by Jillian Hart
“You know I do.” Ava lit up as if it were Christmas morning. “But I’m totally bummed. I’m going to have to take a rain check. I’m meeting Brice and we’re having a late dinner out.”
“You can stay and keep us company,” Chad offered.
Okay, her opinion of this man was going up by the second. This was not the evening they had been planning, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. It was fun being with a spontaneous guy—uh, friend. “C’mon, Ava. Stay. But do me a favor.”
“Oh, you’re afraid I’m going to tell about when you were little and you used to dress up like a ballerina and everywhere we took you, you were in pink tulle and you walked on tiptoe.”
Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Is nothing sacred? I was three years old.”
“And how you carried your teddy bear everywhere. It’s even in all of Dorrie and Dad’s wedding pictures. There was the little cute flower girl, holding her basket of rose petals in one hand with her bear in the crook of her arm.”
Chad was chuckling, as if he thought that was cute. Before her big sister could embarrass her any more, Rebecca looped her arm through Ava’s and steered her through the doorway. “We’ll be back, Chad.”
“Great. And don’t forget that dip of yours,” he called out. “And the chocolate.”
“Come with me, Ava.” She walked away, wondering why that man always made her laugh. She shut the door to keep in what remained of the air-conditioned air and wove through the living room to the front door.
“Is Chad the Popsicle guy?” Ava asked as if there was more going on than met the eye. “He’s cute. He’s really sweet on you.”
“Sweet on me?” Rebecca opened the door and her face started to burn. Surely that was from the harsh summer sun beating on the front step. “No, that’s just your wishful thinking. Chad and I hardly know each other. He just moved in next door.”
“Ah, sure. My mistake.” Ava didn’t sound as if she meant that in the slightest.
That was going to spell big trouble. Rebecca hopped down the steps, already dreading the worst. If her entire family wasn’t talking about the Popsicle guy yet, then they would be now.
A friendly woof! shattered the serene evening stillness. Rex was hanging out the driver’s side window, his tongue lolling.
“Hi, buddy.” She rubbed his floppy ears and soft head. “You understand about my No Man policy, right?”
Rex woofed again, licked her hand as she opened the door for him and tumbled onto the driveway. He loped around her and Ava in one big excited circle and then took off for the porch.
“I have to talk to you about this No Man policy of yours.” Ava said as she followed her dog into the house. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a man on your patio.”
“No, there’s a friend on my patio. It’s a fine line.”
“Sure, I see that.” Ava was grinning ear to ear. “You know I was the one who invented the No Man policy. Remember? I had so many dating disasters, I gave up all hope of ever finding Mr. Right.”
“I remember.” Here it came. Rebecca rolled her eyes and headed straight to the kitchen. The dog was woofing in the living room, presumably at Chad. “Next you’re going to tell me that’s when you found Brice.”
“I think that’s the way it works sometimes. You have to totally completely give up on love ever happening, and that’s when it finds you.”
Rebecca grabbed a tub of ranch dip from the refrigerator and handed it to her sister. “I wonder how many times I’m going to have to hear this?”
“You’re going to hear it from everyone, trust me.”
“Oh, I do.” She scooped the bakery box off the counter where Ava must have left it. “You got the part where I said Chad was a friend.”
“Sure, but you never know.”
“What do you mean? I intend to stick to my policy.” She knew her family meant well, but her stomach was tightening up into a knot. Love was a painful thing, and she didn’t know how to explain her fears. Love hurt, and she had trusted a man who had shaken her to the core. She didn’t want to do that again. “I’m happy this way.”
“Sure. I can see that.” Ava led the way into the living room, where Rex was hopping in place, drooling, his gaze glued to Chad and the barbecue. “Chad’s a total twenty on a scale of ten. He’s a Mr. Wow.”
“Did you hear a thing I just told you?”
“Sure, but I know how this is going to go.” Ava seemed so sure of herself as she slid open the door and Rex bolted onto the patio. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell Chad only the really nice stories so he can’t help falling in love with you.”
“Lord, help me please.” Rebecca looked upward, but all she saw were the green stripes of the awning overhead. She shut the door and caught Chad’s smile. He watched her over the grill with a fond hitch to his smile. She saw amusement. As if he was glad for the company.
She was, too.
Chad’s side hurt from laughing. He leaned back in his chair and debated if he had enough room for another chocolate muffin. The tops of the muffins were icing faces decorated to look like funny monsters.
“Go ahead. You only live once,” Rebecca smiled over the table at him. “Take the last muffin.”
“I’m not sure if I can. They’re gi-normous.”
Ava stood up from the table. “You two ought to drop by the bakery. Anytime. The dessert is on me, remember that, Chad.”
“That’s nice of you. Thanks, Ava.”
“Sure. A friend of Rebecca is a friend of mine.” She whistled and Rex lifted his head from his paws, yawned and climbed to his feet. “I’ve got to go meet my husband. Becca, I’ll talk to you later. Chad, it was good meeting you.”
“You, too.” He watched the sisters hug goodbye. They seemed tight and at ease with one another.
It was easy to see that he’d been right about her family. They loved Rebecca dearly and were protective of her. As if last night hadn’t been proof enough, up close it heartened him to see the attention her older sister paid to her and the endless caring in every word. He understood more about Rebecca now.
He gave the dog a final pat, waved goodbye to Rebecca’s sister, but in truth he was hardly aware of the woman leaving. No, it was the woman staying who drew his attention and held it with the same power as gravity keeping his feet on the ground. He liked her maybe a little bit more than he wanted to admit or than he knew was safe.
He got to his feet and began clearing the table. Since he had brought paper plates and plastic utensils, cleanup was as simple as dumping everything back into the bag. He put the lid on the tub of dip, which they had made a serious dent in, and left it on Rebecca’s side of the table with the last muffin.
“Well, I have to say I’m impressed, Chad Lawson.” Rebecca placed her hands on her hips, watching him with clear approval. “You are not only a decent barbecuer, but you’re good with kitchen patrol.”
“I’m multitalented. Don’t you forget that, even if I don’t know how to cook.” He rolled up the bag of chips and dropped it in the bag. “I think I’m going to have to learn. I can’t keep letting Ephraim cook. He’s really bad at it. He’s my best friend and all, but there’s just no getting around that truth. If I learn from him, I won’t be any better.”
“There’s always those cooking channels on TV.”
“Sure, but I don’t want to fix something fancy. I need to grill sandwiches. Make a hamburger. Maybe a pot of spaghetti. Simple basic stuff.”
“I’m starting to take pity on you. Next thing you know I will be offering to teach you.”
“That would be great, Rebecca. When can we start? The sooner the better.”
“Most guys wouldn’t sound so eager.”
“Sure. Most guys don’t live with Ephraim. The night I stopped by to see the place and give him my deposit, he was making macaroni and cheese from the box, and he burned it. It was not pleasant.”
“All right. I’m convinced.” She scooped up the tub of dip. “You did great with the barbecuing. Those
hot dogs were nearly the best I have ever tasted.”
“Nearly the best? What exactly does that mean? Don’t tell me that Chris guy was better at barbecuing.”
“No. I meant my brother. Spence is a consummate barbecuer. It’s his and Dad’s thing. Maybe because they were the only boys in the family so they banded together near the barbecue for moral support, or they are both really talented with tongs. So being compared to him is a high compliment.”
“Good. Then I thank you for it.” Okay, that was lame, but he didn’t want the evening to end, or the conversation. What he wanted was to sit in the waning daylight right next to Rebecca and watch the light change colors. She was that kind of girl.
Yep, he liked her more than he was willing to admit. Didn’t that spell trouble? There were so many reasons why he could get his heart broken, but that didn’t stop him from taking a step closer to her.
“Tomorrow night is your Bible study night,” he found himself saying. “You wouldn’t mind if we went together, would you? Since I’m new, and don’t know anyone there.”
“Yes, because you seem like a really introverted kind of guy.” She arched one brow, giving him a stern yet entirely soft glance, the same one that she would give the kids at day camp when they were being a little saucy.
“I might not seem like it, but I’m a really sensitive guy. I might feel awkward and shy.”
“You don’t strike me as the shy type, but I would hate to think that I didn’t help a fellow Christian. So yes, I’ll let you tag along.”
“Great. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” He couldn’t help smiling so wide, it felt as if his face was stretching.
“I’m not. Do you know what Ava is going to read into this? By this time tomorrow, my phone will be ringing constantly with well-meaning sisters wanting to know the scoop about you and me.”
“You’ll have to explain your friend clause.”
“I’m glad you understand.” She focused her cinnamon-brown eyes on him, and suddenly she looked vulnerable with her heart exposed. “Relationships are hazardous things. Starting one is like taking a journey you’ve been looking forward to all your life. It’s wondrous and amazing and right, but everything can go wrong in the blink of an eye and it doesn’t even have to be your doing. I don’t know if I can trust another guy like that, at least not for a long time.”
“I understand that. Who you trust is a big deal. You give the wrong someone your trust, and you get hurt. I know.” And he did. He thought of his past mistakes and he knew the shame was always going to be there.
“You have never said why you have a No Date policy?” She took a step closer to him. “What happened? Wait, it’s none of my business. I didn’t mean to pry. I just care about you. You know, as a friend.”
She was quick to add that, and she was kindness itself but that didn’t lessen the sting to his heart. He liked her too much. There was no doubt about that.
“No. The truth is I’ve been through some stuff and didn’t want to involve anyone with what was going on. It was complicated. When life was uncomplicated, I couldn’t find the right woman.” Here was another place he could tell her the whole truth. But could he? He tried. He opened his mouth, determined to say the words and they died in his throat.
“I completely understand.” She waved away her own question. “Enough said. What you and I need to do is to focus on the present and move beyond the past. Leave it where it belongs. Deal?”
“Deal.” He blinked. He was still trying to work up the nerve to be wholly honest with her and now another opportunity had passed. Now he had another problem: he didn’t want the evening to end. Since there was no more reason to stay, he grabbed the bag.
“Thanks for cooking. You are a good sport, Chad.”
“An agreement is an agreement. It was my pleasure. Are you up to a rechallenge next week?”
“I’m looking forward to it.” She hesitated at the door, seeming happy. No, it was more than that. She radiated goodness and joy.
His chest cinched up tight. Emotion too sweet to name all but lifted him off the ground. It had to be clouds he was walking on as he hiked onto the grass, walking backward so he could keep sight of her as long as possible. “Good night, Rebecca.”
“Good night.”
They were officially friends now. Eating dinner together. Helping other friends together. Going to church activities together. The sun seemed to shine more brightly when she gave him one last smile before heading inside. He was definitely in a whole lot of like with her.
God willing, he wasn’t about to get his heart broken. He crossed the lush green grass and skirted the wooden wall that separated her yard from his. The phone in his pocket buzzed, and he checked the screen.
Dinner tomorrow night? Rebecca had texted.
Something told him he knew what she had in mind. He dropped into one of the plastic chairs on his patio and typed an answer. Is it burrito buffet night?
Her message came back almost immediately. Yes!
Then count me in, he typed.
The sliding door opened behind him. It was Ephraim back from dinner at his parents’ with a plastic-covered plate in hand. “Hey, got my laundry done. Mom sent me home with some brownies.”
“That was nice of her. How are your folks?”
“The same. What’s going on here? I’m gone for a few hours and I come back to find you grinning ear to ear. And texting someone. A young woman, maybe?”
“Maybe. So, do you want to tell me about our neighbor—”
“Rebecca? There’s nothing else to tell. You really like her, don’t you?” Ephraim took the other chair and they stared out at the lawn, the shrubbery and the opposite patio in companionable silence. He unwrapped the plate and wedged it onto the plastic footstool between the chairs that served as a table. “Don’t want to tell a lie, huh?”
“Not sure what I can say that won’t either be a lie or incriminate me.”
“Understandable.” Ephraim took a brownie.
“You know how it is. The other morning you mentioned the neighbor on our other side.”
It was Ephraim’s turn to choose a moment of silence before he answered. “Two college girls live there. Elle and Sydney.”
Maybe Ephraim wasn’t aware that his voice deepened when he said Elle’s name. Chad took a brownie and bit into it. “Elle and Sydney. Are they nice?”
“Yep.” Nothing more.
“What’s Elle like?”
“I thought you liked Rebecca.” Ephraim used a diversionary tactic.
“Ah, but there’s a greater question. Does Rebecca like me?” And an even more gigantic one. Would Rebecca understand when he told her the whole truth about his past? Or would she see it as a deception, a secret he had kept hidden from her the same way Chris had done?
His stomach twisted up. He couldn’t shake the troubled feeling gathering like a thunderstorm in his chest.
“I think she likes you,” Ephraim answered.
“As a friend.” That shouldn’t depress him, but it did. Chad bit into the moist crumbly brownie and reflected on the day. It had been a great one, and all because of her. Friendship could turn to more. He was going to stay hopeful for that.
“She’s probably just a little gun-shy.” Ephraim polished off his brownie and helped himself to another. “You just need to show her that you’re nothing like that other guy, that’s all.”
Gun-shy, sure. That he could understand. “D-do you think she will bolt when she learns I’ve got a record?”
“Hard to say. You won’t know until you tell her.” Ephraim lowered his voice. “She’s a nice girl. I think she might be sympathetic. You were fifteen and going through a hard time.”
“That’s no excuse. I wish it was, but it’s not.” Chad took another brownie and thought while he chewed. He’d known exactly what he was doing back then; he had wanted to do something, anything, to escape the pain of his parents’ breakup. Stealing a car for a joyride had been sheer escape, that was for sure.
And the friends he had been with assured him they did it all the time—no problem, they had never been caught.
God had surely been watching over him that day, otherwise where would his need for recklessness have taken him? Being arrested and paying for the crime he had committed was one of the best things that had ever happened to him, because it changed the direction of his life.
But would Rebecca see that? Would a young woman with the sheltering love of her family, with her wholesome upbringing and her sweet nature, understand that he was more than the sum of his mistakes, that he was not the kind of man who made them a second time?
Only time would tell. That was the hard part.
“I had the best time tonight.” Rebecca tucked her cordless phone between her chin and her shoulder and wandered down the hall. An hour hadn’t gone by since she and Chad had parted ways and already two of her sisters had called. Danielle had heard from Ava that there was a new man in her life and now here was Katherine calling for the scoop. “It was friendly. That’s it. We’re friends.”
“Friendship can lead to something more.” There was a note of happiness and hope in Katherine’s gentle voice.
It was the hope that was hard to face. She knew her family wanted the best for her, but right now a relationship was far from the best thing. She wanted peace and safety. “In this case, it can only lead to more friendship.”
“That’s what I’m saying. That’s what Jack and I have. It’s the deepest kind of friendship based on love and respect.”
That was hard to argue with. There was no way she could say that she wasn’t ever interested in that kind of an amazing relationship one day, but not for a really long time. “I’ve been in a long-term relationship. I’ve been dating Chris since I was in high school. I want to take a breather.”
“Uh-huh. Sure. But remember this, good things happen to good people, and I have a feeling that something really wonderful is going to happen to you when you least expect it.”
Rebecca rolled her eyes. “You have been talking to Ava. She says love happens when you least expect it. You are both right, I’m sure, but I don’t want love right now. I want to spend some time and figure out my life. I want to enjoy being young and single because one day I hope to be you, Katherine.”
