“Besides, it’s funny how God manages to match us up so someone’s able to do the important stuff, according to what He thinks is important,” Jeffrey was saying.
“One of you will be a good dishwasher. One of you will remember to change the oil. One of you will be better at paying bills, and the other one is probably better at finding the right Christmas presents. These things are gifts. You can’t buy them, you can’t expect them, and you get what you get. And even when it’s annoying, we should be grateful. And you know it can be annoying.”
There was a small ruffle of laughter through the congregation. To her right Leah and Joshua exchanged a couple whispered words and Leah giggled.
Just then Gage leaned over. “See? You need a fixer.”
Jeffrey boomed on. “As a matter of fact, love is about building up the other person. If you have a deep need, a real and persistent need, then I suggest you turn to God to fill it up. He’s the only one who can fix it.”
She glanced at Gage. He raised one eyebrow and whispered, “Ha ha. God’s on my team.”
“What’s even better than that,” Jeffrey added, “is that God has a plan for you. You can hope, and expect, that plan to bring you what you really need, not just the things that you want. And that includes your spouse.”
She turned to Gage. “Go Team Planners,” she whispered.
From somewhere behind her she heard Catherine’s distinctive, short “Shhh.”
Meg pulled herself back together before she started laughing. A good mood was great, but a full-on preteen giggle fit would be embarrassing. She’d had enough embarrassing moments for one morning.
“Of course this scripture does remind us of marriage, especially after a sweet night like last night. But for some of you, weddings bring up a lot of unwelcome thoughts. You may be remembering the early days of a relationship when things looked so promising, before things went wrong.”
Old heartaches rose up in Meg’s chest, and she thought of Brie. Feeling that bad can make it hard to move on. It might even make a girl, a nice and loving girl, act badly.
Jeffrey took a couple steps forward into the crowd of mismatched chairs. “Marriage without the covenant, whether you actually bothered to go through a ceremony or not, is bound to break your heart. It can leave you with so much scar tissue that it’s hard to touch your heart at all anymore.”
The crowd was very quiet. For all his casual style, there was something convicting about a pastor making eye contact with you when he was talking about sex and marriage.
Meg sat very still and hoped he wouldn’t look at her. But he did, just when he started to speak again. “I spoke to a young man recently who had broken his own heart. I know that sounds funny, but that’s what happened. He had been too casual with his own heart, and the hearts of several young women.”
She felt a brush against her hand. Gage was staring intently at Jeffrey, but he was reaching for her hand. She took it, realizing that Jeffrey might be talking about Gage. She felt like she needed to brace herself for what he would say.
“This young man did a good job of giving up his self-seeking ways. But he had also given up on love.” Jeffrey took a step back and looked away, and Meg breathed again. “When he met a young woman he really cared for, he didn’t know how to act. Think about it. How many good examples do you have for how to properly court or be courted? Do you even know the difference between dating and courting? Let me tell you the difference. If your grandparents are still married, they probably courted.”
Meg’s mind was on fire. She was trying so hard not to think it, but the more she pushed it down the more it bobbed to the top: If the pastor was talking about Gage, could she be the woman Gage had met, the one he cared for?
“So that brings me to the last part of this scripture, the part that is important for young men like the one I was talking about, and all the young women who would want to be courted. The word is patience. Love is patient. Being kind takes patience. Being discerning takes patience. If it’s not the right relationship, be patient with God to send you the right person in His own perfect time.”
Gage’s hand stayed tight on hers.
Jeffrey grinned. “If you’re losing hope, take a good look at Josh and Leah, who found each other at just the right time. To hear Josh tell it, he knew the very second he saw Leah that she was the one. That doesn’t mean he threw discernment out the window.
“But from day one Joshua treated Leah as if she could be the faithful, loving, Godly wife he hoped for. So here’s my challenge to each of you. If you are, were, or think you might fall in love, take one week to treat your boyfriend or girlfriend like they are Godly, loving, faithful, patient, and kind. See if love grows. And if it doesn’t, you might want to dump them.”
Laughter again. To Meg some of that laughter sounded forced, though.
“Whatever you do, don’t close off that space in your heart. God has a plan for it. Shall we pray?”
Meg bowed her head and closed her eyes, and she listened to her uncle’s heartfelt prayer. Her brother Mark was going to be like him, blunt, insightful, and patient. She was sure he was on the right track with his new job and school. One more thing I don’t need to fix, Lord. You’ve got a plan.
She peeked down to look at Gage’s hand enclosing her own. What a wonder that was, how natural it felt, and how comforting. And sexy. Yep, just his skin against hers, palm to palm, was enough to make her heart race. It probably wasn’t the kind of thing to think about during prayer, she reminded herself. She hadn’t thought about marriage for a long time, and here she was, letting her mind wander that way with a man she hardly knew, thanks to Gage’s handsome self and Uncle Jeffrey’s sermon.
A chorus of “Amen” brought her back to reality, but before she raised her head, she prayed her own silent prayer. Okay, I’ll give it a try for one week. And when it doesn’t work out, I will dump him, if he doesn’t dump me first. Of course he’ll be in Texas, but that’s one of those pesky details you’re going to have to work out, God.
They got to sing again. That was when she noticed that Gage sang well but not perfectly. She thought he was pretty cute, too.
When the service was over she picked up her messenger bag, and while she was looking down she was nearly tackled by her cousin. “I was an idiot this morning,” Joshua said. “I’m sorry. I got all worked up and acted like a jerk.” He pulled back and looked at Gage. “I owe you the biggest apology, my friend.”
Next to him, Leah cleared her throat.
“Okay, after my wife I owe you the biggest apology. I know better. I got caught up in all sorts of nonsense, and I know better. I know it! I just thought—”
Gage cut him off with a back-thumping hug that Meg scrambled to avoid before she got a black eye. “No problem. It was actually pretty funny. I feel sorry for any guy who tries to date your daughter, Josh. Besides, you hadn’t had any coffee yet, you can’t be held accountable for your actions.”
“Really?” Meg said. “You woke up before you drank your coffee?”
“Well, I didn’t exactly wake up, I was already awake because—”
Leah kicked him in the ankle.
“Uh, yes. I woke up before I drank any coffee.”
Beside her she felt Gage’s hand sneak into her own again. It made the color rise in her face, and she tried to keep her smile even. He cared for her. The conversation went on to more neutral topics, and Meg finally worked up the courage to look Gage in the eye.
His amber eyes were sparkling. Meg didn’t think she’d ever had a man look at her like that before. It sent warmth and sunshine all the way down into her soul.
Leah’s laugh startled her, and she turned away and tried to catch up to the conversation topic, but her mind was elsewhere. It was on the tall Texan. He might not be the “real cowboy” she had been looking for as a girl, but she had been so right to want to look in Texas!
As she was trying to gather her thoughts, she caught sight of Brie headed their way. She looked perfect
, perfect hair and makeup, but she also looked sad. Meg’s heart went out to her. She gave Gage’s hand a squeeze and said, “I need to find my parents. I’ll be back.” Brie wouldn’t want her hanging around for whatever she was planning to say.
Meg found her parents talking to Mark. The four of them stood in the sunshine and talked for a while about Mark’s plans. Now that she was getting used to the idea of him becoming a pastor, she could see his excitement shining though. Her parents talked about the church tour they would be starting next Sunday to drum up support for their mission work. Then Meg’s mother put her hand on her arm and said, “Honey, Catherine gave me one of your books. It is lovely. I laughed so hard! I know kids must love it, but I bet their parents do, too. I can’t wait to read your next one. Is it done yet?”
“No,” she answered. But the hardest part was done—having an idea worth pursuing. “Thanks, Mom.”
As the conversation went on, she glanced down at their shoes. Four pairs of practical shoes. They all stood the same way, too, with toes pointing slightly outward. On the dark, trampled grass, their feet made a four-pointed star. This is my family, she thought, and it made her heart swell. It was different from other people’s families, it wasn’t as close as many, but it was hers, and they were linked in ways that couldn’t be broken.
Meg promised to hold on to that image, four pairs of boots making a star. She needed to remind herself to be grateful for how much love there was in her life.
Glancing over her shoulder, she could see that Leah and Joshua had moved on, but Gage stood in the same spot talking to Brie. She seemed to be dabbing at a tear in her eye, and he reached out to put his hand on her shoulder. Meg looked away. She didn’t want to be seen. This was their business, not hers, and no matter what, she hoped it could be resolved.
Meg heard the sound of a car starting up, and she turned to see one car pulling out and people loading up at least three more. The wedding was over, the free food had been eaten, and it was time to go home. Meg felt a sense of urgency. How much time did she have left with Gage? She was only just beginning to know him.
“Thanks, Mark,” her father said. “Jacob was going to drive us down when he took some people to the airport, but it would have been very crowded.”
“The airport? Do you know who he’s taking?” She tried to sound only mildly interested, but her brother gave her a quizzical look.
“Leah and Joshua’s friends, I think. They’re both flying out to… where are they from again?”
“Texas,” Meg supplied. Bozeman wasn’t the biggest airport in the world. There might be only one flight that would connect to Austin going out today, so of course they would be flying together. “Do you know when they’re leaving?”
“In about half an hour,” her mother said. She touched Meg’s arm again, gently.
Everyone gave her a patient, slightly sad look. Meg felt as though she had “I Like the Best Man” written across her forehead. “Well,” she said brightly, “I’ll be leaving about the same time. I want to get down to the KOA before dinnertime. I heard they have an amazing fried chicken dinner at the diner up there.” Pat, pat, pat went her mother’s hand on her arm.
Another car started, and she turned to see Catherine and Jacob’s Expedition start up and move closer to the cabin. Jacob shut it off and got out. To the left of it Gage and Brie were still talking, but now they were walking slowly away. Back at the SUV, Jacob opened the rear door and Joshua loaded a bag into the back. Up on the deck, Leah spotted her and waved for her to come over. Meg gave her parents and her brother an extra hug for no good reason and went back up to join Leah.
Leah was motioning her to come into the cabin. “I just hate it when brides open up their presents in front of everybody. It always felt like the queen was demanding tithes, and everyone just compares their presents to everyone else’s,” she was saying as she opened the door. “So I didn’t. But there’s one exception. I really want to make sure I open up your present before you go, because I know it’s a painting. I hope it’s one of yours. Is it a moose?”
Meg laughed. She thought that would have been a terrible wedding present, but the look in Leah’s eyes was so eager. Meg thought she could have painted a stop sign and Leah would have been happy to have it. She felt sorry for Brie, going back to Texas and knowing she’d never have her sweet friend close by again. “No moose,” she said. She reconsidered. “Okay, maybe a hint of one.”
The cabin door opened and her cousin and Gage came in. They both smiled, and Meg felt her heart thump again. Good grief, she was a mess around that man.
“Come on over, Josh,” Leah called, “I’m going to open up Meg’s present.” She took her time taking the paper off neatly, not tearing a single piece. Meg watched Joshua, and she saw him step forward, stop, and then cross his arms. She knew Joshua was working hard not to tear it out of her hands and rip it to pieces. He had absolutely hated it when Meg had opened her birthday presents the same way. His own birthdays often resembled a tornado.
The painting was of the cabin. Everyone had heard the story of Leah’s first night there. Her cousin and his then girlfriend were snowed in after a Christmas tree hunt. Leah was alone in the cabin when it got dark, and by the time Joshua got back he was worried she’d be frozen half to death. Instead, she’d not only gotten the persnickety old wood-burning stove going, but she’d made a cup of hot chocolate and gotten cozy. Joshua was so surprised to see his city girl girlfriend all comfortable in his remote cabin that he blurted out a proposal rather than waiting for Christmas Eve like he’d planned.
Meg had heard all about it, and that’s what she had painted, sort of. She had painted the cabin in snow, Leah standing on the deck with a smile on her face, a quilt around her shoulders, and a steaming mug in her hand. She had painted it from her heart. It was in her own style, a mixture of illustrating she did for children’s paintings and her own recollections of this place. She had painted it the way she would have done a painting for herself, in the brilliant, shimmering colors she saw when she looked at the world. When it was revealed, no one said a thing.
“Oh, Meg,” Leah said at last. When she turned around she had tears in her eyes. Meg felt so gratified she could hardly breathe. Then Joshua blindsided her with a gigantic hug. A moment later Leah joined in, make it a three-way hug.
When Gage said, “I’m feeling a little left out,” the three of them practically tackled him as a joke. He cried uncle, and while the boys continued to push each other around like teenagers, Leah took Meg by the hand and thanked her again.
It was Gage who put the damper on the moment. “So is the bus leaving soon?” he asked Joshua.
“In about twenty minutes.”
“I left the drawings in your camper,” he said to Meg. “Do you mind if I pick them up?”
She tried to look cheerful. “I can go down now and get them.”
“I’d like to walk you down,” he said, just as she hoped he would. Joshua said he would have his father stop for Gage at the turnoff for the old logging road, which bought them a few more minutes. But it also meant that Gage had to say his good-byes. He gave Josh a hug and then pushed him again for good measure. Leah was still teary. “See you soon,” she said, and he nodded.
See you soon? Leah was even more optimistic than Meg had thought. She was fairly certain the newlyweds wouldn’t be going back to Texas anytime soon.
Gage reached for Meg’s hand and led her out of the cabin. He didn’t let go of it as they walked silently across the meadow, past other guests loading up cars, and down the road. It was hot. Jeans had felt like a good choice in the cool morning, but not now. She could hear cicadas buzzing in the trees, and that even sounded hot. The shade of the forest felt good when they reached it. When one of the cars passed them, arms waving good-bye that could have belonged to just about anyone, Gage pulled her aside and looked at her. “I wish I didn’t have to go right away,” he said.
She nodded. “Back to work in Texas?”
“
Just back to packing,” he said, leading her out onto the steep dirt road again. The lug soles on her boots handled it much better than her high heels had the night before.
“I have a few leads on places to live,” he said, “but nothing better than that. My sister is going to let me fill up her garage with my junk for a little while, which helps.”
Meg nodded again. She really didn’t want him to talk about moving, because no matter where he was going, it was very far away. And every step they took was closer to the Expedition driving down to take him away.
“I want you to know that I did the best I knew how with Brie,” he said. “I wanted to make it up to her. I don’t think it’s all about me. I think that when I started trying to do right by her, it was the first time she’d ever had a man treat her well.”
“Maybe she thought you were the only one who ever would,” Meg murmured. And there Meg was, surrounded by men who did right by their family.
“Exactly. But she’ll figure it out. Besides, I always annoyed her. She said it was like dating a kid sometimes.”
Meg grinned. “I can understand that. I know I’d rather you never parked my camper again.”
He looked shocked. “What?”
“Never mind.” It didn’t matter. In hindsight it was almost funny. The turnoff to the logging road came up sooner than she could have imagined.
“I wanted to ask you a favor,” Gage said. “It’s a big one, but it would mean a lot to me. Do you think you could let my nephew Cole see your camper sometime?”
Meg doubted that would ever work out. “Of course. But I don’t see any way I’d be driving it down to Texas. In fact, I kind of doubt the camper, or my Jeep, could even make the trip.” She opened the door and stepped up into the camper, but she felt Gage stop behind her. She turned to see a confused look on his face. Was he trying to invite her to come visit? If so, she was handling it badly. But it was the truth, the camper wasn’t made for long trips. Step out in faith. That doesn’t mean stepping all the way to Texas, does it? She didn’t think that was what God wanted her to do. Or Uncle Jeffrey. That would be one big leap of faith, and not a very discerning one, at that.
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