. If you see anyone snooping around, let me know.”

  “Thank you.”

  Aaron lightly touched her arm. “You’re welcome.” He reacted quickly as Gideon flew through the air and into his arms. “Hey! You seem to be feeling better today. How’s your head?”

  Gideon put a hand on the bandage and smiled before going back to the dominoes he was lining up on the kitchen floor.

  “He hasn’t complained of any pain. He’s a tough kid.” Serenity retrieved the plates and napkins from the counter and set them beside the pizza. “If it weren’t for the gauze, you’d have never known anything happened.” She headed back for the kitchen to retrieve glasses of water.

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Aaron caught her arm on the way by, gently tugging her to a stop in front of him. “I’m glad we’re having dinner together. I see you every other day of the week and find I miss you a great deal on Saturdays.”

  Serenity smiled as his words warmed her. “I know exactly what you mean.” The man had been there less than ten minutes and she already wanted to feel his arms around her again. Good grief, they hadn’t even eaten yet.

  Aaron released her arm and motioned towards the boxes. “I brought two kinds of pizza plus breadsticks. I wasn’t sure what you guys preferred, so I went with the basics.”

  Serenity lifted the lids and took in a whiff. “Pepperoni and sausage. You can’t go wrong with that.” She got the glasses of water. “I haven’t had pizza in a while — which is sad, really.”

  The aroma must have made its way into the rest of the house because Gideon followed it out to the table and took his seat. Aaron prayed for their food and as soon as “Amen” had been uttered, Gideon took a giant bite of his breadstick with gusto. He ate half of it before even looking at the small slice of pizza in front of him.

  Serenity chuckled. “It’s like you read his mind. He loves breadsticks. He rarely eats pizza, but I always offer just in case. You know, when he was a toddler, he ate pepperoni pizza. Then he’d only eat it if it were cheese. Now even that’s rare.” The variety of foods her son ate seemed to decrease all the time and it worried her. She tried to focus on the things he did eat and be thankful for that. She’d heard of kids with autism who ate much less than he did. It could be worse.

  She caught Aaron watching her and realized she must have had a faraway look on her face. She gave him a reassuring smile and held up her slice of pepperoni. “But no worries, I’ll make up for him.” She raised an eyebrow and took a bite. The melted cheese stretched from her mouth to the pizza and she had to use the other hand to break it off before it became more embarrassing than it already was.

  His lips stretched into a wide grin before he took a bite of his own, facing the same problem she had. They were both laughing by the time they’d finished their mouthfuls. Gideon w
atched them. The expression on his face told them he didn’t get it at all, which made them laugh harder.

  Serenity enjoyed the meal immensely. Her eyes widened at the amount of food that remained. “I think you could have brought half this and it would’ve been plenty.”

  “If I did that, there wouldn’t have been any leftovers for you.” He winked.

  The nearly empty fridge yesterday must have made an impression on him. Normally, she would have been embarrassed at the possibility that he thought he needed to bring them food so they’d have enough to eat. But the look in his eyes reassured her he was only being kind. “I appreciate the thought. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He motioned to the boxes. “Do you think Gideon will want more?”

  “I doubt it. I’ll leave the food on his plate out a little while longer in case he changes his mind.”

  Her son had gone back to building with dominoes.

  Aaron gathered the food and put it in the fridge for her. Serenity cleaned off the table and tossed the cloth into the sink from the doorway.

  “Nice shot.” Aaron’s voice was low as he bent to place a kiss on her cheek. He squeezed her hand before moving to sit on the floor near Gideon.

  She listened to his deep voice as he commented on the domino setup. She sat down on the futon to check e-mail on her phone. Gideon must have sent the dominoes falling because after the loud clatter, both guys clapped enthusiastically.

  Aaron was still smiling when he walked into the living room. “He’s got skill for creating some of those taller structures. Who knows, maybe he’ll become an architect when he grows up.”

  Serenity could picture that. Gideon liked to work with his hands and create things.

  Aaron paused by the futon and motioned to the cushion next to her. “Is this spot free?”

  “It is.” Serenity tried to focus on something else to keep the rush of color from her face. The futon dipped as he settled next to her, his arm close enough to brush against hers.