The Pastor's Christmas Courtship Read online

“Lovable and huggable.” She tucked her napkin across her lap. “But sometimes a real handful. He keeps Ronda on her toes every minute of the day just to prevent him from doing himself permanent injury. Right from the beginning he was one of those kids who refused to stay in his crib, always climbing up and out when no one was looking.”

  Dolly crushed a cracker into her soup as she slid an amused look in Garrett’s direction. “Reminds me of someone I used to know.”

  “Hey, what can I say?” Garrett shrugged, not looking the least bit repentant. “Henry sounds like my kind of guy. Some of us are born to adventure.”

  Like river-running—and a dangerous missions field?

  She’d always loved sports. The outdoors. But she’d never been much of a risk taker—unless egged on by Garrett. They weren’t to the point of discussing anything that smacked of a possible permanent union. But if things worked out between them, would he expect her to accompany him to the Middle East? Could the fledgling renewal of her faith lead her in that direction? Given a choice, she didn’t even want to relocate overseas with her current job. But if that’s where this relationship led, well, she’d support Garrett in his calling any way she could. She just needed to trust God would work things out as was best for both of them.

  “If you and Henry are so simpatico,” Jodi said, leveling a teasing look at Garrett, “I’m sure my sister would be happy to put you in charge of the little guy while he’s here. She says she and her hubby feel God’s given them a ministry to singles who think they want to be married and start a family. By the time they and Henry depart, singlehood is much more palatable.”

  Dolly cringed. “Oh, my.”

  A grinning Garrett reached for his spoon. “Bring him on.”

  The dinnertime conversation ebbed and flowed comfortably, and laughter often erupted. Al and Dolly appeared to feel perfectly at ease with her and Garrett. Of course, they’d known both of them since the two friends were little, and they’d housed Garrett this past year. No wonder she felt so comfortable, almost as if among family.

  Not surprisingly, a twinge of disappointment burst her contented little bubble when Al inquired how the Christmas project was going. Due to all the preparations for her family’s arrival and the fun flirtation with Garrett taking center stage, with the exception of a visit to Kimmy she’d let the project slide to the back burner of her mind. But with delivery only a few days away, she had limited time to pull it all together.

  “Now, don’t badger the girl.” Dolly gave her husband a chastising look.

  “I’m not badgering. Just showing interest.”

  And he probably was. But what about others who remembered the volume of donations in past years? Even though she’d been a part of the project barely over a week, would blame for a comparatively skimpy number of gifts be placed at her doorstep?

  Would that, in turn, reflect poorly on Garrett?

  He already felt there were those in the congregation who believed he fell short of their expectations. Even though he didn’t think fondly of the project, Randall Moppert, for one, would no doubt gleefully add this poor holiday showing to his growing list of pastoral shortcomings.

  “The project’s coming along,” Jodi said lightly, then bit into one of Dolly’s molasses cookies.

  “We still have a few days left,” Garrett encouraged. “Someone I know, who has overseen a lot of projects in the past, recently told me that you often hit a plateau on these kinds of things. Then suddenly it all falls into place.”

  Al nodded thoughtfully. “That so?”

  “Makes sense to me.” Dolly helped herself to a cookie. “You know, the old saying that it’s always darkest before the dawn.”

  “True.” Al broke his own cookie in quarters and popped a piece of it in his mouth.

  Jodi cast Garrett a grateful look, and he winked.

  Her face warmed. “Now that things are pretty much ready for my family and they won’t arrive until midday tomorrow, I’ll have time to make more phone calls. I’m thinking, too, that my time might be well spent making personal visits to businesses around town.”

  Al clapped his hands together. “Now you’re talking, gal. Get right in their faces.”

  “It might not hurt.” Dolly dusted the cookie crumbs from her fingers onto her plate. “It might be harder for someone to say no if you’re standing there looking right at them.”

  Al placed his forearms on the table and leaned in Jodi’s direction. “It’s my guess that if you bat those big brown eyes of yours at them, you’ll double your donations.”

  Dolly poked her husband’s arm, but Al waved her off, turning his attention to Garrett. “Don’t ya think so, Pastor McCrae?”

  Garrett’s eyes locked with hers as he placed his napkin on the table, a smile twitching at his lips. “I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised, Al.”

  Al slapped the tabletop. “See? What did I tell you?”

  “Now you two stop your teasin’.” Dolly rose to clear away her and Al’s plates. “You’re making our poor Jodi blush.”

  “Just makes her all the prettier, right, Garrett?” The look Al shot in Garrett’s direction was a little too knowing. Even if Dolly hadn’t sensed a shift in Garrett’s relationship with her, her husband had obviously caught on.

  “You won’t hear any arguments from me.” Garrett, too, rose to gather both his and Jodi’s plates, his eyes twinkling.

  “Well, then,” Al announced as he slid a mischievous look in Jodi’s direction, “that eye-batting strategy sounds like a plan to me. One that I fully expect in the very near future to show...welcome results.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sitting in a big wingback chair in front of the cabin’s fireplace Wednesday evening, Garrett laughed as a freshly scrubbed and flannel-pajamaed Henry crawled into his lap, a picture book in hand.

  Garrett had stopped by in the afternoon to join in building a snow fort—and just in time to rescue Jodi’s intrepid nephew from where he’d climbed on the porch railing and shinnied up a support post to dangle precariously from the gutter. And that was only the first rescue of several before they’d all been called in for supper—and an evening of stringing popcorn, making paper-linked garlands and cutting out snowflakes for the tree.

  In the two days since he and Jodi agreed to seek God’s direction, they’d shared hours of fun and laughter, serious discussion, and catching each other up on their lives. In so many ways it was as if there had never been a dozen years between that first kiss and the one that had only recently been shared. They had so many values in common. Felt strongly about the bonds of family. Wanted to be used by God. Hour by hour, minute by minute, the connection between them deepened.

  And yet...he still hadn’t brought himself to tell her about the role he’d played in Drew’s injuries, the instrumental turning point in his relationship with God.

  Why was that? He trusted her. He did. She wouldn’t reject him because of his past mistakes any more than he’d reject her because of hers. But he couldn’t bear to see the disappointment in him that was certain to reflect in her beautiful eyes.

  He looked over at Jodi on the sofa, occupied with a book and her two nieces. She glanced up. He winked, and she smiled back, relaxed, happy and the light in her eyes clearly communicating her contentment.

  If only he could relax into that same God confidence she seemed to be growing into. But uncertainty nagged. Not about how he felt about Jodi, but about how they could work things out for a future together given his plans for the Middle East. No way would he take her there, even if she’d be willing to go.

  And what about his sister and her two kids, who’d recently returned to town? They were shooting up so fast that if he blinked twice they’d be all grown up. He’d like to think their Uncle Garrett’s presence these past few weeks had filled a need for a male role model if even i
n a small way. And then there was Grandma Jo—how many more years would she be around to enjoy? And what if Aunt Elaine’s health took a turn for the worse?

  He’d invested a lot of time and prayer in the church and community, as well. Would his labor continue to bear fruit after he was gone? Would someone else pick up where he left off, or would the ball get dropped and roll off into the shadows?

  Henry, paging through the book, cuddled closer, and Garrett gave him a hug.

  Those things hadn’t troubled him until Jodi’s return. Previously he’d been able to shut them out at their first nagging glimmer. But not now. Which didn’t exactly make him a cheerful holiday elf deep down inside, although he was doing his best to put on a good front.

  Today he’d relished watching Jodi with the kids. Although she claimed not to have much experience with children, no one let that fact form a barrier between them and their Aunt Jodi.

  And he, despite laughing protests, had been dubbed Uncle Garrett. He had to admit he liked the sound of that, and it seemed to amuse Star and Ronda. Both had a good laugh at their sister’s expense, too, when he admitted he had a turkey thawing at his place in case they wanted to put the kibosh on Jodi’s plans for a catered Christmas dinner. They took him up on his offer immediately and, thankfully, Jodi hadn't yet gotten around to placing an order.

  It was obvious they sensed something between him and Jodi that they hadn’t expected to see when they’d arrived. Something of which, from all appearances, they wholeheartedly approved. If he wasn’t mistaken, Al and Dolly had also caught on to the shift between him and Jodi and were pleased.

  Lord, it would be so easy to let myself love her. To love her family. But I know that may be something on down the road. Not for now.

  Until Jodi had come back into his life, he’d assumed he’d be overseas for the long haul. But now his focus had shifted. More and more he found his thoughts drifting to Jodi. To his family. To the souls in Hunter Ridge. Now that he’d spoken up about his mission plans and admitted to an interest in Jodi, well, it didn’t seem as if reconciling the two directions was as easily resolved as he’d first led himself to believe.

  “Read, Uncle Garrett.” Henry firmly patted the open book.

  Garrett glanced again at Jodi, Bethany and Savannah cuddled on either side of her. But the warming of his heart only somewhat overrode the uncertainties dwelling there. Although he’d boldly talked of God’s timing, of waiting for His leading, he’d need to make a decision soon about if—and how—he could work Jodi into his life. Although the thought of losing her left an ache in his heart, he didn’t want to lead her on.

  Would God have brought her back into his life only to ask him to give her up?

  She’d had it rough since leaving Hunter Ridge. Thankfully, he’d been present tonight at dinner when Ronda announced her latest pregnancy, and he was able to unobtrusively slip his hand around Jodi’s and give it a squeeze. While she’d earlier claimed to be struggling in her faith, though, he sensed a growing peacefulness in her these past few days. The peacefulness of this holy season that he longed to share.

  He gave himself a mental shake and wrapped his arms more tightly around Henry. Then, opening the colorfully illustrated book to the first page, he cleared his throat and started reading aloud.

  * * *

  With the sun attempting to peep between layers of clouds, Jodi pulled into the church parking lot Thursday morning, hoping to use plans to prepare a gift-wrapping center for donations as an excuse to pop in and say hello to Garrett before paying visits to business owners. In addition to a boatload of wrapping paper, tape, ribbon and bows, with Garrett assuring her that he and Sofia had never taken an interest in each other, she’d even brought cookies just as Sofia had been known to do.

  Not that she’d baked them herself.

  Star had supplemented a college scholarship by working at a grocery store’s bakery, and her acquired skills were out of this world. Jodi didn’t think Garrett would mind that she hadn’t assisted in their preparation—except to lick a spoon.

  Her spirits rose at the prospect of making the delivery and a chance to visit with him this morning. She’d sensed that something was troubling him, that he wasn’t sharing the same hopeful feelings of the holiday that she’d been flooded with the past few days. When he left last night, she’d stepped out on the porch to ask him if everything was all right. But he’d responded with a typical Garrett smile, reassuring her that it was merely a busy time of year and apologizing for being distracted.

  Maybe that was all it was. Or maybe not.

  Plastic wrap–covered cookie plate in hand, she’d just slammed the truck’s door when she spied Drew’s van in the parking lot and noticed him outside the fellowship hall. He struggled to hold the door open as he balanced a large cardboard box on his lap.

  She was at his side in a flash. “Could you use some help?”

  “Hey, there, Jodi! Great timing. The automatic door doesn’t want to stay open long enough for me to get myself inside.”

  “Let me hold it.” She stepped around his wheelchair to grasp the handle. “I’ll mention to Dolly to get someone in to take a look at it.”

  “Thanks.” He angled his motorized chair and slipped inside. When she entered, he spun the chair to face her, his eyes holding a speculative gleam as he spied the cookies. “You’re looking pretty chipper this morning. Anything special going on in your life?”

  Garrett. Garrett. Garrett.

  But it was too premature to mention that to Drew. “There’s a team coming to wrap presents for the Christmas project this afternoon. I’m here to get things set up, and that puts me in the holiday spirit.”

  He gave her a somewhat skeptical look, but didn’t probe further. “So how’s that going? Did you get the donations you’d hoped for?”

  “Not as many as I’d like, but people are being as generous as they can.”

  He patted the side of the cardboard box. “Well, maybe this will help.”

  Touched that Drew would think to donate something to aid unwed mothers, she set the cookie plate on a nearby table, then stepped forward as he lifted the lid. She peered inside the box, filled with stuffed toys of every imaginable kind. Bears. Puppies. Kittens. Whales. Turtles.

  “Ohhh, Drew! Thank you.” She leaned over to give him a hug, then reached in to pull out a silky soft penguin and cuddled it close. “Where on earth did you find these?”

  “As usual, I let my credit card do all the walking—online. These were delivered last night.”

  She placed the penguin back in the box and lifted out a zebra. “These are adorable. You are such a sweetheart.”

  “And speaking of sweethearts... I’m especially curious seeing those cookies over there. How’s my old buddy treating you? I’d have to be blind not to notice there’s something going on between the two of you since you came back.”

  Her face warmed as she focused her attention on the black-and-white-striped critter in her hands. Was it that obvious? “You know we’re good friends.”

  “Tell me another one. Garrett’s acting kind of secretive, too. So what’s up?”

  She couldn’t tell a bold-faced lie. But she was limited in what she could say. While hopes abounded, there wasn’t anything concrete yet. They’d talked of being open to God’s leading, but neither had uttered the word love or made any promises, although she knew, for her part anyway, that was the state of her own heart.

  “I think...we’re exploring how we feel about each other.”

  Drew raised a brow. “Exploring?”

  “Prayerfully,” she quickly added, “asking God to show us if He wants us to move beyond friends.”

  “I may be mistaken, but it appears to me it’s already gone beyond that.”

  “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves—or God. There are a number of things yet to be
worked through, some potential roadblocks, including Garrett’s plans for the future.”

  Drew chuckled. “Garrett has plans for the future? You mean beyond the next five minutes?”

  “Going into missions is a big step.”

  Drew raised his hand. “Whoa, whoa. Stop right there. Missions? Garrett has plans to be a missionary? Since when?”

  A muscle in Jodi’s stomach tightened. Drew didn’t know?

  Had she let something slip that Garrett didn’t want shared with his longtime friend? Her mind raced frantically, recalling earlier conversations. He’d said, when he told her of his plans, that he hadn’t shared his intentions with many. But surely the ones he’d told would have included the minister in Canyon Springs and Drew, wouldn’t they? Especially since Drew had such a heart for those in the Middle East. Garrett would want his support, his assistance, his prayers.

  “He didn’t—?”

  “Tell me? You’d think he would have, wouldn’t you? But this is the first I’m hearing of this.” Drew’s brows lowered and his jaw hardened, suddenly a formidable-looking man. “He wouldn’t be planning on a destination in the Middle East, would he?”

  Jodi stared at him as his gaze pierced into hers. She’d unintentionally stirred up a hornet’s nest. “I shouldn’t be discussing this. You need to talk to Garrett.”

  He slammed his fist on the arm of his wheelchair, startling her. “He is, isn’t he? That’s where he’s going. Don’t you get it? He’s going to the very place I was headed before this happened.”

  He roughly motioned to his legs.

  Now she understood his anger. Garrett was taking over his dream, doing something Drew long had a stake in, but his damaged body would no longer permit him to fulfill the requirements.

  “I’m sure he didn’t intend to hurt you. That’s probably why he didn’t say anything about his plans and his destination. He didn’t want to make you feel bad that you couldn’t go, too.”

  Drew shook his head. “No, no, no. Don’t you get it? My feelings aren’t hurt. But I am mad. He’s doing this out of guilt.”