best friend and I thought—”
“It’s none of your concern.”
“I wish you were right,” she said cynically. “But we’re both Christians.”
He scowled over at her as he got to his feet. “What’s that got to do with it?”
“Well, for one thing, we’re supposed to be recognizable by the concern and the love we show for one another.”
“Where does it say that?”
“I think it’s in the thirteenth chapter of John.”
“Terrific.”
Stacy bristled. “Hey, don’t take it personally. I wasn’t thrilled when the verse popped into my head, either. Truth to tell, I’m having a terrible time accepting the fact that God expects me to love you as my brother.”
A peculiar expression came over him, causing her to study his face, to look deeply into his eyes. If anyone had asked her at that moment, she’d have had to say she was seeing pure anguish. In seconds he’d returned to normal.
“I have enough brothers,” Gray said flatly. “And sisters. But thanks, anyway.”
Stacy closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. Father, I’m stuck, again. I don’t know why I’m here or what You want me to do. I don’t mind helping Missy, but that man is impossible! I can’t deal with him. I can’t relate to him. I just can’t.
In her heart, in her mind, in her soul, she sensed an unmistakable contradiction. Like it or not, this was where the Lord wanted to use her, at least for the present. She could only hope her tenure was almost up because she was becoming very confused over the jumble Graydon Payne had made of her normally stable emotional state. First she liked him. Then she didn’t. Then she felt compassion, instead. Then she remembered what he’d put her through with regard to Mark and the Payne family and she practically loathed him, again. The inconsistency of her feelings was driving her crazy!
Worse yet, the more she was around Gray, the more she noticed how handsome and appealing he was, in spite of her resolve to ignore that aspect of him.
Following him to his car, she watched while he patiently wiped Missy’s sticky hands and face, then helped her into the back seat and fastened her safety belt.
Touched, Stacy purposely looked away and focused her thoughts on the sidewalk, on her shoes, on anything but the tenderness he was exhibiting toward the waif. She didn’t want to perceive Graydon Payne as a man who would someday make an excellent father. It made her far too aware of her single life, of her choice to remain alone rather than give up her God-given career for anyone’s sake. It was a conscious decision. One that she’d prayed about and reaffirmed over and over, positive that her choice was the right one. That decision still stood.
Even divine assurance, however, wasn’t enough to keep a shiver of loneliness from skittering up her spine and lodging in her heart.
Chapter Eight
“D o you have any objection to my dropping Missy off at Mark’s before we go back to get your truck?”
“No. Why should I?”
“I thought you might be uncomfortable going there, that’s all.”
Stacy twisted in the seat to partially face him and shook her head slowly, pensively. “You still don’t get it, do you? I wouldn’t go back and start over with Mark, even if I had the chance. I’m thrilled that he’s married to Candace because that’s just more proof I understood what the Lord had planned for my life.”
“You mean your work?”
“Of course.” She glanced behind her. Lewis had curled up on the back seat and Missy was using him for a pillow. The picture of the two ofthem dozing so contentedly was a delight. “Oh, look.”
Gray glanced in the mirror. “Uh-huh. Cute. I think we wore them out.” He smiled over at Stacy. “You must be beat, too, after being up all night.”
“I’d forgotten about that till now. You’re right. I am pretty tired.”
“Then I’ll take you to your truck first. It’s not that far out of my way and Missy’s asleep anyway. She’ll never
“It’s none of your concern.”
“I wish you were right,” she said cynically. “But we’re both Christians.”
He scowled over at her as he got to his feet. “What’s that got to do with it?”
“Well, for one thing, we’re supposed to be recognizable by the concern and the love we show for one another.”
“Where does it say that?”
“I think it’s in the thirteenth chapter of John.”
“Terrific.”
Stacy bristled. “Hey, don’t take it personally. I wasn’t thrilled when the verse popped into my head, either. Truth to tell, I’m having a terrible time accepting the fact that God expects me to love you as my brother.”
A peculiar expression came over him, causing her to study his face, to look deeply into his eyes. If anyone had asked her at that moment, she’d have had to say she was seeing pure anguish. In seconds he’d returned to normal.
“I have enough brothers,” Gray said flatly. “And sisters. But thanks, anyway.”
Stacy closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. Father, I’m stuck, again. I don’t know why I’m here or what You want me to do. I don’t mind helping Missy, but that man is impossible! I can’t deal with him. I can’t relate to him. I just can’t.
In her heart, in her mind, in her soul, she sensed an unmistakable contradiction. Like it or not, this was where the Lord wanted to use her, at least for the present. She could only hope her tenure was almost up because she was becoming very confused over the jumble Graydon Payne had made of her normally stable emotional state. First she liked him. Then she didn’t. Then she felt compassion, instead. Then she remembered what he’d put her through with regard to Mark and the Payne family and she practically loathed him, again. The inconsistency of her feelings was driving her crazy!
Worse yet, the more she was around Gray, the more she noticed how handsome and appealing he was, in spite of her resolve to ignore that aspect of him.
Following him to his car, she watched while he patiently wiped Missy’s sticky hands and face, then helped her into the back seat and fastened her safety belt.
Touched, Stacy purposely looked away and focused her thoughts on the sidewalk, on her shoes, on anything but the tenderness he was exhibiting toward the waif. She didn’t want to perceive Graydon Payne as a man who would someday make an excellent father. It made her far too aware of her single life, of her choice to remain alone rather than give up her God-given career for anyone’s sake. It was a conscious decision. One that she’d prayed about and reaffirmed over and over, positive that her choice was the right one. That decision still stood.
Even divine assurance, however, wasn’t enough to keep a shiver of loneliness from skittering up her spine and lodging in her heart.
Chapter Eight
“D o you have any objection to my dropping Missy off at Mark’s before we go back to get your truck?”
“No. Why should I?”
“I thought you might be uncomfortable going there, that’s all.”
Stacy twisted in the seat to partially face him and shook her head slowly, pensively. “You still don’t get it, do you? I wouldn’t go back and start over with Mark, even if I had the chance. I’m thrilled that he’s married to Candace because that’s just more proof I understood what the Lord had planned for my life.”
“You mean your work?”
“Of course.” She glanced behind her. Lewis had curled up on the back seat and Missy was using him for a pillow. The picture of the two ofthem dozing so contentedly was a delight. “Oh, look.”
Gray glanced in the mirror. “Uh-huh. Cute. I think we wore them out.” He smiled over at Stacy. “You must be beat, too, after being up all night.”
“I’d forgotten about that till now. You’re right. I am pretty tired.”
“Then I’ll take you to your truck first. It’s not that far out of my way and Missy’s asleep anyway. She’ll never
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