Love Inspired November 2013 #2 (50 page)

“Am I late?” Somehow she'd snuck up on him, and her cheery voice made him whirl around.

“Not at all. Just getting some air.” He glanced down at her, trying not to stare. A long, black skirt, dressy leather boots, gray wool coat, familiar blue mittens, dark hair sleek and shiny. She was so beautiful. No, that wasn't it. She was vibrant. Her eyes were clear and bright, cheeks flushed. She looked so
alive.

Evie checked her watch. “We should go in before there's no place to sit.” Then she grinned. “Never mind. We're at the early bird service. No fighting for pew space. That will be perk number one.”

His heart lifted.
Perk
number
one,
as if there were more. This wouldn't be hard at all. Just two people going to church, not a big deal. “Let's head on in before my grandmother sends out a search party.” He opened the door and followed her in, breathing in the familiar smell of the sanctuary space. It was a peaceful place, filled with good memories, and the gleaming pews beckoned to him. There wasn't room for confusion and anxiety here, and suddenly, being with Evie seemed to fit right in.

He touched her elbow and whispered, “She's up in the front, wearing light blue. Says she has trouble hearing. I think she just likes to sit behind that big family with all the little kids. Usually gets passed a baby by the middle of the service.”

Evie nodded and headed up the aisle.

He guessed he shouldn't have worried about the seating because Evie had no problem entering the pew, introducing herself to his grandmother in a soft voice and reaching for a hymnal. A strange feeling of contentment spread through him as soon as the bells stopped ringing and the choir started the first hymn. He peeked over at Grandma Lili, who was singing gustily.

Not hard, nothing to it. He shouldn't have worried. Grandma caught him looking and gave an enormous wink.

Of course, he should probably reserve judgment until after the service. That's when the real test of Grandma's restraint would be. Would she ask Evie a million questions or would she give the poor girl a break? And although Evie seemed shy at first, he suspected she was just observing before speaking, taking the temperature of the room before diving into the conversation.

He peeked at the two of them sharing a hymnal. Grandma Lili's gray head was bent near to Evie's dark one, their voices blending sweetly. Looks could be deceiving, especially with his grandmother. Would they get along, or would he be calling in the National Guard?

He couldn't even guess; it was a toss-up.

* * *

“Have another doughnut, dear.” Grandma Lili pushed a maple frosting coated twist toward Evie and smiled, brown eyes crinkling. The church hall was echoing with chatter and sounds of coffee mugs being filled.

“I can't. One doughnut a day, that's my rule.” Evie said it with a straight face and was rewarded with a chuckle. The little old lady was a lot more relaxed than she'd been expecting. But then again, the real conversation had just started.

Gavin looked from one to the other, a bemused expression on his face. He hadn't said much, but she had loved having him beside her during the service. Jack always tended to fidget about halfway through and Evie struggled to ignore his tapping foot or murmured comments. Gavin's presence was strong and steady, as comfortable as if he lived there. There was a peace about him that was contagious.

“Just like Allison, always on a diet. You're not plump. Just have a half.”

Evie shook her head. “That's a slippery slope. A few months from now the fire crew would be cutting me out of my house. My twin brother, Jack, he can eat anything, but that's probably the male gene acting up. The universe is grossly unfair.”

“In my day, men liked a little meat on their women. But nowadays, all I see are collarbones and knobby knees. I just can't see the attraction. What is there to hold on to?”

Gavin coughed, startled. “Grandma, please. We just got out of church.”

“And your point is? You think church people don't fall in love? Who made all these fine folks here? Men and women just like you two.” She waved a hand in Gavin's direction. His face was turning pink around the cheekbones and Evie was struggling not to laugh.

“There's no reason to skirt around the issue. It's as old as time itself. Now, your grandfather always told me he wished we'd met a few years earlier. By the time we got married, he was already working fourteen-hour days and—”

“Grandma, please.” Gavin had one hand to his forehead, as if to shield his eyes from the light. Evie could see his face turning pinker by the moment.

“I see your point, Mrs. Sawyer.” She hurried to join the conversation, wondering if Gavin was going to give his grandmother an earful later. Or maybe she talked like this all the time. Evie's parents hardly seemed to exist on the same planet as their own children, let alone hand out tips on marital happiness.

“Do you? Gavin tells me you run your own paper. Aren't you a little young for that?”

“I bought it from the bank when it was bankrupt.”

Grandma Lili tilted her head. “I love a good sale. Smart girl. But why don't you just hire someone else to be the editor? Hal Golden owns
The Daily
and he hardly steps foot in the place, from what I hear. He just collects the profits and lets someone else do the dirty work.”

Evie glanced down at her plate, dabs of maple frosting the only remnants of her breakfast. The dirty work, that's exactly what went on over at
The Daily.
She hadn't been any better, but she was different now. “I prefer to be in charge of the content, too. If I didn't own the paper, I might have to print a story I didn't think was good for the community. If I hired someone else to be the editor, we'd have to have a rock-solid friendship and a lot of trust. I haven't found that yet.” She paused. “And I enjoy what I do.”

“That must take an awful lot of time.” Grandma Lili narrowed her eyes, hands still wrapped around her mug, blue veins visible through her fragile skin.

Evie nodded. “My office gets busy, but I have a great crew. Most of them came with the paper.” She paused, glancing at Gavin, who looked like he was in pain. “I've seen what happens when work is everything and the family comes last. It's not the way I want to live.”

“So, you're not one of those women who think they can have it all? That you can run a big business and raise kids and have a happy marriage and a perfect house without dropping a single ball?”

Evie blinked, surprised. Of all the conversations she thought they'd have, this wasn't one of them. It ranked right below “How to make your husband happy.”

“Nobody can have it all. Everyone has to make priorities. But I also think that with all the technology, the old roles of work and home are more fluid. I have two employees who work flexible hours from home.”

His grandma nodded, approving. “Nice of you to let the moms stay with their kids more.”

“Actually, one is a man who runs a pottery business and needs the daytime hours for teaching classes, but it works for moms, too. I just believe that you can't have two separate items in the number one spot. I'd prefer my employees to feel fulfilled, happy. Which means family usually gets the top spot, work comes next.” Evie wasn't trying to be difficult, but a serious question got complicated answers

“Anything else, Grandma?” He dropped his head toward hers and pretended to whisper. “She promised she wouldn't interrogate you.”

She patted her gray hair with one hand and lifted her chin. “I'm not interrogating, as you call it. I've got to find some good spouses for you and Allison. But you wouldn't believe the things I've heard from my friends. Angela DiLindo, down there on the end, with the blue scarf? Her daughter got divorced for the third time. Want to know why?”

Evie glanced at Gavin and felt her lips tug up at the sight of his expression.

“The man didn't want to live in a place where it snowed for months at a time.” She looked from one to another, brow arched. “I mean, honestly. They didn't talk about the snow? He hated winter so much and she never knew?”

Gavin made a noise in his throat. “Is it possible to marry somebody and not know what season they like the best?”

She chuckled, but her eyes were sad. “Oh, dearie, I think it's very possible. There are so many other things competing for attention. Looks, money, status. Then after a few years you get a good look at the person and realize you didn't know them at all.”

Grandma Lili lifted her mug and took a long sip. “But that's my lecture for the day. I'm headed over to Mrs. Werlin's table there. She's always got the news of the week. Better than your paper, Evie. You should hire her to dish the dirt.” She patted his hand and grinned. “You two go have some fun. Get to know each other. And it was lovely to meet you, Evie.”

“Thank you. I'm glad I came. But won't you be needing a ride?”

“I drove myself. I'm only eighty-two.” And with that parting shot, she stood and waved them goodbye on her way toward a table packed with chattering old ladies. A few old men had staked out their own table and were busy arguing over something that needed a lot of hand gestures.

There was a short silence and Evie snuck Gavin a glance. He probably was waiting for the right moment to set her straight. Poor man, practically married off without saying a word. And every time Lili had mentioned Allison, Evie's conscience had twinged in response.

“Do you want to take a walk? There's a beautiful trail behind the church that comes out near the old sledding hill. Probably lots of boarders out there today. We can count the nose grabs.”

“The what?”

“The ones who catch air and grab the end of the board.” He was already standing, clearing their coffee mugs.

“Sure, let's go walk off these doughnuts.” Evie stood, grabbing her coat. He obviously wanted to wait until they were alone to put in his objections. She'd make it easy on him, try to start the conversation first. But something deep inside warmed at the memory of Grandma Lili and her advice. She was missing that kind of solid strength, yearned for it. If only there was a way to share her. Some people had all the luck.

Chapter Ten

G
avin felt the snow crunch under his boots in a satisfying way. Evie walked beside him, eyes focused on the footpath that wound through tall pine trees toward Ruby Hill. He shot a glance in her direction. Her hood was down, but her face was unreadable, her mouth set in a soft smile. He sighed. She was probably thinking what a crazy conversation that had been, but Grandma Lili was wiser than all the people he knew put together. Add that to her unshakable faith and he wouldn't trade her for anyone.

“Listen, I know that was awkward, but she didn't mean any harm.”

Evie said nothing, just smiled in his direction. The sound of their boots echoed in the cold air. He could hear the faraway sounds of children testing the brand-new snow on the hill.

“You're probably thinking she's a nutty old lady.”

She stopped and stood blinking up at him. The midmorning sun peeked through the clouds, and her eyes glowed bright blue. “Is that what you think? That I see your grandmother as nutty?”

Gavin frowned, trying to recapture his train of thought. If only she wasn't so pretty, wasn't standing so close. “She had a great marriage, even though they were very different people, and can't see why the divorce rate is so high.” He spread his hands, looking out across the snowy trail toward the trees. “She's not a cranky old person wanting to make everyone miserable. She's—”

“Protective.” Evie laughed, a sound so light and warm that it felt like waves against his heart. She reached out a mitten and touched his arm. “Gavin, I think she's wonderful. Truly.”

He said nothing, wondering how he could feel the heat of her hand through her glove and his coat, then realizing it was his own reaction to her touch.

“I'm not sure what your parents are like, but mine aren't very protective.” She dropped her hand and he immediately wished she hadn't. “They give lots of advice, but not about happy marriages, or learning to balance life and work, or even how to attract a man.” Her lips curled a bit at the last sentence, as if she really didn't want that kind of help. “It's all about making good impressions on people in power, how to become wealthy, how to acquire things.”

He nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. “Perhaps our parents are similar that way.”

“So please don't apologize for your beautiful grandmother. I'm jealous of you and Allison. Maybe she'll adopt me if I ask her very nicely.” Her dimples were like deep indents in each cheek. He wanted to respond, but all he could think was how Evie seemed to fit into every part of his life. From her passion for social justice, to the Mission meetings, to her dedication to making her employees happy, to sitting in church today with his grandmother. He felt like she got it. She understood. She was real.

Almost against his will, he took a step forward. He watched those sky-blue eyes widen, dark lashes framing them perfectly. If there was anything he could say, he would try to form words, but all he could think of was how much he wanted to brush a kiss over her soft mouth. His gaze dropped to her lips. He waited, wondering if she would put up a hand, warn him off. But she stood motionless.

He didn't remember taking the last step, but somehow they were very close, his arm gently wrapped around her waist. She smelled wonderful, like apples and cinnamon. Her head tilted up, thick dark hair falling back from her face, and she met his eyes. He saw yearning, hope, wild happiness, and at the last moment before he leaned toward her, there was something else, as if she had suddenly remembered where they were. She still didn't move back but returned his kiss without a second's hesitation.

She fit in his arms like she'd been born to be there, felt righter than any other woman ever had. How many times had he said he would wait until things were calmer, less hectic, less chaotic, before getting any closer to her? But like everything else with Evie, his plans meant nothing. The only thing that mattered, that existed in the universe, was her soft mouth and the splay of her fingers against his chest.

After a few moments he forced himself to break away, wishing they could stand there forever but knowing real life was just around the corner. Or the trail bend, as it were. He felt crazy, kissing her behind the church on a snowy day, like teenagers hiding from their chaperone.

“Um, that was not planned. I don't want you to think I lured you out here with an ulterior motive.”

“Well, now I'm disappointed. I was hoping this was your plan all along. If I'm just a spur-of-the-moment smooch, then maybe I'll take it back.” Her voice was husky.

He felt his brows rise. “Yes, please, do take it back. I don't deserve it one bit.”

Evie's eyes were bright with laughter and she stood on tiptoes, gaze slipping to his mouth. His heart hammered in his chest as she drew near, reminding him of so many moments he'd wished they'd been this close. Then at the last moment, she drew back, eyes shadowed.

“Gavin.” She spoke his name so softly he wondered if he'd imagined it. “I should tell you something about my past. I meant to tell you before now.”

“Wait.” He paused, searching for words. “Despite Grandma Lili behind me, I've still made some spectacularly bad choices. We all make mistakes. And we all ask forgiveness. Christ always makes a way for us to change, keep working toward something better. If you want, later, we can sit down and write each other a list. But...” he waved his hand around the pine-shaded trail, the bright white of the snow drifts, the distant sound of kids sledding “...just for today, let's enjoy this.”

She smiled, as if coming to a decision. Evie looked up at the trees, her whole posture relaxing. She was almost happy now, as if a burden had slipped from her shoulders.

There was no sound except a slight breeze in the treetops and the distant noise of kids playing. Evie's hand touched his arm. “What is past is prologue.” And she smiled up at him, as if that made all the sense in the world.

Gavin raised his eyebrows.

“It's from
The Tempest.
Not a great scene, sort of depressing. But what I meant is that everything in our past prepares us for our future.” She took a breath and let out it out slowly.

Gavin searched her face, trying to decide what else she was trying to say. Or not say.

“When someone shares a failing from his past, it doesn't make me think any less of him. I figure they're moving forward and that's what is most important.”

Those were the words he had waited to hear. He had lost sleep, wrestled with his own conscience and argued with God. Evie could be trusted with Allison's secret, when Allison was ready to share it.

“I agree. Because we're all a work in progress, as long as we don't give up.” His toes were getting numb from standing still in the cold. He took her mittened hand and turned back toward the sledding hill. “Let's keep walking before we freeze to death.”

She strode along beside him, matching his steps, her fingers tight in his. “Back there, when we were...”

He shot her a glance, lips curving up. “We were what? I'm not sure I remember exactly. You should describe it. Or better yet, show me.” He loved the pink of her cheeks, the frown that battled with her shy smile.

“Not a chance. Too many impressionable children around. Plus, I'd never remember what I was going to say the third time around.” She paused as they came out on the trail head and Ruby Hill stretched in front of them, dotted with sledders and snowboarders. An orange plastic barrier delineated the ski area from the off-limits woods. Bright snowsuits and ski jackets flashed by, and it seemed hundreds of children yelled for someone to pull them back up the long, sloping hill.

He turned to look at her, but she was staring intently at the activity. He wasn't sure if she was choosing her words or was distracted. The next moment, she turned to him, a bright smile creasing her face.

“Never mind. You're right. Let's just enjoy the day.” She slipped her arm through his and he felt a warmth expand in his chest, as if the sun were shining just for him.

There would be time for all those conversations, the kind that dug deep and exposed painful pasts. But for right now, he hugged her to his side and said a silent prayer of thanks. Whatever Evie had to say couldn't be anything close to what his family had been through in the past five years.