“Is that when you changed your name?”
“Not right away. I met a woman in detention who was teaching a Bible study. She befriended me, got me an attorney who managed to have me released early and Mavis took me home to live with her. She helped me with my GED and college entrance, and suggested I change my name. New name. New life.”
She looked at Seth and could see the shock and disappointment in his eyes. What else had she expected? “So you see, I am a thief. I didn’t take the laptops, but I am a criminal.”
“You were just a kid trying to survive.”
She shook her head. “I’m no better than Jack’s mother.”
“No. You’re nothing like Jack’s mom. I don’t care about your past. It’s done. You’ve paid for your mistake.”
“I’ll have to quit my job and leave Dover. No one will want me around anymore. I’ll have to find someone to take over the picnic.”
“You can’t leave Dover. What would Jack and I do without you?”
The truth must have not sunk in with him yet. He didn’t understand. “Seth.”
“Carrie, I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise. You mean a great deal to me. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”
He tilted her chin upward. The look in his eyes held so much tenderness she wanted to look away, but it was impossible. Their gazes meshed.
She went into his arms as if she belonged there. He kissed her slowly, tenderly at first, but then he deepened the kiss. She returned it with all the emotion she’d been holding in check and knew he was feeling the same. There was no denying the way they felt about each other.
He pulled away, whispered her name, then recaptured her mouth again.
She floated on the sweet connection between them, willing to remain in his arms for the rest of her life. He raised his head, then tugged her close. She knew she should send him home, but all she wanted was to make this moment last as long as it could.
She’d deal with reality tomorrow.
“We’ll get him, Carrie. I’ll make sure he doesn’t come near you ever again.”
* * *
Monday morning dawned bright, warm and sunny. A direct contrast to her life. Since Seth had left her home Friday night, she’d hidden herself inside. She had been grateful he was on duty all weekend. It kept him from dropping in. She didn’t want him to see her in this condition. She’d barely slept, and eating was out of the question with her stomach tied in a permanent knot. Her dreams had been filled with images of Seth and of the kiss they’d shared. But they’d all ended with him leaving her alone on a cliff with dark clouds overhead. The dreams were like salt in a wound because in the middle of this mess she’d realized that she was dangerously close to being in love with Seth Montgomery. She’d tried her hardest to protect her heart, but her efforts had been wasted. She was lost.
Cradling her coffee cup in her hand, she curled up on the sofa and stared out the front window. She wanted to sit on her porch swing, but that would expose her to the world and she wasn’t ready for that. Her emotions were so muddled she couldn’t begin to sort them out. One minute she was full of joy remembering Seth’s kiss, and her newfound love would bring a smile to her face. Then next she would face the truth that she would have to leave Dover. She’d already started writing her resignation.
Her other big concern was the anniversary picnic. Someone had to step in and complete the details. It was only a week away. Too many people were counting on that celebration. But no matter who she thought of, no one had the knowledge to finish the arrangements.
A knock on the front door startled her. She didn’t want to see anyone. Ever again. She rose and looked through the peephole. Pastor Jim. A wave of guilt swelled. She hadn’t gone into work this morning. She hadn’t even called in sick. She opened the door.
“Good morning. How are you doing today?”
She forced a smile and motioned him inside. Maybe a minister was exactly what she needed.
He patted her shoulder, glancing at her open Bible as he passed the end table. “Searching for a verse that will make it all better?”
“I suppose.”
“I’ve done that. You might have more success in Proverbs or Psalms.” He positioned himself in the armchair and crossed his legs. “I wanted to know when you’ll be coming back to work.”
“I’m not. I mean, I didn’t think you’d want me back after...”
“Of course we want you back. Carrie, you are an important part of our staff. In fact—” he pulled an envelope from his jacket “—they sent this to you.”
She slipped the card out and smiled at the pretty flowers and birds on the front under the words Thinking of You. Inside were scribbled messages of encouragement from every staff member and all the committee heads. She couldn’t believe it. Tears blurred her vision. “They want me back?”
“Yes. Besides, no one else in the church can keep that picnic on track. You are some kind of superwoman. It’s only a week away, you know.”
“I want to come back. But I can’t.”
“I think you can. It won’t be easy, but you can do it. I have faith in you.”
A firm knock on her door drew her to her feet. She opened the door and was shocked to see Lorna Gathers holding a casserole dish. Lorna was infamous for her sour attitude and constant disapproval of everything. “Hello, Miss Lorna.”
She shoved the dish toward her. “It’s tuna. You need to come back to work.” She shifted her weight as if uncomfortable. “We can’t hold this picnic without you.” She pivoted and started to step off the porch, then stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Don’t break my dish.”
Pastor Jim glanced beyond Carrie’s shoulder. “What were you saying about people hating you? That’s the first time Lorna has brought anyone food.”
Carrie looked at the dish in her hands. “That was very sweet.”
Jim patted her shoulder. “I’ll leave you. But I hope when I arrive at church tomorrow morning you’ll be in your office hard at work. Don’t forget, we all have things in our past we regret. But once we’ve confessed and obtained forgiveness from the Lord, it’s over. Sometimes the hard part is learning how to forgive ourselves.”
After saying a prayer and promising to think about returning to work the next day, Jim left and Carrie thumbed to Psalms in her Bible. The pastor was right. She did have a hard time forgiving her past. Her fears had created the mess she was in now. But she’d been through more difficult situations and she’d learned those were the times when the Lord was sculpting her into something better, shaving off the spurs, chipping away the crusty spots so she could see and understand more clearly. She’d come to think of them as spiritual root canals—kill the infection, removed the dead parts, then replace it with a solid new tooth that would last forever.
But what was He trying to teach her now? Not to love? To return her focus to her goal to be a social worker? She had no idea, but she had a lot to think about. Her gaze landed on the card lying on her coffee table. Picking it up, she reread the names and the well-wishes.
Did they really want her back? The idea should have terrified her, but, instead, a sense of peace settled deep inside. Maybe it was time to step out in faith and see what the Lord had in store.
Chapter Ten
Seth held Jack in his arms as he knocked on the Carrie’s front door Monday evening. The little guy hadn’t seen her in days, since the laptop incident. Seth had given her the whole weekend to find her footing again, but she was still holed up in her house, not taking calls, not going out, and Pastor Jim said she hadn’t come to work today. That was not like Carrie.
Jack leaned forward and rapped his little knuckles on the door. “Maybe she didn’t hear you, Pop.”
Seth smiled. “Maybe not.”
“Did she go away? Will she come back again? I miss her and L
eo.”
“I miss her, too. Miss Carrie hasn’t been feeling well, but she’ll get better.” He needed to see her, to talk to her. After the kiss they’d shared, his emotions had been on a roller coaster. He needed to know where they stood. Kissing Carrie had caused a seismic shift in his thinking. Everything had changed between them and he needed to talk to her about it.
“Did she go to the doctor and get a shot?”
If only emotional distress was so easily healed. “I don’t know. We’ll have to ask her.” He had raised his fist to knock again when suddenly the door opened. Her gaze collided with his, then quickly slid to Jack, and a sweet smile brightened her face. That was the sunshine girl he’d fallen in love with.
“Jack wanted to come see you.” Jack wiggled in his grasp, waving at Carrie. She reached for him and he lunged into her arms, hugging her neck.
“I love you, Miss Carrie.” He squeezed tight and emitted a little grunt to emphasize the hug.
“I love you, too, Jack.” She carried him inside, setting him down when Leo came racing from the other room. The pair hugged and wrestled with happiness.
“Looks like Leo missed Jack as much as he missed that fur ball.”
“Probably more than he missed me.”
Seth let his gaze skim over her face, from the short wavy blond hair that gave her a girlish look to her creamy skin and the little throbbing pulse in her neck. “I missed you, too.”
She met his eyes and his breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful inside and out, and he couldn’t imagine a day in his life without her.
“I missed you...both.”
He took her hand and pulled her down beside him on the couch. Jack went straight to the small box of toys she’d collected since he’d come into her life. “How are you, Carrie? I was getting worried. You wouldn’t take my calls, you’d locked yourself in the house and you didn’t go to work this morning. Pastor Jim said you might not go back to work.”
She cast her eyes down. “I’m not ready to face anyone yet.”
“You can’t stay in hiding forever. And they aren’t just anyone. They’re your friends. I can’t tell you how many times I get asked about you during the day.”
Carrie rolled her eyes. “How’s the thief doing today and when is she leaving town?”
“No. Just the opposite. They all know you were framed. No one thinks you took those laptops.”
Carrie pulled her hand from his. “Any news on Neil? Is he still here in town?”
“We’re still tracking him down. He showed up in Sawyer’s Bend a few days ago and someone reported he was in Natchez, but we can’t confirm either. We have established he has a partner.”
Carried rubbed her eyes. “So there are two men I need to worry about now?”
“You don’t need to worry. I’m right next door and I’ve been keeping an eye on you.”
“Thanks, but I hate to be so much trouble.”
“No trouble. I like watching out for you. I want to keep you safe.” He leaned forward and kissed her. She ended it, pushing him away.
“You shouldn’t get involved with me.”
“Too late.”
“I’m serious. I don’t know what my brother will do next. What if he shows up at the church? I could be putting others in danger.”
“If that’s what you’re worried about, I’ll take you to and from work every day.”
“No. That’s not necessary.”
“What about the picnic? Who’s going to finish all the preparations for that?”
She wrung her hands together. “I don’t know. I can’t find anyone.”
“That’s because you’re the only one who can pull all this together. I know you—you won’t let those people down. It’s not who you are.”
“I don’t want to, but what if Neil shows up again?”
“Then I’ll deal with him. You let me handle that. And let me help with the picnic, too. Let me do the things you’re reluctant to tackle. But, Carrie, I know you don’t want to let anyone else manage the picnic.”
Her cell phone rang and she shifted to pick it up. Tears welled up in her blue eyes. She nodded, then muttered a soft thank-you before hanging up. The tears rolled down her cheeks and he wrapped his arm around her. “Are you all right?”
“That was Gloria. She begged me to come back to work, because there are too many details regarding the picnic and no one knows what to do. She said that the Lord gave me the vision and no one else.”
“I agree. Now do you believe how important you are?”
She rested her head on his chest as she cried. He never felt more important than holding this woman while her tears dampened his shirt.
* * *
The large pink lilies filled her office with a sweet fragrance and created a constant distraction. Not so much because of the lovely aroma, but because they were a gift from Seth. She’d stepped into the church this morning to a welcome of cheers and applause and hugs. Their words of encouragement and support had chased away her lingering doubts about returning to work. Now she knew what it was like to have people who cared. Until now there’d only been Mavis, but now she had the church staff. And Jack and Seth.
Right now, though, she had a lot of catching up to do. The picnic was only four days away. Thankfully her organization skills allowed her to quickly get on top of things and back on track. She loved her job, loved the people she worked with, and she wanted this anniversary picnic to meet all expectations.
She inhaled the heady fragrance of the floral arrangement again, unable to keep from smiling as she looked at them. She’d had to clear a special spot on her desk to set them. But it was the card and sentiment written on it that kept encroaching into her thoughts. “Welcome back to work, Sunshine. You are amazing and I know this picnic will prove that to everyone. Love, Seth.”
It was the words Love, Seth that had her heart speeding up and putting a perpetual smile on her lips. She’d called him, and the sound of his deep voice and the affection in his tone changed her insides to warm honey.
She had to be careful, though. Her heart told her she loved him, but her head was still reluctant to admit it. She wanted to be sure, and she wanted all the shadows of the past chased away first. She’d told him everything, but they hadn’t had a chance to work through it. She’d placed that on her list of things to do after the picnic. This event required all her attention, though how she was supposed to work with the heady scent of the lilies and the memory of Seth’s caringtone ringing in her ears she didn’t know.
With great effort she forced her attention back to the picnic checklist—finalizing paperwork, double-checking vendors and putting out small fires along the way. When the phone rang she sent up a prayer that it wasn’t another problem. Unfortunately, it was a big one.
She ended the call, then rested her head in her hands and searched for a solution. Without a second thought, she picked up her cell and called Seth, launching into her story the moment he answered. “Do you have a second? You won’t believe what’s happened. Vern Bailey crashed his plane.”
“What? When? Is he all right?”
“He’s fine, just a few scratches. He took it up this morning, but when he landed he blew a tire and skidded off the runway, and it flipped over. There’s no way he can get it repaired and here for the picnic. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Everyone is counting on seeing that old airplane.”
“I know. Myself included.”
“I wish I could put something else in that spot, but there’s not enough time to find another pilot willing to haul his plane down here for a day.”
“How about a police car?”
“What do you mean?”
“The department has a community liaison car. It’s a standard police cruiser with all the markings, but it’s not a response vehicle. We
use it for making appearances at community events. The kids can sit in it, flash the lights and sound a modified siren. There’ll be an officer there to explain everything and answer questions.”
“That would be wonderful. Do you think you can do that?”
“Sure. I’ll set it up. The only problem I see is that it’s too late to change your flyers and other notifications.”
“No problem. I’ll put it up on the website and ask everyone to spread the word. I think a police car is a pretty good substitute for an old airplane. Thank you. You’ve become an invaluable assistant. You’re like a hero who sweeps in and saves the day.”
“I’m here whenever you need me, Sunshine. I like assisting you. And I’d like to be your hero.”
His words kept her mood soft and mushy the rest of the day. It grew even warmer when she received his text telling her the arrangements for the liaison car were all set. He added a personal message at the end: You’re doing great, Sunshine. This is going to be a super picnic.
He’d added a thumbs-up emoji and a smiley with hearts for eyes. His words of encouragement warmed her from within, lifting another layer from the dark despair she’d been mired in since her arrest.
With the exception of Mavis, no one had ever believed in her or trusted her this much. Even after her past had been exposed, Seth was still there, stepping up to be her hero. Dare she hope that there might be a future for them, after all? Could he overcome what she’d done and consider a future together?
It didn’t seem likely, but for now she’d let herself dream. Surely the worst was over. What could possibly happen now?
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