North Dakota Weddings (31 page)

“And before you get too upset, I saw the Bible on the table next to the sofa. Your roommate told me you read it every night.”

This time when Amber spoke her voice was a whisper. “Sign number three…”

Brandon heard the distress in her voice. He hadn’t meant to send her to that troubled place he’d seen in her eyes before.

“So you see? I’m not the only one who knows. I don’t think it’s something you can hide, do you? And why would you want to?”

For the last two days, a battle had raged inside of Brandon. Had he done the right thing, inviting her to work with him, considering the rule he’d insisted was necessary? Considering Jim had all but accused him of showing favoritism to Amber? Would he also get flak from Sheila Longstrom?

The questions had simply washed away upon seeing Amber step into the room, looking like the picture of health. Her smile had sent a flood of relief the size of a melting glacier through him.

What a joy it was to have another Christian in the museum to work beside him. She toyed with the small silver cross he’d held moments before. A deep longing gripped his heart, but he quickly buried it. “I know a handful of Christian paleontologists.”

“Christian paleontologist seems a bit like an oxymoron, don’t you think?” she asked.

“Not when you think about them separately. Paleontology is simply the study of prehistoric plants and animals. Prehistoric means before recorded history. And yes, to be politically correct in today’s culture one must agree with the evolutionary model.”

She looked confused, disappointed.

He smiled, enjoying the discussion. “I never said I was politically correct.”

“Tell me, how does a paleontologist end up as a museum director?”

More precisely, she probably meant to ask how did a
Christian
paleontologist end up as a museum director. “Museum directors come in all sizes and shapes. They have an expertise in one field or another. My father was a museum director of a much larger institution. He felt it would be a conflict of interest to hire me where he worked. So I found a job working in the research department of a small museum. It was there that I became friends with the man who managed it.”

As Amber watched him closely, he continued. “He was curator, collection manager, and administrator all wrapped into one. He took me under his wing and trained me. I guess you could say the work of the bigger picture fit my personality better.”

“Sounds like he did everything.” Amber began tugging the packing material from Sacagawea’s crate. “Like you. Don’t you do everything here? Well, you and Jim.”

“Remember, too, this is a small museum. The bigger the museum, and the more collections, the more complicated. Here we have the fossils, the historic items that have provenance in this region, and the dinosaur dig tours.”

“That seems like a lot. How do you do it all?”

“Jim is officially curator of new collections. Between the two of us, we manage collections, conservation, documentation, and administration.” Brandon had often wondered why Jim had followed him here.

Suddenly, he understood his arrogance and paused. Ashamed, he peered at Amber. “And of course, let’s not forget the volunteers and interns who help make things happen.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile.
Pretty
.

His throat constricted. Uncomfortable with the thought, he considered what she might ask next. This line of questioning put Brandon on edge. If Amber asked the wrong one, he’d end up having to either explain or dance around the truth about what happened at the last museum where he worked. Dredging up his past failures would probably knock him down a few notches in her eyes. With that thought he’d reached the heart of the matter—he enjoyed the way she looked up to him far too much.

Disturbing.

He frowned, throwing all his attention into freeing Sacagawea. Once the life-size model was out of the crate and standing, he left Amber to clean it off while he moved to the next crate, which contained Lewis.

“Does Jim know that you’re a Christian?”

The crowbar slipped from Brandon’s hands. He bent over to pick it up. “Yes. He gave me a hard time at first. But not anymore.”

He peered over the top of the crate. Amber gave him a questioning look that told him she was waiting for further explanation.

“Several years ago, after I was already ensconced in my career, something terrible happened. I had nowhere else to turn except to God.”
Lord, please don’t let her ask what happened. Not yet
.

“And after you became a Christian you changed what you believe about evolution and paleontology?”

“I met another Christian—a creation scientist. He spent hours, weeks, and months helping me through things.”

“But you’re still directing a museum that’s in conflict with your beliefs.”

Brandon removed the top off the crate. “I prayed and waited for God to lead me. Then, when I was asked to become the director of this museum, somehow, I knew it was God. He didn’t ask me to leave what I do. In fact, I believe just the opposite. God is all about science—He created all the laws. I think more Christians need to enter science and biology fields. To be involved in museums.”

“What about a creation science museum? Ever thought about running one of those?”

Brandon stopped working for a moment to look at Amber. “I think a creation museum is a great thing. But usually only Christians visit those. Don’t you think the people who would never visit a creation science museum could be impacted by a museum that presented multiple viewpoints? So instead of seeing only facts mixed with evolutionary interpretations, they’re also exposed to scientific evidence that fits with creation science, evidence that is often hidden. I’m working on initiatives that could potentially set that in motion for this museum.”

“Do you think they’ll go for that? I mean, really?” Amber frowned. She tucked Sacagawea’s hair behind the model’s shoulder and released a weighty breath. “I don’t know what the answer is.”

Something compelled Brandon to rush to her side, slipping between the crates. He gently lifted her face to meet his gaze. “No matter what direction you choose, you’ll always face opposition to your beliefs. Don’t ever let anyone take away your love for God. Do you hear me?”

“Yes.” Her eyes grew wide with emotion.

Releasing her, he retreated to his work. Why had he done that? He’d seen Christians enter the science field and end up losing their faith. If it was within his power, he wouldn’t let that happen to Amber.

He’d caught a glimpse of her passion for science, but it seemed already life and circumstances were threatening to snuff it out. If only he could keep that from happening. But how?

Being with her today…it felt like she’d somehow reignited his own enthusiasm for paleontology—the zeal he’d left dormant these years working in the museum.

While he tugged Lewis from his cocoon, Brandon prayed silently.
Lord
,
guide me where this young woman is concerned. I can’t grow too close to her. Don’t let me
.

The wrong people could use his relationship with her against him, against the museum, drawing her into a potential scandal. She had no idea what it felt like to see her face and half-truths plastered on the front page of a newspaper.

Growing close to her could end in disaster for them both.

T
hey’d worked hard on various dioramas and museum displays for the last couple of weeks, preparing for the flood of visitors during Living History Week, and still Amber had her work cut out for her.

With pride, she surveyed Harrington Museum’s newest diorama, featuring Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea. “Last, but not least,” she murmured to herself. They’d only just yesterday received everything needed to finish this particular diorama.

“The store’s finally closed now,” Gladys said from the doorway. “Had one last customer that didn’t want to leave.” She smiled as she approached Amber and stood next to her, wrapping her in the scent of tea rose. “This was one of our busier days.”

“What do you think?” Amber asked, looking at the display.

Gladys cocked her head. “I think that I don’t know what Dr. Selman’s going to do without you when you head back to that school of yours.”

“Thanks. I think.” Though Amber smiled at the compliment, a sense of loss coursed through her. She hadn’t considered what it would feel like to leave the museum behind. Or Dr. Selman. “Looks like the museum had success long before I came on board. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“We’ve got a couple of months before you leave us though, right?” Gladys straightened a photograph of Lewis and Clark on the wall.

“Six weeks, give or take. I won’t leave until the end of August.”

“Time flies, and I haven’t even had you over for dinner. How about the week after next, when Living History Week has run its course?” Gladys winked at her. “I make a mean pot roast. I know how college students can miss home-cooked meals. Miss their families.”

At the mention of home and family, Amber pictured her mother and wilted.

“What? Don’t tell me you don’t like pot roast?”

“It’s not that. My mother and sister were killed in a car accident a year ago.” She’d said too much. Hoping to avoid further discussion, she stepped onto the dais and began adjusting the display, scrutinizing where best to secure the map of Lewis and Clark’s travels.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, hon.”

“Not your fault, you didn’t know.”

“I’d love to remedy that.
Will
you join me for dinner?”

Holding the map, Amber gave a short laugh and turned her head to look at Gladys. “I’d like that very much. Thank you.” She’d not wanted to disappoint the woman, but she hoped she’d be able to get out of dinner. She didn’t want Gladys dragging family history from her.

Gladys nodded. “I’ll leave you to it. Say, where’s your sidekick?”

The woman’s reference drew a chuckle from Amber. She laid the map to rest and hopped from the dais. “You mean Dr. Selman?”

“That’s the one.”

Somehow, Gladys had a way of cheering Amber up, reminding Amber of her mother. “I thought you knew everything around here. He’s having dinner with a donor. I don’t ask for details.”

“And he’ll be back to help you? I don’t want you working here alone.”

“That’s what he said.” Amber adjusted Sacagawea’s hand, making her look more involved with the two explorers.

Though Dr. Selman had helped her remove the life-size models from their crates and set them in the area designated for the diorama, he’d spent much of his time in his office on the phone, or working in other areas.

When he first asked her to assist, she’d been under the impression she would be helping him, not designing the exhibit herself. It made her feel safe that he hung around the museum, working, as did she, during the evening hours, but she sensed he wanted to keep his distance.

At seven thirty, Amber wiped her brow. She’d been at it for two hours since Gladys left. Alone in the museum, after all. She secured the copy of the rare map of Lewis and Clark’s incredible journey and stood back to study the display, featuring maps, illustrations, letters, and figures representing some of the main characters in the traveling party.

Sacagawea joined their expedition that winter in North Dakota. Amber gripped the shoulders of the brave young Shoshone woman and nudged her slightly to the right. Working on the exhibits wasn’t exactly what Amber had in mind when she came to the Harrington Museum. Although, maybe Dr. Selman was right—she had a knack for the displays. She’d finished in the nick of time, too, considering Living History Week began tomorrow.

Whether the subject was dinosaurs or American history, she loved working at the museum and was grateful for this opportunity. Almost finished. As she wondered why Dr. Selman hadn’t shown up, she heard keys jangling somewhere in the distance. Footfalls sounded through the museum corridors. She’d recognize that cadence anywhere.

Dr. Selman
.

Her heart did the little flip again. Amber steadied her hands. It wasn’t like she didn’t see him every day. She stood back from the diorama to study it from a distance. Despite feeling confident regarding her efforts, especially after Gladys’s
compliment
, Amber wanted to hear words of praise from him. His approval was important to her—and just how much, was a little disconcerting.

Dr. Selman appeared in the doorway on the other side of the exhibits and made his way through the display cases to stand next to her, a concerned expression on his face.

Oh no
. He didn’t like what he saw. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

A slight smile lifted his lips. “Nothing. Why?” He looked from her to the display.

The smile spread as he studied the exhibit, walking from one end to the other and stepping onto the dais. “You have a real passion for history.”

“And you can tell by looking at that?”

“Yes. I can feel the emotion in this exhibit. Consider when someone plays a musical instrument. Are they playing by rote? Or do they inject feeling into their music, putting their very soul into it?”

Though she understood his musical reference, his comparison to her display confused her. How could he actually
see
emotion in what she’d done? “Remember, you helped with much of it.”