Before I went to bed, I pulled out my phone and checked my messages. There was a long thread in a group text from my girlfriends, Nora and London.
Nora: We’re going to miss you so much.
London: Not as much as Fabio. ;)
Nora: Oh hush. They’re just friends.
London: For now.
Nora: She’s going to China! Imagine all the guys there!
London: There has to be like a billion of them.
Nora: Googling it.
Nora: More than 94 million guys ages 15-24. According to the CIA World Factbook.
London: Nerd.
Nora: What?
London: LOL. Anyway. Lover boy better step it up because there’s going to be some STIFF competition. ;D
More text bubbles appeared on the screen, but I had to put a stop to this. My thumbs flew over the touch keyboard.
Grace: stoOOPPP
Grace: I ate 27 Twix candy bars in front of Fabio tonight. If that didn’t scare him away, he is mentally deranged and therefore undatable.
London: You didn't say you don’t like him. ;)
Grace: Whatever. Your best friend is flying SEVEN THOUSAND MILES away tomorrow and all you can talk about is boys?
Nora: She’s just teasing you. :) We’re going to miss you.
London: :(
I didn’t want to be away from my girlfriends either. Between them and Fabio, I had everything I needed. That was the problem. I needed to see who I was on my own. Without my friends.
Grace: It’s only a month. I’ll be back before you know it. :)
London: Promise us a spa day?
Nora: YES. Mani-pedis sound perfect.
Grace: Promise. I’ll email you when I get there?
London: Sounds great. Love you, girl. Have an AMAZING trip. You deserve it. <3 <3 <3
Nora: Love you so much. Take tons of pictures. Can’t wait to see you when you get back!
Grace: Can’t wait either. <3 Love you.
I plugged my phone into the charger and nestled under my covers, knowing when my alarm went off in the morning, I’d be one step closer to this adventure, and I couldn’t wait to see what it would bring.
When I woke up the next morning, my stomach hurt, but not from my gluttony the night before. No, this was pure nerves. Anxiety like I’d never felt before took over every single cell in my body, forcing me to think of all the things that could go wrong. All the ways this had been a bad idea.
I’d come up with the notion a year ago after speaking with some missionaries at church, and my parents had reached out to one of their friends who ran an orphanage in Zhengzhou. Before I knew it, I had a plane ticket and a summer job.
I stared up at the glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling. I’d put them up when I was eight years old and never had the heart to take them down. What would it be like to fall asleep every night without looking up at those stars?
Someone was already moving around downstairs, and the smell of eggs and bacon hit my nose. My last meal in the United States. Next time I ate, I’d be in the air, or in Seoul for my layover, without cell phone service or anything I’d ever known. What had I signed myself up for?
At this point, my reservations didn’t matter. I had signed myself up, and I wasn’t going back on my word. I had to do this, for myself and for the children I’d be serving.
I went to the bathroom, took a shower, and got into the outfit I’d selected for traveling—something simple and comfortable with shoes I could easily slip in and out of. Then, I took my carefully packed luggage and my purse and headed downstairs to the dining room.
Everyone was up already, including my sister who seemed to be seconds away from dozing off into her grits.
My phone went off.
Fabio: I can’t believe you’re leaving today.
Grace: Me either. Promise me everything is going to be okay?
Fabio: Of course it will be. This is going to be great for you.
Cookie gave me a look and I set my phone down, feeling a little bit better. Fabio had that effect on me, maybe just because we’d known each other so long. We understood each other. I knew he needed to play video games when he was stressed, and he knew I needed to be talked up when I was stressed. I could always count on him for that.
Dad checked his watch throughout the entire meal—a human reminder of the fact that this time had to come to the end. That I had other places to be.
Mom told us to leave the dishes in the sink instead of cleaning them off like we usually did, and we started toward the door.
“Wait,” Cookie said. “We need to pray first.”
Mom smiled. “Excellent idea, Mama.”
I let go of my suitcase handle so we could hold hands—we always did when we prayed.
Cookie bowed her head, and so did the rest of us.
“Dear Heavenly Father,” she began, “please bless Nuo’s travels today. May she arrive in Zhengzhou safe and sound, ready to do your work. Please guide her and speak through her as she works with these children. Please be with us as we will miss our Nuo deeply. In Jesus’s name. Amen.”
“Amen,” the rest of us said.
My heart was going crazy, and even though the prayer and text had helped, I wanted to see Fabio one last time.
They all dropped me off at the airport, hugging me so long the guy in charge of vehicles told them to park if they were going to take any longer.
Mom had tears in her eyes as she took my face in both of her hands. “Nuo, manzou.” Walk carefully. Take care.
Now my eyes were watering. “Wǒ bù dé bù shuō zài jiàn le.” I have no choice but to say goodbye.
She hugged me once more. “I love you. To China and back.”
“I love you too.” I smiled and turned to leave. If I looked at her one second longer, I’d beg her to stay. And she’d let me.
On the way into the terminal, I took some deep breaths and blinked my eyes. Fabio had said he’d meet me before security with coffee. I didn’t want him to see how close I was to breaking down.
After I got my ticket from the kiosk, I walked toward security. Fabio’s blond hair was carefully gelled back, probably for the first time in his life. Instead of sweatpants or jeans, he’d worn khakis, a plaid shirt, and held a small bouquet of calla lilies. My favorite. Plus, two cups of coffee.
“What are you wearing?” I asked. “Hot date?”
A strangled laugh came out of his throat.
At first, I’d only been joking, but now I wondered if I’d stumbled upon the truth. “Who is she?”
Another laugh. “No one.” He waved his hands, successfully dumping half of my coffee on the floor.
“No!” I cried, watching God’s personal gift to early morning travelers steaming on the tile.
Fabio’s ears turned red, and he shuffled away from the mess. “Let’s sit down?”
“Sure,” I said, but I made sure to tell an employee about the spill on our way to the benches. I didn’t want anyone getting hurt.
I meant to ask Fabio what was going on when I sat down, but he handed me what was left of the cappuccino and asked me how I was doing.
It all came spilling out, just like it always did around him. I told him about my fears and nerves.
He reached out and rubbed my shoulder. “Grace, you’re gonna kill it. When have you not been amazing at something you did?”
“Amazing?” I asked.
He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be modest. Seriously. You have the best heart of anyone I know. I mean, what other sixth grader would give away their last Hello Kitty Kleenex to someone crying in the hallway? Or stay after school and read my car manual to me while I tried to figure out how to change a tire? You’re incredible.”
My stomach warmed from the combination of Fabio and the coffee. I was more thankful for him than ever. “What have I ever done to deserve a friend like you?”
He laughed. “I ask myself the same thing all the time.”
I shoved his shoulder and laughed, but
my smile faltered. “We’ve never been away from each other for this long before.”
Fabio frowned. “Yeah, but we didn’t talk for a long time after the Freshman Fallout.”
My lips turned down. “We don’t talk about that.”
He shrugged. “We’ll make it through this. Email me. Anytime. You know I’ll be up half the nights gaming anyway. And whenever I’m not serving up discount heart attack burgers at Joe’s, I’ll email you back. Promise.”
I leaned forward and hugged him, careful not to spill the dregs of my drink on him. And I held on, feeling the comfort of my very best friend.
“I’ll see you in a month?” I said.
“See you in a month.”
I bit my lip. “Will you wait ’til I go through security? I want to wave goodbye.”
A little smile touched his mouth. “Yeah. Anything.”
I turned to walk away, and Fabio called, “Hey, Grace?”
I looked back. “Yeah?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Your shoe’s untied.”
I rolled my eyes. “These boots don’t have any laces.”
A little laugh scraped out his throat. “You got me.”
My heart pounding again, I walked toward security and got in the short line. Perks of living in Oklahoma City? Small airport.
It took me all of ten minutes to get through security, and when I did, I looked back at Fabio to wave.
He was as close to security as he could get without having a plane ticket. He lifted his hand.
Just as I started toward the gate, I heard him yell, “Grace! Grace!”
“What?” I called back.
“I love you.”
***
To learn what happens next, download Sincerely Unrequited!
Also by Kelsie Stelting
The Texas High Series
Chasing Skye: Book One
Becoming Skye: Book Two
Loving Skye: Book Three
Anika Writes Her Soldier
Abi and the Boy Next Door: Book One
Abi and the Boy Who Lied: Book Two
Abi and the Boy She Loves: Book Three
The Warr Acres High Series
Sincerely Enemies
Sincerely Unrequited
Sincerely Cinderella
Sincerely Pen Pals: The Complete Warr Acres High Series
The Sweet Water High Series: A Multi-Author Collaboration
Road Trip with the Enemy: A Sweet Standalone Romance
YA Contemporary Romance Anthology
The Art of Taking Chances
The Texas Sun Series
All the Things He Left Behind
Unfair Catch: Savannah’s Story 1
Anything But Yes: Savannah’s Story 2
Nonfiction
Raising the West
Acknowledgments
I probably don’t say thank you enough, so I’m glad every book has a section where I can spell out the names of everyone who’s helped me along the way. Dear Adam couldn’t have made it into the world without help from the family, friends, and professionals who have supported me either in my career as a writer or on this project specifically.
I’m thankful to God for giving me the talent, the skills, the need to put words on paper.
My husband, for being a constant source of support, laughter, and unexpected/unconventional romance.
My parents, for telling me I could be anything I dreamed.
My siblings, for being my best friends and advocates.
The YA chicks, for their expert advice and friendship.
My editor, Tricia Harden, for taking such care with my stories and making the effort to truly know my characters.
Jenny with Seedlings for her expert, beautiful cover design.
Everyone I encountered at the Oklahoma Capitol, for their kind stewardship and willingness to answer my questions, no matter how strange.
Each of my advanced readers, for their love of literature and taking the time to support my work.
The members of my Readers Club for their friendship. Interacting with them day to day is a joy.
Finally, I’m thankful for you, the reader. Thank you for taking the time to share my world. I promise I worked to make it as wonderful as possible. You deserve only the very best.
Author’s Note
Almost two years ago now, I was sitting on the couch in my living room, crying, talking on the phone with my husband, and telling him that I needed to stop writing and go to nursing school. I remember saying, “There’s such a need in mental health nursing, and me struggling as a writer isn’t helping anyone.”
Being the wonderful man that he is, he offered me his full support with whatever I decided to choose. Because ultimately, it was my choice.
After we hung up, I set my phone down beside me, pulled out my computer, and tried to get lost in my Facebook newsfeed. Almost immediately, I got a message from someone I hadn’t heard from in eight years. She told me that she loved my writing and that it reminded her of John Green’s style. At the very end, she said, keep writing.
I read the message again and began crying. What she didn’t know was that in the cubicle at my job in data entry, I had a sticky note that said, “John Green used to work as a typist.”
I don’t know how, but that message reached me right at one of the biggest crossroads in my life. I’m so thankful to that friend, and to God, who I believe gave her that push to message me, right when I needed it.
I knew all of the shoulds in my life. I graduated summa cum laude with an honors degree. I had a heart for people and knew I could do well in school. There were people out there who could use me as a nurse. That was my should.
But my calling?
That was telling stories.
What I hadn’t realized was that I could help people just as much through my writing, as well as myself. I needed storytelling to get me through times harder than I ever could have imagined, and it’s helped readers do the same. Writing has brought me so many friends and opportunities I never would have otherwise known.
I think Emerick and I struggled with the same thing. Duty to others vs. the frivolous natures of our dreams. What we both forgot is that sometimes, the person we need to help is ourselves. Serving others does nothing if we do it without joy and passion—if we do it from a place of “should” rather than “must.”
The only problem? Sometimes choosing must is scary. It might look crazy to those around you. And sometimes it’s reckless, because it requires a leap of faith. With writing, I had to jump and trust that I would find my readers, my place in the writing community.
Must doesn’t mean you lose all practicality and concern for others. It means you become the best, most fulfilled version of yourself, so you have more to give.
You might be choosing between should and must yourself. If you are, I hope you’ll have the courage to face whatever lies ahead and give the best of yourself to others. You deserve it.
About the Author
Kelsie Stelting sealed her fate as a hopeless romantic when she met her husband as a broken, searching 17-year-old girl. A lot has changed since she fell for his sunshine smile, but her love for heartfelt, inspiring, and thought-provoking stories has remained constant. Her passion is writing stories with strong characters, deep feelings, and happy endings.
Kelsie currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband, foster children, and two precious papillons you'll see photos of if you join her readers' group. You can often find her writing, spending time with family, and soaking up too much sun wherever she can find it.
Visit www.kelsiestelting.com to get a free story and sign up for her readers' group!
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Sincerely Enemies: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (The Warr Acres High Series Book 1) Page 18
