In Defense of Love (Carmen Sisters Book 2)

by Pat Simmons

  For the rest of the evening, Garrett encouraged Shari to tell him about her childhood, her career, and anything else that interested her. He listened attentively, asking plenty of questions to keep her talking. His personal woes were the last thing he wanted to discuss right now, despite his earlier intentions of opening up to Shari.

  ***

  Shari’s heart bled for Garrett. She didn’t want to pry, but she could tell that the phone call from his grandfather had upset him. So, she did what she knew to do—pray. And when he kept apologizing for his sour mood, she actually leaned across the table and pressed a kiss to his lips.

  Their evening ended with plenty of hugs, mostly initiated by Garrett, and the sweetest kiss at her door.

  Chapter 16

  Prayer alone had kept Garrett’s date with Shari from going downhill after his grandfather’s phone call and the news about Brittani.

  “I’ll continue to pray for your cousin,” Shari had said at her doorstep.

  More than anything, Garrett had wanted to divulge the drama playing out in Boston. But it had been late when he’d dropped Shari off at home, and he had an early-morning surveillance on a fugitive. Rest was essential. “I’ll talk to you first chance I get tomorrow,” he’d assured her.

  “I know,” she’d whispered, giving his jaw a gentle caress before disappearing inside her house.

  This has to be the worst day of my life! Garrett thought as he dragged himself back to his SUV. “No,” he admitted aloud, “the worst day of my life was when I found out that my fiancée slept with another man, and that the other man was my first cousin.”

  Feeling mentally and emotionally drained, he refused to dwell on it any longer. Twenty minutes later, he arrived at his condo, not cognizant of how he’d gotten there. He’d made it by some miracle.

  His alarm clock sounded at three the next morning. He groaned in agony at having to wake before the sun rose, but it was part of his job. Sliding out of bed and getting on his knees, he prayed for wisdom and peace, then jumped in the shower.

  When he was about to walk out the door, he noticed that he had missed a text from Shari late last night. He must have been knocked out not to hear the notification.

  Cast all your cares upon Jesus, because He definitely cares for you, and I do, too. 1 Peter 5:7.

  Garrett smiled. The thoughtful gesture reinforced that Shari was the woman God had created after Garrett’s own heart. Hours later, in his office, he couldn’t stop smiling.

  “What’s got you grinning, Nash?” asked his partner, Kyle Adams. He knew that Garrett was smitten with an attorney, but that was all.

  “A very special lady.”

  “Mmm-hmm. You can daydream about her later. Right now, the only ‘special lady’ in our lives is fugitive Janet Kobo. We’ve narrowed it down to three houses we can hit.”

  “Right.” Garrett immediately reverted back to work mode as he tapped on his laptop. He had a knack for staying a step ahead of the fugitive they were tracking by getting inside his or her head. “If I were a woman wanted on child endangerment charges, where would I hide out?”

  “Definitely not with someone who has kids,” Kyle stated.

  “But in this case, I think Kobo may be hiding in plain sight, especially if she has a sympathetic family member who doesn’t believe her to be guilty of what she’s been accused of.”

  The pair went back and forth for an hour, trying to put themselves in Kobo’s shoes and making hypotheses about where she might be. Snooping around at the wrong house could tip off the fugitive, causing her to make a run for it. The woman in question was unstable. Catching her off guard in the predawn hours made it less likely she would react violently.

  By five a.m., they decided to make contact at the home of Janet’s niece, who was also the mother of two young school-age children.

  “Let’s wait until after the kids board the bus,” Garrett suggested. “Then we’ll make our move.”

  Kyle nodded his agreement.

  The two of them watched the home from their parking spot at the corner. When the school bus drove off, Janet’s niece looked up and down the street before returning inside and shutting the door.

  “That was odd,” Garrett said.

  “Perhaps. You knock on the front door. I’ll go around the back.”

  Moments later, Garrett prayed for safety as he climbed the porch steps and tapped on the door. The woman answered almost immediately.

  “Yes? How can I help you?”

  Garrett identified himself, then explained that he was looking for her aunt.

  The woman’s face took on the strangest expression, and then she whispered, “She’s in the bathroom.”

  The wait gave Garrett time to signal Kyle for backup. When Janet came out the bathroom, the element of surprise worked in their favor, and they managed to arrest her without incident.

  After booking her in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility to await her trial, they completed the paperwork to clear the felony.

  With one fugitive down, they began working on two more cases from the most-wanted list supplied by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for a bond and a probation violation. The busy workload kept Garrett’s mind off Brittani, but when his day came to an end, his personal life shifted to front and center.

  Once he got home, he warmed up the leftovers from his dinner with Shari. Then he called his grandfather, bracing himself for whatever additional news he was about to learn. Garrett wasn’t looking forward to hearing more about Brittani’s mischief, but he owed his grandfather an apology, so he made that his first priority.

  “Your frustration is understandable, Grandson. Apology accepted,” Moses said in a voice that made him sound more in control of his emotions than he’d been the previous night. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “We’ve just learned that your cousin has two other children that we didn’t know about.”

  Too many emotions battled for dominance for Garrett to choose one. Finally, he roared, “What?” Disgusted, he rubbed his face in irritation. Brittani was just a conquest to his cousin. He felt sorry for his ex, but that didn’t change anything. She hadn’t called on the Holy Ghost to restrain her from succumbing to the devil’s temptation.

  “Grandpa, I know you reared us to be forgiving toward each other, but right now, I wish I had beaten Landon like my flesh wanted to.” He sighed. “But no, I stepped back to let the Lord fight my battles. And—”

  “And God will continue to fight them,” his grandfather reassured him. “Landon will answer to God, but Brittani is the one with two bargaining chips. She wants a husband.”

  “She and every other single woman.” Garrett grunted and twisted his lips. “But I’m not the one for her.”

  “I think Brittani is beginning to realize that Landon is not going to step up to the plate. She’s hoping that you will forgive her and come to her rescue.”

  Garrett almost laughed out loud. “Are you suggesting I consider agreeing to her nonsensical notion?” He was starting to question the sanity of the family patriarch. “I’m going forward, Grandpa. Not backward.”

  “Absolutely not!” his grandfather exclaimed. “I know God will work this out. Although I want Brittani’s boys in our life, I want Shari in yours. Don’t rush what you feel for her, and take your time to show Shari how much you care for her.”

  “Consider it done.” Garrett relaxed and even grinned.

  “Have you told Shari the whole story?”

  “I was about to do that last night when you called. That woman is truly a godsend. She suspected something was wrong, but instead of peppering me with questions, she prayed for me instead. Then, last night, she texted me a Scripture verse.”

  Their conversation ended with prayer that boosted Garrett’s confidence that somehow, some way, God would work things out.

  The next morning, Garrett stepped out of the shower to discover that he had missed a phone call from Shari. As her voice mail message, she had sung a few verses
of “He Knows.”

  Garrett called her back immediately. “The Lord knows I need you,” he told her.

  For the remainder of the week, Garrett and Shari’s schedules were hit-and-miss. His working hours were erratic due to various fugitives he was tracking, and she was busy preparing for several major cases. As a result, their together time was limited to short phone calls or text messages.

  Do you have any plans tomorrow evening? Garrett texted Shari on Thursday.

  I hope with you, she texted back.

  Garrett smiled as he confirmed they would do something special. Then he called John Whitman for a recommendation.

  “Good to know you remember me, and not just at band rehearsal,” John joked. “Seems like you and Shari are playing a different tune.”

  When Garrett had brought his friend up to speed on their relationship, John strongly advised him to tell Shari what the drama with Landon was all about.

  Right. Garrett exhaled, agreeing with him, but he still hadn’t dealt with his outrage over the whole ordeal. “Can you believe Brittani’s nerve?” he seethed. “I’m not the father, yet she’s acting as if I am. Which is why I want to redo my first date with Shari. Man, the night was going so good until my grandfather called, upset, and told me the news. Thank God Shari’s a praying woman.”

  “Amen,” said John. “Hold on a minute. Let me ask Rita what she would suggest.” John gave a muffled shout for Rita, and she came on the line mere seconds later.

  “If my husband were to take me out for a romantic dinner….” She cleared her throat. John must have been nearby. “It better be at Alma de Cuba in Center City. I hear the ambience is very impressive.”

  Garrett laughed. “Thanks, Rita. I plan to take her there tomorrow, so you guys can go any time after that.”

  The next evening, Garrett prayed as he stepped onto Shari’s porch, Lord, please let tonight be perfect. He was seconds away from knocking on her front door when it opened and Mrs. Carmen hurried out.

  “Oh! Brother Nash—hi. You startled me. I’m running late for my dance class. Go on in and have a seat in the living room.” She strolled down the steps and across the walkway, heels clicking on the pavement, then climbed behind the wheel of a Kia sedan and honked as she drove off.

  Living room? Garrett had never set foot inside Shari’s house before. Shrugging, he entered, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He peered down a long hall, then wandered into the first room on his right—and froze at the sight of the woman he wanted to be his wife.

  Shari was seated on the couch, asleep, still dressed in her business suit, her feet soaking in a sudsy massage tub. The four-inch stilts on the floor nearby had to be the culprit. Why did she punish her innocent feet as she did?

  He chuckled. Squatting in front of her, Garrett watched her long lashes fluttered open. Exhaustion draped her face. There was no way they were going out now. He didn’t want her to feel obligated. He glanced down at the bubbles floating up from her foot massager. Shari followed his distracted gaze.

  “Either you’re early, or I’m really late,” she said, shifting her body to sit up.

  “It doesn’t matter. I’m right on time. Do you have any blessed oil?”

  She frowned. “Yes. Why?”

  “I want to wash and anoint your feet.”

  “This isn’t a Communion and foot-washing service at church. This is a simple home foot spa.”

  Garrett persisted until she relented, pointing to a small bottle behind a crystal vase on the mantel above the fireplace. He retrieved it, then knelt before her. Although she had beautiful feet, Garrett managed to keep his mind from wandering to the wrong places. He didn’t want to act out of carnal motives. “Are you refusing prayer?”

  “Of course not!” Her foot splashed a little water on him, and she quickly apologized.

  “Good.” He bowed his head. “Father, in the name of Jesus, we come before Your throne, thanking You for Shari’s protection and for the blessings You have in store for her life. Give her peace, comfort, and wisdom. Bless her comings in and her goings out….”

  As he continued to pray, he cupped her right foot with his left hand and used his right hand to scoop up the scented water and pour it over her foot like a gentle waterfall, after Jesus’ example with the apostles in John 13. He did the same thing with the other foot, then ended the prayer and grabbed the fluffy yellow towel beside Shari. He lifted her feet out of the water, one at a time, and patted them dry before reverently lowering them to the floor.

  Next, he rubbed a few drops of oil into his hands and massaged each foot, giving God praise. When he glanced up at Shari, tears were streaming down her cheeks. “What’s wrong?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong. That was so beautiful. Thank you for praying for me.”

  “You’re welcome, but, baby, you need to stop torturing the gorgeous feet God gave you.”

  “But I’m short,” she said softly with a pout.

  “Five feet six inches is perfect,” he told her.

  When she exhaled, Garrett lifted her chin with his finger.

  She blinked. “How did you know that was my height?”

  Garrett grinned. “A man who cares about his woman makes it his business to know such things.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, then pulled back. To tame his attraction, he searched for the button to turn off the massage contraption. After a few moments with no success, Shari giggled, reached down, and pushed a knob he hadn’t seen. The smile on her face erased her weary look.

  “I can be ready in—”

  “Oh, no. Don’t even think about it. You’re tired.” Forget what it’s going to cost me to cancel my reservation at the last minute. “How about I go grab us something to eat and bring it back here? We can eat at Alma de Cuba another time.”

  “Alma de Cuba!” She jumped up, licking her lips. “You can’t cancel.”

  “Shari—”

  “That’s my favorite place.”

  “I’m not surprised, but next time.” He snatched his keys and trekked to the front door, dodging the sofa pillow she hurled at him.

  Chapter 17

  Shari smiled, already looking forward to their “next time.” She ran upstairs to freshen up and change into something casual but nice—at least with coordinating colors. Glancing down at her feet, her eyes watered, and she lifted her hands in praise. “Jesus, thank You for a godly man. I love him.”

  Shari sucked in her breath and held it. Had she just said that? She gulped. She was getting ahead of herself. She needed to slow down and take her time getting to know Garrett before making such a profession.

  Whether she loved him or not, Shari enjoyed his company, so she hurried downstairs to wait for his return.

  When he knocked on the door minutes later, she opened it and stepped back. Looking into his eyes, she was at a loss for words, so she simply whispered, “Hi, again.”

  “Hi, again.” He brushed a soft kiss against her lips, then lingered there.

  “I’m hungry,” Shari fussed good-naturedly, then turned around and retreated into the kitchen.

  Garrett followed her and unloaded his bags on the counter—cheesesteak sandwiches and a package of Tastykakes, a favorite of every Philly sweet tooth. She grinned when she saw the two bottles of Frank’s Black Cherry Wishniak. Outsiders would call the drink “black cherry soda,” but what did they know? Shari chuckled to herself.

  She set the table quickly as her stomach growled. Once they were settled in their seats, she asked Garrett to say grace. As eloquently as he had prayed for her earlier during the impromptu foot-washing, he spoke in his deep voice, asking God to bless their food. She loved the sincerity and humility present in each word.

  He seemed to be in good spirits, compared with their date last week. If Garrett didn’t bring up his cousin’s babies, neither would she. It was their night, and she didn’t want anything to spoil it, even if they weren’t dining at Alma de Cuba.

  Seconds later, the front door
opened, and her mother’s heels clicked rhythmically down the hallway toward them. She frowned as she set her purse on the counter and peeked inside the empty bags. “You two must have eaten next to nothing at all at the restaurant to need this type of after-dinner snack.”

  Garrett wiped his mouth with a napkin, then winked at Shari’s mother. “Your daughter was tired, so I decided to grab something fast and stay in.”

  Shari was glad that his recap didn’t include the consecrated foot-washing. “He’ll make up for it.” She beamed.

  Her mother looked from her to Garrett, then shook her head. “That is the thinking of a wise man. I’ll let you young people enjoy your date.”

  After their meal, Garrett stood up. “Well, I’ve fed you and enjoyed your smile, but let’s call it a night so you can get some rest.”

  She wanted to protest, but her yawn popped up before she could stop it. It wasn’t long until Garrett said good night and left.

  As Shari watched him drive off, her mother reappeared. She came to stand next to her at the window, with her arms folded. “Handsome, loves the Lord, well-mannered and considerate…I wouldn’t mind having him as a son-in-law.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Well, he would be cuter than your other son-in-law.” Shari kissed her mother on the cheek before dashing upstairs. She wanted to be alone to savor the memories of her night in with Garrett.

  He possessed all the qualities she could ever hope for in a practicing Christian man—quiet strength during the prison crisis, tenderness in the foot-washing, and, most important, the initiative to petition God on her behalf. Not only was he concerned about her physical needs; he cared about her spiritual condition, as well. That was a man worth keeping. If Shari screamed her happiness, no doubt her neighbors might file a misdemeanor disturbance report.

  She had never fought over a man in her life. Her cousins, sisters, and parents had always made sure of that. But if Garrett Nash were up for auction, Sharmaine Carmen would be the highest bidder. She shook her head in disbelief at the direction of her thoughts. Slow down, she reminded herself. “Lord, please don’t let my heart lead me astray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”