Change of Heart

by Courtney Walsh

  “So what do you want me to do about this profile?” Mallory asked, pulling the laptop to her.

  Abigail shot her a look. “Delete it. Please?”

  “Working on it.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, Abigail saw someone walk past the side window. She turned toward it. “Is that Aaron?”

  Mallory barely glanced up, fingers tapping on the keyboard. “Is it twenty after?”

  “I think it’s just now seven.”

  “Then he’s not here.” Mallory punched a few more keys and leaned back, triumphant.

  “Do something about that, will you?” Abigail hoisted her bags over her shoulder and started for the office.

  “Like, fire him?” Mallory shut the laptop and stashed it underneath the counter.

  “He’s too cute to fire. Just give him a warning or whatever.” Abigail let the office door swing closed behind her, not wanting to hear Mallory’s dry retort—something like, “Because that worked so well the last time.” Who needed the reminder that she was a soft boss?

  Abigail sank into her desk chair, the quiet solace of her office washing over her. Another dating site? Really, Mom?

  In that moment, the embarrassment of being the black sheep of Loves Park’s romantic tradition washed over her like cold water from a bucket. Why had God seen fit to give everyone but Abigail their Mr. Right, despite her years of praying, despite knowing she’d make someone a perfect wife? At least she hoped she would. Correction. She had hoped she would. She wasn’t sure about much anymore. No sense pining away for something—someone—that might not exist.

  Being twenty-nine and single might be difficult for any woman in any town, but Abigail had to believe that she had it just a little bit worse than most. Not only was she Teensy’s pet project, she was living in a town named by her great-great-grandparents as a celebration of their cherished love story. And that town had one obsession: romance.

  Double whammy.

  A loud knock startled her. Mallory didn’t wait for her to answer, instead pushing the door open and poking her head in. “Why are you sitting here in the dark?”

  Abigail stared at her. Had she forgotten to turn the light on?

  “Sorry, my hands were full,” she said, wondering if that counted as a lie. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing.”

  “You left the front unattended to come back here for nothing?” Abigail stood, smoothing her peasant top and the blazer she’d thrown on at the last minute in an attempt to make herself more professional than bohemian, the familiar struggle that plagued her every time she got ready for work. Always striving to be taken seriously as a business professional when her natural tendencies were far more casual.

  “No, Aaron just got here.” Then Mallory stared at her with that familiar grimace.

  “What now? A want ad in the Loves Park Daily News?” Before long, her mother would have a spot on channel five about her daughter’s inability to find a husband in a town with love in the name. Worse, around here it just might play as a valid story.

  “No, it’s not that,” Mallory said. “I think there’s something you should see.”

  Mallory’s tone rattled her, and Abigail fought the hollow worry that settled in her gut. She waited a moment before following her manager to the front of the store. The sun illuminated the large space, casting warmth and light across the rows and rows of bookshelves, some along the wall, others neatly positioned throughout the store. Abigail reached the coffee counter and stopped, following Mallory’s gaze through the glass.

  While their view was partially obstructed from this angle, it was clear something was going on next door. Harriet had moved out a few weeks prior, so that wasn’t it.

  Abigail dared a few cautious steps toward the oversize front window, the pit in her stomach warning her of impending doom.

  Wyatt Nelson stood outside. Next to him was a man wearing jeans and a North Face jacket. She couldn’t make out the stranger’s face, but she saw sales pitch all over Wyatt’s.

  “What is he doing?” Abigail crossed her arms over her chest, begging herself to calm down.

  Just then, Gerald and Anita Jensen strolled in from off the street.

  “Looks like you’ve got a new neighbor,” Gerald said, grinning at Abigail.

  Anita walked right up to Abigail and squeezed her arm. “A handsome neighbor too.” She smiled. “And no wedding ring. I checked. You should get out there and be charming.” A wink in Abigail’s direction and the older couple headed to the coffee counter. She barely heard them place their coffee and muffin order with Aaron.

  “He promised I had ten more days,” Abigail said, her voice barely audible.

  “Why don’t you go say something?” Mallory asked, still staring at the two men on the street. “Maybe it’s not what it looks like.”

  Abigail sent Mal a sad look. They both knew it was exactly what it looked like.

  Wyatt was going to try to sell her building without honoring his word. Typical of him.

  “Why does that guy have to look at our building?” Mallory’s shoulders dropped. “Aren’t there a dozen more on the market right now?”

  Abigail hadn’t been paying attention to the other downtown storefronts. Her brick building on the corner provided the perfect bookend for a block of equally unique shops, all independently—and locally—owned. The Book Nook had been her only focus for six years, and now her vision of expanding into art-filled walls and renovated furniture was blurred.

  Abigail hated to admit it to herself, but the shop was more than a way to pay the bills and honor her father’s memory. It was a diversion whenever her naked left hand bothered her—though that only happened every now and then. Some days she even convinced herself it was enough. Who needs a man when you have shelves of beautiful books and dreams of growth and success?

  Her heart raced as she stared at Wyatt and the stranger from the safety of her front window. While she couldn’t hear what the slimeballs were saying, she had the distinct impression from their pointing that they were now discussing her half of the building.

  No way was she going to let this . . . this . . . man move into her building, steal her dreams, and force her out.

  She drew in a deep breath. She didn’t even know North Face, and already she considered him a horrible person.

  “What are you going to do?” Mallory asked.

  “I don’t know, but I’m not going to let them get away with this.”

  She didn’t believe those words. Not yet. With a little bit of courage, perhaps she could find a way.

  A Note from the Author

  WHEN I FIRST HAD the idea for Change of Heart, I knew it would be difficult to write. Essentially, I thought, the book is about a man who’s in love with a married woman. Tricky for someone writing Christian fiction, no?

  But as I began to peel away the layers, I started to see that while this is a part of the battle my hero faced, it’s only a part—and at its core, this book is about surrendering our will to whatever God has for us. Even when the answers aren’t ones we want to hear. Even when everything seems to go completely wrong. Even when every choice we make seems to be the opposite of what we should’ve made.

  I’m not very good at surrendering.

  I’ve lived a fairly self-sufficient life, but in the past few years, I’ve realized that this isn’t a badge of courage I want to wear. I don’t want to be the one who has everything all figured out because it leaves no room for God to work in me. I would much rather readily admit I have no idea what I’m doing and can’t do any of this life stuff without him.

  My prayer for this book is that it will not only give you a few hours of peaceful escape, but that it will also help you, dear reader, take a look at the regrets you’ve been carrying with you and finally lay them down. No matter what story you’re telling yourself, the truth is our choices don’t define us—thankfully.

  And while the human heart tends to be fickle, God’s heart toward us never changes.

 
I pray you rest in his unending grace.

  Courtney

  Acknowledgments

  TO ADAM. MY ROCK. What a gift, this love of ours. I am so thankful for every moment with you. Thank you for always encouraging, keeping me on the right path, and helping me get over myself. You + Me.

  To my kids, Sophia, Ethan, and Sam. Watching you grow into really awesome young people has been my greatest joy. Thank you for not grumbling too much when I make you unload the dishwasher and for being totally okay eating cereal for dinner when I’m on deadline. My prayer is that you always know how very loved you are, and that no matter what, you rest in God’s grace and lean in to his purpose for your lives. I love you.

  To my dad. My forever hero. I look up to you more than you know. Your wisdom and faith inspire me every single day. Thank you for being there for me.

  To Sandra Bishop. I will always be so grateful for your belief in me.

  To Stephanie Broene and Danika King. Thank you for pulling the good stuff to the top. For being such an important part of this process. For being kind in your critiques and generous with your praise. It is pure joy that I get to work with you both.

  To Deb Raney. I couldn’t ask for a better mentor and friend. I am so glad we sat next to each other at that ACFW breakfast all those years ago. You are a true gift.

  To Ronelle Johnson. For your graciousness in answering my questions and helping me make sense of legalities that pretty much make no sense. And just for being one of the kindest, sweetest, and most generous people I know.

  To the Grove Girls. God has brought such sweetness to my life through each one of you. I am forever grateful.

  To my Studio kids. You bless my socks off every single time I watch you shine. Never stop believing in yourselves. . . . I never will!

  To the Michael Nyman station on Pandora and every instrumental movie sound track that has filled my earbuds. I love you.

  About the Author

  COURTNEY WALSH IS a novelist, artist, theater director, and playwright. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller lists and was a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category. She has written two more books in the Sweethaven Summer series, as well as two craft books and several full-length musicals. Courtney lives in Illinois with her husband and three children.

  Visit her online at www.courtneywalshwrites.com.

  Discussion Questions

  Bit by bit, Evelyn sacrificed parts of herself to become the model wife Christopher wanted—she gave up her goals, her individuality, and even her clothing preferences. If you knew Evelyn, what advice would you give her once she realized all she’d lost?

  When Christopher and Evelyn got married, Trevor did his best to hand his feelings over to God. However, he still faces a years-long struggle to move past his affection for her. Describe a time in your life when obeying and trusting God was more of a lengthy, challenging process than a onetime decision.

  After Christopher’s crimes and indiscretions come to light, Evelyn is shunned by most of her community even though she was not involved in his actions. Have you ever been scorned or left out by your family, friends, or community? What was your response?

  Trevor’s woodworking company is called Desvío (Spanish for “detour”). What is the significance behind that name? Has your life ever taken a turn that was different from what you expected? What happened?

  Trevor knew about Christopher’s infidelity years before it became a news story. But he chose to keep it from Evelyn, even colluding with Christopher to help him cover up some of his affairs. Why did he do that? What would you have done in his shoes?

  After Evelyn’s night of drinking too much at the bar, Gigi leaves her a note with Ephesians 2:10 written on it: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Why do you think Gigi chooses to share this particular verse with Evelyn? Why is it necessary to become a new creation in Christ before we can do the good things God has planned for us?

  In chapter 34, Evelyn reflects, “Of course [Christopher] was walking around free as a bird with a new soon-to-be wife and a baby on the way. Of course he had money from who knew where for kettle corn and handmade necklaces when she was scraping pennies together for the basic necessities so she didn’t feel like a complete charity case.” What do you do when life doesn’t seem fair—when things appear to work out well for the “bad guys” but not for the innocent? How can you encourage and support your friends and loved ones when they face situations like this?

  Trevor chooses to finally and completely surrender to God’s will in chapter 43. But he still prays, “Please let it be your will . . .” Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation—deciding to follow God wherever he wants you to go but still hoping his will aligns with your desires? What was the outcome?

  By the end of the book, Evelyn realizes that “God could take even her deepest pain and turn it into something beautiful.” Think of an example from your life—or the life of someone you know—where this was true. How can this reality impact the way you view difficult circumstances?

  In Paper Hearts, the first book in this series, the people of Loves Park express their affection through anonymous notes written on cutout hearts. In Change of Heart, it’s painted messages for the whole town to see. Can you think of a creative way to tell a loved one how you feel about him or her?

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