by JoAnn Durgin
“God can’t always protect you from the crazies in the world, Chase.” That advice had come from Travis, a rookie cop he’d befriended at a city youth rally last summer. Travis had been working the event and they’d shared a good conversation. They’d met a few times since for lunch. Chase figured it never hurt to have the long arm of the law safely in his corner pocket.
He’d always been generally cautious by nature. Chase knew most of his neighbors and they’d put an effective night watch system in place. In the past two years of living there, the crime rate had decreased by more than twenty percent. A retired police officer moved in a few doors down a couple of months ago, and that seemed to further deter the incidents.
Chase was up for volunteer duty one night next week, as a matter of fact. He made a mental note to put it on his calendar. If he forgot, feisty little Rita Moreland would be on his case in no time flat and pound on his door. Last time, he almost showed up late for his shift on purpose since Rita usually came bearing a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies to go with her chastisement. Those cookies reminded Chase of his mom’s. Totally worth being late.
Chase turned on the shower. Testing the water, he stepped inside the stall. Soaping his hair, he scrubbed his scalp. A random thought popped into his head. His mom had been a huge fan of those classic movie musicals. She used to listen to a song in South Pacific where the girl sang about washing a man right out of her hair.
Chase laughed. What made him think of that?
Could be because the woman you’re falling for is the daughter of Casino Guy. Falling hard. He’d checked out Jeremy Montague in a quick phone search. It hadn’t taken long to discover Heather was the man’s only child with his first wife, Ellyn Montague. At the wedding reception, Sawyer had mentioned Heather’s mother in connection with the celebrity charity bachelor auction last year. Chase was almost positive Heather’s mother’s name was Ellyn.
He stopped the vigorous scrubbing of his scalp. He’d like to keep his hair. He stood beneath the steady stream of hot water to rinse away the suds. “Lord, why her?” Leaning his palms flat against the tile, he rested his forehead on the wall. Of all the women in the world, of all the women in Indianapolis, Indiana, he had to meet the daughter of a casino tycoon. Called “richer than God” by the writer of one online article he’d read.
“No man is richer than God, but a man with God in his heart is the richest man of all.” A seminary professor, a mentor of his, used to say that quite often. How true it was.
Shaking his head, Chase grabbed the soap and continued with his shower. He couldn’t afford to waste water and run up his bill. He barely had enough money to cover expenses as it was. Which made contemplating a relationship with Heather all the more ludicrous.
Why not her? Where had that thought come from?
Twenty minutes later, Chase crawled into bed and propped up against the headboard. His clothes were in the washer, and he’d grabbed a quick bowl of cereal, his favorite late-night snack. He set his bottle of water on the nightstand and reached for his Bible on the other side of the queen-size bed where he’d left it last night, opened to the first chapter of Second Timothy. As usual, he’d fallen asleep reading.
Reading about Timothy’s close relationship with his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, struck a chord deep inside Chase. It always did. They’d loved Timothy enough to give him the gift of faith. A man so strong in his faith that Paul had called him “my true son in the faith.”
Tugging the Bible onto his lap, Chase reread the first few verses of the same chapter. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well, he read in the fifth verse.
Timothy’s godly heritage never failed to remind Chase of his mom, Melanie. Her mother, his grandmother Mary, had also been a godly woman, but she’d died much too young of heart disease when Chase was only a year old. He’d never known either of his grandfathers. His dad’s mother lived in California in a nursing home.
He might not have much in the way of material possessions, but thanks to his mother, he was strong in his faith and had the benefit of a solid education. Although his youth ministry job didn’t pay much, the opportunity to shape young lives was worth it all.
Chase’s thoughts strayed once again to Heather, an increasingly common occurrence. Mom would have adored her. She would admire the qualities Heather embodied—faithful, loyal, hardworking, and compassionate.
Why not her?
“Not now. Go away.” He needed to read his Bible. Blinking hard, Chase focused on the words. After reading through the remaining few chapters in Timothy, he set the Bible aside and bowed his head to pray. Father, use me for your glory in my ministry with the kids. Help me to demonstrate how to live effectively for you. Let me be a shining light and a guide for them. As much as I’m able, I am your servant. Use me, fill me, and equip me to do your will.
Pausing to gather his thoughts, Chase blew out a sigh. If it’s in your will that I pursue a relationship with Heather, then I pray you’ll show me the way. Should it matter that her father owns casinos? She’s not her father any more than I am my father. I know that. We’re so different in many ways, but I’ve seen Heather’s heart, and it’s pure. She wants to serve you, Lord, and I’m drawn to her sweet spirit and her willingness to help others. If I’m being honest, you know how physically attracted I am to Heather. She’s beautiful, inside and out. Help me to keep my desires, my thoughts, and my actions, under control. I ask all these things in the precious name of your Son. Amen.
His mom had introduced Chase to the man named Jesus mere days before she died. “Chase, I won’t be here much longer to watch over you. I want you to know that you’re never alone and you’ll always have a friend in Jesus.” Pale, her breathing labored and movements slow, she’d smoothed his hair away from his eyes and gently kissed his forehead. “One day we’ll be together again in Heaven.”
His mother held him tight and whispered through her tears, “Keep your father close in your heart and in your prayers, Chase. Never give up on him.”
“I won’t, Mom. I promise.”
At her funeral, Chase had thrown himself on her casket and wept. His father hauled him away and they’d clung to one another in their mutual grief like never before or since. His young mind hadn’t been able to fully grasp the meaning of his mother’s words, or his father’s rare display of emotion, but even now, his heart wrapped itself around her sentiment all these years later.
Keep your father close in your heart and in your prayers. Never give up on him.
He’d broken that promise. At the very least, he’d neglected that pledge to his mother. With a grunt, he threw the covers off his bed and slid to his knees beside the bed. At times like this, he needed to be on his knees. Bowing his head, he prayed for his father like he hadn’t in much too long.
As he finished, a renewal and peace like a river—like in the lyrics of a hymn he’d always loved—flowed through him.
Chapter 14
~~♥~~
God, I’m so glad you’re the One in control. He was the one who directed her path now. Heather steadfastly refused to be sucked into the web of sadness and defeat because of her family’s demise nearly nine years ago. This night would be a turning point, a time to put the past aside and focus on the future. Lots of families break up due to death, divorce, or some other reason.
Time to grow up and move forward. Starting now.
Concluding her remarks, Ellyn turned to glance at Heather with a quirked brow. She smiled when Heather gave her a slight nod and stepped into the spotlight.
You can do this. Speaking in public was vastly different from dancing. Dancing came naturally but speaking in front of a crowd most definitely did not. A newfound respect for Chase welled up inside Heather. How could he seem so calm and controlled? She only prayed she could string together a few coherent sentences. Get through this and return to her seat with a semblance of di
gnity and grace.
One quality she’d inherited from Jeremy Montague was the ability to think on her feet, even in the most trying of circumstances, including the time her male dancing partner collapsed in a drunken heap at her feet—on the stage. That was in her first year as a principal, near the end of her second full ballet performance. Scared to death and acting on instinct, she’d danced her heart out and assumed an air of confidence as if the man passed out at her feet was rehearsed and part of the performance. Then she’d stopped dancing and spouted a ridiculous, completely off-the-cuff, impromptu monologue about his untimely death, pouring all her emotion into it. By some miracle, it worked. The patrons went nuts and she’d become a media darling.
That performance was written up in the newspapers and even a national ballet trade magazine with such glowing adjectives as innovative and groundbreaking. Once the other season ticket patrons caught wind of it, they wanted to see the same variation of the ballet. The press hailed it as a “daring interpretation of a world-famous, classic ballet,” and the demand for tickets increased dramatically. The director told Heather the ballet’s revenue tripled for the month. All courtesy of the male principal’s unfortunate fall from grace.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Jeremy’s eldest daughter, Heather, would like to say a few words.” Ellyn stepped aside as the guests politely clapped.
“Thank you, Mom.” Heather was grateful she couldn’t distinguish many individuals among the sea of more than five hundred faces. The one person she did zero in on was her grandmother. Sure, she could sing Jeremy Montague’s praises—within reason—for Grandma M.
For the next few minutes, she shared fun anecdotes from her childhood. It was gratifying to be reminded of a simpler, happier time when their family was whole. Anna’s warm smile encouraged her from where she was seated at the head table beside her father. His 35-year-old wife, Kate, and the children sat to the right of Jeremy. Her dad’s face was blurred by the lights, ditto Kate’s. Perhaps that was for the best.
Heather could barely make out the silhouettes of Tiffany and Palmer. With their matching dark heads bowed, they appeared preoccupied with something on their laps—most likely games on their cell phones. These events must be boring for them. She remembered how much she’d hated them when she was their age.
“Thank you for honoring my father tonight.” Heather nodded to the committee members who sat at a round table near the stage. “My dad has always been a strong man, a decisive man, a respected leader in the company and within the Indianapolis business community. He inspires loyalty and strives not to merely stay with the times but to surge ahead of them. Thanks to his efforts, the name Montague has become synonymous with excellence and represents the highest standards. Jeremy Montague approaches each new endeavor with an uncommon dedication to detail and excellence. He’s esteemed by his staff and colleagues, and he treats them well as evidenced by those who have testified here tonight.”
Heather nodded in the direction where her father sat in the audience. “My father is one of the most intelligent men I’ve ever known, and”—she swallowed as unexpected tears sprang into her eyes—“he devotes himself wholly to each new project for Montague Enterprises. In everything he does, he does it well, and he does it with honor. For all these things, and so much more, I love you, Dad. Congratulations on receiving this prestigious award.”
Heather backed away from the podium, blinking away the moisture in her eyes. She reached for her mother’s hand and together they walked to the edge of the stage with thunderous applause ringing throughout the theater.
Ellyn squeezed her hand as they carefully descended the stairs together. “Thank you, darling. Based on your speech, you’re going to make a terrific marketing rep one day.”
Pleased by her mother’s compliment, Heather focused on getting back to her seat. She hadn’t said anything that wasn’t true or that she didn’t mean. She’d praised Jeremy Montague, the legend, while still paying tribute to the fact that he was her father.
The words she hadn’t been able to say publicly were I’m proud of you, Dad. Yet something inside her had shifted, softened, while she’d stood on that stage. God had whispered in her heart.
Forgive him. He doesn’t need to ask.
If God could forgive her for the ugliness and the sins of her past, who was she to harbor bitterness and not forgive her father?
“I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven,” she whispered under her breath. She might need to repeat that Bible verse when dealing with her father, but she’d do whatever it would take. She was tired of every meeting with her father being filled with tension, and she was the one who could change that in order to strengthen their relationship.
I love you, Dad. Just because he’d made her furious, just because he’d hurt her, didn’t mean she’d ever stopped loving him. Ava’s wedding vows inexplicably popped into her mind. Love wasn’t a random event. No, not at all, and it was all part of God’s plan. Not just for a husband and wife, but for families. For relationships of all kinds.
Heather held her head high as Jeremy rose to his feet. The smile on his face was genuine, neither forced nor for the cameras. He embraced her mother first and then gave her a quick hug.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear. “You’re the best.” With a kiss on her cheek, Jeremy approached the stage as the host began his formal introduction.
Let the healing begin.
~~♥~~
Chase sat up in the bed. He fluffed his pillow and propped it behind him. Why couldn’t he let go of the thought of Heather? After praying for his dad, he felt sure he could sleep. Most nights, he fell into bed exhausted. Tonight, sleep eluded him.
He hadn’t checked his messages in the last hour. Grabbing his phone, he quickly scanned down the list. None of the kids had texted or called. Good. His dad hadn’t called. Good.
Of course, Heather hadn’t called.
She’d probably been at that big event for her father tonight. Right.
Quickly scrolling past a couple of messages, he stopped at a voice mail from Kendra Morrison. The only Kendra he knew was the woman who worked at a local rec center where he played basketball on occasional Tuesday afternoons with other youth pastors. Why would she be calling him?
Chase clicked on the message to listen. Yep, the same Kendra. She offered the use of the pool at the rec center for his youth group the next Friday night. A two-hour timeslot was open while a basketball league was playing in the gym from seven to nine o’clock. “Let me know if you’re interested, and I’ll reserve the pool for you.” Kendra signed off with her phone number. “That’s my work number, so feel free to call whenever you get this message. The sooner the better or I’ll need to call someone else tomorrow by noon.”
The message had come in while he was in the shower. Might as well call her back now and accept her gracious invitation. A minute later, after disconnecting the call, misgivings overtook him. What was he thinking? He wasn’t thinking, and that was the problem. He’d need a female presence to help with the girls, especially at a pool event. That would involve extra planning he hadn’t considered. Had he jumped the gun? That’s what he got for checking messages in the middle of the night. His only excuse was that he’d wanted to reserve the pool before Kendra called someone else. The kids would love it, and it would be fun for all of them.
Why not her?
Chase groaned and rubbed his eyes, yawning in the process. “Okay, Lord. You can’t be subtle, can you? It’s obvious you’re not going to let go of this.”
Closing his eyes, he ran through the list of women from the church who’d already volunteered to help with the youth group at one point or another. A few of the mothers had helped with an event here and there, but none of them wanted to volunteer on a regular basis. The list was dwindling quickly. If the ladies were interested in helping in the first place, the kids usually ran them off with something they said or did. The guys thought it was great sport to come u
p with some new practical joke. Unfortunately, the girls hadn’t taken to any of the ladies, and the feeling had been mutual.
The kids were needy with tons of family problems, health concerns, school and authority issues…you name it. Then again, maybe his kids weren’t any different than in any other group of teenagers no matter where they lived. He imagined the rich kids had their own set of issues. Judging by what Heather had said, they did.
Which woman could he ask to help?
Why not her?
Chase blew out a long sigh. This was why seminary students were strongly encouraged to marry sooner than later, to find a mate willing to help with the ministry. Most ministry spouses often became an unpaid staff member. Huge commitment, in other words. Especially with his group.
“Twenty-nine isn’t that old,” he grumbled, opening his eyes. Although for a youth pastor, he might as well be ancient. His body was healthy and strong—he worked hard to make sure of it—but he’d noticed a few more lines around his eyes when he’d looked in the mirror the past few days. No doubt after tonight’s sleeplessness, he’d boast even more lines in the morning light.
Call Heather.
Okay, he’d examine the idea of asking Heather to help him. Number one, she was obviously fit and athletic. No doubt in his mind she knew how to swim. She could probably swim circles around him. He imagined she was competitive. Engaging in a water fight with her—make that guys against the girls—sounded like a great idea. That thought brought a quick smile to his lips.
Wait a minute.
His brain might be foggy, but things were beginning to make sense. At the motel, Trevon had mentioned Chase’s dad and his gambling problem. That had to be it. Now that he thought of it, as he’d explained about David in the briefest terms, Heather’s face had gone pale. She’d stared at the ground and kept Rachelle calm in spite of her internal struggle. Even though he didn’t know Heather well, Chase understood her consternation most likely had nothing to do with his father’s issues. Whatever was in her mind was something deeply personal to her.
