Their Christmas Prayer

“That’s the new communications manager for the chamber,” Erin said. “I met her in the women’s Bible study this morning. She’s really on the ball.”

“Yeah, I know.” As they continued toward the exit, Shaun couldn’t keep his head from swiveling in Brooke’s direction.

Erin looked at him askance. “You know?”

Shaun should have kept his mouth shut. He faced forward and walked faster. “Diana’s Donuts was packed yesterday, so we shared a table.”

A mischievous chuckle erupted from Erin’s throat. “Kent needs to send you to town more often.”

“Speaking of which,” Kent said, tapping his church bulletin against his palm, “I’ve been working on getting more connected here at church, and the service committee looks interesting. They’re meeting tomorrow night to discuss plans for this year’s Christmas charity project. Why don’t you tag along with me?”

Shaun gave his head a brisk shake. “I don’t think so.”

“Come on, it’ll do you good to get out and meet more people.” They’d reached Erin’s car, and Kent helped Avery buckle into the back seat. Blocking Shaun from proceeding on toward the pickup, he glowered. “How long have you been staying with me at the ranch now—a month? Six weeks? About all you come to town for is to pick up something for me at the ranch supply store or to visit Erin at her place.”

“I’ve been attending church with you nearly every Sunday,” Shaun shot back. “And didn’t I just say I met Brooke at the doughnut shop? So I get out plenty. I’ve got all the acquaintances I need.”

Kent shared a meaningful look with Erin, and then both of them pinned him with concerned frowns. “I spent years holding things in,” Kent said quietly, “isolating myself when I could have been sharing my problems with people who cared. So I know avoidance when I see it.”

Hands on hips, Shaun exhaled sharply through his nose. Erin and Kent had been more than patient with him as he worked through his issues with God. He knew they were only trying to help. “Okay, you could have a point. But these past few years trying to make a difference in Ethiopia... I can’t begin to describe the frustration and disappointment.”

“We know, Shaun.” Erin touched his arm. “And we understand why you needed to get away and decompress. But getting involved in something on a smaller scale—a project where you can readily see the results of your efforts—might turn out to be just what you need.”

Shaun didn’t want to admit it, but his sister could be right. “All right,” he said, hands raised. “No promises, but I’ll attend the meeting with you and see what it’s all about.”

Kent clapped him on the shoulder. “Good man. Now, let’s go see what Erin’s got cookin’ for dinner.”

One thing Shaun had learned upon his arrival in Juniper Bluff was that his little sister had become not only a talented interior designer but a pretty amazing cook. He’d come to look forward to meals at her house or when she brought something special out to Kent’s.

He was proud of his baby sister in other ways, too, and felt rotten that while serving overseas he’d been unaware of everything she’d gone through with her abusive first husband. It helped only slightly to know their older brother, Greg, hadn’t been any more clued in than Shaun. Until the bitter end, Erin had managed to hide the truth from almost everyone close to her. Guess it ran in the family.

Interesting how Greg had contrived to send both his troubled siblings to Juniper Bluff to heal and start over. Erin had found not only a profitable outlet for her design talents but true love with someone who’d treat her right. Shaun had no expectations of romance, but if his sojourn in this friendly small town made room for God to shed a little light on his path, he’d be grateful.

He chuckled to himself as he wondered when his philanthropic elder brother would leave big-city San Antonio behind and settle in Juniper Bluff permanently. Greg spent a good part of his time here anyway to oversee the Camp Serenity program for disadvantaged kids at Serenity Hills Guest Ranch. It was probably only a matter of time before Greg started pestering Shaun to join him as a volunteer counselor, but that sounded too long-term.

On the other hand, the Christmas outreach project had a clear beginning and end, which seemed much more doable, something Shaun could complete even if he did feel led to accept the Jordan position.

On Monday evening he rode into town with Kent for the meeting. Erin wouldn’t be participating—too many wedding details to iron out, Kent explained, plus she stayed busy with her interior design clients and keeping up with Avery.

They arrived at the church a few minutes early, and Kent introduced Shaun to the chairperson, Emily Ingram. “Emily’s married to Dr. Robert Ingram, the vet who takes care of my livestock.”

Shaun smiled and offered his hand. He recognized Emily as the woman Brooke Willoughby had been in conversation with yesterday after church.

“A missionary and a minister,” Emily gushed. “I know you’ll be a huge asset to the group.”

He suffered a moment of regret for not asking Kent to omit that part of his background. “Just consider me another willing worker.”

As other committee members trickled in, Shaun took a seat next to Kent near the end of a long, oval conference table. Clearing her throat, Emily Ingram prepared to open the meeting, only to pause at the click of heels in the corridor.

Seconds later, Brooke Willoughby slipped into the room. She offered a shy smile. “Hope I’m not late.”

“Just getting started, Brooke. Have a seat.” Emily motioned toward the only empty chair, directly across from Shaun. While Brooke got situated, Emily introduced her. “Many of you know Brooke’s brother, Tripp, Robert’s partner at the vet clinic. Brooke just accepted a position at the chamber of commerce, and we’re delighted to welcome her to Juniper Bluff.”

Brooke’s cheeks colored at the polite smattering of applause. “Thanks. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone.” Then her gaze met Shaun’s, and a surprised glint flickered in her brown eyes. “Oh. Hi.”

He couldn’t explain the flutter beneath his sternum. For one thing, he wasn’t the type to experience flutters in the presence of an attractive woman. For another, he’d already surmised their strongest common link was an affinity for good coffee.

Calling the meeting to order, Emily saved him from having to form a coherent response. After opening with a brief prayer, she consulted her printed agenda. “In the interest of time, I’d like to table the usual reports until the end and get right to our Christmas service project.” When no one objected, she went on, “Since this is my first year to chair the committee, I did a little research to see what’s been done in the past—helping a needy family buy gifts for their children, serving Christmas dinner at a shelter, and I think last year you put together care packages for the Camp Serenity kids.”

Shaun sat back and listened while the committee batted around those ideas and a few others. After several minutes, he glanced across the table to see Brooke silently chewing her lip and added one more thing to their list of commonalities. As the two newbies on the committee, both were reluctant to wade into the middle of a discussion that grew more vocal as each new idea emerged.

Emily tapped the table with her pen. “With so many possibilities to consider, I suggest we give oversight of the project to one or two individuals. They can sort through the options, make the final decision and then get back to the committee with their directives for implementation.”

At last, a voice of reason. Shaun liked Emily Ingram already. He scanned the room and tried to guess which among the regulars would get the chairperson’s nod. Probably not Kent, since he was in the middle of planning a wedding. Maybe the sixty-ish lady at the other end of the table who’d had plenty to say about nearly every idea presented?

Then he felt Emily’s gaze on him. She smiled like the proverbial cat who ate the canary. “Nothing compares with the freshness of new ways of looking at things. Shaun and Brooke, our newest committee members, could we prevail upon the two of you to head up our Christmas outreach efforts?”

Brooke’s gaze locked with Shaun’s. Squirming in his chair, he looked equally taken aback by Emily’s request. Brooke forced down a swallow while pawing through her oversize purse for the water bottle she’d brought. She’d tried to persuade both Diana and Emily yesterday that she wasn’t quite ready for committee involvement, but she may as well have been arguing with those fence posts Shaun had been hauling. Maybe if she stalled long enough, he’d make convincing excuses for both of them.

He coughed into his fist. “I actually just came along at Kent’s invitation. I’m not really in a position to—”

“Oh, you’ll do fine.” Emily reached across the table to pat his wrist, then did the same to Brooke. “With your unique combination of skills and experience, you two are exactly what this committee needs.”

Nearly choking on a sip of water, Brooke shook her head. “Wouldn’t you rather ask someone who knows the community much better than either of us?”

“Right,” Shaun agreed. “We’re both practically strangers to Juniper Bluff.” He set his hands on the armrests as if preparing for a quick exit.

Kent, obviously the future brother-in-law Shaun had mentioned, chuckled to himself while appearing a teensy bit remorseful about setting Shaun up for this. Family pressure? Brooke could totally relate.

Emily maintained her ethereal smile as she jotted notes. “Shaun and Brooke, why don’t you two get together over the next couple of weeks and hammer out a plan of action? You can report back to us at our next meeting.”

Brooke cast Shaun a get-us-out-of-this stare. He responded with tight lips and a helpless shrug. Before either of them had a chance for further protests, Emily moved on to the next item on the agenda. Brooke scarcely heard a word as she mentally rehearsed one statement after another about why she was a bad choice for this assignment. She’d hit Emily with them the moment the meeting ended. The glazed look in Shaun’s eyes suggested he was doing exactly the same.

After other business had been covered and Emily adjourned the meeting, Brooke and Shaun attempted to corner her. The woman barely slowed her pace as she turned off lights, locked the classroom and marched out to the parking lot. But no matter how forcefully they reiterated their objections, she insisted they were more than up for the task and they should feel free to call if they had any questions.

“Oh, boy, I’ve got plenty,” Brooke muttered as Emily drove away.

Shaun stood beside her. “Remind me to strangle my almost-brother-in-law.”

“Where is he, by the way?”

“Over there waiting for me in his truck.” Shaun nodded toward the dusty tan pickup Brooke had seen him driving on Saturday. “Kent should have warned me. His prize Brangus bull’s got nothing on the world’s most ruthless committee chairperson.”

Giving a snort, Brooke rifled through her purse for her keys. “I definitely need to have a word with my brother and sister-in-law.”

“Don’t tell me—you were steamrolled into joining the committee, too?”

“My family seems to think I need an actual life away from the office.” Brooke rolled her eyes. “Bossy big brothers and their wives are the worst.”