She interrupted her prayers to ask Jaydon one thing. “How long has it been?”
“About five years.”
Wow. Quick calculating meant he’d gotten married when she graduated high school. A deep breath and she continued praying aloud.
“Jesus, we come to you tonight to ask for healing in Jaydon’s heart. I ask you to whisper words of truth into him, Lord. Help him to break free of the guilt he’s been holding on to for more than five years. And five more years of hurts before that. Hold him in your arms, Jesus, so he knows beyond a doubt that he is forgiven of any shortcomings in his marriage and in his life, and that You love him.”
She continued to pray for another minute, and then felt her spirit release. They continued to sit in that kitchen chair just holding one another for a few more minutes. Finally, she stood up and collected their mugs and wadded up napkins. Jaydon inhaled and exhaled several times before rising to his feet as well.
She felt him behind her as she set the mugs in the sink. She turned and lifted her chin. In his indigo eyes, she saw a change. Something had broken free within him and peace shone through. She smiled softly and he returned it.
“I can’t remember a woman other than my mom ever praying over me like that.”
Gina shrugged her shoulders.
“The Lord told me to, so who am I to argue?”
“One of the things I find so completely endearing about you, babe.”
“Babe?” She lifted her brow.
He grinned. “Oh yeah. Babe, Woman, Gorgeous. My queen.”
“I could definitely get used to this,” she sighed, wrapping her arms around his middle. She lightly caressed his back and he was doing the same. Their eyes met like magnets and he dipped his head to bring his lips to hers. All of the emotion they both felt went into the kiss. Soft, sweet, and slow, but fierce. The outpouring of emotion built to the point she nearly cried from its intensity.
She didn’t understand it, but somehow, in just a couple of weeks, she’d grown completely attached to Jaydon Bennett.
Chapter 20
Jaydon
For what this as-seen-on-TV pillow cost, it ought to bunch up a little better and do its job sending him off into dreamland. Jaydon shoved his fist into the overpriced marshmallow and rolled it behind his neck in an attempt at finding a comfortable position.
He was beyond exhausted, yet sleep eluded him. He gave up and stomped out to the shop. Jaydon went straight for the workbench in his converted garage that held all of the pieces he’d recently cut for an intricate box.
Inspiration often came on sleepless nights like these. As if each board cried out to be turned into something special and he just had to listen for what it longed to become. This bit of zebra wood he’d splurged on, with its naturally occurring dark-and-white grain, would be a trinket box.
Working alone in the midnight silence was the best way to reflect, clear his mind, contemplate troubles, and connect with his Heavenly Father.
“Looks like we’ve got some time to talk,” he prayed aloud out of habit in the solitude of his home. “Not sure what to pray for right now, other than to give thanks. I planned to tell Gina about Kelly; I didn’t intend to give her the gory details. That woman draws me out and calls to my spirit unlike anyone I’ve ever known. Thank you for sending her my way. It has to be your plan, because no way would I feel this good after breaking down like that otherwise.”
His fingers traced the veins of espresso grain starkly contrasted against the pale color prevalent to the wood. No stain. Zebra wood merely needed a coat of sealer. First, though, he needed to assemble the pieces and sand it all to velvet smoothness.
“I feel unworthy of the way your love turns my pain and guilt into freedom and healing. But I love how you redeem my failings, change my heart, and draw me closer to you with every new mercy.
“I place things with Gina into your hands. I don’t want this to be me chasing after her and forcing something that’s not in your plans. I know you’ll guide and direct us as long as we keep you at the head of wherever our relationship goes.”
Jaydon continued to focus his attention on assembling the tiny pieces that felt microscopic in his large hands. Having made enough similar pieces over the years, his mind wandered in continued, silent prayer. He covered Hailee, Eva, his youth group kids, Palm Sunday service tomorrow and the Third Day celebration next week. He prayed for the souls who would come into the church that weekend, searching. He prayed for God to begin working in their hearts even now. He prayed for wisdom for his father to preach the words that needed to be spoken.
Jaydon kept working until his shoulder started to cramp. With a groan, he stretched his rotator cuff and gave it a few turns in each direction to loosen it back up. A tight angled twist of his head popped loudly in the back of his neck and he felt immediate relief. Time to see the chiropractor again. After sleep. He flicked off the light and reached overhead to stretch.
A massive yawn overtook him on the short walk down the hall to his room where his bed awaited his return. His last thoughts before succumbing to peaceful slumber were of Gina’s compassion, praying over him as she wrapped him in her warm and comforting embrace.
“So, bro, tell me about this girl who has you so distracted today.”
Jaydon gave his brother a raised eyebrow as he loaded an already full plate.
“How do you know there’s a woman?”
“Dude, you forget how well I know you. You’ve been quiet today, which is definitely not normal for you, and you keep checking the time on that watch like it’s going to magically transport you to another dimension at any minute.”
“Whatever. I haven’t been doing that.”
“Sure, man. You counting down the minutes until you see her again or what?”
“Shut up, Nate.”
He flicked a loose kernel of corn off the edge of his plate right into Nate’s chest. Nate’s eyes widened when he realized what he’d been hit with and his face took on a mischievous glower.
“Oh, no, I am not mediating any brotherly wars today, gentlemen.”
Anna’s voice had that maternal I mean business edge to it, but the chuckle that followed belied her intentions.
“Don’t make me involve your mother.”
Both men groaned like little boys who’d just been told to leave their toys and take a bath.
Anna’s laughter rang out musically and Jaydon shot Nate a look of warning, which his younger brother promptly ignored.
“Hey, Anna,” he called to his wife, raising his eyebrows in challenge, “why don’t you see if you can drag the information out of Jaydon. I’m about 99% certain it involves a woman.”
Great. Jaydon rolled his eyes and released another groan. There’d be no avoiding the conversation now. There wasn’t any reason not to tell them about Gina. He just didn’t want smug Nate to know he was right.
He found Anna’s assessing hazel-eyed gaze fixed on him. Oh yeah, she totally knew something was up.
“Spill, Jaydon. You know you want to!” She practically sang the words, her smile that of a practiced little sister. Sophie definitely took after her mother.
“If I talk, will you let me eat while the barbecue is still hot?”
The pair laughed, exchanging a victorious look that simultaneously irritated him and made him envious. He’d always wanted that kind of relationship with someone.
Jaydon walked past his parents’ pool and sank into one of the chairs in a cluster off to one end. Anna and Nate followed, each of them balancing a plate, handful of plastic utensils, and a drink. The kids were playing tag across the lawn, their food long forgotten.
Ignoring their squeals and shouts, Jaydon plunged ahead.
“Her name is Gina. It’s still new but I like her. More than I thought I’d ever like someone again.”
Anna grinned. “I can see that. It’s all over your face and your voice went all soft when you said her name. Tell me about her.”
Avoiding Nate’s gaze, Jay
don looked to Anna.
“She’s a preschool aide, works childcare after school, and also helps an elderly couple a few nights a week. She’s full of life and attitude, and everything I dish out she gives back and then some. I think she’s beautiful, inside and out. Her heart shows in everything she does.”
“Wow. She sounds amazing. How long have you been seeing her? How’d you meet?”
Jaydon told Anna, and of course Nate, since he was sitting right there listening, all about how they’d met back in January through Brynn and Josh and how they’d bumped into each other a couple times before really getting to know each other in the past week.
Nate whistled through his teeth, the look on his face one of feigned surprise.
“Fast mover,” he said with a crooked grin.
“I seem to recall you had seen Anna once and told me—before even asking her on a single date—that this was the woman you were going to marry.” Jaydon threw back.
Anna quirked an eyebrow at her husband, and with a pleased smile asked, “is that true, babe? You knew right off the bat?”
Nate reached for her and pulled her to his lap.
“Aw, hon, of course I did. I haven’t told you that story before?”
“Nope. I would definitely remember that.” She nuzzled his nose with hers. Ugh.
As if he weren’t already the third wheel every time he hung out with these two, he had to go and instigate a love fest. Awesome.
Anna wasn’t so easily distracted, though. Like a puppy with a bacon covered bone, this one.
“Does that mean you already have some similar insight?”
“I don’t know for sure yet, but…,” he was man enough to admit it, right? “I think maybe she’s it.” Huh. That had come out a lot easier than he’d expected.
Nate’s look of surprise caught him off guard.
“You serious?”
“Yeah, Nate. I am. It hasn’t been long, but, yeah. Every time I’m with her, we just…click. She’s funny, too. You’d like her.”
“She’s a believer?” Nate questioned.
“Of course. I wouldn’t let myself get close if she wasn’t. Though she seems to have a problem with church. I haven’t figured out how to approach that conversation, but God will open the door at the right time, I’m sure.”
“Huh. I hope so. A little hard for a pastor to get serious with someone who has a thing against the body of Christ.”
“I don’t think it’s that, per se. There’s definitely something deeper we just haven’t had an opportunity to explore.” Jaydon paused a few beats before adding, “I did tell her about Kelly, though.”
Nate whistled and Anna shifted forward in her seat. Looking at them both, he could see they were taken aback.
“I didn’t want to start something with any secrets between us.”
Nate made a clicking sound. “Wow, bro, you really are serious with this one.”
Jaydon nodded.
“How did she take it?” Anna asked gently.
“She just listened and then prayed for me.”
His brother and sister in law both murmured approvingly, knowing smiles on their faces.
At that moment, their parents walked up, holding hands like newlyweds.
“I see from the looks on everyone’s faces that I’ve missed something juicy.” His mother’s voice sounded a little too innocently curious. Jaydon wouldn’t be surprised if she’d been the one to nudge Nate to squeeze Jaydon for any information he could. The woman was mercenary when it came to gaining intel on her children. Especially about their love lives.
“I met someone,” he told her. At the expectant look on her face, he continued. He’d never been able to avoid telling his momma everything. She’d been the best listener and advice giver all his life. If he didn’t talk now, he knew she’d just keep nudging him until he did.
Jaydon shared snippets of their time together and ended with their concerns for Hailee and her little brother. They were such a close-knit family, he knew they’d immediately jump in to intercede for the situation and everyone involved.
Vivian Bennett’s eyes glistened with joy. She released her husband’s hand and reached down to embrace her eldest child.
“I can’t wait to meet her, son. She sounds like the answer to so many prayers. And she makes you happy. That makes me love her already.”
Jaydon sent up a prayer of thanks for his family’s unwavering support and loyalty. How else could he have made it through everything all these years?
Chapter 21
Gina
Gina found herself parked outside the little market where her mother and Hailee worked the following Saturday. She wrestled with the heavy door to her junker. Not that the door was really all that heavy, but spring winds in New Mexico were what she imagined it might be like opening the emergency hatch on a plane midair.
Thankfully, she’d opted to secure her thick hair in an inside-out French braid and had remembered to wear layers. Just last week it had been warm and sunny. Today? Winter decided to rear its ugly head in protest of the season change.
The weather forecast this morning predicted average wind speeds of 10 miles per hour, with gusts of up to 30 mph in places. Gina shook her head as she stepped into the chilly blast. It took careful maneuvering to keep the door from slamming back into her body. She shuddered to think about the nasty bruise that would leave.
Ducking her head and wrapping her jacket tightly to hinder the frigid afternoon wind, Gina raced into the building. She blew out a fast breath and rubbed her crossed arms to warm back up.
“Welcome to Luna Mercado!” a pleasant young voice called out.
Gina looked around for the owner of the disembodied voice and smiled in relief when she caught a glimpse of Hailee a few aisles over.
“Hailee! Hi!”
“Gina! What are you doing here? Your mom is off today.”
“I know. I need to pick up a few things, but I’m actually here to see you.”
“Me?” Hailee looked puzzled. Gina couldn’t blame her.
“Yes, you,” Gina laughed. “I still think it’s funny what a small world we live in. So weird how you know my mom and go to church with Jaydon. And I hear that we’re now sisters in Christ,” she added.
“Yes! I’m learning and growing so much.”
“While we don’t know each other really well, I’ve been praying for you ever since we met. I really enjoyed our conversation in Dino’s and wanted to offer to be a sort of mentor for you. There was a woman who did the same for me when I was new to the faith, and her discipleship made a big difference in my life.”
“Uh…what’s discipleship?”
“It’s when an older believer mentors a newer believer—answers your questions, prays with you, guides you in Bible study, stuff like that.”
Hailee considered for a moment and her gaze searched Gina. “I like that idea. Your mom has been really great about answering my questions, but she’s still pretty new to everything, too,” she said quietly. “There’s so much I want to know.”
Bells on the front door chimed and Hailee’s head snapped to attention as she called out in greeting. The customer raised a hand in acknowledgement but walked the opposite direction toward the produce.
Hailee looked back to Gina and asked, “So, how does it work?”
“Well, we can figure out what works best for both of us and go from there. Some people use a book, others just get together to talk and pray. Studying the Bible flows organically out of where the new believer is at in his or her life. I think we could probably do a little of both, if you want.”
“That’d be cool. Except, I don’t have a Bible.”
“That’s okay. Would it be all right with you if I buy you one? As a gift? Even if you don’t want me for a mentor.”
Hailee shrugged one shoulder. “Okay.”
A smile that Gina felt all the way to her toes shone on her face. “Awesome! Do you get a lunch break today, or do you get off work soon?”
&
nbsp; Hailee’s eyes flicked to the swinging double doors at the rear of the market and back to Gina. She hesitated, looking uncomfortable.
“I, um, get a break in a little while when Dee gets back. But my little brother is doing his homework and I can’t leave him here alone.”
“That’s okay. He’s welcome to come with us if you have time. Or I can go pick up something and eat with you in the back? We can talk over lunch about a good time to meet regularly. I’d really like to get to know you both.”
“Why?”
Gina grinned at Hailee’s bluntness. The girl didn’t seem to hold back, and that showed some grit. Others with her background might have a bad attitude or rough edges, but Hailee was innately kind. She certainly wasn’t weak, though.
“Well, would you believe it if I said because I think the Lord told me to?”
“Um, you just hear a little voice and do whatever it tells you?”
Gina laughed aloud. “No, it’s not an actual voice. It’s more like an impression I get. A feeling. A heavy thought that won’t go away until I take action or the moment passes.”
She seemed to consider Gina’s response. “Okay, that makes more sense I guess.”
“All right. Now tell me what you and your brother would like for lunch and I’ll go pick it up.”
“Javi is 12, which means he eats anything and everything and as much of it as he can get.”
The adoration Hailee felt toward her brother shone through her eyes. Gina returned a smile.
“Boys, right?! How about I hit up Burqueño Burger? What do you like there?”
“Just a regular burger and fries for me. Javi will eat a double, probably. No mayo.”
“You got it. What kind of coke?” Because in New Mexico, it’s all coke.
“Dr. Pepper for me. Javi’s a root beer fan.”
“Okay. I’ll be back in about half an hour or so. Will that work?”
Hailee glanced at the old clock that hung above the refrigerator case along the back wall of the store and nodded.
Whatever Comes Our Way (Everyday Love Book 2) Page 16
