Holly's Heart Collection Three (41 page)
“What’s with Danny?” I asked Andie later that night. We were staying at a Comfort Inn near Interstate 70—four girls to a room. Paula and Kayla were my other two roommates.
“Danny?” Andie stared at me. “Are you trying to tell us something?’ She glanced at the Miller twins, who, by now, were listening intently.
“Yeah, Danny. He’s different . . . I think,” I said.
“Well, you must want to be a preacher’s wife,” Andie said.
“Which really is fine with me. At least you won’t be going off to California and getting married.”
“Oh, Andie, please! Who said anything about marriage?” I opened my suitcase and pulled out my pajamas.
“Danny’s definitely waiting for the right girl to come along,” Kayla spoke up. “He says he’s not going to date; he’s going to wait for God to bring the right mate to him.”
I thought about that. “Hey, I like that.”
Paula dug around in her suitcase and pulled out a slim paperback. She waved it in my face. “Here, take a look at this. I think this could be where Danny first heard about his approach to finding a wife.”
“Really?” I turned the book over and read the back. “This sounds really interesting.”
Andie came over and peered at the book. “Maybe you’ve just found some food for thought.”
I looked at her. “Huh?”
“You know, the next time Danny shows up at your table, you two could discuss this—common ground for conversation.”
“Now you’re teasing me.” I handed the book back to Paula.
“No, really. I mean it, Holly. The guy’s really tuned in to what he believes is the best way to discover God’s plan for a life mate—simply wait.” Andie wasn’t joking at all. “It sounds unbelievable, I know, but I guess we’ll just have to read it for ourselves.”
“Where’d Danny get the book?” I asked.
“The church library has it,” she said.
“So . . . how soon will you be finished reading it?” I asked Paula.
“I’m on the next-to-last chapter.” She pulled on her terry-cloth robe. “If I finish it before we get home, I’ll let you take a look at it.” She showed me where she was in the book. Then, while Kayla, Andie, and I engaged in girl talk, Paula went to read in the corner of the hotel room nearest the table lamp.
I couldn’t help glancing over at her every few minutes. The book intrigued me. I couldn’t wait to read it, too.
The next day we were approaching the outskirts of Junction City, Kansas, on our way back to Colorado when Paula handed the book to me. I was so eager to start it that when Jared came and asked me if I wanted to talk, I declined. Politely, of course.
“Do you mind?” I said apologetically.
He spied the book in my hands and shrugged. “Well, if that’s what you’re reading, fine.”
“You’ve read it?”
He grinned. “It’s really . . . uh, different, but great.” And before he left to go back to his seat, he said, “When you finish it, let’s talk, okay?”
“Sure.” I hadn’t realized how riveting a nonfiction book could be. I didn’t want to put it down! The concepts made perfect, good sense. And they were based on biblical principles—romance God’s way.
Andie tried to get my attention several times. When I looked up, she was frowning. “Didn’t you hear the announcement?”
“What announcement?” I looked around. Choir members were raising their hands for something.
“They’re doing a head count for the McDonald’s in Salina. Do you want a burger or something else?”
“What are the choices?” I asked.
She told me it was either burgers with the works—no special orders since we were only going to stop for a few minutes—or grilled chicken sandwiches.
“Better tell Mrs. Duncan you were spacing out,” Andie admonished.
I trudged up to the front of the bus and gave my burger order. When I returned, the book on God’s will for a mate was nowhere to be seen.
“Andie!”
“What?”
“Where’s the book?”
“Which one?”
“C’mon, you know.” I could see she’d set me up.
“Oh, this.” She held it up, wearing a smirk.
“It would be nice if I could actually finish it before you start it.”
She was reluctant—already had her finger stuck in the second page. “Well, I absolutely have to read the rest . . . and soon.”
“Okay, I’ll hurry.” The truth was, I didn’t want to rush through it. Now that I was actually able to date, the idea of courtship was intriguing. There were definitely times I found myself thinking about what my future would be like. Who I would marry, or if I would at all. . . .
My mom’s marriage record wasn’t exactly the best, obviously. She and Daddy had suffered through a separation and then divorce by the time I was eight years old. I was hardly old enough to know what was going on but old enough to know it hurt. Bad. Their divorce had left a skeptical imprint stamped in my mind, especially about the happily-ever-after kind of love.
Now, though, Mom seemed settled and happy with Jack Patterson, and they were starting a brand-new family together. The big difference, the way I saw it, was that Mom and Uncle Jack were both dedicated Christians. And they worked hard at their relationship, which was something lots of couples with kids seemed to neglect.
Anyway, I wanted my marriage to last forever. And I knew if I could follow the radical precepts in Paula’s book, it just might happen for me.
Someday.
Thinking about what I’d read—about giving myself totally to Jesus and falling in love with
Him
—made me wonder if the unique message of the book had been the reason for the change in Jared. Danny too.
Quickly, I found my place and began reading again, blocking out Andie’s chatter with Paula and Kayla. Even the stopover for fast food couldn’t keep my nose out of the book.
If only I had read something like this earlier. I could have saved myself the heartache of the boy-girl thing. I’d had too many emotional ups and downs over guys.
I could hardly wait to email a note to Sean. But I wouldn’t be so bold as to share with him about my fabulous new discovery. Not yet, anyway.
IT’S A GIRL THING
In Colby, Kansas, I turned the book over to Andie just as I spotted the city limits sign. She was thrilled and dived right into it.
On the opposite side of the bus, Paula, Kayla, and I discussed some of the alternatives to modern dating as presented in the book. Things like hanging out in groups and being platonic friends with the opposite sex. And parental involvement in the choice of a mate. Most of all, being patient as God worked out His loving plan for our lives.
“I’d give anything to skip over the crushes of my life,” I admitted softly, glancing around to make sure neither Danny nor Jared was within earshot.
“I know what you mean,” Paula said. “The dating game is for the birds. You get hurt because the boy might end up liking someone else after a while.”
Kayla nodded her head. “That’s so true.”
Paula continued, “Some people say you can’t find God’s choice unless you date lots of people. But waiting for God’s perfect timing—waiting for
Him
to bring along your life mate— makes a lot more sense.”
“Spiritual sense, too,” I whispered.
Andie perked up her ears. “Hey, what am I missing over there?”
“Nothing compared to that,” I replied, pointing to the book in her hands.
“Oh good.” And she went back to reading.
I did finally have a chance to talk with Jared before our bus made its way over the first mountain pass west of Denver, Colorado.
“I don’t know if I ever apologized for hurting you the way I did last year,” Jared said at one of the stops to stretch our legs.
“Well, you did,” I reminded him. “Many times.”
He smiled wistfully. “I wish I’d known then what I know now about trusting the Lord for my romantic future.”
“You’re not the only one.” We walked back toward the bus, and I felt joyful. Jared and I really were good friends now. The old boy-girl thing was gone between us. Both of us wanted God’s best for the other—the way it always should’ve been.
Andie was saying some of the same things when she finished reading. In fact, it seemed that half the bus was buzzing about the book.
“Doesn’t it beat a Marty Leigh mystery?” Paula asked.
“All to pieces,” I said, realizing that I might consider reading nonfiction for a change.
Andie chuckled. “I wondered when the three of you would come to your senses about mysteries.”
“They’re better than those silly romance novels you read,” I countered.
Andie shook her head. “You mean the romance novels I
used
to read.” She glanced at the book in her lap. “Now I’m not so sure.”
“Maybe someday I’ll sprinkle some of these ideas into one of my novels for teen girls.” Sounded like the perfect plan to me.
“Don’t forget, I get the first dedication,” Paula said with a smile, showing off her perfect white teeth.
“Why, because she showed you the book?” Andie retorted. “But I’m your best friend, don’t forget.”
“We’re all best friends,” I said. And I could tell by the twinkle in her eye, Andie understood.
It was almost dusk when the bus pulled into the parking lot of the high school. Mrs. Duncan suggested we all head home and get a good night’s rest. “You’re all excused from turning in homework assignments to all your classes tomorrow,” she said.
Danny raised his hand. “When will we know if we placed?”
“No later than next Thursday.”
The kids, including me, groaned. How could we wait that long?
I hugged my girl friends good-bye, promising to meet them for lunch in the school cafeteria tomorrow.
It didn’t take long for me to spot our family van, but when I looked more closely, I noticed Stan was sitting in the driver’s seat.
I shoved away the thought of complaining. At least I had a ride home.
As it turned out, Stan had taken time out from the Sunday evening service to come for me. No heading home or resting for me. He drove back to church, where Mom, Uncle Jack, and all the kids were sitting in the seventh pew from the front. On the left side, as usual.
We tiptoed in and sat in the back—Stan and I. Exhausted from my whirlwind weekend, I let myself slouch down in the seat a bit. Stan shot me a superior, almost parental look.
“I’m beat, okay?” I whispered.
He looked away, acting disgusted. And that’s how things got started again between us.
