Her Perfect Man (12 page)

“Save it for the court tomorrow.” He winked. “Basketball. I know we’re not playing against each other, but I’m betting the girls will keep you running.”

“I’ll be reffing. I’m sure I’ll be worn to a frazzle.” She grinned. Yes, she definitely loved her job. She had listened to her heart, doing what she loved, and the good Lord had provided. Would this—with Chad—work out, too? “I’m sorry I got a muscle cramp. I stretched my calves well.”

“No need to apologize. I was on the verge of collapsing, so you did me a favor by wanting to stop and cool down.” He took a long swallow. “Is that your phone?”

“I think it’s been doing that all along.” She pulled her cell out of her pocket. “It’s Ava. She’s probably calling to torment me further. I’m going to call her back later. You were a huge topic of conversation at the birthday bash.”

“You didn’t mention anything about that when we were texting.”

“Limited space.” She quipped. She took a sip of the drink and let the strawberry richness spill across her tongue. “I would have suggested stopping at Ava’s bakery, but that would only further the speculation.”

“Speculation?”

She blushed. How on earth could she tell him about everyone’s theory about friends and romance? What would he think if he knew? She wasn’t ready to admit the truth to herself much less to him.

“My sisters are all happily married and think that I ought to join their ranks.”

“Funny. My aunt and uncle were curious why my phone kept beeping. For some reason they thought I had a girlfriend.” He grinned so that all his dimples showed. “They didn’t believe our friend policy for a second.”

“Neither did my parents. I—” A weird sensation trickled down her neck. She turned around to see Chris on the other side of the glass door to the patio, his hand on the handle, his gaze fastened on her.

She knew that look. His eyes were dark and cold. His mouth was pulled down into an angry frown. He looked as tense as if he’d been carved out of marble. Whatever she’d been about to say fled from her mind. All she could remember was the last time she had seen that expression on Chris’s face.

Fine fear trembled through her. This was different from the day he had come up to her at the mailboxes. Hate radiated off him like cold from a glacier. He had been that way the day he had wrapped his hands around her arms and lifted her off her feet. His enraged words, demanding money, telling her how he was tired of her goody-goody act, echoed in her brain.

She was dimly aware of a chair scraping against the concrete. A shadow fell across her. Chad, she realized, towered over her like a knight in shining armor. Protective, he planted himself between her and Chris. His message was clear. Chris dropped his gaze, turned around and disappeared back inside the coffee shop.

Her heart soared. “Thanks, Chad.”

“No problem.” He circled around to his chair, but kept his gaze on the door. “That was a surprise. At least he stayed away from you.”

“That’s all I want.”

“Are you all right?” He reached across the table and took her hands in his. It was a tender gesture and as comforting as anything she’d ever known.

Her hands weren’t shaking for the reason he thought. The way he treated her, and the way he looked out for her, how he behaved toward her spoke more loudly than any words.

I’m falling for him, she realized. Big-time.

Her phone rang again. She snatched it out of her pocket to peek at the screen. “This is my mom. Do you mind?”

“Not at all.” He leaned back in his chair and sipped at his drink.

He was definitely a nice change. She leaned back in her chair, too, and answered. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, baby. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

Why did Mom sound so hopeful that she was? Funny. Rebecca reached for her soda. “You’re not interrupting one bit. What are you up to?”

“I’m on our patio with John. He made us some sun tea and we’re sitting here watching the evening go by. I wanted to see if you wanted to ask that new boyfriend of yours—”

“Friend, Mom.” Rebecca rolled her eyes. Across the table, Chad met her gaze and his dimples flashed with amusement.

“You know that’s how it was at first with John and me.” Mom didn’t even try to disguise how pleased she was. “When we met, it was
like
at first sight. We just clicked. It felt so right. We were instant friends and that friendship developed into a deeper and deeper bond that has been one of the best blessings in my life.”

“Mother.” Rebecca could not believe her mom was doing this, too. “Please don’t tell me
this
is the reason you’re calling me.”

Mom laughed. “No. I just thought a word of advice wouldn’t be out of line. I called to invite that friend of yours to dinner at our town house next Sunday.”

“I thought you would be heading back out on the road.” Rebecca bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. She didn’t know what was so funny or why, but Chad was doing the same thing.

“Oh, we’re staying in town for the rest of the summer. Katherine might need us with Jack putting in so many hours to cover vacations.” Mom paused for a second. “I have this terrible feeling that I am interrupting. You are with him right now, aren’t you?”

How was she going to answer that?

“Oh, I’d better go and leave you two be. Don’t forget to ask him to supper. I’ll talk at you later, baby. Bye, now.” Mom sure sounded pleased.

“Bye.” Rebecca disconnected and pocketed her phone. “I wonder how long it will take until the rest of the family is calling me.”

“Think we’ll have a chance to make it home?” He sure seemed to be enjoying this. Of course, an only child who did not understand the pressures of having five older siblings would think the situation was amusing.

“Are you kidding?” She climbed to her feet. “We’ll be lucky to make it out to the bikes.”

As if to prove her point, her phone began ringing the instant they reached the sidewalk. She checked the screen. “See? What did I tell you? It’s Gran calling.”

Chad appeared entertained. “You have a fun family. You’re pretty immersed, aren’t you?”

“Probably just a tad. Nothing serious, just enough to justify their nosiness.” Bless them. She loved her family. They were everything in the world to her. “I really should take this.”

“Sure. Hand me your key and I’ll unlock us both.”

He held out his hand, palm up, and she tugged the key out of her pocket. Their fingers brushed, and rare sweetness wrapped around her.

“Take your time,” he told her as he bent to release the bikes from the stand. “It’s your grandmother. She deserves all your attention.”

“I knew there was a reason I liked you, Chad Lawson.” Yes, she was definitely out of excuses and every last piece of denial.

There was no way to ignore the crest of affection that nearly toppled her over. She leaned against the wall of the coffeehouse, found her balance and answered her phone.

“H
ey, stranger.”

Rebecca looked up from her piece of pizza to the handsome man striding toward her through the shadowed church grounds. Her spirit brightened simply at seeing him. No surprise there. She was finally starting to accept it. “I was hoping you would come sit with me. Your boys have kept you busy so far today.”

“Busy, sure, but I’m having a blast.” Chad set his plate and juice box on the table and sat. He looked relaxed and happy, as if he was right where he belonged.

“Working with kids seems to suit you.” She took a bite of pizza and reached for her napkin.

“It’s a good fit.” He stopped to bow his head for a silent grace, and reached for his soda. “I knew I would be happy here.”

“This is like your dream job.”

“Exactly. And my stamina is improving, just like you said it would. I’ve got some energy left. I’m starting to adjust.”

“I never had a single doubt,” she said and they shared a smile.

“Now I need to finish my bachelor’s degree and seminary.” He took another long drink. “I can’t wait for September to roll around so I can get started.”

“You like school?”

“I like learning.”

“Me, too.” She reached for her cup.

Don’t look at the future. She willed down the images struggling to life in her mind. She would not get ahead of herself. She wouldn’t wonder what it would be like to be married to a minister.

No, she was going to stay sensible and in control of her heart.

She took a cooling sip of cherry lemonade. “That’s probably why I’ve stayed in school for so long. I love everything about college. The classes, the research papers and even the exams. I don’t like the exams themselves, but I love preparing for them.”

“I like that every day is never exactly the same. There’s always something new to learn and something different to do. That’s what I like about this job, well, aside from working with the kids.”

“It is fun. Challenging, but fun.” She hadn’t realized it, but they were kindred spirits. Alike in so many ways, and even where they were different, it was a compliment. “I’m psyched about getting to do this all year long.”

“I’m psyched for you.”

She believed him. He wasn’t just being kind, he was truly glad for her. It showed in the warmth of his voice, in the honesty in his eyes and the way he seemed to focus on her. As if no matter what, he would always be on her side rooting for her.

Which was pretty nice, since that was how she felt about him, too.

“So Rebecca, what’s on your agenda for tonight?”

“I’m going to go over to Gran’s.” Was it her imagination or did he look disappointed? Rebecca shared his reaction. She loved her grandmother and wasn’t going to let her down, but the thought of being apart from Chad was a depressing one. She mentally rolled her eyes. Yikes. Was she in love or what?

Yes. She contemplated the pepperoni rounds on her piece of pizza. “Why? What did you have in mind?”

“Nothing specific. I thought we could hang out together.”

“That sounds nice.” She gathered up her courage. “I told Gran I would come help her with her garden. Spence and Lauren usually help her with the grounds and she has a gardener come in weekly, but she likes to putter and asked me to keep her company.”

“You’re blessed to have a grandmother who loves you.”

“Don’t I know it.” She thought about how lonely his growing-up years must have been and all that he was missing now. But that wasn’t the reason behind her sudden idea. “Why don’t you come? I’m sure Gran would love to meet you and we could always use another set of hands. There’s a lot of weeding and picking to be done.”

“Are you sure I wouldn’t be in the way?”

“How could you even think that?”

“I just wanted to make sure. Your grandmother might not want some guy hanging around when she’s planning on quality time spent alone with one of her favorite granddaughters.”

“We’re all her favorite grandchild, believe me. She’s that kind of grandma.” And just to put him at ease, she fished her cell out of her pocket. “Why don’t I give her a call and warn her that you’re coming.”

“That’s fair. If she says it’s all right, then I’ll come. I’ve never pulled weeds before, but I’ll do my best.”

And his best, she reasoned, was probably a far sight more than most. She scrolled through the numbers and hit Gran’s. “You have never gardened?”

“I’ve never actually been in a garden. Flower gardens, you know. Those museum kind of gardens with greenhouses? I’ve been in those. But not a vegetable garden. At least, I’m assuming that’s what you’re talking about.”

“Yes. You’re in for a treat. Pulling weeds is like the most fun experience a person can have.”

“Now you’re pulling my leg. You’re mocking the garden-challenged.”

“Not at all. I’m trying to build up your anticipation for the evening. So you’re looking forward to it.”

“Instead of regretting that I have agreed to trade my leisurely evening for hard physical labor?”

“Exactly.” Gran wasn’t answering, so she left a message and pocketed her phone. “Why are you trading your comfortable evening for working in my grandmother’s garden?”

“Good question. I
could
say I’m a workaholic, but that wouldn’t be the truth.” It was hard to tell what he was hiding as he stared down at his plate.

She had no right to hope. They had agreed to be friends only. He had said he wasn’t dating right now. She dug in to her second piece of pizza. Hadn’t he also said he was thinking about starting to date again? Her pulse fluttered with part fear and part hope as he lifted his gaze.

His heart was in his eyes. Full and tender and revealing. “The truth is, I would like to meet this grandmother of yours. I would like to spend the evening with you.”

Her fear drained away leaving hope to flourish.

“That sounds perfect.” Suddenly shy, she took a bite of pizza before she said more than she was ready to admit.

Chad nodded slowly, as if he understood exactly what she kept to herself. His tender look told her that she was not alone in her feelings.

All afternoon long a growing worry began to gnaw at her. Every time she caught sight of Chad, whether he was reffing the boys’ basketball games or sitting in a circle on the shady grass leading a prayer group, the love she felt for him shimmered like a new star.

During her afternoon break, she grabbed a banana from her bag and gave Lauren a call. While she waited for the phone to connect, she wandered through the grounds toward one of the flower gardens, where several benches offered an inspirational retreat. She hunkered down in a private spot and was ready to disconnect when she heard Lauren pick up.

“Whew. Hi, Becca. Are you still there?”

“Yes. Is this a bad time?”

“Other than the fact that Spence is glaring at me across the bookshelves, no.” There was a thump in the background. Lauren must be shelving new books. “What’s up? Aren’t you at work?”

“I actually took one of my breaks.”

“Shocking.”

“I know.” She leaned against the wrought iron arm and put her feet up on the bench. “I needed to ask you something.”

“Sure, just wait a sec, okay? I’m going to be impervious to Spence’s frown. It drives him nuts.” There was another thump. “Now he’s storming away. We can talk in privacy.”

“Good. The last thing I want is for Spence to overhear any of this.”

“Oh no, not Chris again.”

“No, although I did see him. Wait, that’s a story for another time.” She had limited time. She had to stick to the point. “I need your honest opinion, no holds barred, even if it hurts my feelings.”

“You’ve got it. What’s going on?”

“I’m in love with Chad.” She heard the shocked silence on the other end and squeezed her eyes shut. “I shouldn’t have blurted it out like that. It sounds so serious, and I haven’t even let myself think too much about it.”

“Love is serious. If you’re looking for a reaction, I think that’s great. Chad seems like a good guy.”

“He really does.” She opened her eyes, and it wasn’t the serene rosebushes and lilies nodding in the breeze that she saw. It was Chad the afternoon she’d first seen him carrying a box of books. Her first impression then had been a good one. Her opinion of him had only gone up from there. “It’s as if we’re perfect together.”

“That’s how I see it.” There was a final thunk and a rustle, as if Lauren had given up shelving entirely and had sat down to devote her full concentration to the call. “Chad seems like a really nice guy. When we all went out to the movie, I noticed how he treated you. He held every door for you. He paid for your movie and popcorn and drinks.”

“He was so nice then. He gets nicer to me every time we are together.”

“And the way he looked at you. Wow.”

“Really?” She hadn’t been aware of it. Maybe because she had been busy reminding herself how they were only friends and things had to stay that way. When she looked back, maybe down deep she had known all along how right they were together. Why else would she have been so worried about staying friends? “How did he look at me?”

“As if you are his dream come true.”

Double yikes. That only fueled her panic. Rebecca took a deep breath to steady herself.

“I think you two are right for each other. You both like the same things. You both have similar senses of humor. You have similar beliefs and values in life. He’s like the perfect guy.”

“I know.” Wasn’t that the trouble? “The last time I thought someone was so perfect for me, it was Chris. What if I’m wrong? What if I have lousy judgment and I’m doomed to having disappointing relationships?”

“You’ve been hanging around Ava too long,” Lauren sympathized. “There is no doom. You don’t have lousy judgment. Chris made the choices he did in how he treated you and how he lived his life. You had nothing to do with that.”

“Chad seems perfect, too. I want to believe, don’t get me wrong.” She traced her finger along the edge of the bench railing. “I don’t want to get hurt.”

“There are no guarantees, but you have to ask yourself what is different this time with Chad. Is this love something your heart and soul is telling you, or something you are trying to make fit?”

Hours later while seated in Chad’s truck as he pulled into her grandmother’s driveway, she was still mulling over Lauren’s question. Okay, so she already knew the answer.

There was no denying the truth. Her love for him just was—it was precious and tender and brand-new. She didn’t have to try to change herself for it to fit. She didn’t have to try to change who she was for Chad’s affection.

Perhaps this was good enough to be true. True love had happened to everyone else in her family—except for poor Spence. Maybe it was finally her turn. Maybe God had answered her prayer and she should accept this great blessing to her life, open her heart and take one day at a time with Chad. See where this was leading her.

“You’re sure quiet.” Chad glanced over at her as he navigated the private country driveway. “You’re not regretting bringing me along, are you?”

“Never. What a thought. Nothing could be further from my mind.”

“Oh, does that mean you’ve been thinking how glad you are that I’m here?” He shot her a charming grin.

Her heart somersaulted. Yep, she was pretty susceptible to his charm, probably because she loved him. The tender look he gave her was the exact match for the tenderness she felt for him.

She rolled down the window and let the hot August breeze blow against her face. It tangled in her hair and scorched her skin, but the fresh grass-scented air reminded her of all the joys in her life she had let slip by her. Too busy with school and then too busy with her job. Worried over Chris and then the breakup. How come she seemed to notice how full of joy the world was and wanted to take the time to appreciate it whenever she was with Chad?

That was just another sign. “I’m taking the fifth.”

“You plead the fifth amendment a lot, Rebecca.”

“Because it’s safer being silent than admitting to some feelings.”

“Like caring feelings?” he asked, waiting.

“Exactly.” She spoke the word before she’d realized it. She blushed and looked out the window. Vulnerability washed over her like the breeze. She had opened her heart just like that.

“I could say the same thing.” His answer vibrated deep and quietly as he pulled the truck to a stop in the gravel turnaround in front of the house. “I’m going to plead the fifth, too.”

He reached across the console and covered her hand with his much bigger one. His touch felt solid and dependable, as if there wasn’t anything she couldn’t trust him to do. When she gazed up at him, she saw a man she could grow old with, laughing all the way.

“Your grandmother’s coming.” Chad nodded toward the wraparound porch where a slim figure moved through the shade beneath the roof’s outcropping. “How are you going to introduce me?”

She felt what he was asking, which was much more than his words could say. Fear skidded down her spine and she pushed it away. She was not afraid. She was sure beyond all doubt. “I have a few options. I could say that you’re a stray I found alongside the road.”