A Hero for Her Heart (Truly Yours Digital Editions Book 885) (7 page)

Derrick walked farther into the room, and his breath caught in his chest. There, on top of a spinet piano amidst an array of framed photos, was the same picture Sandy had given him of her son with his new parents. Only this one was larger and framed with gold.

“Come on,” Danny said, tugging at Derrick’s arm. “Let’s go outside through the kitchen.”

Derrick ripped his gaze from the picture to follow Danny. As they started up the hall, Betsy entered through a doorway at the other end where he could see a kitchen. She strode toward them, carrying a piece of paper.

“Derrick! I’m so glad you made it. Allie is upstairs. She’ll be down in a minute.” She held up the paper. “I’ve made a sign for the front telling everyone to go around back and join us. That way we don’t have to keep answering the door.”

“Yes, good. . .good idea.” He had to get his bearings. He felt overwhelmed and couldn’t think straight. If only Sandy were strong enough to be with him now.

Betsy taped the sign to the door, then turned to her grandson. “Danny, Pastor John is heating the grill. You go out and make sure he has everything he needs. I’ll be out in a minute.”

“You come, too, Mr. Derrick,” Danny said as he bolted down the wood-floored hall and disappeared into the kitchen.

“Be right there.” Derrick kept in step with Betsy’s slower pace.

“This house is old,” Betsy said, her tone apologetic. “It needs more work than we’ve been able to do.”

She must’ve noticed him checking things out. “Oh, was I gaping? If so, I’m sorry. I love old houses and tend to imagine renovations here and there.”

“That’s fine. I understand.” She sighed as they walked. “My husband never had time to do much. He was too busy with the family blacksmith business. Nor did we have the money to do a lot of renovation. We still don’t.”

“A lot of people find themselves in situations like that.” Derrick wanted to kick himself for whatever she’d read on his face that had her making excuses for the condition of the house. Perhaps his facial expressions were too like his father’s. A man who tended to look down on those who weren’t in his social stratum.

The front door banged open. Betsy whirled around, and Derrick glanced over his shoulder.

Michael, the man he’d met at the parade, walked into the foyer.

“Oh,” Betsy whispered. “I’d forgotten Michael was coming. Let me introduce you.”

“We’ve already met. At the parade.” Derrick couldn’t help the irritable tone of his voice. He hadn’t liked Michael at first glance and didn’t like him any better now. But he was worried the reason was jealousy, and Derrick hated that emotion.

Betsy must have noticed. She sent him a fast glance. “Oh. Well then, please excuse me. I need to say hello.”

Derrick let her go and made a quick exit into the kitchen. Since Paige was Michael’s sister, there was always the possibility he would mention Derrick to her. And despite the passing of almost nine years, she might recognize his name and tell Allie or her mother. He could only imagine the hurt in Allie’s eyes if she discovered he had misrepresented himself to her, Betsy, and Danny.

In the kitchen he skirted a large oak table covered with bowls and platters of food to reach the mudroom. There he exited the house onto a cement slab that served as a back porch. Under a large maple tree, Danny and the pastor were working on the grill, and Danny waved but was immediately distracted by one of his friends. People stood or sat in groups talking. No one paid much attention to him. This was a perfect time to snap a few pictures and just observe. He walked over to another maple, partially hiding himself, and held his phone up until he could see Danny on the display screen, then snapped. He took two more, glanced up, and noticed the spectacular view of the Blue Mountains in the distance so took a few shots of them, too.

“Taking pictures?”

Derrick jumped, almost dropping his phone. Shannon stood at his elbow.

“I love the scenery here,” he said quickly.

“So it would seem.” Shannon tilted her head.

“I don’t have a view like this at home.” Derrick opened the viewer on his phone and showed her the pictures he’d taken of the mountains. All the while his mind screamed,
Liar!

❧

Allie stayed upstairs as long as she could. Lack of sleep caught up with her, and she wasn’t in the mood to see anyone, yet she had to go face a houseful. She’d watched Derrick arrive and then Michael. Their joint presence alone was enough to make her feign sickness. But she couldn’t do that to Danny or Ma. And she had to start the burgers.

She ran down the stairs to the kitchen and took a platter of raw burgers from the refrigerator. A shadow fell over her, and she turned and saw Michael.

“You’re avoiding me.” Michael crossed his arms like he expected an explanation. “I saw you hide behind your truck before the parade.”

Allie felt sheepish, but nodded, tired of pretense. “That’s an accurate statement. I am.”

Michael’s blond brows drew together. “Why’s that?”

“We broke up.” Allie placed the platter on the counter with a sigh. “You were dating another woman when we were engaged. That’s called betrayal.”

“That’s called a
mistake
on my part.” The muscle in his jaw worked. “And I’m sorry it happened.”

“Admitting it was a mistake and being sorry don’t mend betrayal. Not for me. You were living a lie.”

“Something I’ll regret the rest of my life.”

The pain he felt was obvious, but his duplicity had almost destroyed her. Allie shook her head. “I found you kissing another woman. Then you told me you weren’t sure what you wanted—”

“I wasn’t sure, but that made me realize it’s you I want. Only you, Allie.”

“If you weren’t sure, you shouldn’t have gotten engaged to me to begin with. I’m sorry, Michael.” Allie picked up the platter. “It’s over.”

He drew closer. Too close. “Who’s this Derrick?”

“Exactly who he said he was. A businessman passing through town.”

“Then what’s he doing here at the picnic?”

“Not by my invitation, and none of anyone’s business.”

Anger flashed in Michael’s eyes. “Are you going to tell me you don’t love me anymore? That you can forget what we had between us?”

Had he always been petulant and pushy, and she just hadn’t seen the real Michael?

“There is no ‘us.’ It’s over.” She walked toward the screen door, but he jumped in front of her and held it open.

Outside she headed for the grill manned by the pastor. Ma stood next to him chatting. Michael hovered near the back door and began to chat with a local family, much to her relief. Allie studiously avoided meeting his gaze.

Pastor began to put burgers on the grill. “I’m not an expert, but your mother asked me to do this.”

Allie shrugged. “You’ll be fine. Thank you for doing it.” She was relieved. She wouldn’t have to man the grill. The way she felt today, she’d probably burn the burgers to a crisp.

She glanced around, not wanting to admit to herself she was looking for Derrick. She finally spied him with Shannon, nose to nose in conversation, partially hidden by a tree. Her legs felt frozen, and she couldn’t tear her gaze from the picture in front of her.

Shannon’s long hair hung free, blowing in the breeze. Her light skin and hair looked striking next to Derrick’s dark hair and tanned complexion. How humiliating to feel jealousy over a man who meant nothing to her! Her cheeks heated. A good thing God allowed people’s thoughts to stay private—but what was in her heart? Pining over Derrick Owens, a total stranger?

Ma joined her. “Honey, you look like you’ve been sucking lemons. What’s wrong?”

“What
isn’t
wrong?” Allie snapped.

“Allie,” Pastor John said. “How about we sit and talk?”

Allie dropped onto the bench and held back a sigh. Everybody knew that a “talk” with pastor meant a serious sermon. Why couldn’t she keep her feelings to herself?

“Your mother was telling me about your financial situation.”

Allie shot her mom a withering look. Great. On top of everything else, now everyone would know the Vahns were headed for bankruptcy.

The pastor smiled and touched her arm. “I know it’s hard to share things like this, but we need each other. We can agree with you in prayer that God intervene and do a miracle.”

“Seems we’ve been a little short of those lately,” Allie blurted before she could stop herself.

Ma opened her mouth to speak, but Pastor continued. “I understand why you would say that. I don’t have any pat answers for you. I wish I did. However, God is still in the miracle business. He still answers prayers.”

And there in a nutshell was Allie’s biggest issue. If God still answered prayers, why were things so difficult for her? For Ma and Danny?

But for her mother’s sake, Allie agreed. They bowed their heads, and she tried to listen, but her thoughts were too loud. She wanted to believe. She wanted to return to the strength of faith she’d had several years ago, but her relationship with the Lord had been eroded by her experiences. Michael’s faithlessness. Luke’s deception. Luke’s and Cindy’s deaths. Logically she understood the Lord wasn’t a puppet master. People made their own choices. Things happened based on those choices. But she still felt let down, and she’d grown cold in her faith. So why would God respond to her prayers now?

Eight

After the picnic Allie was cleaning the kitchen with Shannon. Through the window over the sink, she saw Derrick and Danny helping Ma roll the grill to the old shed in the backyard. Odd. . .he looked so familiar, like he belonged.

“Michael didn’t stay long,” Shannon said.

“That’s because I told him under no uncertain terms that our relationship was over. Completely over.”

Shannon snorted. “You’ve done that already.”

“And already and already and already,” Allie said. “He seems to think dating another woman behind my back was just fine as long as it led him back to me.”

“He’s justifying himself.” Shannon loaded the last glass in the dishwasher. “Like if his bad actions led to a good result, it’s okay.”

“Yeah.” Leave it to Shannon to analyze the situation. “And it’s not just that he did it or tried to justify it. The thing that bothers me most is he’s never admitted it was wrong. He said it was a mistake and he was sorry, but sorry for what? That he got caught? It’s almost as if I should be glad it happened because he ultimately decided I’m the right girl for him.”

“I’m not surprised.” Shannon wagged her head. “I never liked him, as you know. He was too good for a lot of the simple things in life. He would never have stooped low enough to drink my tea or play Scrabble with us.”

Shannon’s words were true, and she was sure her friend meant to point out a fundamental difference between Michael and Derrick. Michael was a snob. Derrick wasn’t. Funny that would be so obvious even though they hardly knew Derrick at all. Or maybe Shannon was getting to know him better than Allie thought.

“I’m a fine one to talk about being snobbish, though.” Allie shoved a plastic pitcher of juice into the refrigerator.

“What do you mean?” Shannon scowled. “You’re nothing like Michael.”

“Maybe not, but I have my own issues.” She glanced at her friend, then at the floor. “I’m pretty mad at God right now, along with people—men—I can’t trust.”

“Oh, that. Don’t worry.” Shannon waved her hand in the air. “The key is to keep the communication open with God. Don’t stop talking to Him. Ask for forgiveness. He’ll deal with your heart, and the feelings will follow.”

“I suppose.” Shannon’s encouragement didn’t assuage her guilt; it only made her irritable that her best friend had an easy friendship with God. And maybe the picture in her head of Shannon and Derrick didn’t help. “What were you and Derrick talking about earlier?” Allie inspected the countertop like the question meant nothing to her.

“Business,” Shannon said, not looking up.

Allie attacked the sink with cleanser and a sponge. “What kind of business?”

“Yours and mine.” Shannon dried a pot and put it in the cupboard. “I told you he’s going to help me find a property to rent in the Tri-Cities, right?”

“Yes.” That meant Shannon and Derrick would be working together. Allie felt the stab of jealousy again and shook her head. Ridiculous.

Shannon gave her a sidelong glance. “We also discussed your situation. He might be able to help you sell some land.”

“That again?” Allie slapped the sponge into its plastic holder behind the sink. “Why is everyone talking to everyone else about my personal business?”

“Gee, that’s an overstatement. I only meant to—”

Ma, Danny, and Derrick walked into the kitchen, all three laughing. Then Ma held up a rectangle of paper. “The pastor gave us a check, Allie. It’s from a fund at church for parishioners in situations like ours. It will help get us through this month.”

Allie wanted to shush her mother in front of Derrick. Not everyone needed to know their financial woes.

“Derrick!” Shannon flapped a dish towel in his direction. “Tell Allie what you said about the land.”

Derrick dropped onto a kitchen chair, looking as if he’d been a part of the family forever. “I might be able to help you sell part of your land. I have a buyer looking for investment property—possibly to subdivide and build houses. That’s why I’m in town.”

“And that’s not all.” Shannon motioned for him to continue.

He nodded. “I thought you could give me a quick tour of the place. I’ll go back to the office and poke around a little bit, look at other listings, run some figures on comparable properties. Talk to some people. Then if things look good, I’ll have to come back for a longer look.”

Allie swallowed. When all was said and done, she didn’t want to sell. Especially to someone who was going to build a subdivision. She loved her home and the privacy it afforded them. But what choice did she have?

“Go show him around before it gets too late.” Ma stuck a card on the refrigerator with a magnet. “Derrick’s business card.”

“I’m coming outside with you!” Danny crowed. “I want to show Mr. Derrick the barn.”

Ma and Shannon exchanged quick smiles, then stared at Allie expectantly. No need to wonder why Ma hadn’t shown him around the property herself. She was matchmaking again, which was more than useless. Derrick was here on business, which was becoming more apparent by the second. There was the possibility that he’d already looked into properties and saw theirs as a good prospect. The thought occurred to Allie that maybe he was using them for his own ends.