In Defense of Love (Carmen Sisters Book 2)

by Pat Simmons

  Chapter 19

  The next morning, Shari awoke earlier than usual, replaying Garrett’s bombshell in her mind. She couldn’t begin to fathom that type of betrayal within a family. When she and her sisters had started dating, they’d been on the lookout for signs that the guy was trying to hit on another Carmen. The few times when that had been the case, the guys were history, and Shari’s cousins, Victor and Dino, had enforced the edict.

  Garrett was more complex than she’d first thought. Only God could have given him the kind of peace he exhibited after having been wronged so deeply. The biggest revelation had been his desire to remain pure and to foster faith among the men of his generation. Garrett’s faith was most evident in his obedience when God told him to pack up and leave Boston, removing him from the situation instead of taking away the problem from his life. Talk about completing trusting in the Lord. Wow.

  Shari slid to her knees to pray. “Lord, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for opening my physical eyes this morning, and for opening my spiritual eyes, too, so that I am able to see the man Garrett really is. You have to be proud of him. I am, too; but, Lord, we know that the fallout is far from over. Lord, please move in the lives of the Miller family, so that the situation would resolve itself and there would be no need for legal services….”

  Jesus moved in her spirit until He took control of her mouth, causing her to speak in other tongues. Once she quieted, Shari waited to see if God would give the interpretation of His words.

  In this life, one’s faith is tested, sometimes with fire. Go through it with praise and honor until I return. The voice of the Lord was clear as He reminded her to reread 1 Peter 1, which she did when she got up off her knees.

  “Lord, increase my faith in You,” Shari uttered as she closed her Bible.

  She showered, dressed, and was eating breakfast when her phone alerted her that it was time for a video chat she’d scheduled with her sisters. She quickly logged on to her laptop.

  Not surprisingly, Brecee didn’t waste any time starting the conversation. “I heard a U.S. Marshal has you under private protection, Shari. I woke up just for this chat after a fourteen-hour rotation, so give your snoop sisters the latest scoop.”

  The others laughed, and Shari smirked. “Correction—it’s Deputy U.S. Marshal, but I’m not running away from him. I really like him, and I’m one hundred percent committed to see where this relationship is going.”

  “Ooh, the prince has arrived on his white horse,” Brecee cooed.

  “Nope.” Shari shook her head. “Garrett’s my black stallion. My Holy Ghost confirmed that his Holy Ghost was the real deal.”

  “That’s good to know.” Stacy cast her a suspicious frown. “Okay, spill it. What happened for you to be so sure of Brother Nash?”

  How could she convey to her sisters the type of man Garrett was without breaking his confidence? “We had a heart-to-heart over dinner last night. I know Daddy would approve of him.”

  “It’s about time,” Brecee said. “This means Shae is next.”

  Shae groaned. “You can take me off the ‘available’ list, Brecee. I’m so through with men.”

  Everyone’s heart ached for Shae, who was still recovering from a disastrous relationship in Nebraska that had almost pushed her to the brink of insanity. The Carmen men had threatened to pilot a fighter jet to take him out. And Mother Ernestine Stillwell, who had prophesied that Shae’s husband was within reach, had amassed a contingency of senior members from Jesus Is the Way Church to board a bus and travel to Nebraska to defend her honor.

  In the end, Shae had requested that her family back off and let the Lord help her work it out—and He had, landing Shae a far better position at a more prestigious TV news station in St. Louis.

  “If the Lord can make dry bones come alive, He has a special someone for you,” their mother said, startling Shari as she stepped farther into the kitchen. She stood behind Shari, peeking over her shoulder into the computer camera. “Jesus will resuscitate your heart, too, Shae.”

  “Definitely,” Shari affirmed, knowing whenever there was a sister chat, her mother would be nearby to comment on whatever topic was under discussion.

  “Maybe Shae’s special someone could be a baseball player.” Brecee grinned.

  “What’s the medical code for ‘delusional’? I think our baby sister needs an evaluation,” Shae stated.

  The sisters stared at their computer monitors, waiting for Shae to come clean. Finally, Stacy took control. “An athlete? Okay, you’d better spill it.” Her tone was the same authoritative, big-sister voice she’d used with them all her life.

  Shaking her head, Shae shrugged. “Brecee’s referring to a thank-you note I received from a viewer, and she’s acting like it was an application for a marriage license.”

  “Speaking of marriage….” Brecee grinned. “Shari, since this is your fairy tale, I have to ask: If your Secret Service Brother Nash asks you to marry him, what will you say?” She merged the multiple topics with ease.

  “Fairy tale or not, I would most certainly entertain his proposal,” Shari said softly, realizing she hoped that would be the case.

  “So, as we close this chat, would you confirm that you’re falling in love with him?” Stacy asked her.

  Shari smiled. “I have fallen, and I don’t want to get up. Good-bye, ladies. Love you,” she said before signing off.

  Chapter 20

  Shari had planted the seed. Now Garrett debated if he should mention to his grandparents the idea of filing for visitation rights with Brittani’s twins. Although they had every legal right to do so, as blood relatives of the babies, Garrett didn’t feel in his spirit that it was the right direction to go. Regardless, he hoped that, whatever God’s intentions were this time, they didn’t involve him.

  I know the plans I have for you, the Lord whispered.

  Yes, You do, Lord. When he first relocated to Philly, Garrett had reread Jeremiah 29:11 countless times, wondering what good could possibly come of the situation. He was so thankful that God had made Shari a part of the plan. He smiled as he thought of his lady. Shari had called him twice before band practice to see if he was doing okay. What man wouldn’t fall for her?

  At church on Sunday, after Pastor Underwood had dismissed the congregation, Garrett was chatting with Shari in the bandstand when John and Rita walked up to them with grins as wide as their faces. “We one-upped Mother Stillwell,” John said, turning to give his wife a high five.

  Garrett chuckled. When Shari didn’t react, he wondered what had her distracted. Glancing over his shoulder, he spied Mrs. Carmen and Stacy signaling Shari with their hands. Caught in the act, the women froze. Ted, standing behind them, grimaced at Garrett while moving his finger in a slicing gesture against his throat.

  Shari leaned over and told him, “You’ve been summoned to dinner at my aunt and uncle’s.” She wiped off her serious expression, then turned back to the Whitmans and smirked. “We have no statement to release at this time,” she said, somehow keeping a straight face.

  Laughing, Garrett couldn’t help but put his arm around her shoulder.

  John winked. “Right,” He said before he and Rita walked off, still grinning.

  “Well, I wouldn’t want your family to issue a warrant, so I eagerly accept,” Garrett told Shari.

  “Good answer.”

  He grabbed their saxophone cases and followed her to the parking lot. Since the band members had to report to the church over an hour before the service started, Garrett had made a routine of picking Shari up on Sunday mornings. Once they were in his vehicle, they linked hands and enjoyed a blissful ride to Mt. Airy, with Shari giving him directions as he drove.

  When Garrett parked in front of the two-story house on Seymour Street, instead of getting out of the vehicle, he turned to Shari and studied her. Staring deep into her eyes, he saw all the love she had for him—a reflection of his love for her. Empowered by her affections, he took a deep breath and said, “I love you, Sh
ari Carmen. And although I’ve said that to another woman in the past, I know in my heart that you are God’s choice for me. When I look at you, I forget that I ever uttered those words before.”

  Shari reached up and stroked his jaw. He captured her hand and kissed her palm.

  “I love you, too, Garrett Nash, and I have never said that to another man.”

  They were about to steal a kiss when someone whistled to get their attention. Annoyed, they faced the house, where three men stood imposingly, their arms crossed like guardsmen. Shari’s two cousins, who’d stared him down at church several weeks ago, bore an uncanny resemblance to the older man frowning at their side. A petite older woman with a bright smile forged an opening between them.

  Shari sighed. “That’s our cue.” Once outside the SUV, Garrett took Shari by the hand again as they strolled up the walkway. He gave it a squeeze as he nodded to the welcome committee.

  “We’ve heard so much about you, Brother Nash. Well, actually, it was through the grapevine with my sister-in-law.” The woman gave him a bashful look. “I’m Camille Carmen, Shari’s aunt.”

  Garrett extended his free hand to her. “It’s nice to meet you, madam.”

  Her giant sons, who were anything but jolly and green as the one whose face was plastered on vegetable cans, begrudgingly stepped back, creating an entrance. As Garrett passed, they grunted. Their stony expressions communicated that he was outnumbered. He withheld a smirk. For a Deputy U.S. Marshal, backup was only a phone call or text message away. At least Stacy and Ted would be there, adding to Garrett’s friends among foes. He saw them getting out of their car.

  “I hope you two brought your appetites,” Camille said as she led them inside.

  “You know it, Auntie,” Shari said. Then she disengaged their hands and disappeared into another room, leaving Garrett to fend for himself.

  He attempted to follow her, but a large hand landed on his shoulder. “Not so fast. Have a seat. Let’s set the rules first.”

  Bring it on. No one—family, friend, or foe—could keep him from the blessing God had given. Sinking into an off-white leather sofa, Garrett stretched his legs and made himself comfortable, gazing around at the array of framed family photos adorning the walls, shelves, and tables throughout the room. He heard the front door open and saw Stacy and Ted walk past, Ted pausing in the hall just outside the living room to make another slicing motion across his neck.

  “Let me formally introduce myself,” Shari’s uncle said. “I’m Bradford Carmen, the patriarch of this family. It’s my responsibility to cherish, instruct, and protect every woman who bears the Carmen name.”

  “Yes, sir.” Garrett nodded, avoiding eye contact with Shari’s cousins, who were seated on either side of their father.

  “You recently moved from Boston. You’re thirty years old. A Deputy U.S. Marshal. You play the tenor sax—though I doubt better than my niece.” Bradford grunted. “Your parents are Gary and Phoebe. One sister, Deborah; she has one son, Jamal. Her husband is stationed in Iraq….”

  It didn’t take much to find free or paid-subscription information off the Internet these days, so Garrett didn’t flinch. Bradford seemed to be enjoying his oration, and he happily yielded the floor to his rhetoric.

  Once the summary was over, Bradford narrowed his eyes. “What doesn’t my niece know about you?”

  Garrett was glad he had already come clean with Shari. He looked the man straight in the eyes. “Absolutely nothing.”

  Folding his hands, Bradford didn’t seem satisfied. “It seems to me that Boston is a great place to live, work, and worship. What prompted you to move to Philly?”

  Garrett considered saying that the Lord had sent him there, but Bradford didn’t strike him as the type of man who would appreciate a response like that. “I needed a change of scenery, and the Lord opened up doors for me to relocate here.”

  Shari appeared in the doorway, along with her aunt. “Sorry,” she mouthed before striding into the room and reaching for his hand. She tugged him to his feet. “C’mon, let’s eat.” She wrapped her arm through his.

  Bradford cleared his throat as his sons flexed their muscles. “Nash, our conversation is far from over.”

  “As it should be, Mr. Carmen. With a jewel like Shari, I completely understand your desire to protect her.” For the fun of it, Garrett flexed his own muscles.

  In the dining room, the scent of lemon furniture polish lingered beneath the aroma of fresh-baked food in various dishes spread out on the table. Meat piled on oval platters served as the centerpieces, with several vegetable sides strategically placed around them. Each place was set with fine china.

  Once everyone had taken a seat, Bradford said the blessing, then proceeded to stuff his mouth with creamy mashed potatoes. “What’s the name of the church you’re from, again?”

  As if the man didn’t know already. He had probably phoned every pastor from downtown Boston to the outskirts of Dorchester, Roxbury, and so on. And if he’d gotten ahold of the church secretary, then he’d spoken with Brittani’s aunt through marriage.

  “Blood Redemption Temple,” Garrett replied.

  “Ever been married? Fathered children? Backslidden from the Lord?”

  Shari seemed to sense the tension brewing. “Uncle Bradford, please stop this inquisition.”

  “She’s right, dear.” Her aunt tsked. “He’s a guest in our home, not a thief breaking in. I don’t think you’ve allowed him to swallow even one mouthful of my delicious dinner.”

  Bradford nodded at his wife in a show of humble submission. He waited until Garrett had taken a bite of green beans, chewed, and swallowed before saying, “Explain—”

  Camille silenced her husband with a warning glare.

  “So, Garrett, man, what college did you attend?” Victor asked, seeming to pick up the interrogation where his father had left off.

  “BU,” Bradford put in, proving he had all the answers—and then some.

  “Boston University is good school, honey,” Camille told him. Then she turned to Garrett. “Brother Nash, my niece told me how you two met, but I would love if it you would indulge me with your version.”

  Victor folded his arms across his chest, and Dino copied him. “Yes, indulge us,” Victor echoed.

  Garrett stopped eating and met every gaze in turn, then wrapped his hand around Shari’s, thankful for its soft warmth. “Shari and I met through the praise band at church. We had been to only one practice together before God put her front and center at my grandparents’ anniversary celebration. The way the spotlights reflected off her skin, it was as if the presence of Nefertiti was being announced. I was wowed first by her beauty and talent, and, soon after, by her spiritual commitment.”

  When he’d finished, Camille sighed wistfully, Stacy smiled, and Shari sniffed. Victor, Dino, and Bradford helped themselves to dessert—pecan-topped sweet potato pie.

  Despite the barrage of questions, Garrett connected with the Carmens’ sense of family ties. He even appreciated their nosiness, to a point. Yet he was glad when Shari announced that it was time for them to leave. The mystery was whether he had passed or failed.

  At Shari’s doorstep, Garrett lifted her hands to his mouth and brushed his lips against them. “I don’t mind the tough questions,” he told her truthfully. “If they keep watching me, all they’ll see is how much I truly love you.”

  She gave him a tender smile. “I’m the only one whose opinion matters.”

  Garret guided her chin closer to his face. “My proof will always be in the way I treat you with respect.” After kissing her, Garrett pulled back. “’Night, baby.”

  Chapter 21

  Rain wouldn’t damper Garrett’s plans for a picnic the following Saturday. After a week of busy days spent capturing more than a dozen fugitives, he was ready for some downtime. He stopped by BoDacious Baskets, a well-known gift shop in West Philly, then headed to Shari’s house as the first raindrops spattered on his windshield.

  Shar
i was waiting on her porch, umbrella in hand. Garrett didn’t give her a chance to rescue him as he bounded up the steps with his white wicker basket large enough for a small load of laundry. The boutique owner had assured him that it was jam-packed with delectable items that would delight any lady.

  Shari’s bright brown eyes, wide smile, and glowing face were all the sunshine he needed on this dreary day. Her sweet perfume tickled his nose. Even casually dressed, she was still as alluring as ever. It didn’t matter that he had seen her just hours earlier at band practice—Garrett couldn’t get enough of her. Each sighting was fresh.

  “I came bearing gifts.”

  “You must be hungry.” Shari giggled as she held the door open for him.

  “I brought enough in case Mrs. Carmen wanted to join us for an afternoon snack,” he told her as he stepped into the foyer.

  “She’s visiting the next-door neighbor.”

  Inside, they created the perfect setting for a picnic by arranging a blanket on the living-room floor. “This is exciting,” Shari said. “I’ve never had an indoor picnic before.”

  “Neither have I, but I wanted to be with you—rain or shine.”

  “I love you. You know that?” Shari leaned closer and puckered her lips for a kiss.

  After a few moments of bliss, they began their exploration of the basket’s contents.

  “Ooh, chocolate-covered blueberries and sparkling vanilla pear cider,” Shari recited from several labels.

  Garrett shifted the fresh fruit around, looking for the meat. “Aha! Sausage and smoked salmon. That’s what I’m talking about.” He scrutinized the crackers. “Where’s the bread?”

  Shari laughed. “Evidently, it’s a gourmet basket. What did you expect, a sit-down dinner? I’ll go grab a couple slices of wheat bread from the kitchen.”

  She returned as he was twisting the cap off the cider bottle. He poured them both an equal portion in the plastic stemware provided in the basket. Once their plates were filled, Garrett took Shari’s hands in his and bowed his head.