Yuletide Proposal

“I know. But you sent your mother instead, and she was wonderful to me. I’ll never be able to thank her or you enough.” Brianna clung a moment longer then drew back. “Anyway, all of this was to say my dad razzed me about going to see Mom tonight.”

“You should go,” Jaclyn insisted.

“I can’t go to the nursing home again,” Brianna admitted. “Not for a while.”

“Why not?”

“Today she said I made her ashamed.” The lump in Brianna’s stomach hardened. “It hurt so much. I don’t want to live with that pain again, Jaclyn. I’m done with trying to be the obedient daughter I’m supposed to be. It didn’t work for her and it doesn’t work for me.” Briefly Brianna explained what she’d learned about her grandfather.

“I understand.” Jaclyn reached out and started the car. She shifted into gear before facing Brianna. “But you can’t go on hating her, either. You’ve got to find a way past it. And you’ve got to do the same with Zac. Didn’t you say he wanted you to work with him?”

“He’s got this idea that I can help him shake up the school.”

“About time that school had a good shake-up,” Jaclyn said, steering into the restaurant parking lot. “Couldn’t hurt your career to be at the forefront of change, either, could it?”

“No,” Brianna mumbled.

“Then?” Jaclyn lifted an eyebrow. “What’s the problem?”

“The truth?” Brianna climbed out of the car.

“Always.”

“I don’t know if I can work with Zac.” That admission wasn’t easy.

“You probably can’t,” Jaclyn agreed, walking with her to the front door. “Until you let go of your resentment of him. You were young. You both made mistakes because you didn’t trust each other. It will take some heavenly healing and help for you to start again, Bri.” She rolled her eyes. “Listen to me—the pediatrician advising the child psychologist.”

“No, the best friend advising her dim-witted school buddy. Thanks, pal.” She stopped Jaclyn before they went inside and hugged her. “Did I tell you I’m so happy you and Kent are having a baby?”

“Me, too. But I want you to be happy, too, Brianna. And you aren’t going to be until you make peace with the past. So think about it. Okay?” She waited for her friend’s nod. “And I’ll pray for you to find a way to mend things with your mom. And Zac.” Then Jaclyn tugged her inside the café where they chose their favorite Mexican food.

Brianna enjoyed the meal. But her thoughts kept straying to Zac.

Would the past interfere with working together?

When Jaclyn dropped her off at Zac’s office, she went inside only after whispering a prayer for the right words, and after reminding herself that she was doing this for Cory, not Zac.

Chapter Five

Later that night Zac rapped on Brianna’s front door, excitement zinging through him. She opened the door, her hair tousled, her feet bare, her face weary.

“We got it,” he said simply. “Your World is a go.”

Her smile dawned slowly, starting in her eyes, which glowed green in the cast of the house light. The grin moved to light up her entire face, transforming her weariness into beauty.

“Come in, Zac.” She waved him to a chair, then flopped down on the sofa across from him and tucked her long legs under her. Her eyes sparkled. “So? Tell me what happened after I left.”

“Lots of good discussion.” Zac glanced around, remembering how the expensive knickknacks in this living room had always seemed to get in the way of his gangly teenage elbows and feet. Most of them were gone now rendering the room less glamorous but immensely more homey.