Love Finds a Way

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to ward off the threatening tears. It might be childish, but she wanted that doll and nothing else.

  “You okay?”

  Sheila felt Dwaine’s hand cover hers, and her eyes snapped open. “I–I’m fine. If you can find the doll, I’ll pay you whatever you think it’s worth.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Sheila studied Dwaine’s features—the prominent nose, velvet brown eyes, sandy-blond hair, and heavy dark eyebrows. He looked so sincere when he smiled. Hopefully he meant what he said about helping find the precious Bye-Lo baby. Maybe he wasn’t like Kevin, who’d offered her nothing but lies and broken promises.

  “You mentioned earlier that your folks are missionaries in Brazil.”

  “Yes. They’ve been living there for the past year.”

  “That sounds exciting. My church sent a work and witness team to Argentina last summer. The group said it was a worthwhile experience.”

  “Are you active in your church?” Sheila questioned.

  He reached for his glass of water and grinned at her. “I teach a teen Sunday school class. Ever since I accepted the Lord as my Savior, I’ve wanted to work with young people.” He chuckled. “I was only fourteen at the time of my conversion, so I had to grow up and become an adult before they’d let me teach.”

  Sheila relaxed against her seat. Why couldn’t I meet someone as nice as you in Fresno? She shook her head, hoping to get herself thinking straight again. Her vacation would be over in a week, and then she’d be going back to California. It might be some time before she returned to Casper for another visit. Dwaine Woods could be married by then.

  “So if your folks live in Brazil and your brother lives in San Diego, what’s keeping you in Fresno?” Dwaine asked.

  “My job, I guess.” Sheila fingered her napkin. What was taking their order so long?

  “That’s all? Just a job?”

  She nodded. “As I said earlier, I work as a receptionist at a chiropractor’s office.”

  Dwaine leaned his elbows on the table and looked at her intently. “You’re so pretty, I figure there must be a man in your life.”

  Sheila felt her face heat up. Was Dwaine flirting with her? He couldn’t be; they barely knew each other. “There is no man in my life.” Not anymore.

  She was relieved when their waitress showed up. The last thing she wanted to talk about was her broken engagement to Kevin. She was trying to put the past to rest.

  “Sorry it took so long,” the middle-aged woman said as she set plates in front of them. “We’re short-handed in the kitchen tonight, and I’m doing double duty.” There were dark circles under her eyes, and several strands of gray hair crept out of the bun she wore at the back of her neck.

  “We didn’t mind the wait,” Dwaine said. He smiled at Sheila and winked. “It gave me a chance to get better acquainted with this beautiful young woman.”

  His comment made her cheeks feel warm, and she reached for her glass of water, hoping it might cool her down.

  “Would you mind if I prayed before we eat?” he asked when the waitress walked away.

  “Not at all.” Sheila bowed her head as Dwaine’s deep voice sought the Lord’s blessing on their meal and beseeched God for His help in finding her grandmother’s doll.

  Maybe everything would work out all right after all.

  Dwaine became more frustrated by the minute. They’d been back at his shop for more than an hour and had looked through every drawer and cubbyhole he could think of. There was no sign of any Bye-Lo doll or even a receipt to show there ever had been one.

  “Maybe your grandmother took the doll to another antique shop,” he said to Sheila, who was searching through a manila envelope Dwaine had found in the bottom of his desk.

  “She said she brought it here.”

  “Maybe she forgot.”

  Sheila sighed. “I suppose she could have. Grandma recently turned seventy-five, and her memory might be starting to fade.”

  Dwaine looked at the antique clock on the wall across the room and grimaced. “It’s after nine. Maybe we should call it a night.”

  She nodded and slipped the envelope back in the drawer. “You’re right. It is getting late, and I’ve taken up enough of your time.”

  “I don’t mind,” Dwaine was quick to say. “This whole missing doll thing has piqued my interest. I’m in it till the end.”

  “If there is an end.” Sheila scooted her chair away from the desk and stood. “Since you have no record of the doll ever being here, and we don’t know for sure if Grandma even brought it into this shop, I fear my Bye-Lo baby might never be found.”

  The look of defeat on Sheila’s face tore at Dwaine’s heartstrings. She’d come all the way from California and used vacation time, and he hated to see her go home empty-handed. He took hold of her hand. “I’m not ready to give up yet. I can check with the other antique shops in town and see if they know anything about the doll.”

  Her blue eyes brightened, although he noticed a few tears on her lashes. “You’d take that much time away from your business to look for my doll?”

  “Searching for treasures is my job.” “Oh, that’s right.”

  He squeezed her fingers. “Why don’t you go back to your grandmother’s and get a good night’s sleep? In the morning, you can come back here and we’ll search some more.”

  She drew in a deep breath. “I’d like that, but I’m not staying with Grandma. I’m staying at a hotel.”

  “How come?”

  “Her apartment at the retirement center is too small. She only has one bedroom.”

  “But you have other relatives in town, right?”

  She nodded. “Jessica and Aunt Marlene. Jessica’s painting her kitchen right now, and I’m allergic to paint. And Aunt Marlene is out of town on a cruise.”

  “Guess a hotel is the best bet for you, then, huh?”

  “Yes, and since I’ll only be here a short time and got a good deal on the room, I’m fine with it.”

  He grinned at her. “Great. I’ll look forward to seeing you tomorrow, then, Sheila.”

  “Yes. Tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Sheila stood at her second-floor hotel window, staring at the parking lot. She’d slept better last night than she thought she would, going to bed with confidence that her doll would be found. Dwaine had assured her he would locate the missing doll, and for some reason, she believed him. The new owner of The Older the Better seemed honest and genuinely interested in helping her.

  Sheila crammed her hands into the pockets of her fuzzy pink robe. Of course, he could just be in it for the money. Dwaine did tell me the Bye-Lo baby is worth several hundred dollars.

  The telephone rang, and she jumped. Who would be calling her at nine o’clock in the morning? She grabbed the receiver on the next ring. “Hello.”

  “Sheila, honey, it’s Grandma.”

  “Oh, hi.”

  “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

  “No, I was up. Sorry I didn’t get by your place last night to drop off the house key. I’ll come by later today, okay?”

  “No hurry, dear. You’ll be here a week and might want to visit the old place again.”

  Sheila’s gaze went to the Bible Dwaine had found. She’d set it on the nightstand by her bed. “Grandma, Dwaine found a Bible on top of the piano yesterday. Would you like me to bring that by when I drop off the key?”

  “An old Bible?”

  “Yes, it’s black and kind of tattered.” “That belonged to your grandpa. Guess it didn’t get packed. Would you like to have it, Sheila?” “Don’t you want to keep it?”

  “Since you haven’t been able to locate the Bye-Lo doll, I’d like you to have the Bible.”

  “I’d be honored to have Grandpa’s Bible, but I’m still going to keep looking for the doll.”

  “That’s fine, dear. Speaking of the doll … What did you and that nice young man find out yesterday?” Grandma asked. “Did
you find a receipt?”

  Sheila blanched. How did Grandma know she and Dwaine had spent time together searching for anything that might give some clue as to what had happened to her Bye-Lo baby?

  “Sheila, are you still there?”

  “Yes, I’m here.” Sheila licked her lips. “How did you know I was looking for the doll with the owner of The Older the Better?”

  “He called me yesterday afternoon. Said the two of you were going through some papers in his shop.”

  “It must have been while he was in the back room,” Sheila said. “I never heard him call you.”

  Grandma sneezed and coughed a few times, and Sheila felt immediate concern. “Are you okay? You aren’t coming down with a cold, I hope.”

  She could hear Grandma blowing her nose. “I’m fine. Just my allergies acting up. I think I’m allergic to the new carpet in my apartment here.”

  Sheila’s heart twisted. Grandma shouldn’t have been forced to leave the home she loved and move to some cold apartment in a retirement center where the carpet made her sneeze.

  “Why don’t you come back to Fresno with me for a while?” Sheila suggested. “I live all alone in Mom and Dad’s big old house, and if you like it there, you can stay permanently.”

  “Oh no! I could never move from Casper.” There was a pause. “It’s kind of you to offer though.”

  Sheila understood why Grandma had declined. Her roots went deep, as she’d been born and raised in Casper, Wyoming. She had married and brought her children up here as well. Besides, Grandma probably wouldn’t be able to adjust to the heat in California, especially during the summer months.

  “I understand,” Sheila said, “but please feel free to come visit anytime you like.”

  “Yes, I will.” Another pause. “Now back to that young man who’s helping you look for my old doll …”

  “What did Dwaine want when he called you?” Sheila asked.

  “Dwaine?”

  “The new owner of The Older the Better.” “Oh. I think he did tell me his name, but I must have forgotten it.”

  Sheila dropped to the bed. So Grandma was getting forgetful. Maybe she had taken the doll to some other place. Or maybe Bye-Lo was still in her grandmother’s possession.

  “How come Dwaine phoned you?” Sheila asked again.

  Grandma cleared her throat. “He said you and he were going to eat supper together.”

  “He called to tell you that?”

  “Where did you go, dear?”

  “To Casper’s Café. It’s near his shop.”

  “How nice. I was hoping you would get out and have a little fun while you’re here.”

  Sheila stifled a yawn. “Grandma, I didn’t come back to Casper to have fun. I came to choose something from your attic, remember?”

  “Yes, of course, but you’re twenty-six years old and don’t even have a serious boyfriend.” Grandma clucked her tongue. “Why, when I was your age, I was already married and had three children.”

  “Grandma, I’m fine. I enjoy being single.” Liar. I almost married Kevin and was looking forward to raising a family someday.

  Sheila gripped the phone cord in her right hand. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life alone, but the Lord hasn’t brought the right man into my life.” And maybe He never will.

  “You might be too fussy,” Grandma said. “Did you ever think about that?”

  Sheila swallowed hard. Maybe she was. She’d had many dates over the years, but except for Kevin, she’d had no serious relationships.

  She shook her head, trying to clear away the troubling thoughts. “Grandma, why did Dwaine really phone? I’m sure it wasn’t to inform you that he and I planned to grab a bite of dinner at Casper’s Café.”

  “Supper, dear. We call it supper around here.”

  Sheila blew out her breath. “Supper then.”

  “Let’s see … I believe he called to ask me some questions about the doll.”

  Sheila’s hopes soared. “Did you remember something that might be helpful?” She didn’t recall Dwaine saying anything about his call to Grandma. Surely if he’d discovered some helpful information, he would have told her.

  Grandma released a sigh. “I’m afraid not, but he did say he was looking for a receipt.”

  Sheila jumped off the bed and strode back to the window as an idea popped into her head. “What about your copy of the receipt, Grandma? Didn’t Bill Summers give you one when you took the doll in?”

  “Hmm …” Sheila could almost see her grandmother’s expression—dark eyebrows drawn together, forehead wrinkled under her gray bangs, and pink lips pursed in contemplation.

  “I suppose I did get a receipt,” Grandma admitted, “but I have no idea where I put it. With the mess of moving and all, it could be almost anywhere.”

  “I see.” Sheila couldn’t hide her disappointment. “I’ve got a suggestion.” “What’s that, Grandma?”

  “Why don’t you go over to The Older the Better again today? You’re good at organizing and might be able to help find it.”

  “I doubt that.” Sheila had already spent several hours in Dwaine’s shop. The place was a disaster, with nothing organized or filed in the way she would have done had she been running the place.

  “Besides,” Grandma added, “it will give you a chance to get to know Dwaine better. He’s single, you know. Told me so on the phone yesterday.”

  Sheila’s gaze went to the ceiling. Grandma was such a romantic. She remembered how her grandmother used to talk about fixing candlelight dinners for her and Grandpa. Grandma delighted in telling her granddaughters how she believed love and romance were what kept a marriage alive. “That and having the good Lord in the center of your lives,” she had said more than once.

  Sheila reflected on a special day when Grandma had taken her, Kimber, Lauren, and Jessica shopping. The girls had just been starting into their teen years, and Grandma had bought them each a bottle of perfume, some nail polish, and a tube of lipstick. Then she’d told them how important it was to always look their best in public.

  “You never know when you might meet Mr. Right,”

  Grandma had said with a wink. As they drove home that day, Grandma had sung “Some Enchanted Evening.” “Sheila, are you still there?”

  Grandma’s question drove Sheila’s musings to the back of her mind. “Yes, and I will go back to the antique shop today,” she replied. “But please don’t get any ideas about Dwaine Woods becoming my knight in shining armor.”

  “Of course not, dear. I’ll let you make that decision.”

  Dwaine whistled as he polished a brass vase that had been brought in last week. It was an heirloom and would sell for a tidy sum if he could find the right buyer. He hoped it would be soon, because business had been slow the last few weeks, and he needed to make enough money to pay the bills that were due.

  If I could find that Bye-Lo doll for Sheila, I might have the money I need.

  A verse—1 Timothy 6:10—popped into Dwaine’s head. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”

  “I don’t really love money, Lord. I just need enough to pay the bills.”

  Then “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus,” from Philippians 4:19, came to mind.

  Dwaine placed the vase on a shelf by the front door. He’d done the best he could with it and knew it would sell in God’s time. And if he found Sheila’s doll, it would be because he was trying to help, not trying to make a profit at her expense.

  An image of the dark-haired beauty flashed into his head. Sheila fascinated him, and if she lived in Casper, he would probably make a move toward a relationship with her.

  But she lives in California, he reminded himself. She’ll be leaving soon, so I shouldn’t allow myself to get emotionally involved with a woman I may never see again.

  The silver bell above the front entrance jingled as the door swung open. Sheila stepped into the store, looking even more beau
tiful than she had the day before.

  Dwaine’s palms grew sweaty, and he swallowed hard. So much for his resolve.

  “Hi, Sheila. It’s good to see you again.”

  CHAPTER 5

  Sheila halted when she stepped through the door. Dwaine stood beside a shelf a few feet away, holding a piece of cloth and looking at her in a most peculiar way.

  “Good morning,” she said, trying to ignore his piercing gaze. Is my lipstick smudged? Could I have something caught between my teeth?

  “You look well rested.” He smiled, and she felt herself begin to relax.

  “The bed wasn’t as comfortable as my own, but at least I slept.”

  “That’s usually the way it is. Hotel beds never measure up to one’s own mattress.”

  Dwaine’s dark eyes held her captive, and Sheila had to look away.

  “Have you had breakfast yet?” he asked. “I’ve got some cinnamon rolls and coffee in the back room.”

  “Thanks, but the hotel served a continental breakfast.” She took a step forward. “I dropped by to see if you’ve had any luck locating the Bye-Lo doll or at least a receipt.”

  “Sorry, but I haven’t had time to look this morning.” He nodded toward a brass vase on the shelf. “I started my day by getting out some items I acquired a few weeks ago.”

  Sheila struggled to keep her disappointment from showing. “I suppose I could go visit Grandma or my cousin Jessica, then check back with you later on.” She turned toward the door, but Dwaine touched her shoulder.

  “Why don’t you stick around awhile? I’ll give you more boxes to go through, and while you’re doing that, I can finish up with what I’m doing here.”

  She turned around. “You wouldn’t mind me snooping through your things?”

  Dwaine leaned his head back and released a chuckle that vibrated against the knotty pine walls.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “When you said ‘snooping through my things,’ I had this vision of you dressed as Sherlock Holmes, scrutinizing every nook and cranny while looking for clues that might incriminate me.”