Diamond Lake Series: Complete Series (Bks 1-7) Boxset

by T. K. Chapin

  After my mother left and I got the girls tucked into their beds, I headed out to my patio for my rendezvous with the stars and my cup of hot tea. While I wasn’t happy that Dylan was over at my house when I got home earlier, I couldn’t resist the feeling of thankfulness for the warmth of the fireplace that evening.

  As I cozied up in my chair in front of the fireplace outside, I brought my knees to my chest and took a sip of my tea. My eyes scanned across the horizon of the moonlit lake and took a moment to appreciate God’s handiwork. The only sound that I could hear was the sound of the water lapping against the shore and my heartbeat.

  A half hour passed as I prayed and meditated on Scriptures. Then a break in the quiet came. That baby grand piano I saw being moved into Dylan’s house suddenly started playing next door. The sweet sounds strummed the strings of my aching heart and brought calmness over me. Relaxing my head against the back of my chair, I glanced over to Dylan’s house as I continued listening. Then First Corinthians 13:1 came to my thoughts. If I speak in tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. Then I felt the Spirit focus in on part of the verse, replaying it in my mind . . . but do not have love. Whether I wanted to be with Dylan or not, I needed to show love. It didn’t matter how well I prayed at church in the women’s prayer group. It didn’t matter how well I did anything for God. If I didn’t have love, God’s love, I had nothing.

  The piano stopped playing and a void was left in the evening air that wasn’t there before. The sounds of crashing waves on the shore no longer brought peace to my soul. Emptiness surrounded me. I needed to make amends with Dylan and I needed to show God’s love, but I didn’t know if I could.

  Chapter 8

  The next morning, I saw Dylan through the window in my kitchen. He was sitting in his chair out on the dock. I knew what I had to do. Wrapping my robe tightly around my waist, I headed out the back door and over to him.

  My mind raced with how to word the apology on my way over to him, but I drew a sudden blank as I stood behind him and he turned to look at me. His brown eyes no longer held the joy I once saw in them. He looked to be plagued with a grief I had no understanding of.

  “Dylan . . .” I managed to get out.

  “What, Charlotte?” he asked. When I didn’t say anything, he turned back to his Bible and the lake as he remained in his seat.

  “I’m sorry.” When he didn’t look back at me or respond, I decided to turn and leave him on the dock. I was frustrated, not with him, but with myself for letting myself hold his family name against him.

  Leaving the dock, I headed back to my house as tears welled in my eyes. I did everything I could. Now it was up to God.

  After work, I picked up the kids from the house and took them over to Abby’s for the barbecue she was having. My mother was coming too. As I pulled into the driveway of her house, I saw a few extra cars parked outside. Wonder who she invited? My impression was that the barbecue was a family get-together, but that didn’t look to be the case.

  As the girls and I got out of the car, Emily asked, “How long do we have to be here? I wanted to go hang out with Brianna tonight.”

  “Hush,” I replied as we all headed toward the gate on the side of the house.

  Coming into the backyard, I saw Chase barbecuing burgers and hot dogs while Abby brought paper plates and napkins out to the picnic table. She glanced over at me and flashed a big smile before coming over.

  “I’m so happy you’re here, Sis!” she said, approaching and then wrapping her arms around me for a big hug. “Have you heard from Mom?”

  “She should be here soon . . .” I replied as I glanced over her shoulder at Chase. “What’s he doing here?”

  Abby grinned. “We’re back together.”

  I nodded with raised eyebrows.

  She shook her head. “We’re getting married and moving to Seattle. Chase got a job with some big software company.”

  Married? Was she nuts? “Oh.”

  “I’m going to be okay. Things are good now.” She glanced over at someone I didn’t know who was helping Chase’s little boy on the monkey bars. “I spent some time with Pastor Charles. He taught me a lot about how much God values me and I just get it now. I’m not so worried about the future anymore. Once I stopped thinking about myself, everything just made sense.”

  “Honestly . . . I didn’t know you were saved.”

  She shoved my shoulder playfully. “I made that commitment to Christ at church camp when I was a teenager. Don’t you remember?”

  Shaking my head, I said, “No.”

  “Yeah. I got baptized and everything at camp. Anyway . . . I don’t know if I was really saved or not then, since Jesus wasn’t ever the Lord of my life, but I made a recommitment to Christ a couple of days ago.”

  I smiled. “Good to hear, Abby.” While I wasn’t sure about her decisions with moving, marriage and even Chase, I was sure of the decision for Christ. I was proud of her for making the commitment.

  Mother walked into the backyard, interrupting our conversation and we both looked at her.

  Leaning into Abby’s ear, I asked, “Did you tell our mother yet?”

  “Nope.”

  Smiling, I looked at Abby. “Have fun with that.” Leaving them, I went over to the barbecue and talked to Chase while Abby told mom about the big change in her life.

  Chapter 9

  Weeks came and went without a word from Dylan. He was the neighbor I no longer spoke to and only saw when he would come and go from his house. He continued to play the piano in the evenings, and I’d make sure I was out on my patio to listen. My conscience and the Spirit tortured me daily over what had transpired between us. I called myself a Christian, but I hadn’t acted like one with him. One day, after a mid-shift at work, I decided to go talk to him again, this time at The Newport Theater’s construction site. After a longwinded prayer earlier that morning, which resulted in an emotional breakdown, I felt as if God had whispered into my ear, try again. Parking alongside the curb at the construction site, I got out and scanned the workers who were coming in and out of the propped open doors just below the giant neon sign that read diagonally, The Newport Theater. My nerves were shooting off bits of electricity, and I felt my throat clasping shut. I was going from apologetic neighbor to full-fledged stalker with this action, but I had to try again.

  My eyes bounced from face to face, and then I saw him. I could feel my heart skip a beat when my eyes fell on him for the first time in weeks. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a plain white tee shirt with a hard hat to top it all off. He looked tired and dirty from toiling the day away in the heat, but he looked good as usual.

  God, help me. “Dylan!” I called out from across the street.

  He turned and looked over at me after tossing a box he had in a dumpster. It was only for a moment, but I could feel his disappointment hiding behind his big brown eyes. It ripped me apart that he was still hurt by my actions. He headed back toward the entrance.

  Glancing both directions, I darted across the street and over to the doors. Seeing him pick up a plank of wood inside and walk back toward my direction, I stood to the side of the door and waited for him. As he walked by, I joined his side. “Hey. I want to talk to you.”

  He stopped and looked over at me. “Ever think maybe I don’t want to talk to you?” He continued on to the dumpster.

  Joining his side again, I said, “I just want to see how things are going. With The Newport Theater and . . . you know . . . everything . . .”

  He laughed as he tossed the wood into the back of a nearby pickup truck. Turning around to face me, he looked at me with his piercing eyes. They tore through me and touched my soul, similar to the way his piano playing had been. “You came here to ask me how The Newport Theater is going?” He folded his arms. “You just want to sweep what you did under the rug?”

  “I said I’m sorry, Dylan.” I shook my head. “I don’t know what more you want from me.” />
  Another construction worker came up to him. “Dylan. We need you inside.”

  “Just a sec,” Dylan responded to the man. He looked back at me. “You know, Charlotte. You should read up on Ephesians 4:31. It’d be a great insight for you.” His tone had an air of superiority to it that just rubbed me the wrong way. He gently touched my shoulder, sending sparks shooting all over my body, and then went on his way.

  Crossing the street to my car, I racked my mind trying to think of the verse and the fact that he just told me to go read my Bible. Who did he think he was? Just telling me to go read my Bible. I knew I’d be upset no matter what the Scripture said. Once I got in my car, I pulled my phone out and looked up the verse.

  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:31

  I had already admitted that I was in the wrong. I didn’t feel the verse was very applicable to the situation. Glancing out my window toward The Newport Theater, I thought about how self-righteous that move was on his part. Maybe I don’t like this guy as much as I thought I did. Looking back down at my phone, I was about to exit the app when I saw the next verse.

  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

  I laughed. That’s perfect! I loved the fact that the verse followed right after the one he brought up to me. It was a God thing, that’s for sure. If Dylan wanted to play the ‘read this verse’ game with me, I was going to give him a dose of his own medicine. As I grabbed the door handle, my phone rang—it was my mother. I paused from exiting the vehicle.

  “Where are you? I need to be over to the museum in twenty minutes to meet Sandy.”

  I peered over at The Newport Theater. I needed to get home, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t nail the verse to his door. “Sorry, Mom. I’m on my way home right now.”

  As I was clearing the table after dinner, a knock came from the back door off the kitchen. Setting the handful of plates down in the sink, I went over to see who it was. Pulling the curtain back on the door’s window, I saw it was Dylan.

  Relief came over me as I opened the door. “Dylan.”

  “You left something of yours on my door,” he replied, stepping into the kitchen and holding up my note an inch in front of my eyes. I took a step back.

  “I figured we were playing the whole read this verse game.” I let out a soft chuckle.

  “Okay, Charlotte.” He looked at the paper. “Verse thirty-two? You want to tell me about forgiveness? You held it against me that I was an Atkin. What about forgiveness for something that happened eons ago and that I didn’t even do?”

  “I tried to make amends. What do you do? You tell me to go read my Bible like you’re some sort of God’s gift to mankind.”

  He laughed. “You’re cute!”

  “What?” I replied, perplexed.

  “Your nose. It curls up when you’re mad.” He smiled. “I know I probably seem hot and cold right now, but there’s a lot of emotions going on inside of me right now.” He stepped closer to me and took my hands in his. “Every night, I struggle knowing you’re just a few steps away from me. It’s torture, and I don’t want to do it anymore, Charlotte. I like you. A lot.”

  “I like you too, Dylan . . .”

  “What is it?”

  Shaking my head, I replied, “I’ve listened to you play the piano every evening, and you don’t come across as struggling.”

  “You could hear me playing?”

  I nodded.

  “I haven’t been able to play the piano since Elise passed away, but I finally was able to after I met you. Then after our fight, I played to help soothe my pained soul. You’ve made me feel things, Charlotte, that I thought I’d never feel again.”

  My eyes welled with tears at his words. He wasn’t divorced. His wife had died. Tingles of sadness pierced through my body and my throat tightened as he exposed his heart for the first time to me.

  “Mommy . . .” Bailey said suddenly from the doorway of the kitchen, breaking through our conversation. Tristan was by her side.

  I pulled my hands back from Dylan and turned to the girls as I dabbed the tears from my eyes. “What is it?”

  Tristan nudged Bailey’s shoulder, and she pulled her hand out from behind her back, revealing a piece of oddly sharpened drift wood. At second glance I spotted the town’s seal on it. A small worked piece of metal that had been screwed into the wood. Though it was worn down, it was visible to the naked eye. This has to be from the raft that carried the bell across the lake. My eyes widened as I stepped closer. Taking it out of Bailey’s hand, I began to inspect the piece of wood closely.

  Dylan stepped beside me as he tried to peek, and I jerked my body in reflex. Everything inside me wanted to hide it, even though I knew he wasn’t like the other Atkins. Glancing over my shoulder at Dylan, my eyes met his and I recalled the Scripture that had pressed against my heart time and time again, starting with the first night he played the piano. First Corinthians 13:1 - If I speak in tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I wasn’t in love with Dylan, but this moment was my chance to show him God’s love that existed inside me. Turning around to Dylan, I gave him the piece of paddle.

  He rubbed a thumb over the engraved crest. His eyes grew wide. “Wow. I’ve only heard the stories handed down by the generations.” He looked up at me. “I love the history of this town. It’s so fascinating.”

  “I think so too.”

  He came over and stood partially behind me as he brought his arm around my body and took my hand with the wood in it and brought it up in front of my eyes. “Look,” he said, pressing his finger against the wood as his arm was wrapped around me. Though his touch was light, it fueled the desire I had for him, and his muscular arm around me felt safe—something I hadn’t felt in years.

  “What?” I asked as I squinted at the piece of wood.

  “The intricate detail of the crest is incredible.”

  Smiling as I knew he was just making an excuse to get close to me again, I nodded. “Really neat.”

  “We found it on the shore. We’ll show you!” Tristan said as she scurried toward the back door with Bailey.

  Dylan handed me back the piece of wood and I pushed it back into his hands. “Keep it. It’s part of your family’s history.”

  As we stepped out onto the back patio, the warm summer evening air wrapped itself around us. I don’t know if it was because Dylan and I had the talk or the fact that I finally felt a firm understanding of the guy, but I felt a sense of calm and peace wash over me.

  Arriving down at the sand with the girls, they led us a little further down my side of the shore. As we followed behind them, Dylan reached over and grabbed my hand, causing a surge of warmth to go through my body. I couldn’t stop smiling as we walked hand in hand on the shore that evening.

  Stopping, the girls turned around and we released our hands. I loved that he understood me and didn’t want to force the kids into the idea of an ‘us’ right then and there.

  “This the spot?” I asked.

  Bailey and Tristan nodded.

  The girls ran back to the house, leaving Dylan and me alone on the shore. Raising my eyes to the still waters of the lake, I thought about Edith and her family. They could finally recover the bell after so long of not knowing where it had gone. “The Townsons will be able to recover the bell now.”

  Dylan looked over at me and asked, “Is that what you want?”

  I turned to him to respond. “It is.”

  Dylan’s eyes went back out to the lake, and the sound of nearby owl interrupted the quietness in the air. “Why ruin our beautiful backyards with boats and media for some earthly treasure?”

  I looked over at him again as his eyes stayed fixed on the water. “You’re right.” Stepping closer to him, I laid my head against his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around my waist. Dylan didn’t want a
nything to do with the feud, and neither did I.

  Chapter 10

  After an excruciating day at work the next day, I welcomed my cup of hot tea on the back patio. As I stepped out into evening, I saw the moon casting a beautiful reflection across the lake.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Dylan asked suddenly as he came up onto the patio. He had surprised me, but what a handsome surprise. A soft blue flannel shirt and a pair of jeans that fit just right. He smiled warmly and I flashed him a smile. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. Just saw you pull in a little bit ago and figured you might want to hang out.”

  I smiled. “You read my mind. Would you like some tea?”

  “No thanks.”

  “Coffee?”

  “Yeah. I’ll take some if you have it.”

  “I’ll brew some for you.” I turned and headed back inside.

  “I’ll get a fire going,” he said as he glanced over the darkened fireplace.

  “Sounds good.” I headed inside and couldn’t help but smile as I prepared a half-pot of coffee.

  Emily walked into the kitchen and stopped at the fridge to look over at me. “Could I have a soda?”

  “Sure.”

  “Wait. Why are you so . . . smiley, Mom?” She tilted her head as suspicion crept across her face. “What’s going on with you?”

  The sound of Dylan dropping a piece of wood outside pulled Emily’s attention. She hurried over to the door and looked through the curtain. A smile grew on her face. “Dylan’s over. Now it makes sense.”