Bashert (5 page)

“What?”

“This, us. We’re too different. You’ve embraced your faith, and I’m just not ready.”

“You’re wrong, Jonah. I know you’re confused, but in your own way, you’re being as bigoted and hypocritical as the people you rant against. At one time, I thought like you that everything was either black or white. Now I think in shades of gray. Yes, my faith is a big part of my life, but there are different ways to worship, and if your way is not as profound as mine, I can accept that.”

“Sooner or later, you would come to resent me.”

“Never. I accept our differences and I embrace our similarities. And we aren’t that different, Jonah. Not really. We actually want the same things out of life—a good job, friends, family, someone special to love….”

Love.
Could Aaron really love someone who didn’t believe as strongly as he did?
Is that my real problem? Am I afraid of falling for Aaron only to lose him one day?

Almost as if he could read Jonah’s mind, Aaron spoke up. “I’m not going anywhere, Jonah. It’s been a long time since I’ve been with someone I feel so connected to. I want to see where it goes, and I’m willing to take things slow. What do you say?”

Jonah had never met a man he felt so strongly for—physically, mentally, and emotionally, and there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Aaron had strong feelings too. After all, Jonah had tested his patience more than once and Aaron hadn’t given up on him. Aaron made him feel like a whole person instead of two conflicting parts. Maybe one day he would find his own place in the Jewish community. Jonah was beginning to think Aaron was right. Their meeting was
bashert
.

Aaron looked at him anxiously. “A penny for your thoughts.”

“I was just wondering….”

“Yes?”

“How do you feel about spending spring break in New York?”

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G
ALE
S
TANLEY
is a hopeless romantic, who grew up in Philadelphia, PA, with her nose buried in a book of fairy tales. If a story ended badly, she rewrote it. Real life was not so magical. Gale tucked away her dreams of writing and worked a series of jobs to support her children. After a daring escape from cubicle hell, Gale finally crafted her own happy ending. Her first story, a personal memoir, was published in 2008 by Adams Media. Now, she writes romance, in all its many-splendored facets, because she believes the world needs more love and happy endings.

Gale loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her at [email protected].

Website: http://galestanley.net/
Blog: http://galestanley.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GaleStanleyBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/galestanley

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

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Suite 2, PMB# 279
Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886

USA

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Bashert

© 2013 Gale Stanley.

Cover Art

© 2013 Paul Richmond.

http://www.paulrichmondstudio.com

Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.

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