by Kara Isaac
A shadow flickered in across her face. “Just a meeting with HR about a disgruntled ex-employee. He doesn’t even need to be there, but you know your father. Always likes to be in the loop with everything that’s going on.” Her attempt at laughter seemed forced.
Josh’s hands clenched. When would people stop going after his family? The last time there had been a situation with a disgruntled ex-employee it had spiraled into a major media beat-up. Caused his parents so much stress his mother’s hair had started falling out. God, whatever it is, help me to remember it’s in Your hands.
“Josh.” His mother patted his elbow. “It’ll be okay. It always is.”
He took a deep breath and let it out long and slow. She was right. Even in the most impossible of situations, God always came through. Somehow.
“Go, sit down.” His mother gave him a push towards the breakfast bar. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m good. I ate on the plane.” He grabbed one of the wooden stools and sat down, watching as she filled the electric jug from the tap with one hand while putting away cutlery with the other.
“So how was the tour?” His mother flicked the kettle on and turned to open the fridge.
“It was great. Full on—a different city every other night was completely insane, so I’m not sure if we’ll ever do that again. By the time we got to the end everyone was exhausted.”
“I’m sure you loved every second of it.” She busied herself assembling what she needed for the tea.
“Pretty much.” His mother knew him well. He did love life on the road. Visiting new places. Meeting new people. Spending most nights with thousands of people worshipping. “Oh.” That reminded him. “Has Kel dropped off my guitars?” On big tours, he traveled with three.
“Not that I’ve seen.”
“Odd. She said she was going to.” The rest of the band had headed home a few days before him, since they weren’t needed for the Chicago conference.
“Maybe she’s waiting for you to get back before she brings them over.” His mother raised an eyebrow at him.
Not again. “Mum, c’mon. She’s just spent weeks on the road with me. I’m probably the last person she wants to see anytime soon.” He dodged the insinuation. He had long since given up trying to convince her that Kellie did not have a thing for him. She was like another sister.
“Hellooooo. Anyone home?” The front door slammed as the familiar voice came from the hallway.
His mother tilted her head and offered a knowing smile.
Josh scowled at her. Talk about bad timing.
“In here, honey,” his mother called out.
Kellie trudged into the dining room, slender frame weighed down by the two guitar cases she carried. “Whew, these things are heavy.” She put them down next to the wall and looked up, brushing a strand of dark hair out of her eyes. She broke into a smile when she saw him. “Hey, great leader. I didn’t think you got back until tonight.”
Weird. They’d talked about which flight he was on. “Just landed. Was catching up with Mum since it’s been such a long time since we’ve seen each other.” Emphasis on the long, hoping she’d get the hint.
“I know. It’s been ages.” Kellie pulled out the stool next to Josh and plunked herself down on it. “How are you, Auntie Janine?”
Josh’s mother managed to shoot him a sympathetic look, while smothering a grin at the same time. “I’m great thanks, honey. Josh was just telling me about the tour. Sounds like it was a long slog.”
“It was.” Kellie tilted her head, pressing it against Josh’s shoulder. “But it was great. And Josh did such a great job. The new songs were a huge hit. You would have been proud.”
“I have no doubt.” Mum poured boiled water from the jug into a teapot. “Tea?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
“Thanks for dropping them off.” Josh nodded toward the guitars, moving enough to make her lift her head off his shoulder. “So what do you and Sarah have planned today?” No doubt all sorts of mischief, knowing his little sister.
“Nothing. Sarah’s got a big exam next week so she’s cramming and no fun at all.” Kellie pouted up at him, her full bottom lip poking out.
“I’m sorry. We were totally out of your way. You should have said. I could’ve waited until tomorrow to get them back. Or picked them up from church.”
“Oh, it was no problem. Since you’re here, do you want to work on some new songs? I’ve got a couple of ideas.”
Writing songs was the absolute last thing he wanted to do. Kellie the Energizer Bunny. She never seemed to need time off.
“Kel. Seriously. Take a break. For once. If only so the rest of us don’t feel so bad about needing one. Go.” He waved his hands. “Make the most of a day off. The songs can wait.”
“Yes, boss.” She slipped off her stool. “So how was Chicago? Meet any nice girls?”
A picture of the American flashed through his mind. He mentally kicked himself. Again. She kept invading his thoughts, even though girls who got drunk and puked on their own feet were about as far from his type as you could get.
“Josh?” He landed back in reality, where Kellie was looking at him with wide brown eyes.
“Kel, I was at a men’s conference. It’s not exactly a potential-wife-spotting Mecca.”
“You’ll find her.” Kellie’s tone was confident. “You never know. Maybe, in the end, she’ll be right in front of your nose.”
The image of the blonde, her nose almost touching his as she struggled to regain her balance, appeared as if right in front of him.
He needed to get a grip. And some sleep to reset his brain. Maybe then it would sink in that he’d never see the drunk American again.
“Here we are.” Kat threw open the door with a dramatic flourish. “Home, sweet home.”
Paige hauled two of her bags into the entryway and gasped as she found herself facing floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean and, beyond that, the city. She’d suspected Kat’s place would be nice from the plush lobby, but this was jaw-dropping.
“Oh my gosh. This is, it’s . . .” She left her bags where they stood to go and press her face up against a window. The harbor was the blue of postcards and she could just make out the curves of the world-famous Sydney Opera House in the distance.
“I know. It is, isn’t it?” Kat walked up beside her. “I have to admit that for all his faults, my father does have good taste in real estate.”
“This is his?” Kat’s father was about as different from Paige’s as two brothers could be. Paige’s father was all about family, while, Kat’s father had been a sporadic presence in her life ever since her parents’ divorce, preferring to throw money at the hole his absence created.
“Yup. No way I could afford it, Sydney prices being what they are. I pay peppercorn rent and, in exchange, tolerate dinner and a lecture on how I’m not living up to my potential every time he’s in town.”
Paige didn’t respond. She’d learned years ago that there were no words that could make up for an 80% absent, 100% critical, father.
“Speaking of potential, you said you have a couple of job interviews lined up already?” Kat pushed herself off the window and walked through a large archway.
Paige followed her into an open plan kitchen/dining/living area. “Two.” HR from both firms had called within hours of her sending in her resume to talk about short-term opportunities they had going since her visa only allowed her to work for six months. Both positions came with decent money and okay hours as far as logistics management went. Though pretty much anything would be a step up from an incompetent boss who did no work but took all the credit for Paige’s efforts.
“You’re definite about not teaching?” Kat pulled a couple of plates out of a drawer in the kitchen and opened a white box sitting on the marble counter. A pile of glistening pastries sat inside. “Sydney’s elite would pay big money for their kids to have lessons from someone like you.”
Paige shook her head, shoving d
own the ache that the words evoked. “I can’t.”
Kat passed her a plate and pushed the box her way. “It just seems like such a waste of your talent.”
All the talent in the world couldn’t magically fix her wrist. “I like logistics. I’m good at it.” Besides, music and logistics management had more in common than people might imagine. Both focused on details.
“If neither of them work out let me know and I can do some asking around.”
“That would be great.” Paige could only dream of having Kat’s connections in film, TV, and theater. Paige picked up a croissant and took a big bite. “Wow. This is amazing.” She managed the words around a mouthful of buttery bliss.
Kat helped herself to an apricot Danish. “What about the Alex situation? I know we’ve Skyped but it’s just not the same.” Her cousin had a habit of changing topics at whiplash speed.
Paige placed her croissant back on her plate, then moved a few crumbs around the ceramic surface with her fingers. “I can’t believe I wasted a fifth of my life on him.”
Kat leaned forward against the counter. “Look at the bright side. At least you didn’t marry him. Though if you’d even tried, I suspect our whole family would have stood at the ‘any objections?’ part of the ceremony.”
“I know.” She’d always known her family hadn’t been Alex’s biggest fans but she hadn’t realized just how much loathing they’d hidden from her. “After we broke up Sophie told me Ethan couldn’t stand him.” Just saying her brother’s name sent shards slicing through her.
Her cousin tore the end off her Danish. “I doubt anyone was ever going to be good enough for his little sister. But when Alex took that job in Milan, man, Ethan was so mad.”
“I didn’t know.” She knew he wasn’t thrilled, but mad?
Something in Paige’s tone caused Kat to pause her pastry inches from her mouth. “Oh, honey. Ethan was your biggest fan. I don’t think he could understand how any guy could leave his baby sister for some job, no matter how impressive the title or how good the money.”
A memory of Ethan standing on the sidelines at her first gymnastic meet flashed through Paige’s mind. For three days, her fourteen-year-old brother had watched a platoon’s worth of elementary school girls who hardly knew what end of the ribbon to hold, so he could cheer her on for every one of her performances.
Sobs choked her throat. “I miss him, Kat. I miss him so much.”
“Of course you do. He was one in a million, your brother. And I know he’s so proud of you right now. I can just see him up in heaven cheering you on.”
Paige wasn’t sure about that. Kat wouldn’t be either if she knew the truth. That Paige had made Ethan a promise as he lay dying. And broken it every day since.
Six
This was not what Paige had been expecting when Kat said she had a lead on a job. Not even close.
She stood on a perfectly manicured lawn and stared at the words written across the huge glass front doors in curvy italics. Harvest Central.
Only the biggest, most renowned church in Australasia. Only everything she hated in a church. She’d thought Kat did too. Big, flashy, wealthy. It had its own college, day care and probably zip code. It wasn’t a building. It was a campus. And not one campus but four—South, Central, Hills, and Yarra.
Thousands of people. Not to mention the albums, the DVDs, the band, the conferences. Their events filled the Sydney Events center for days on end, the influx of out-of-towners ensuring finding last minute accommodation was up there with getting a hotel bed in Bethlehem the night Jesus was born.
Paige sucked in a deep breath and checked her watch. Past experience with megachurches aside, the chance to be involved with the Grace conference would be any planner’s dream. The event spanned two days and included over ten thousand women and a range of international speakers. It was a logistical nightmare waiting to happen. Someone who could pull off a conference of this magnitude could do anything. It was exactly the kind of thing she needed on her resume to propel her into being a serious contender for the next level of job opportunities when she went home.
In the two weeks she’d been in Australia she’d had six job interviews and been offered two jobs. Perfectly adequate jobs paying perfectly decent money. But she could have done both of them in her sleep. She wanted something that was going to challenge her. Push her beyond her comfort zone.
Paige eyed up a billboard plastered on the side of the building starring the smiling faces of the church’s world-famous senior pastors. Well, there was no doubt this job would do that.
The sliding doors opened and a dark haired woman around her age exited with a purposeful stride.
“Do you need help finding somewhere?” The woman slowed when she saw Paige standing there.
“I’m here for a job interview. I’m supposed to go to the main office.”
“Just through the door, then take the stairs on the left.”
“Thanks.” The automatic doors whooshed back open as Paige stepped forward.
“Hey.” The woman touched her on the shoulder. “Good luck. It’s a great place to work.”
Paige laughed, her nervousness bubbling up. “Thanks. I think I’m going to need it.”
The person tilted her head and studied Paige, the sun catching her caramel highlights. “You’ve never been here before, have you?”
“No. I just moved here from Chicago.”
“Well, want to know a secret?” The woman dropped her voice.
“Sure.”
“It may look all very impressive and intimidating but at the end of the day we’re all regular people. There just happen to be lots of us.”
“Thanks. I’m Paige, by the way.”
“Kellie. Now go.” She smiled as she motioned Paige forward. “We may be regular people, but turning up late for an interview is never a good look.”
Thanks to Kellie’s directions, Paige found the office without a problem. Subtle jasmine scented the air of the reception area, and soothing worship music crooned through hidden speakers. She shifted in the seat the receptionist had pointed her to with a perky smile, resisting the urge to open her resume and give it another scan.
Pressing the tips of her shoes into the carpet to keep them from tapping, she forced herself to take deep breaths. She could do this. She’d managed the Chicago Marathon, for crying out loud—tens of thousands of runners, road closures, and more red tape than you could shake a marker at. Especially after the Boston Marathon bombings.
“Paige?”
Her gaze turned upwards, and her breath stalled. She’d assumed she’d be meeting with some mid-level staffer with a fancy title like Associate Vice President of Outreach Support.
Paige hadn’t even considered this possibility. The person whose image graced DVDs, conference posters, and books stood right in front of her. Her blonde hair fell in a perfect glossy curtain, touching the top of her shoulders. Her stylish yet modest wrap dress showed off her slim tanned arms to full advantage.
Lurching to her feet, she thrust out her hand, towering over her prospective boss. “Mrs. Tyler. I mean Pastor Tyler . . .” Her words petered out. Wow, way to impress.
Janine Tyler let out a soft laugh and gave her hand a gentle but firm shake. “Please, call me Janine. Kat has been a huge asset to our single mother’s outreach program and we were thrilled to get her email saying that you might be able to help us out with Grace.”
Might be able to help them out? That was like saying Ryan Gosling was sort of good looking.
“Let’s have a chat in my office.” Janine turned and walked away, her high heels cutting a trail through the plush carpet.
Paige followed Janine past the front desk and into a hallway. Large windows flooded the space with natural light, the right side filled with people working in an open space and the left lined with doors, some open, some closed. Glass panels with blinds allowed a glimpse into each office.
“Maggie.” Janine paused by a desk toward the end of the hallway.
An older woman with a gray bob looked up. “This is Paige. Paige, this is my right-hand woman, Maggie.”
Maggie rolled her eyes but a smile crinkled her face. “Lovely to meet you, Paige. Welcome.” She turned to Janine. “On that note, you’re due at Little Lights story time at quarter to. And don’t forget you promised them the Hungry Caterpillar today.”
“Yes, ma’am.” A couple more steps and Janine opened a door at the end of the hallway. “Here we are.” The glass panel beside this door was slightly larger than the others, giving Paige a glimpse of a chocolate brown love seat and a coffee table.
Opening the door, Janine waved her inside. “Can I get you anything? Tea, coffee, water?”
“A water would be great.” She paused, waiting for Janine to tell her assistant.
“Great. Make yourself at home. I’ll just be a couple of minutes.”
Paige watched her head back down the hall. She wasn’t getting them herself, was she?
“She always gets the drinks. The only time I’ve seen her come close to losing her temper was when someone asked Maggie to go fetch them a coffee.”
Following the voice, Paige turned to discover a woman with auburn hair sitting on a second couch. A purple smock stretched across an impressive baby bump, black tights poking out from underneath.
“Hi, I’m Emily. I’d get up, but as you can see,” she gestured at her enormous bump, “I’m not exactly amenable to easy movement.”
Paige crossed the room and perched on the edge of the same couch as Emily. “I’m Paige. When are you due?”
Emily blew out a breath of air. “June.”
Paige’s jaw sagged. June? It was only April.
“I know, I know. I look like I’m ready to burst. To be fair, both my mother and Nonie warned me that all Johnston women expand like a puffer fish when they’re pregnant. I just didn’t realize we were talking Veruca Salt-like proportions.” She gave her bump an affectionate pat. “Anyway, enough about me. What brings you to Sydney?”
Paige pulled out her rehearsed answer. “My cousin Kat is based here and loves it. When I realized I was eligible for a working holiday visa, it seemed like a great opportunity to experience living somewhere different.”