heel of her car, intendin
sing her right foot to dri
at driving with her left fo
r, and awkwardly climbed
oing to work. She was mo
n n
less sky, fighting a wave
r few days off work if she
ainst the vehicle, enjoying
out what t
e was already heartily s
uld manage to hobble do
least for a while. There
ore tha
ris
rd her name, surprise w
walking toward her. He’d
from
that this time she didn’t
and a matching pink, short-
lothing. “What ar
of crutches in case you
ttire and lifted his brow.
cia
he could stop this ridic
h services, but driving is
She brightened with the p
f you’re serious about al
n Rose’s café. Much bette
four walls of
ter if I drove you to ch
isn’t easy for
ed by his willingness to
d services in the past. “T
e you out o
lean on me, and we’ll
realize she was standing
for the second time in l
pt sending this man into h
xcuse not to go along with
spending time with
easier when she was safe
until he slid into the dri
’t mind if you dropped m
f you don’t want
his shoulder as he backed
ay of saying I’m no
was horrified that he wou
you attending churc
s features. “Isn’t it the
ttend church and to redisc
ast that’s what my sis
his sister was a Christian
to come to church, but I ca
ome to that realiz
ent. “I have to be honest
in well ov
ppened to cause his laps
no idea why he’d even offe
want to pry into his persona
need for privacy. “Well, I
e attended in my lifetime,
He’s down to earth and yet
aybe I’m being presumptuou
i
noise but didn’t say an
he church. She struggled t
hin moments, Gabe wa
oping he wouldn’t notice
o
told her. “I’ll g
utches out of the backsea
for your height based on m
ements
propped them beneath her
erfect. “They’re gre
o trust me, I know what
t as easy to crutc
and made her way over to
the church. Gabe stayed
f her back, as if he wa
oners in attendance as it
r by name. She didn’t kno
? Her friend? A colleagu
bring herself to use any
to say any
g his offer to bring her,
Did Gabe realize the powe
rning red and ducked her
ti
orry what anyone else tho
to the church, then the
th
t up a small prayer. Plea
o
____
a in church, wondering w
ut, had offered to be drop
over. Honestly, that was e
he menti
hance to skip out. Instea
n over a year. His sister
Madison, but after moving
her
ed that she couldn’t for
e loved his sister, Kimbe
to get him to buy into
ore she pushed, the
and found the opening hy
vices was the music. It oc
e’d mi
lay, they rose to their fe
it rusty, but he soo
ed smile as she joined hi
e kept his eyes centered o
not
hough
an he’d anticipated. Gabe
sa’s glowing praise of Pas
day was forgiveness, he fo
stor’s
a moment and then read,
ing against anyone, forgiv
give you your tresp
hord deep within. He’d
d destroyed his reputation
oss and the hospital lead
, she was simply upset bec
im his job. No matter how
there was no way to r
gainst his, and h
focused on the pastor’s s
peace, he first had to clea
ing Re
He knew he should, but
rent
losing hymn before he’d
as even more surprised th
used to. In fact, he
Gabe,” Larissa said softl
this mo
ded. “Don’t tell my sist
nd reminded him of picni
e he could remember being
and relaxed a
o out on my boat this af
y considering it’s the Me
ill ha
excitement and surprise.
ble it is sitting inside t
t having a
rab some lunch and the
to go home first
ed. “And I was thinking o
yw
as glad she’d agreed to c
why he’d brought the id
ssa was still a nurse at
medical director position
h someone he worked with
Sitting at home alone did
eit
e sure that spending the
nds and no
____
being out on Gabe’s boat
her eyebrows when she’d
er face to the sun and tri
’t the best ide
ad she s
at she’d been bored and h
real reason was that she l
ysician she
iked a man in a
alized that she’d been run
ve Crystal Lake, the fact
anywhere that wasn
’d made one bad decision
forever? Maybe it was tim
stor John ha
lax, not to be stressed o
king gently a
her distress had been s
. I guess I was wallowing i
ike this is very relaxin
e a day off, wea
enough,” he admitted.
ng in
ed. “Yes,
oment. “I’ve been working
. “So I understand how it
t ti
sed he’d admitted that mu
dering how nice and
ound. “Yeah, nothing like
bit ironic that we’re both
few weeks here and suppre
She’d heard he’d moved h
e tell you, that was a
“I can onl
rself. “Thankfully, Julie
locals finally stopped tre
eekend or she would have
i
her than G
was complaini
, we’d find more transpla
here,” Gab
o were born and raised h
Julie, the Hinkles had be
“You might be r
rising her. She stared at
o to voice mail as she di
led her to press the green
e.” The woman was speak
y hea
rippled down her spine.
ok
rash followed by n
had hu