Her Perfect Man (7 page)

“Only two? You did end up having a lot of family over. That’s nice they cared enough to come.”

“I’m very blessed.” She began to unpack the bag. “It was a full house last night. I owe you a big thank-you. Everyone wanted a Popsicle.”

“Glad I could help out.” He lifted the barbecue’s lid. “How did it go?”

“Everyone made far too big of a deal over this.”

“They care about you. That’s easy to see.” He knelt to give the propane tank’s knob a turn. “You mean a lot to them. It’s only right they are protective of you.”

“Whose side are you on?” She said the words lightly, but they didn’t feel that way. She had not confided in her sisters completely and not even Spence knew the whole truth. That troubled her more than she wanted to admit.

“I’m on your side, Rebecca.” Chad struck a match. It flamed to life and he lit the barbecue. “Remember your friendship clause? We’re friends now.”

“We are.” Her throat felt tight and she had to glance away from the man who was so wholesome and upright with the soft rays of the evening sun bronzing him. He had probably never done a single thing wrong in his life. He was the perfect man. The perfect friend. The perfect Christian. Her emotions twisted up tight until she hurt everywhere, especially her conscience.

Chad came her way and dug in the bag for the pack of hot dogs. “Then tell me what’s troubling you?”

It was impossible to look into his kind eyes and not be affected. Her throat burned. Deep inside, she felt so lonely with this, with what she had kept from her family. “I haven’t talked to anyone about this. I just haven’t known how.”

“Sure you do. You talk. It’s that easy.”

Yep, that gentle concern of his sure was dazzling. “It’s not that easy, although it should be.”

“Try me. I’m here to listen not just cook.” He grinned.

“You’re winning me over when not one of my sisters could do it. Not even Spence.”

“This sounds serious.” He put down the package, the barbecue forgotten. There was nothing but her. Just her. His chest filled with emotions too complicated to think about. “Tell me, Rebecca. Trust me as a friend.”

“Do you think that failing to tell someone something is the same as a lie? Our faith teaches forgiveness, so when is it right to give someone a second chance regardless of what they have done, and how do you know?”

“Uh—” That was all he could get out before his throat choked up, trapping the air in his lungs. Before his brain stopped working and his conscience took a big ugly bite out of him. He pulled out the nearby chair and dropped into it.

Thank heavens she went on talking.

“There’s a lot about Chris that came to light late in our relationship.” She swiped at the flyaway curls that had escaped her ponytail to curl about her face. “What he told me was a confidence, and so I didn’t spill to my sisters. And then we broke up and I didn’t know how to, so much time had gone by, and it was over with. I just didn’t want to think about all that pain again.”

“I know just how that is.” Did he. He fidgeted in the chair, knowing that now was the ideal time to tell her his secrets. The things that were too hard for him to talk about. And yet those words lodged in his throat right along with the lump of his emotions.

“I thought we were over—”

“You aren’t going back with him?” he asked with more alarm than he’d intended.

“No. Chris really scared me, and I saw a side of him that he had been trying to hide for a long time.” She looked miserable and burdened. “He was using drugs. I didn’t know, not until that night he exploded at my apartment.”

“He threatened you?”

All the color faded from her face and she nodded. It was easy to see she had gotten a serious scare. That what she had seen that night of the man she had once loved had shaken her.

“He had been keeping his secret from me, and when he admitted it, suddenly everything made sense. All of his puzzling behavior. His up-and-down moods. His old nice self for one day, a tense, angry stranger another. It was a terrible betrayal. He kept that from me while I hung in there and tried to make everything right. When it was impossible, and he knew as much. He knew that I could not be with someone who was doing something that was destructive and wrong on so many levels.”

“He knew that he would lose you if you learned the truth?”

She nodded. “He wanted money that night. He apparently was broke and needed cash.”

He could see what might have happened. “You had to have been devastated.”

“I loved him. I trusted him. I thought we wanted the same things.” She looked down at the table, her soft curls falling forward to hide her eyes. Her voice sounded so thin and small and vulnerable. “I don’t want to be with someone who deceived me like that. Who would treat himself that way. Who especially would treat me that way. And how do I tell my family now? Chris and I are over. It’s in the past and I want to keep it there. Am I wrong?”

“That’s hard to say.” He couldn’t look at her. He felt the hit of her words like individual blows to his conscience. Maybe now was the right time to tell her. She wouldn’t want to see him again, but it was better to be honest and straightforward. “I’ve made my share of mistakes. Some really big whoppers—”

The glass door into her condo slid open and a blond-haired, blue-eyed woman peered out at them with a smile wide enough to take over her entire face. “Oops! My bad. Ignore me. I’ll just go back the way I came—”

“Ava.” Rebecca popped out of her chair, arms out, and wrapped the woman, clearly one of her sisters, in a warm hug.

His chance to tell her the truth had slipped away. He knew he should feel bad at the relief that spilled through him like cool water, but he didn’t. He prayed that this interruption was God’s way of giving Rebecca more time to get to know him first, so she would understand. At least, that’s what he hoped.

“I
’m not staying,” Ava said as she gave Rebecca one last squeeze and stepped back. “I’m not being nosy, really. I just came by to drop off a box from the bakery. Some pick-me-up chocolate. Never mind me. I let myself in and I can let myself out.”

With Ava, nothing was that simple. Rebecca was leery as she smiled at her sister. “Where’s the bakery box? If I have to be interrogated by you, then I need to know the chocolate is real.”

“Interrogate? I just said I wasn’t being nosy, right?” There was no missing the gleam of trouble in Ava’s big blue eyes.

Rebecca tossed Chad an apologetic look. “You can see why I didn’t want to introduce you to everyone last night. Some of my sisters are the kind you don’t want to be seen with in public.”

Chad bit his lip, as if to hold back his grin. “Yes, I can see,” he said very gravely with a hint of a wry grin. “I would be cautious, too, if I were you. You don’t want people getting the wrong opinion of the two of us eating alone like this. It might look as if we are having a date.”

“Exactly.” Rebecca braced herself for the inevitable fallout. Ava was going to tell everyone about this. “Ava, this is Chad. Chad, Ava. There, now don’t you have Brice waiting for you?”

“My husband is working late renovating Gran’s mall today, and he’s absorbed.”

She saw Chad’s eyebrow go up. Mall? He was probably wondering if he had heard that correctly. Yes, her grandmother owned the shopping complex where the family bookstore was only one of two-dozen shop spaces. “Would it be all right if Ava stayed for dinner, Chad?”

“Sure.” His answer was quick and eager to accommodate. He seemed to be interested in her family, unlike Chris.

See how good this friends clause was working? Her decision not to date for the foreseeable future was one of the best decisions she had ever made. It made tonight as easy as could be.

“I would be intruding,” Ava answered. “And besides, I have Rex in the car.”

“Rex?” Chad asked, as if he really was interested.

“Our golden retriever. He’s like having a T. rex loose in the house. If you don’t mind him helping you barbecue, I could bring him in.”

“Sounds like fun.” Chad, the gentleman that he was, didn’t bat one eye. His smile was as genuine as could be. His sincerity unmistakable. “I like dogs. Besides, I want to get to know more about Rebecca. As your sister, you probably have all the good stories.”

“You know I do.” Ava lit up as if it were Christmas morning. “But I’m totally bummed. I’m going to have to take a rain check. I’m meeting Brice and we’re having a late dinner out.”

“You can stay and keep us company,” Chad offered.

Okay, her opinion of this man was going up by the second. This was not the evening they had been planning, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. It was fun being with a spontaneous guy—uh, friend. “C’mon, Ava. Stay. But do me a favor.”

“Oh, you’re afraid I’m going to tell about when you were little and you used to dress up like a ballerina and everywhere we took you, you were in pink tulle and you walked on tiptoe.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Is nothing sacred? I was three years old.”

“And how you carried your teddy bear everywhere. It’s even in all of Dorrie and Dad’s wedding pictures. There was the little cute flower girl, holding her basket of rose petals in one hand with her bear in the crook of her arm.”

Chad was chuckling, as if he thought that was cute. Before her big sister could embarrass her any more, Rebecca looped her arm through Ava’s and steered her through the doorway. “We’ll be back, Chad.”

“Great. And don’t forget that dip of yours,” he called out. “And the chocolate.”

“Come with me, Ava.” She walked away, wondering why that man always made her laugh. She shut the door to keep in what remained of the air-conditioned air and wove through the living room to the front door.

“Is Chad the Popsicle guy?” Ava asked as if there was more going on than met the eye. “He’s cute. He’s really sweet on you.”

“Sweet on me?” Rebecca opened the door and her face started to burn. Surely that was from the harsh summer sun beating on the front step. “No, that’s just your wishful thinking. Chad and I hardly know each other. He just moved in next door.”

“Ah, sure. My mistake.” Ava didn’t sound as if she meant that in the slightest.

That was going to spell big trouble. Rebecca hopped down the steps, already dreading the worst. If her entire family wasn’t talking about the Popsicle guy yet, then they would be now.

A friendly woof! shattered the serene evening stillness. Rex was hanging out the driver’s side window, his tongue lolling.

“Hi, buddy.” She rubbed his floppy ears and soft head. “You understand about my No Man policy, right?”

Rex woofed again, licked her hand as she opened the door for him and tumbled onto the driveway. He loped around her and Ava in one big excited circle and then took off for the porch.

“I have to talk to you about this No Man policy of yours.” Ava said as she followed her dog into the house. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a man on your patio.”

“No, there’s a friend on my patio. It’s a fine line.”

“Sure, I see that.” Ava was grinning ear to ear. “You know I was the one who invented the No Man policy. Remember? I had so many dating disasters, I gave up all hope of ever finding Mr. Right.”

“I remember.” Here it came. Rebecca rolled her eyes and headed straight to the kitchen. The dog was woofing in the living room, presumably at Chad. “Next you’re going to tell me that’s when you found Brice.”

“I think that’s the way it works sometimes. You have to totally completely give up on love ever happening, and that’s when it finds you.”

Rebecca grabbed a tub of ranch dip from the refrigerator and handed it to her sister. “I wonder how many times I’m going to have to hear this?”

“You’re going to hear it from everyone, trust me.”

“Oh, I do.” She scooped the bakery box off the counter where Ava must have left it. “You got the part where I said Chad was a friend.”

“Sure, but you never know.”

“What do you mean? I intend to stick to my policy.” She knew her family meant well, but her stomach was tightening up into a knot. Love was a painful thing, and she didn’t know how to explain her fears. Love hurt, and she had trusted a man who had shaken her to the core. She didn’t want to do that again. “I’m happy this way.”

“Sure. I can see that.” Ava led the way into the living room, where Rex was hopping in place, drooling, his gaze glued to Chad and the barbecue. “Chad’s a total twenty on a scale of ten. He’s a Mr. Wow.”

“Did you hear a thing I just told you?”

“Sure, but I know how this is going to go.” Ava seemed so sure of herself as she slid open the door and Rex bolted onto the patio. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell Chad only the really nice stories so he can’t help falling in love with you.”

“Lord, help me please.” Rebecca looked upward, but all she saw were the green stripes of the awning overhead. She shut the door and caught Chad’s smile. He watched her over the grill with a fond hitch to his smile. She saw amusement. As if he was glad for the company.

She was, too.

Chad’s side hurt from laughing. He leaned back in his chair and debated if he had enough room for another chocolate muffin. The tops of the muffins were icing faces decorated to look like funny monsters.

“Go ahead. You only live once,” Rebecca smiled over the table at him. “Take the last muffin.”

“I’m not sure if I can. They’re gi-normous.”

Ava stood up from the table. “You two ought to drop by the bakery. Anytime. The dessert is on me, remember that, Chad.”

“That’s nice of you. Thanks, Ava.”

“Sure. A friend of Rebecca is a friend of mine.” She whistled and Rex lifted his head from his paws, yawned and climbed to his feet. “I’ve got to go meet my husband. Becca, I’ll talk to you later. Chad, it was good meeting you.”

“You, too.” He watched the sisters hug goodbye. They seemed tight and at ease with one another.

It was easy to see that he’d been right about her family. They loved Rebecca dearly and were protective of her. As if last night hadn’t been proof enough, up close it heartened him to see the attention her older sister paid to her and the endless caring in every word. He understood more about Rebecca now.

He gave the dog a final pat, waved goodbye to Rebecca’s sister, but in truth he was hardly aware of the woman leaving. No, it was the woman staying who drew his attention and held it with the same power as gravity keeping his feet on the ground. He liked her maybe a little bit more than he wanted to admit or than he knew was safe.

He got to his feet and began clearing the table. Since he had brought paper plates and plastic utensils, cleanup was as simple as dumping everything back into the bag. He put the lid on the tub of dip, which they had made a serious dent in, and left it on Rebecca’s side of the table with the last muffin.

“Well, I have to say I’m impressed, Chad Lawson.” Rebecca placed her hands on her hips, watching him with clear approval. “You are not only a decent barbecuer, but you’re good with kitchen patrol.”

“I’m multitalented. Don’t you forget that, even if I don’t know how to cook.” He rolled up the bag of chips and dropped it in the bag. “I think I’m going to have to learn. I can’t keep letting Ephraim cook. He’s really bad at it. He’s my best friend and all, but there’s just no getting around that truth. If I learn from him, I won’t be any better.”

“There’s always those cooking channels on TV.”

“Sure, but I don’t want to fix something fancy. I need to grill sandwiches. Make a hamburger. Maybe a pot of spaghetti. Simple basic stuff.”

“I’m starting to take pity on you. Next thing you know I will be offering to teach you.”

“That would be great, Rebecca. When can we start? The sooner the better.”

“Most guys wouldn’t sound so eager.”

“Sure. Most guys don’t live with Ephraim. The night I stopped by to see the place and give him my deposit, he was making macaroni and cheese from the box, and he burned it. It was not pleasant.”

“All right. I’m convinced.” She scooped up the tub of dip. “You did great with the barbecuing. Those hot dogs were nearly the best I have ever tasted.”

“Nearly the best? What exactly does that mean? Don’t tell me that Chris guy was better at barbecuing.”

“No. I meant my brother. Spence is a consummate barbecuer. It’s his and Dad’s thing. Maybe because they were the only boys in the family so they banded together near the barbecue for moral support, or they are both really talented with tongs. So being compared to him is a high compliment.”

“Good. Then I thank you for it.” Okay, that was lame, but he didn’t want the evening to end, or the conversation. What he wanted was to sit in the waning daylight right next to Rebecca and watch the light change colors. She was that kind of girl.

Yep, he liked her more than he was willing to admit. Didn’t that spell trouble? There were so many reasons why he could get his heart broken, but that didn’t stop him from taking a step closer to her.

“Tomorrow night is your Bible study night,” he found himself saying. “You wouldn’t mind if we went together, would you? Since I’m new, and don’t know anyone there.”

“Yes, because you seem like a really introverted kind of guy.” She arched one brow, giving him a stern yet entirely soft glance, the same one that she would give the kids at day camp when they were being a little saucy.

“I might not seem like it, but I’m a really sensitive guy. I might feel awkward and shy.”

“You don’t strike me as the shy type, but I would hate to think that I didn’t help a fellow Christian. So yes, I’ll let you tag along.”

“Great. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” He couldn’t help smiling so wide, it felt as if his face was stretching.

“I’m not. Do you know what Ava is going to read into this? By this time tomorrow, my phone will be ringing constantly with well-meaning sisters wanting to know the scoop about you and me.”

“You’ll have to explain your friend clause.”

“I’m glad you understand.” She focused her cinnamon-brown eyes on him, and suddenly she looked vulnerable with her heart exposed. “Relationships are hazardous things. Starting one is like taking a journey you’ve been looking forward to all your life. It’s wondrous and amazing and right, but everything can go wrong in the blink of an eye and it doesn’t even have to be your doing. I don’t know if I can trust another guy like that, at least not for a long time.”

“I understand that. Who you trust is a big deal. You give the wrong someone your trust, and you get hurt. I know.” And he did. He thought of his past mistakes and he knew the shame was always going to be there.

“You have never said why you have a No Date policy?” She took a step closer to him. “What happened? Wait, it’s none of my business. I didn’t mean to pry. I just care about you. You know, as a friend.”

She was quick to add that, and she was kindness itself but that didn’t lessen the sting to his heart. He liked her too much. There was no doubt about that.

“No. The truth is I’ve been through some stuff and didn’t want to involve anyone with what was going on. It was complicated. When life was uncomplicated, I couldn’t find the right woman.” Here was another place he could tell her the whole truth. But could he? He tried. He opened his mouth, determined to say the words and they died in his throat.