Around the Bend (Sandy Cove Series Book 4)

by Rosemary Hines

  Sheila felt herself blush as she shook his hand. What’s wrong with me?

  “This is my husband, Steve,” Michelle said.

  After the two shook hands, Rick said, “I thought I’d take you up on your invitation to visit. I’m looking forward to hearing your friend’s message.” Then he turned to Sheila, “It’s great to see you again,” he added with a warm smile.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Ben up in front adjusting his microphone and looking out over the congregation. She returned Rick’s smile and thanked him before turning around to sit back down.

  Michelle gently nudged her in the side after they were seated, but Sheila did not acknowledge her daughter’s gesture, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on Ben. She felt unexplainably nervous and self-conscious. This is ridiculous. Why should I feel nervous around that man?

  As Ben began teaching, Sheila found herself struggling to stay focused on the message. All she could think about was Michelle’s comments after they’d met Rick at the coffee shop a couple of weeks earlier. “Mom, Dr. Chambers was really checking you out.” She felt a bit of a rush. Focus. Listen to Ben and forget this nonsense. She took a pen out of her purse and began taking notes to help her pay attention.

  When the service was over, they filed out of the row and were side-by-side with Rick as they entered the aisle. He gestured to let Sheila go in front of him. Then he moved to her side and began talking. “Got any plans for lunch?” he asked.

  “Not really. I just moved into my new house yesterday, so I’ll probably just have a salad and get back to unpacking boxes.”

  “Could I persuade you to join me for a bite to eat? I’m free all afternoon and would enjoy the company.”

  She hesitated.

  “I could help you unpack afterward, if you’d like,” he added.

  Sheila looked at Michelle, silently seeking her input. Her daughter shrugged and lifted her eyebrows. “Up to you, Mom,” her words replied, but her expression communicated a protective concern.

  “Just a quick bite to eat. You could bring your own car if you’d feel more comfortable,” he added.

  Something in her heart said ‘Go.’ Looking back at Rick, Sheila replied, “I’d love to have lunch with you. But you don’t need to help me unpack,” she added. “No point in taking two cars.” Then turning back to Michelle, she said, “I’ll call you when I get home, and we can pick up where we left off.”

  Her daughter nodded. “Sure. Have a nice lunch.”

  Steve and Rick exchanged handshakes again, and then Rick gently took Sheila’s elbow as they threaded their way through the departing congregation, immediately releasing his hold once they were outside in the open air. “My car’s over here,” he said, gesturing toward the side of the parking lot.

  Sheila’s stomach, which was usually ravenously hungry after church, was doing flips inside of her as she followed him to his sports car. He opened the passenger door for her, and once she was inside, gently closed it. It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone help me into a car, she thought as she reflected on the last few years of John’s life as an invalid, when it had been her role to help him rather than the other way around.

  Rick was a perfect gentlemen, keeping the conversation going with questions about her new house and how she liked Sandy Cove, and she began to feel her nervousness dissolve. By the time they got to the restaurant, she was relaxed enough to ask him about his impressions of their church.

  “It’s different than I expected,” he said.

  “Different in a good way?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I was surprised by how informative the message was. I expected something a little more…uh…preachy, I guess.”

  She nodded. “Ben’s a good teacher.”

  “You know, to be honest, I’ve never really thought of pastors as being teachers. But that’s how I felt as I listened. He didn’t seem to be cramming doctrine down my throat like some I’ve heard from the pulpit in the past. Basically, he just read the chapter of the Bible and explained the background and culture and gave some life applications.”

  “Yeah. I’ve really learned a lot about scripture from him in the past few months,” she replied. “Do you think you’ll go back?”

  He glanced over at her as he turned off the engine. “Definitely,” he replied with a smile.

  “So tell me everything,” Michelle said, when she arrived at Sheila’s house that afternoon.

  “About what?” her mother asked.

  “You know about what. I want to hear about your lunch with Dr. Chambers,” Michelle replied, her curiosity demanding answers.

  “Rick and I had a nice lunch at the Cliffhanger.”

  “The Cliffhanger? Wow, Mom, that’s pretty ritzy for lunch.” Noticing her mother’s blush, she asked, “So what did you and ‘Rick’ talk about?”

  “We talked about my move here, your father, things like that.”

  “Did he say anything about church?” Michelle was dying to know what her former professor thought about the message. It really surprised her that he still thought about the letter she gave him on the last day of class—a letter that shared her faith and challenged him to reconsider his obvious anti-Christian bias by inviting him to their new church. When he hadn’t responded to her invitation at that time, she thought he’d probably just tossed her letter in the trash.

  “He said he was pleasantly surprised,” Sheila replied. “He liked Ben’s teaching, and he wants to come back next week.”

  “Really?” Michelle studied her mother for a moment.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. I’m just wondering if he’s coming back for the teaching or for something else,” she said with raised eyebrows.

  Sheila’s face turned red. “Well, I certainly hope it’s for the teaching. There’s no way I’m getting involved with a man who is unsure of his faith. I went through that for too many years with your father.” She picked up a box of table linens and handed them to Michelle. “These can go in the drawers of the hutch.”

  Michelle took the box from her and rested it on her hip. “I’m glad to hear that, Mom. Dr. Chambers can be pretty critical of Christians.”

  “I know. I remember what you went through in his class. But at least he’s coming to church,” she said with a smile. “No one’s beyond God’s reach. I’ve learned that much.”

  Michelle nodded, her mind immediately picturing her father and the radical transformation in his life after his unsuccessful suicide attempt. Although he’d remained physically marred for the remaining years of his life, he’d grown immensely stronger in faith. “You’re right. I’m glad he’s coming back,” she said. Glancing down at the box, she added, “I’ll put these away, and then we can start working on the bathroom.”

  Rick sat at his dining room table, his mother’s Bible spread open to the passage in Romans that Ben had been teaching that morning. He’d checked out a commentary from the religion section of the college library and was poring over the explanation of the verses.

  Sitting back in his chair, he reflected on the worldview he’d embraced throughout his years in academia — a post-Christian perspective that embraced tolerance of all the things he’d been reading about in this first chapter of Romans. His first inclination was to push away and write off the scriptures as outdated the way he had for years. But something about the way Ben presented them challenged him to really give it more thought.

  Was it possible he’d been wrong all these years? What if the Bible really contained timeless truth as Ben had preached?

  He thought about his mother and her unfailing faith to the very end. He’d always thought she was naïve. But considering her illness, he’d never challenged the one thing that seemed to keep her going—the hope she found in the pages of this book.

  He sat back and let his mind wander over the events of the day. An impressive message taught by a man much younger than himself. An encounter with his former student and her family. And a very pleasurable lunch w
ith her mother, Sheila.

  Sheila. He pictured her smile and her soft-spoken, quiet demeanor. So different than other women he’d dated or his colleagues at the university. There was a toughness about the women in his world. A need to assert their equality and independence.

  Sheila didn’t have that quality. Hers was a feminine approach to life. More like his mother’s had been. As if she didn’t need to prove herself and was comfortable in her own skin, embracing a nurturing role rather than a competitive one.

  I must be getting soft in my old age, he thought with a sigh. I’m tired of wondering whether or not to open a woman’s door for her or pick up the tab on a date.

  He smiled at his own musings. Another image of his mom flashed before him. “I know you’re up there saying ‘I told you so,’” he said aloud to the ceiling. Pushing away from the table, he stood and walked over to the coffeemaker to pour another cup. He was going to make some notes from the commentary before he put away his books.

  Then he’d call Sheila. Maybe she’d be willing to have lunch with him again this week. Or dinner. Yeah. Dinner would be better.

  Sheila was just settling down with a cup of tea when her phone rang. “Hello?”

  “Sheila? It’s Rick Chambers.”

  Rick? I wonder why he’d be calling me. “Oh, hello, Rick.”

  “I just wanted to thank you for sharing lunch with me today. It was great running into you at church.” His voice sounded warm and sincere.

  Why does this guy make me feel so flustered? she thought. “I should be the one thanking you for treating me to such a lovely lunch.”

  “No problem. It was my pleasure.” He paused for a moment and then added, “I’ve been digging into that first chapter in Romans. I checked out a commentary from the university library.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. I never realized there was so much academic study material for the Bible. It’s got me fascinated, and I’m really looking forward to Ben’s message next week.”

  Sheila smiled. “That’s great, Rick. I know Steve’s got a lot of study materials if you ever want to borrow some. He’s been learning some Hebrew and Greek. It’s over my head, but Michelle shares some of it with me from time to time.”

  “Sounds interesting. I’ll have to talk to him about it sometime.”

  After a brief lull in the conversation, he asked, “Are you free tomorrow night? There’s a new Italian restaurant up the coast about ten miles. I’ve been wanting to try it. My students tell me it’s excellent.”

  Sheila glanced around at the chaos of her move. She really should concentrate on getting settled. But…a dinner out did sound nice. And she wanted to hear more about Rick’s exploration of scriptures. “Okay. Yeah, that sounds nice.”

  “Great!” he replied. “Pick you up around six?”

  “Six is good. I’ll see you then.” As she hung up the phone, Sheila sat back and smiled. Something inside of her stirred. A feeling she hadn’t experienced in quite a while. She stood and walked over to the mirror Steve had hung over the credenza.

  Gazing at her image, she looked for the young woman who had last felt this same spark so many years ago. And somewhere in the gray blue eyes that stared back, she spotted her. Smiling, she shook her head and walked away.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  “Shall we finish up the pantry?” Michelle asked Sheila the next afternoon.

  Glancing at the clock on the microwave, Sheila was surprised to see it was already 4:30. “Let’s call it a day.”

  “Really? I don’t mind staying awhile longer. Steve’s got a meeting until seven and the kids are eating over at Ben and Kelly’s.”

  “I’m ready to stop,” Sheila replied. “We can do the pantry tomorrow.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure. Want to go grab a bite to eat with me?”

  “I can’t. I have plans.” Sheila replied.

  “Plans? Like what?”

  “Actually, I’m having dinner with Rick.” She watched Michelle’s face for a reaction.

  “You’re kidding.”

  “No. He called me last night and asked me to go with him to some new Italian place.”

  Michelle looked dumbfounded. “And you’re just telling me this now?”

  “It’s no big deal, honey. He just wanted someone to go with him to try it out. He said his students recommended it.”

  “Oh really? That’s what he said?” She gave her a knowing eye.

  “What? What’s that look for?”

  “Mom, Dr. Chambers? Really? You’re dating my old professor?”

  “I wouldn’t call it dating, Michelle. We’re just having dinner.”

  “Right after you ‘just had lunch’ together at the Cliffhanger yesterday?”

  Sheila could feel herself blush. This is ridiculous. Why am I feeling so self-conscious about having dinner with someone? “Should I call him and tell him I won’t go?”

  “Do you like him, Mom?”

  “He seems like a nice enough man to me. But I know he gave you a hard time, so if you want me to call if off, I will.”

  Michelle paused and seemed to study her. “You like him, don’t you? I mean you like him.”

  Again Sheila felt her face flush. “Let’s not make a big deal out of this, Mimi. It’s just dinner. And yes, I do like him, but not in the way you’re implying. I don’t even really know him. He just seems like a kind of lonely guy, and we enjoyed having lunch and talking about church yesterday.”

  She paused to watch Michelle’s reaction then added, “I’ll be careful. Promise.”

  Michelle sank into one of the kitchen chairs. “Okay, Mom. Just take it slow.”

  Sheila walked over and grabbed a sponge, then washed a sticky spot on the table in front of her daughter. “We’re just going to dinner as friends, honey. Don’t worry.” But her heart had already begun to hope for more.

  When Rick rang her doorbell promptly at six, Sheila quickly checked the mirror, practiced a friendly smile, and then opened the door. He looked handsome in his casual tan slacks and long sleeve navy striped pinpoint shirt. She thought about the hour she’d spent getting ready after Michelle left. I hope he doesn’t think I dressed up too much.

  “You look wonderful,” he said, extending his elbow for her to take.

  “Thanks. I hope this isn’t too dressy,” she replied.

  “Not at all. It’s perfect.” He smiled and led her out to the car. Opening her door, he helped her in.

  Sheila’s heart thumped loudly in her ears. She took a deep breath and chided herself. Get a grip. We’re just friends.

  As they drove to the restaurant, he asked about her day. She filled him in on the unpacking she and Michelle had accomplished. “How about you? What was your day like?”

  “Mostly just research for a new class I’m teaching in the fall. And I got some errands done. I’ve been looking forward to our dinner all day.”

  “Me, too,” she replied before she could stop the words.

  He glanced over at her and smiled. “I’m glad. It gets lonely eating by myself every night.”

  “I know the feeling. It’s been pretty hard for me ever since my husband died.” She suddenly felt a pang of guilt as she thought about John. Was it wrong for her to be seeing another man so soon?

  “Your daughter told me quite a bit about your husband’s … situation,” he said, seeming to search for the right term to use.

  She nodded. “Yeah. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. We knew he was struggling, but none of us imagined he’d try to end his own life.”

  Their eyes met for a moment, but Rick quickly looked back to the road. “I can’t imagine how that must have impacted all of you.”

  “It really caused us to re-evaluate our priorities, and brought us closer to God.” She thought for a moment about how her faith had been challenged and stretched. “I guess some people turn from God when their lives crumble like that, but for us it was a time to reach out and grab hold of the only source of hope
we could find. I’m glad John survived long enough to find his spiritual footing.”

  He nodded. “My mother was like that when she had her cancer. God was her strength.” Then his face became very serious. “But when the disease took her, I blamed her God.”

  “I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” she said.

  “Well, it’s in the past. And, thanks to your daughter, I’m trying to look at things from a different perspective these days. I can’t really explain it, Sheila, but as I’m beginning to read and study the Bible, it’s like something inside is…changing. It’s hard to put into words.”

  “That’s great, Rick,” she replied.

  They drove into the parking lot of a quaint looking restaurant with a brick exterior decked with faux balconies and old-fashioned street lamps lit by bulbs resembling flickering candles. The large sign over the entrance read Mama Maria’s, with a picture of a robust Italian woman’s face smiling down at them.

  “Here we are,” he announced with a smile. “Hope you brought your appetite.”

  She started to open her door, but he stopped her. “Give me a second. I’ll get that.” In an instant he was at her side of the car, offering her his hand. When she took it, a warm tingling sensation raced up her arm. I feel like a teenager out with the star quarterback. This is crazy. But she gladly took his arm as he escorted her into the restaurant.

  The evening flew by, filled with conversation and good food. It was clear that Rick’s appetite for scripture was becoming as voracious as his appetite for Italian food.

  When Sheila eventually glanced down at her watch, she was amazed. “I can’t believe it’s already after nine.”

  He smiled and nodded. “We seem to have a lot to talk about.” He reached for the leather folder holding the check.

  “Can I help with that?” she asked.

  “Not on your life,” he replied, slipping a credit card into the little pocket at the top.

  She started to put her sweater on and retrieve her purse from the chair next to her.