by Debby Mayne
“What’s going on?” Pastor Rawlings asked.
Brian gave him a quick rundown of the phone call. He tried to keep his tone neutral.
“You’re not worried, are you?”
“Just a little—for Kimberly’s sake, anyway.”
Pastor Rawlings offered a sympathetic nod. “I can certainly understand why. I’ll stick around until I hear from you.”
“Thanks, Pastor.”
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught their attention. “Why don’t you go on into the adult Bible classroom, and I’ll let him know where he can find you.”
“Great idea,” Brian said as he turned and headed off in the direction of the classroom wing.
Three minutes later, David’s shadow darkened the doorway. “We have some serious issues to discuss, buddy.”
“Come on in.” Brian patted the table. “Why don’t we sit across the table from each other so we can really talk?” He’d set up folding chairs and put a couple of Bibles on the table in case they needed them.
As soon as they were situated, Brian leaned back and looked David in the eye. “Why don’t you start at the beginning and tell me what happened?”
David folded his arms and narrowed his eyes before shaking his head. “First, you tell me what’s been going on between you and Kimberly.”
“Nothing that hasn’t been going on for the past fifteen years,” Brian replied.
“Something had to happen for her to suddenly think she’s in love with you.”
Brian’s mind spun with all sorts of possibilities, but he worked hard to maintain his composure. “Did she actually come right out and say that?”
“Yes.”
That sure did complicate things. Brian wondered why Kimberly told David before cluing him in—that is, if she really did.
“And you don’t think you assumed this, based on something else she said?”
“Look, buddy, I don’t assume things. I know what I heard. She flat-out said, ‘I’m in love with Brian.’ ”
If he’d heard this news at any other time from anyone else, Brian would have jumped out of the chair, kicked up his heels, and shouted his joy from the mountaintops. However, joy wasn’t what he felt at the moment. He wanted to comfort his friend and at the same time process this new information. But he couldn’t do either.
“Want me to talk to her?” Brian asked.
David let out a sinister snicker. “Yeah, so you can laugh at me behind my back? No thanks.” He pounded the table hard enough to send an echo through the room. “I can’t believe I’ve been such a big sucker, believing in my girl and my best friend. I trusted both of you.”
Pastor Rawlings appeared at the door. “You two okay?”
Brian nodded. “We’re fine.”
David stood. “Looks like we’re done here. I have nothing else to discuss.”
“Would you like to give me a chance to tell you my side of this?” Brian asked.
“So you admit there is something going on?”
“No,” Brian replied. “Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“Then tell me your side.”
“Before you left, you asked me to watch after Kimberly. I found out from her that you told her to look after me, since I’d just been jilted at the altar.”
“Looks like the two of you did your jobs, then,” David said with a sneer. “Both of you are a couple of two-timers, and that’s all there is to it. Neither of you can be trusted.” He glanced over at Pastor Rawlings. “And you call yourselves Christians.”
“We didn’t need you to tell us to be friends,” Brian said as he stood to face David. He wasn’t going to let David steamroll him, but more than that, he wasn’t about to let David get away with what he was saying about Kimberly. “She and I have always been there for each other, and you know that. Kim is one of the most committed Christians I’ve ever met.” He tilted his head forward and glared at David. “And loyal to a fault.”
“Not from where I stand.”
“What would you have wanted her to do, then, David? Should she have just stayed engaged to you, even though she didn’t want to be your wife?”
“Well—no, but I would have thought—”
“I think you know as well as I do that neither Kimberly nor I would have done anything behind your back.”
“Right,” David said with a sarcastic snicker.
Brian was glad the pastor was still there, he was so angry. “Do you realize what you’ve done to Kimberly?”
David narrowed his eyes. “What I’ve done to her? Hey, buddy, you’re getting this whole thing all twisted.”
“No, you’re the one who’s twisting things. You started out making her feel like she was the most important person in your life, and that made her very happy. She fell in love with the David who treated her with kindness and respect. Then, after the engagement, I watched as you slowly pushed her out of your inner circle.”
“That’s ridiculous. I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Inner circle?”
Brian had to pause to keep his temper in check. “After you got engaged, Kimberly never knew where she stood with you. When you came to her and announced that you’d volunteered for this special mission, she was hurt that you didn’t consult her first, but she accepted it. The whole time you were over there, she worried about you. For all she knew, you could have been blown to bits by a suicide bomber.”
David rolled his eyes. “Aren’t you being rather melodramatic now, buddy?”
“When you came home, she had to fall in line with everything you wanted—from the party to the places you went.”
“Did she tell you all this?” David asked.
“I already told you, I figured it out on my own. Kimberly and I have known each other long enough, we can almost read each other’s thoughts.”
As Brian talked, he noticed a gradual change in David’s demeanor—from combative to remorseful. Brian figured he’d said enough.
David glanced over at the door, so Brian looked up. The pastor was no longer there.
After a long, uncomfortable minute, David turned back to Brian. “Look, man, this was a shock. I had no idea Kimberly wasn’t still madly in love with me.”
“Same here,” Brian said as he held up his hands. “All I knew was that she was hurting.”
“Give me some time to think through this, okay?” David pursed his lips and waited.
“Sure, that’s reasonable.” Brian was relieved.
“I’ll talk to you again before I take off for my next assignment.”
“That’ll be good.”
After David left, Brian bowed his head and gave thanks that only words had been exchanged. When he looked up again, Pastor Rawlings was back.
“Wanna talk?” the pastor asked.
Brian didn’t want to talk, but he felt that he owed the pastor an explanation. “It’s complex.”
“I bet it’s nothing I haven’t heard before.”
“Maybe so, but this is the first time anything like this has happened to me.”
“Let’s go to my office where we can be more comfortable.”
Brian followed Pastor Rawlings out the door, down the hall, and into the wood-paneled office. As soon as the pastor sat in the overstuffed chair, Brian positioned himself on the sofa on the other side of the table.
“So what’s up?” Pastor Rawlings said. “Obviously woman trouble.”
Brian nodded. “In the worst kind of way. It’s a long story.”
The pastor nodded. “Jennifer is staying with her sister for a few days, helping with the new baby, so I have all the time you need.”
Brian started slowly from the beginning, about how he and Kimberly had met and become fast friends in elementary school. He talked about how he’d had a huge crush on her off and on since their early teen years, but he never felt he stood a chance, so he settled into remaining her buddy and confidant.
“Did you ever open up to her and see how she felt?” the pastor asked.
“I started to a couple of times, but I always chickened out.”
The pastor laughed. “Some men struggle with communication. Perhaps we should take lessons from women who love to talk.”
“I kept hoping she’d say something—you know, give me some kind of hint that she might consider me more than just a good guy friend.”
Pastor Rawlings leaned forward and listened with all his attention as Brian spilled everything that had been on his heart for the past fifteen years. Finally, Brian shook his head.
The pastor leaned back and rubbed his chin. “Seems I recall you’re the one who brought David to church and introduced him to Kimberly.”
Brian snickered. “Yup, that was me, chump of the year. I thought they’d hit it off, but I had no idea what David had up his sleeve. I didn’t even have a chance to tell him how I felt about her.”
“Why didn’t you say something before you introduced them?”
“I didn’t think it was an issue.” Brian shrugged. “Then I had to go away for the National Guard a few weeks during the summer. He’d changed units, so we went at different times, and when I came back, they were tight.”
“Yeah,” the pastor said as he nodded in understanding, “I can see how that would pose a problem.”
“My timing has been off with Kimberly since I met her. The one other time I thought I stood a chance with her, I waited a couple of weeks to say anything. That was back in high school. Some new guy came along, and next thing I knew, she was swooning over him—just like the rest of the girls. I listened to her go on and on about how great he was, and next thing I knew, they were together.”
The pastor laughed. “How long did that last?”
“About half our junior year. Then one thing after another happened. . . .” Brian held out his hands. “And now this.”
“This is different for you, huh?”
“Very different,” Brian agreed as he reflected on how he’d almost shared his feelings with Kim. “I just don’t understand why she told David how she felt about me before she said something to me.”
“Well, she was engaged to David,” the pastor said. “I agree it would have been better to break it off with him without telling him she loved you, and then come and let you know how she felt. I’m sure it was just an honest error in judgment.”
“I always thought Kimberly was one to speak her mind,” Brian said. “Back when we were kids, she was able to keep other people’s secrets, but she’s never been good at hiding her own.” He held out his hands. “She was always transparent.”
“That’s actually a good trait for a person to have.”
Brian nodded. “She has a lot of good traits.”
“I’m sure she thought she was doing the right thing by keeping her thoughts to herself. So now we need to figure out how to lighten things up with David and get you and Kimberly on the same track.”
“Without upsetting anyone,” Brian added.
Pastor Rawlings shook his head. “I don’t think it’s possible not to upset anyone, but that’s okay.” He offered a sympathetic smile. “We’re human. We get upset.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” Brian started to stand but sat back down when the pastor bowed his head.
“Dear Father, in Your holy wisdom, please lead Brian, David, and Kimberly closer to You as they make life-affecting decisions. I pray for peace as well as healing of hearts that are surely broken. Give me the wisdom to offer advice when needed and the knowledge to know when to be quiet and let Your will show itself in a way only You can do. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Brian whispered, “Amen,” before opening his eyes.
Pastor Rawlings stood first, so Brian followed. Without another word, they shook hands, and Brian left the church.
The pastor’s prayer played through Brian’s head all the way home. He needed to rely more on prayer and less on his own will.
❧
Kim paced then flopped down on the couch where she couldn’t sit very long without starting all over again. She’d been trying to call Brian, both at home and on his cell phone, for the past hour. She knew he’d already left work, because she’d tried there after not reaching him the first couple of times she called.
When her phone rang, she jumped. She paused long enough to look on the caller ID and saw that it was Brian. Her heart pounded, and her mouth suddenly felt dry.
As soon as she answered, Brian spoke. “What is going on, Kimberly?”
She swallowed hard, but the lump stayed at the base of her throat. “I had a talk with David.”
“Yes, I know.”
“I told him I couldn’t marry him.” Her hand shook, so she cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear.
“What else did you tell him?”
He sounded strange. “Do you already know?”
“Yes,” he replied softly. “He said you told him you were in love with me. Why did you do that?”
Kim’s knees felt weak, so she stepped across the room and sat down on a kitchen chair. “Because—well. . .” It was hard to tell her best friend something that would change their relationship for good. She sighed. “Because it’s true.”
“Why am I always the last to know stuff like this?” Brian asked.
“Are you mad?”
“Mad? No. Why should I be mad?”
“So what did David say after that?”
Brian snorted. “He was furious. But I think he’s fine now, after we met face-to-face at the church.”
“So that’s where you’ve been. I’ve been trying to get ahold of you since you left work.”
“I turned off my phone.” A brief pause fell between them before he spoke again. “You and I need to have a heart-to-heart talk, Kimberly Shaw. This is a serious matter that needs to be resolved before David leaves for the next mission.”
“It’s over between David and me, Brian,” Kim said. “You and I can deal with our own issues after he’s gone.”
“That brings up another point.”
“What’s that?”
“Do we have issues?”
Kim sucked in a breath and blurted, “I think we do.”
“Then let’s talk about them.”
“Not on the phone,” she said. “Why don’t you come over here, and we can discuss them in person.”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
After they hung up, Kim ran to her room and changed into something a little more flattering than the jeans and T-shirt she’d put on after work. Then she brushed her hair until it gleamed.
The instant the doorbell rang, Kim flung it open. He reached for her, pulled her into his arms, and lowered his face to hers for the most heart-stopping kiss she’d ever experienced.
Seventeen
Brian hadn’t planned the kiss. It just happened.
When he opened his eyes as he took a step back, he saw that Kim was just as stunned as he was. Without a word, he followed her into her house and all the way to the kitchen.
She turned to face him. “I figure we’re better off in here because the lighting is better.”
“Uh-huh.” Nothing more intelligent than a simple grunt entered Brian’s mind. He needed some time to recover from the kiss.
“I’m really sorry I messed things up between you and David,” she said. “I know you were best friends and all, but. . .” She lifted her hands and let them fall back to her sides. “I knew I couldn’t stay engaged to him, and I felt like I needed to explain why I was giving him his ring back. It just came out, and by the time I realized what I’d done, it was too late.”
Brian took a step closer to Kim and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I understand. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“But—”
He gently touched her lips with his finger. “Shh.”
Kim nodded and blinked then smiled. “So what are we gonna do now?”
His heart flipped a little, causing him to pause before speaking. “I guess we need to see how you and I are as a coupl
e.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “A couple?”
He nodded. “Yes. That is, if you want to.”
“A couple,” she repeated. “You and me.” A giggle came out of her beautiful, bow-shaped lips. “That sounds so—I don’t know. . .”
“Wonderful?”
Her cheeks reddened, and she nodded. “Well, yeah.”
“So what now?”
Kim shrugged. “I guess we should start dating or something.”
“Ya think?” His tone came out teasing, and she looked stricken, so he added, “I agree.”
Brian felt a sense of peace as she smiled at him. Then he remembered David. “We need to be very careful about how we handle this.”
Sadness washed over her face. “I know. I never meant to hurt him.”
“David’s a strong guy, so he’ll be fine. But you’re right. We need to be very careful with how we show our new relationship to the public.” He gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “We have to be respectful.”
❧
Kim wanted to kiss Brian again, but she agreed that they needed to take their relationship slowly, even in private. After being engaged to the wrong man, she didn’t want to make the same mistake twice. The chemistry was certainly there, and she liked everything about Brian. However, she needed to be sure that the excitement from changing their relationship didn’t fade into a dull regret.
“I have to get to the office early tomorrow morning, so I need to run,” Brian said as he edged toward the door. “Let’s plan to see each other Friday night. Maybe we can rent a movie and watch it at my place or yours.”
She nodded. They didn’t need to flaunt their relationship to the world—especially since David was still in town.
The rest of the week seemed to drag. By the time Friday night rolled around, Kim was so happy she felt like she could jump out of her own skin.
They’d decided to watch the movie at Brian’s house. When Kim arrived, she was greeted by a smiling man and the aroma of homemade chili.
“I feel like a princess,” she said. “This kind of thing only happens in fairy tales.”
Brian leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. Her knees instantly felt rubbery, but she managed to make it to the nearest chair.
