Second Chances

“No kidding.”

“So, what’s new? How come you missed church?”

“I didn’t miss it.” Eloise shot her a brief glance, then squeezed the trigger of the sprayer again and went back to watching the spritzing water.

“You were there this morning? I didn’t see you.”

“I sat way in the back with Verleen and Miss Mercy. We get a much better view of all the goings-on from there. And now that the church has those hearing assistance doodads, we don’t have to be so close to the front to keep from missing the important stuff.”

Eyes twinkling, Belinda gibed, “You three never miss a thing, and you know it. I’m surprised you don’t sit up in the sound booth and train binoculars on the rest of the congregation through that little window.”

“Ooh, good idea!”

“I thought you’d like it.”

Eloise waited a moment, then said, “So, tell me all about your morning.”

“It was interesting, to say the least.” Belinda blew a noisy breath. “Paul Randall showed up in church, but I’m sure you know that already. I don’t understand why he didn’t just go to services with his aunts.”

“And have to choose whether to go to Patience’s big, fancy church over in East Serenity, or Pru’s little one? That’s a no-win situation. The boy’s not crazy.”

“He’s also not a boy anymore.” She pulled a face. “You were right about Sam getting jealous of him.”

“Aha! I knew it. Wonderful!”

“Not exactly,” Belinda said cynically. “I don’t think I like Sam as well when he’s acting so possessive.”

“Nonsense. That’s a man’s way of showing you he cares. They’re not very good at putting it into words, you know.”

Belinda shook her head. “No, I don’t know. Dad was always hugging Mom and telling her he loved her. He used to hug people in his congregation, too. I don’t remember him doing it much after Mom died, though.” She hesitated, then decided to go on. “At home, he acted like he was mad at me all the time. I would have given anything to get one of his big bear hugs in those days.”

“Oh, honey…” Eloise laid aside the sprayer and enfolded her in a motherly embrace. “Your daddy didn’t mean anything by it. He was just hurting and afraid.”

“Afraid?” She stepped back to study her grandmother’s expression. “Of what? He was always preaching about the strength we should draw from our Christian faith. How could he have been afraid?”

“Because he was human. Preachers are, you know. I think he pulled away from everybody because he couldn’t bear to be hurt again.” She caressed Belinda’s cheek. “He loved you very, very much. That was why he acted so strict about everything. He was just trying to protect you.”

Sniffling, Belinda made a wry face. “Well, it worked. I’m probably the only twenty-seven-year-old virgin in Serenity…or in the world, for that matter.” The rosy color rising on Eloise’s cheeks made her laugh.

The older woman giggled, too. “I don’t know how you’ve managed to avoid getting carried away.” The pink in her cheeks darkened, and her eyes were bright. “I was a very respectable girl, but I’m not sure I could have resisted your grandpa much longer than I did. We were too much in love to want to wait.”

Belinda sighed, shrugged. “I suppose that’s the key. Love, I mean. Sam says I’m a prude. He’s right.”

“You haven’t been tempted?”

“Some,” Belinda admitted. “But we always managed to stop before it was too late.”

“Was Sam upset? Men have very fragile egos, you know.”

With a smirk and a quick shake of her head, Belinda looked bravely into Eloise’s eyes. “Sam didn’t have a thing to do with it,” she said. “He wasn’t the man I was with when it happened.”

Belinda would never forget the night she and Paul had almost stepped across the line. The balmy spring evening was so lovely it was as if it had been made especially for lovers. For them. She’d ridden close behind him on his motorcycle, reveling in the perfect opportunity to wrap her arms around his waist and lay her cheek against his back.

Paul had pulled over just outside Sylamore, on a bluff overlooking the river. Reluctantly, she’d released her hold on him and they’d strolled hand in hand toward an immense, flat-topped boulder at the edge of the scenic-view parking area.

Sighing, she’d said, “Look how clear the sky is. You can even see the Milky Way tonight.”

He’d drawn her into his embrace then, and kissed her soundly, passionately. “All I want to look at is you.”

Weak in the knees, she’d slipped her arms around his neck and held tight. “Oh, Paul. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Belinda. I just wish…”

“What?” she whispered against his lips.

“Let’s go sit down.” Paul led her to the boulder, climbed it and reached to pull her up beside him. He took off his leather jacket and spread it out. “Here. Sit on this so you don’t get your clothes all dirty.”

So filled with happiness she thought she’d burst, Belinda did as he asked and snuggled as close to him as she could get. She’d just begun to imagine what it would be like to spend the rest of her life in Paul’s arms when he said, “I may be going away soon.”

That was unthinkable! “No!” Throwing herself at him, Belinda held on as if he were bidding her a final goodbye that very night. “You can’t leave. You can’t. Please don’t go!” Frantic, she threaded her fingers through his long, thick hair and began raining kisses over his face, his neck, his chest.

Paul had managed to keep his youthful urges pretty much under control until that moment. She heard him moan and felt his hands start to rove over her back, then come up under her arms to touch her where no one else ever had.

“Run away with me,” Paul begged, an emotional catch in his voice. “Marry me, Belinda. Marry me.”

She’d almost said yes to more than marriage that night. Breathing hard, her heart pounding, she’d fought her own desires until the immense effort had brought tears to her eyes. One kiss, one forbidden touch, had led to another and another and another.

That was when she’d opened her eyes, looked at the canopy of stars, recognized God’s magnificent handiwork and been reminded of her vow to her Heavenly Father. Somehow, she’d mustered the strength of will to push Paul away in spite of his protests.

To this day, she didn’t know how she’d talked herself into it.

Paul spent the next two days shuttling between Serenity and his office in Harrison, checking tax records and trying to find out if Sam Barryman had the financial backing he claimed. By late Tuesday afternoon he was back in Serenity, waiting for his secretary to call with more information. He poured himself a tall glass of the lemonade his aunts had made and took it out to their front porch.

Prattling, Patience trailed him. “Can you believe it? She went shopping and was so late for her hair appointment she had to go straight to Angela’s!”

“Who? Aunt Prudence?” He tipped the frosted glass and drank half its tangy contents.

“Of course. Who else is the bane of my existence? I made her the appointment because I wanted us both to look decent for tomorrow night. Oh, the lovely parties our family used to host in this very house. And now we’ll get to do it again, right here, one last time.”

“It’s not exactly a party,” Paul reminded her. “It’s a business dinner.”

Patience flipped a hand in the air, bracelets jingling. “Oh, who cares. We’re entertaining. That’s all that matters to me. You’re such a sweetheart to offer to pay for it all.” She patted his arm and smiled wistfully. “I can’t wait to get my money out of this old place and take off on a world cruise.”

“It might be best to invest the profits and use the interest instead of dipping into the principle.”

“Oh, pooh,” Patience said. “My sister can stick around here and sulk away her life if she wants to. I’m going to get out and have some fun.” She smoothed her cap of silver hair. “Which reminds me. Since Prudence has our station wagon, can you give me a lift to the beauty salon?”

Paul checked his watch. “In another half hour or so. I’m waiting for an important call. I told my secretary I could be reached at your number.”