Love Inspired August 2014 – Bundle 1 of 2

by Ruth Logan Herne, Allie Pleiter

Paige released an uncharacteristic giggle. “I’m pretty crazy about you, too.”

  After a deep breath, Caleb squared her face in his hands. He looked her in the eye as he started to lean closer. She swallowed hard, biting the edge of her lip to keep from tumbling headfirst into that delicious, liquid-chocolate stare.

  Automatically, she tipped her lips to meet his. She drank him in, lingering in his kiss and savoring the feel of his hands in her hair. It was like nothing she could have imagined. Caleb’s kiss was a blessing—a gift that made her feel secure and cherished instead of like something had just been stolen from her.

  No more fighting her feelings with this man. It was time to see what an honest relationship looked like.

  Chapter Thirteen

  She still had a couple of minutes before Caleb would be there to pick her up for a date. Immediately after their kiss last night he’d asked her to go to lunch with him, and of course she said yes.

  Paige trailed her fingers over the Bible passage she read in a loving caress. At the church held inside a movie theater that she’d attended with Maggie, the pastor talked about a book of the Bible called the Psalms. When she got home she found a cozy chair on the porch and went back over what she’d learned during the sermon.

  Fall slowly crept into Goose Harbor leaving the afternoon cooler than it had been the past couple of weeks. Darker clouds started to roll in over Lake Michigan and a bit of a breeze whistled through the spindly porch rails. The air smelled like rain. Paige tucked the afghan she’d carried outside with her a little tighter around her shoulders and took a sip of the warm mint tea from the mug she balanced on the edge of the handrail.

  She really liked this David guy who’d written a large chunk of the Psalms. He wasn’t like some of the churchy people she’d come across in life—the ones who told her she had to act perfect all the time. Not at all. David argued with God. David ranted. David cried out and wept. He celebrated with singing and dancing. This man was completely flesh and blood who made a lot of terrible mistakes like anyone else. The only thing that separated him from others was that he loved God. That’s it.

  But that made all the difference.

  He came to God with every aspect of his emotions—ones Paige had always felt like she shouldn’t bother God with—yet God called David a man after His own heart.

  She reread the words David scrawled so many years ago and let them take root in her mind.

  When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust.

  The porch creaked as Maggie stepped outside with a dish towel over her shoulder. ���It’s a nice day to read the Bible out of doors, although it looks like we might get some rain tonight.” She nodded to indicate the worn book in Paige’s lap.

  Caleb’s truck bumped up the driveway.

  Paige pushed out from under her afghan. “I’m going to be honest with you. I’ve been away from this book for a long time. Actually, I don’t know if I ever really read it before.”

  “Well, that’s the best thing about God. Each day is a new chance to start over. You’ve come to Goose Harbor for a fresh start, and now you can be anyone you want. There’s a verse that says just that—God is making everything new and that we can trust what He says. You should look it up.” Maggie bowed her head and went back inside the inn.

  “Thanks. I will.”

  Making all things new. Paige liked that. She made a small note on her pad of paper to find that verse later.

  “Hey, beautiful.” Caleb took the front steps two at a time and grinned at her. “Ready to head out?”

  “Let me just put this stuff inside.” She started to rise.

  He eased the Bible and blanket from her hand. “I’ll do it. I want to say hey to Mags.”

  The moment he walked inside, another vehicle turned into Maggie’s driveway. A red BMW spun into the parking lot heaving a spray of gravel and a dust cloud in its wake.

  Paige froze.

  She knew that car well. Bryan and she had shared their first kiss in that car—a clumsy kiss quickly taken from her after an action movie on their third date.

  Still having a hard time believing her ex-fiancé would have any reason to be in Goose Harbor, Paige gripped the railing as she climbed down the porch steps.

  Bryan slammed his door and then rounded the car, planting himself in her path.

  She didn’t want to deal with him again. Never again. Why was he here? “How did you know where to find me?”

  “Your mother called. She says you aren’t being faithful, Paige. Out with some man last weekend—how would that look for me if the papers got wind of something like that? You could ruin next year’s election.”

  “Well, sorry you wasted the trip, but I have nothing to say to you.”

  “I’m taking you home.” He reached for her.

  But she moved away so his hand caught only air.

  She prayed for words and courage.

  You had worth beyond measure from the moment God created you, and no one can take that away. Not that man. And not your feelings.

  Caleb’s words rushed back into her mind.

  Paige straightened out her spine. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  Bryan’s ears turned red and she noticed his right hand shaking.

  In the years she’d known Bryan, he had won every fight, every debate. She never had a quick enough answer for him. Days later she would think through conversations and realize what she could have said to change the way the talk had gone, but it had always been too late.

  His glare could burn. “You’re done playing. You’re done making me look like a fool to our friends back home. Got it? You are getting in this car and coming with me. Now.” Bryan moved forward and seized her wrist as he spoke.

  “Let go. This is where I live.” She pawed at his hand but it didn’t budge.

  Secretly, for that first month after the breakup and when their wedding day came and went, Paige had wished that he would come, just like he was now, and demand to be back with her—to tell her he was sorry and say he wanted to be with her.

  But Bryan never said he was sorry—ever—in all the years she had known him.

  She had loved his confidence, loved that he always had the answers, but suddenly she couldn’t quite see what she had found so attractive about him. Why had she been so stuck on this man? He was certainly good-looking and possessed the charm of sweet talk, but as for substance, all she could see now was how demanding he was, and how often he had been looking out for only himself their entire relationship.

  Caleb, on the other hand, was quiet and more guarded so he didn’t instantly attract attention. But unlike Bryan, Caleb always put her needs before his own. When he disagreed with her or tried to convince her not to do something, it was because he feared for her—not because he needed to prove himself.

  Bryan tightened the hold on her arm and gave her a firm jerk. Unsteady on her feet, Paige tripped forward into him.

  “Leave me alone,” she said, trying to push his hand off her again. She jerked backwards and her elbow struck the porch railing.

  Behind her, the mug of tea hit the ground shattering into jagged pieces.

  “Let go of her! What’s going on?” Caleb’s questions tumbled out loudly as he rounded the corner of the inn’s wraparound porch.

  The second Paige saw Caleb she relaxed. Bryan couldn’t force anything, not with Caleb standing next to her. Not with Caleb protecting her.

  “So it was him—the lumberjack from before is the monster who let you get hurt?” Bryan released her arm and sneered at Caleb.

  “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” Paige narrowed her eyes.

  Bryan shook his head. “Your mom said you were out on the beach last week
and hurt your foot. She said you were rushed to emergency care and not a week later this guy’s making you dance on an injury? Real hero type you’re palling around with these days. You’ve known this monster all of a month and he gets you hurt.” Almost nose to nose, Bryan stepped into her personal space.

  She’d deal with her mother later. “It was a cut.” Paige tried to shove Bryan’s hand off her arm again.

  Wrapping his arm around her, Caleb pulled her to his side—and away from Bryan. “You’re the only one here who’s hurt Paige.”

  “Aw. Did I now? Poor Paige. Always playing the victim.” Bryan stalked closer again.

  Caleb angled his body between them. “You won’t lay another hand on her as long as I’m here.”

  Don’t fight. Please don’t fight.

  With her arm, she slipped her hand into Caleb’s and laced her fingers with his. She pumped his hand once, silently asking him to cool down. Caleb didn’t know that Bryan was a lawyer. If Caleb threw a punch, Bryan would ruin his life in court on a bunch of trumped-up charges.

  Bryan crossed his arms, and a slow, mocking smile played across his face. “I’ll never understand you, Paige. You get down on me for seeing other people, but it sure didn’t take you long to find a new fan club.” He snorted. “Just never figured you to end up with Mr. Farm and Fleet.”

  Caleb started to talk, but Paige tugged lightly on his arm. This battle was hers to fight. Bryan wanted her to get emotional, too bad for him. His words held no power over her any longer. “You are not welcome here, and you are not welcome in my life.”

  Bryan fisted his hands and looked back and forth between the two of them. “Forget you. You were always a waste of time, and it won’t take long before this new guy realizes that, too, and leaves you for someone better. Let your mom know she owes me forty bucks for gas.” He stalked back to his car and kicked it into gear. His tires spun in the gravel as he drove away, forming a new cloud of dust that Paige watched slowly settle back to earth.

  * * *

  Caleb worked his jaw back and forth. It had taken everything in him not to explode at Paige’s ex-boyfriend. How could the man talk to her like that? A fraction of his thoughts went to Bryan’s words about him—he’d accused Caleb of letting Paige get hurt.

  Old guilt gnawed on his conscience.

  Stop. Paige’s foot was fine. People got hurt sometimes. It was a small cut that had already healed.

  Gently, he tugged on her arm and turned her to face him. “Are you all right?” He searched her eyes for tears but found none.

  “I’m fine. Good, actually.” A smile played at her lips.

  “You sure? Some of that stuff he said...”

  “I’ve never been able to stand up to him like that. I don’t think he’ll be back.”

  Caleb smiled back at her. “I don’t think so, either. Do you still want to go out?”

  “Yeah.” She tugged his arm close. “No use letting him ruin our day.”

  Within ten minutes they were seated at his favorite booth at the Cherry Top Café. He worked the saltshaker around and around in his hand. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about, but I’m not sure right now is a good time anymore.”

  As she placed a napkin on her lap, Paige quirked an eyebrow.

  Caleb rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t want to come off sounding like him.” He dropped his gaze to the table.

  In an instant, her hand covered his. “Look at me.”

  He obeyed.

  “You are nothing like Bryan. Okay? Nothing. I’m just sorry it took me a while to realize that.”

  The waitress dropped off their food, and Caleb offered a quick prayer before they started eating.

  Paige pulled the lettuce off her burger and added more ketchup. “So...I’m all intrigued now. What did you want to talk about?”

  He laid down his soup spoon. “It’s about Sarah’s Home.”

  “I’m listening.”

  Caleb shared with her that Timmons asked him to fill in for the basketball coach for the next few weeks. “The game against our school’s rival is this Thursday. I can’t be in two places at once. I would if I could.”

  She folded her hands in her lap. “Are you trying to ask me not to go to Sarah’s Home this week?”

  He nodded, once, slowly.

  She looked out the window for a moment. “I know you’re asking me not to go only because you care about me, so I won’t go.”

  “Thank you.” The hoarse whisper surprised him, but it was all he could manage.

  After lunch, they decided to leave Caleb’s truck downtown and walked to the dock hand in hand. Local residents and some of their students spotted them and waved or greeted them with smiles and catcalls.

  He’d always wondered how the community would react if he started dating again. It seemed as if they were just as excited for him to have a happy ending as he was. Now that Paige understood his need to keep her safe, Caleb allowed himself to picture a long future beside her. Perhaps happy endings could happen more than once in a lifetime—more than that, despite Caleb’s mistakes in the past, God was here offering him a second chance at a new beginning.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The game wouldn’t start for another forty minutes, but Paige wanted to catch Caleb and wish him the best before the team took the floor. Arriving so early, she’d be able to snag a seat right behind the team, too.

  Her phone vibrated in her hand and she glanced at the screen. It was a text from Tasha, one of the seniors at Sarah’s Home.

  You coming 2nite? Need help with a scholarship essay. Due tomorrow.

  Paige’s heart sunk to her toes as she bit her lip. What could she text back? She needed to catch Caleb before the game. Maybe he’d agree that the best thing for her to do would be to go help Tasha. There had to be a compromise. Perhaps she could pick up Tasha and take her somewhere public and safe and they could work on the essay.

  Some of the lights were off in the main section of the high school. Game patrons would enter through the gym doors by the ticket counter, but Paige used her school key to stop by her classroom beforehand. Walking in the dark hallways alone brought back every image from every scary movie she’d ever watched.

  She picked up her pace. One more turn and she’d be near the back entrance of the gym by the locker rooms. Paige rounded the corner and stopped in her tracks in the dark hallway.

  Caleb and Amy stood close together talking near the water fountain outside of the men’s locker room. Amy looked like she belonged on a Hollywood red carpet instead of at a small town event in Goose Harbor. In a tight, bloodred dress, she was way overdressed for a basketball game. Paige fought the urge to inch forward and listen in on their conversation. It had to end soon. Amy tapped Caleb’s chest and he started to laugh—a genuine, enjoyable laugh. Paige wrapped her fingers over the hair ties lining her wrist.

  Caleb opened up his arms and stepped forward, wrapping Amy in a hug.

  Before her brain could compute anything, Paige spun on her heels and started back through the dark halls.

  Bryan’s words from earlier that week whizzed through her mind. You were always a waste of time, and it won’t take long before this new guy realizes that, too, and leaves you for someone better.

  She palmed at the tears that started running down her face and dripping off her chin and jammed the back of her hand into her mouth to bite back a sob.

  As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Bryan was right. Caleb was no different than the rest of them. He tricked her so easily. Worked his way into her heart just so he could squeeze it dry again. Stupid Paige.

  Men cheated and lied.

  She’d promised herself it wouldn’t happen again. And it had. So quickly. What a fool.

  Sh
aking so badly, it took three tries to successfully get her car key in the ignition.

  It was less than thirty minutes until the doors opened at Sarah’s Home. Tasha needed her—not Caleb.

  Paige worked the chain of her necklace around and around in her hand. Going would upset Caleb, but his feelings weren’t relevant anymore. The entire reason she came to Goose Harbor had been for a chance to be independent and to follow her heart at Sarah’s Home. Getting involved with Caleb had thrown her off course. No more. If she was going to help Tasha, she needed to leave now.

  Forty minutes later when she pulled into the parking lot at Sarah’s Home, she only counted two cars. Why so few volunteers tonight? She slung her bag over her shoulder, locked her car and went inside.

  As for volunteers, only Vick and Marty had showed, and there were only two students.

  Her heart sank further into the tips of her gym shoes.

  When she’d pictured serving here, she’d imagined a building packed full of students to encourage, inspire and challenge. Face it. Sarah’s Home showed signs of clear cardiac arrest.

  “Miss Paige, you came!” Tasha called from her spot at a desk in the study room. The girl ran over and gave her a hug. “When I didn’t hear back from you I thought you might not show and I was going to tear up what I’d written and just not apply to this scholarship.”

  “I’m here, and you know what? We’re not just going to apply to that scholarship—we’re going to win it.” Pushing Caleb out of her mind, Paige offered a smile.

  Marty peeked his head into the room. “I’m glad you came. Vick’s heading out right now so it’s just you and me and the couple students. I figure we’ll close down early.”

  Paige set down her bag. Smalls hadn’t even showed. “It’s so odd. We usually have ten students or so. How come no one’s here tonight?”

  Tasha yanked a spiral notebook from her weathered backpack. “They all know Mr. Caleb and some of the others isn’t coming tonight. Guess they figured it was near closed.”