A Pattern For Love

After inheriting her great-aunt’s failing yarn shop, Lilly Barnes is determined to make it a success. All she wants is stability, something she doesn’t think possible in the small town of Corinthia, Georgia. Then Pastor Daniel Foreman rents space in her store to hold meetings for his growing congregation, and this proves to be her lifeline. At first Lily wants nothing to do with Daniel’s big dreams, but she soon finds herself starting to share his goals. Yet trouble between her customers and his congregation make them both doubt the path they’re on. That is, until practical Lily shows him that love is a risk worth taking.

“I couldn’t help it. You’re just so beautiful when you’re mad.”

She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and shook her head. “Words a woman longs to hear. Now…since I don’t want to talk business with you unless you’re here to buy yarn, I suggest you leave before you make me truly angry and find out how utterly gorgeous I can be.”

Even though he knew it would probably blow up in his face, he couldn’t help the grin that formed. “I like you, Lilly Barnes. I hope you’ll let me look at your basement and then listen to my offer.”

“Bribery, huh? I have to say you’ve caught my attention.”

“I prefer to think of it as incentive.”

She nodded toward a door at the back of the shop. “It couldn’t hurt to let you look.”

One small victory. He tried not to irritate her with a smile.

MISSY TIPPENS

Born and raised in Kentucky, Missy met her very own hero when she headed to grad school in Atlanta, Georgia. She promptly fell in love and hasn’t left Georgia since. She and her pastor husband have been married twenty-five-plus years now and have been blessed with three wonderful children and an assortment of pets.

Missy is thankful to God that she’s been called to write stories of love and faith. After ten years of pursuing her dream of being published, she made her first sale of a full-length novel to the Love Inspired line. She still pinches herself to see if it really happened!

Missy would love to hear from readers through her website, www.missytippens.com, or by email at

missytippens@aol.com. For those with no internet access, you may reach her c/o Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279.

Georgia Sweethearts

Missy Tippens

www.millsandboon.co.uk

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

—1 Corinthians 13:13

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not

on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

—Proverbs 3:5,6

To my agent Natasha Kern—

For your unfailing encouragement.

To my readers—

For letters and emails that touch my heart.

To God—

For the lessons

You teach me through the journey of each book.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to author Shirley Jump for her online writing classes and for invaluable feedback on my homework assignments—which became this story!

Special thanks to Gail White

for generously sharing her time and talent

by starting the Yarners group at my church. And to Marla Weaver and Penny for patiently teaching this hopeless knitter how to attempt to make a scarf. Maybe someday I’ll finish it.

Thank you to my amazing editors Emily Rodmell and Elizabeth Mazer for your guidance

and for making the book better.

I’m blessed to be able to work with you.

A big thank-you to all the other wonderful folks

at Love Inspired Books, especially those who

do the behind-the-scenes work.

Please know that I appreciate you!

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Chapter One

The third time Lillianne Barnes dropped the knitting needle—along with two stitches—should have been a clue. But she kept clacking the needles and wrapping the yarn like Great-Aunt Talitha had taught her, trying to make the soft blue yarn into something...anything. She glanced at the supposedly simple, “no-fail” directions. No fail for everyone else, maybe. But not for her.

Lilly chewed her lip as she tried one more time to carefully slip the loop of yarn to complete the transfer of the stitch from one needle to the other. It went where it was supposed to go, but the last two uneven loops followed prematurely and began to unravel.

She’d left her perfectly good job as manager of women’s clothing at a high-end department store—secure, enjoyable, with benefits—for this...mess?

With a growl, she tossed the whole bundle aside. “I give up. I cannot knit.”

“Must be a problem if you work in a yarn shop.”

She yelped, then jumped up, the metal folding chair scraping the floor behind her. A man built like a professional athlete stood in the doorway watching her with a bemused expression. His dark blond hair, playful blue eyes and crooked smile made her suck in a breath and hold it. Still, gorgeous or not, Mr. Six-Foot-Plus and his big, broad shoulders had barged in, ignoring the sign out front.

She exhaled long and loud, as if she found his presence annoying, though in reality, she was more frustrated by her clash with the knitting needles than by the handsome intruder. “I’m sorry, we’re closed for the day.”

He held up his hands palms forward. “I apologize for scaring you. I’m not here to buy anything.” He stepped farther into the room, his rugged jacket and muscular build out of place next to the softest of baby yarns. “My name is Daniel Foreman. I’m Ann Sealy’s grandson.”

Ann, Aunt Talitha’s good friend. The ache of loss once again settled in Lilly’s chest, squeezing like a fist.

Lilly left the circle of folding chairs in the corner and walked behind the counter, trying to remember if she’d seen this man at the funeral. But that whole week was still a blur.

She busied her hands straightening receipts, anything to keep from giving in to the tears stinging her eyes. “Your grandmother was very kind to help my great-aunt in her last days.”

“I’ve met Jenna. So you must be Lilly, the other niece who inherited this place.” His friendly expression gentled as he moved to the counter. “I’m sorry for your loss. Miss Talitha was a kind, generous woman.”

“Thank you.” A fresh wave of grief battered her already-tender heart. Talitha Barnes had been both kind and generous. But more than that, she’d been the only family Lilly and her sister, Jenna, could ever count on. Their aunt’s long-distance love had been the one constant throughout their unstable childhood.

“I heard you lived in Louisville before moving here to Georgia. Has coming to as small a town as Corinthia been a shock?”

“A bit. But everyone’s been really nice.”

“So how’s business?”

“A little slow today.” And the day before. And the day before that. At his look of sympathy, she escaped to the corner seating area and picked up her knitting, pulling out the remaining stitches and starting over.

She wouldn’t share the fact that The Yarn Barn was in terrible financial shape. That she’d only sold three measly skeins of yarn earlier that day—from the bargain bin.

Or that Aunt Talitha had requested Lilly and Jenna run the store one full year before selling the business.

Once again, her heart raced—this time in anxiety—making her face tingle and her hands go numb. Not helpful when working with pointy needles.

“So you don’t knit, huh?” The sparkle returned to his eyes, teasing her, pushing away his look of sympathy...and with it, a little of her grief and panic.

As she fought for slow, even breaths, she glanced at the bins full of colorful yarn, at the shiny new computer on the sales counter, at the rack of pattern books—anywhere but in his eyes. Then she forced herself to meet his smile with her own. “Can’t knit. Or crochet. I’m a total klutz when it comes to anything craft-oriented.”

A laugh burst out of him, deep and rumbling, warming her, tempting her to relax, to quit worrying so much.

This time, she couldn’t look away from those playful blue eyes. She joined in the laughter. “Ironic, huh? Please don’t advertise my ineptitude.”

“I guess it wouldn’t be good for business.”

As their gazes locked and held, something passed between them. A kind of connection, or attraction.

She shook off the ridiculous notion. A good-looking man comes in, and she acts like an idiot, imagining things.

She stuffed her ugly, uneven knitting into the canvas tote bag to practice that night at home—Jenna’s home—and concentrated on the positive. Another day passed. One day closer to fulfilling the stipulation of her aunt’s will.

He turned and stared toward the back wall where she’d displayed some of her photos. “Nice. Who took these?”

“They’re mine. I majored in photojournalism. Ended up in retail.” When she returned to Kentucky, she planned to remedy that. To finally risk trying the career she’d always wanted.

“Sounds like an interesting story.” He moved closer to inspect one—her favorite, of an elderly woman in Appalachia looking up from a quilt she was working on, laughing. A woman who’d reminded Lilly of Aunt Talitha.

He tilted his head a little to the left. Then he took a step back but kept examining the photo. “You really captured the spirit of the woman in this one.”

She swallowed, touched that he’d shown interest. “Thanks.”

For a few seconds, he glanced away as if embarrassed. But then, squaring his shoulders, he said, “So is this a place for knitters to hang out?” He sat in one of six rickety folding chairs, dwarfing it, as he checked out the room.

Expecting the chair to buckle at any moment, she watched his expression fall into a slight frown as he inspected the hinges on the chair. She agreed with the sad state of some of the equipment, but they didn’t have the money to do anything about it. “What can I help you with, Daniel?”

He quit his perusal and stood. “I’m sorry to bother you after hours. But I’ve come by to check on the agreement to rent the basement of your building.”

Rent downstairs? “What agreement?”

His brows drew downward. “Didn’t Talitha mention she’d agreed to let our church rent the space?”

What had her aunt been thinking? “Well, actually...no. Please fill me in.”

“I’m pastor of a fairly new church, and we’ve outgrown our meeting space.”

“A pastor?” The man certainly didn’t look like he spent his day behind a desk. Or a pulpit.

He confirmed it with a nod. “In her last weeks, Talitha wasn’t doing well, and the shop was struggling. So my grandmother suggested she rent us the basement as a solution for everyone.”

“Aunt Talitha agreed?”

“She did. Told me we could have the space if we wanted it. I was hoping to take a look around. If it’s suitable, we’re ready to move in.”

“We can’t finish the basement right now. Plus, when we do, I plan to offer classes.” In the unlikely event she mastered knitting. “I’ll need the space.”

The pleasant look he’d maintained since entering the shop gave way to a flicker of impatience. But then he masked it. “If our church grows quickly enough, we wouldn’t be in your way for long. I don’t have anything in writing, but I hope you’ll consider honoring Talitha’s verbal offer.” He pulled a business card out of his pocket and gave it to her. “Give me a call any time.” He backed away and waved, once again the epitome of charm. “I’ll let you get back to your, uh, knitting?”

Ha-ha. He thought he was so funny. She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’ll have you know, I used to know how.” No need to admit she’d never been more than proficient.

His crooked smile morphed into a full-fledged grin that sent her heart rate off the charts. A grin she’d find seriously attractive, if it weren’t coupled with the fact he was proving to be a complication to her plans for boosting business at the shop, a complication who seemed to think he was a comedian, no less.

“My apologies for underestimating your talent.” The teasing look in his eyes said otherwise. “I look forward to seeing your needlework, Lilly. Soon.” He gave a jaunty salute as he turned and left the shop.

She tried to suck in a full, stuttering breath to tell him he didn’t need to bother coming back. But of course, he’d already shut the door behind him.

She thought about his joke and had to laugh. She’d be a fool to let him get under her skin just because he was so attractive and they’d shared a moment. Besides, it wasn’t Daniel’s fault she was inept at all things crafty. It wasn’t his fault the store was struggling.

And even though she’d like to blame him, it wasn’t his fault she found it difficult to resist his charm.

No, she needed to look into his claim. What if Aunt Talitha had made the promise?

The thought sent her heart to racing once again. She’d recently moved to town. Had just joined Jenna in running the business. At the moment, income wasn’t keeping pace with outgo. And they still hadn’t been able to reach the shop’s accountant to learn more about the financials. Now they might have to add landlord duties, as well?

They knew nothing about leasing property. And they’d first have to finish off the basement, which they couldn’t afford.

She wished she could simply claim new owner, new policies. Especially since he and Talitha hadn’t put anything in writing. But her conscience said she needed to investigate further. Just one more thing to add to the mile-long list of tasks for the business.

She couldn’t bear to see her aunt’s beloved shop fail. It was the least she could do for the only family member to show her and Jenna love. She looked around the room at the diverse colors and textures. Bins of soft acrylics, rougher wools, knobby blends. All strange and new to her. New like her life in this small Georgia town that Aunt Talitha had loved. Lilly had a promise to fulfill.

Now, back to the first item on the list. To make a go of it, she did need to learn—relearn—to knit and crochet. A huge sigh escaped as she picked up her tote bag of yarn to practice that night. With her skill level, she wasn’t worthy of the luxurious fluff of sky-blue yarn.

Blue the exact shade of Daniel’s eyes.

She pushed away the thought like a pesky fly. She would love to avoid Daniel at all costs.

But the stack of bills behind the counter reminded her that she better find a way to make the shop profitable—and soon. Or else, agreement or not, she’d be forced to accept his offer.

* * *

Daniel chuckled as he reflected on the meeting. With cheeks flushing, her chin raised high, Lilly Barnes had proven she was a spitfire. Had scorched him with one flash of those big hazel eyes. Eyes that had warned him away.

His laughter died on his lips. So why had he felt that pull between them? Even after her clear hesitation over the idea of renting to them, he’d felt the sizzle of attraction. Had enjoyed the good-natured banter about her knitting.

He had to remember she was still grieving. He shouldn’t force the issue, but he would have to figure out a way to convince Lilly to rent to him. They didn’t have any other affordable leads.

When he pulled in his grandmother’s driveway and saw his dad’s car, he glanced at the clock on the dash. Why did his father have to be here the one night he’d come in late?

Determined to hold his tongue throughout dinner, he hurried up the driveway and around to the back.

Light from the kitchen spilled out onto the back porch, soothing some of Daniel’s tension. He loved this place. Had spent a lot of summers here after his mother had died, after his dad had further buried himself in work. Though his dad had tried to ease the burden on family members by shipping Daniel from relative to relative, time with GranAnn had been his favorite.

Ever since, the white clapboard house with the homey kitchen had been a haven. When she’d asked him to live with her while he started the church in Corinthia, he’d jumped at the chance.

He stepped inside the kitchen door, the aroma of freshly baked bread like a hug from the woman herself.

“Oh, good. I’m glad you made it, baby.” Gran’s light blue eyes lacked their usual spark, and her normally easy smile seemed strained, as if begging him to behave and play nice. She patted his back and directed his attention toward the table. “Look who’s joined us.” Once again, GranAnn was trying to force them to spend time together. Something Daniel had tried to do in the past and had failed.

Blake Foreman, a carbon copy of Daniel except for his graying temples and faint wrinkles, sat straight as a goalpost, looking down his disapproving nose. “You’re late.”

“I apologize,” Daniel forced out.

Semiretired, Blake had moved to Corinthia a couple months before Daniel. “Seems you could have called to let your grandmother know you were delayed.” Blue eyes a shade deeper than Daniel’s narrowed, issuing a challenge.

Anytime the two of them got together, they were like two dogs circling each other, readying for a fight. Animosity sizzled in the air, something he wanted to reach out and seize, to try to understand. But tonight he didn’t have the energy for the struggle.

He pulled away his attention from his dad. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it earlier, GranAnn. I had a late counseling session, then got delayed over at the yarn shop with Lilly Barnes.”

“Oh, good, I’m glad you two met.” With a relieved, happy grin, she motioned for him to sit. “I kept your plate warm.”

Only then did he notice they’d already finished eating. Man, when he messed up, he messed up good.

GranAnn bustled around the kitchen with her familiar floral apron around her waist, pouring syrupy sweet iced tea from the same brown glass pitcher she’d had when he was child.

Blake leaned back and crossed his arms. “Who’s this Lilly Barnes?”

Daniel was tempted to tell him it was none of his concern. Instead, he opted to break down and ask for help.

As if he would ever get involved in something important to me.

He swallowed back his bitterness. The church had to come first. “Lilly and her sister, Jenna, inherited the yarn shop at the edge of town. The former owner had agreed to rent the basement to our church since we need a bigger space. Apparently Lilly knew nothing about the arrangement.”

“Oh, it’s the perfect space,” GranAnn added. “I’m sure Lilly and Jenna will be glad to rent it to you.” She pulled his plate out of the oven with a dish towel to keep from burning herself and set the meat loaf and mashed potatoes on the place mat in front of him.

Daniel put the faded cloth napkin in his lap. “Since we’ve been drawing more people from over in Appleton, the location is perfect. I just haven’t seen the basement yet to confirm it’s large enough to hold at least fifty. Lilly didn’t seem willing to show me around.”

“So she’s not going to honor the previous owner’s contract?” Blake asked.

“We don’t have anything in writing, and I didn’t want to force the issue. She’s still grieving the loss of her great-aunt. Do you know of any other place that would hold fifty—within our small budget?”

“No,” Gran said, clutching his arm, her face pinched in a grimace of worry. “Promise me you won’t give up. Those girls need the rent money, even if they’re not willing to admit it yet. You have to help them.”

He couldn’t remember ever seeing his grandmother so tense. “Since we’ve outgrown our current location, I have to put the church first. But I plan to talk to her again.”

His grandmother relaxed into her chair with a huff. As if she’d accomplished something that left her drained. “Blake, Daniel’s done a wonderful job with the church. Especially getting his members involved ministering to the community.” She squeezed Daniel’s hand in her warm, soft grasp as she stared into his eyes, pride beaming. “You should be proud of your son.”

Daniel smiled his appreciation even as he girded himself for his father’s dismissal.

“Fifty, huh?” Blake asked.

For a split second, he thought his dad looked surprised—maybe even pleased—at the rapid growth. Then he realized Blake probably found the size laughable. Disappointed by his son’s career change, he’d probably be happy if Daniel’s venture failed.

“We’re nearing fifty,” Daniel said. “I’d like to have room for growth until we find a permanent location.”

“Doesn’t matter to me what size. You quit a lucrative job against my advice. Then poured good money into seminary, only to recklessly start your own church instead of taking a position at an established one with a dependable income.”

He’d heard the same spiel from his dad so many times he could recite it word for word. The man acted as if Daniel had taken up a life of crime.

“So do you know of anywhere we could rent?” Daniel asked, unable to keep the exasperation from his voice.

“Nope.” Blake pushed away from the table. “Ann, I’m sorry, but I need to go. I’m expecting a conference call.”

Her eyes flashed as she got up from the table. Nothing made her madder than family members who didn’t get along. “I hope you can stay longer next time. Maybe schedule that call for earlier in the day.”

She opened the refrigerator and hunkered in front of the shelves as if searching for something, no doubt avoiding further confrontation with her son-in-law. Daniel could imagine her clenching her jaw to keep from speaking her mind. He understood the temptation.

“Thank you for an excellent dinner.” With nothing more than a nod of the head at Daniel, Blake exited the back door, shutting it quietly behind him, as if to prove he was the only one in control of his emotions.

GranAnn popped out of the refrigerator and smacked the door shut. “If I didn’t love that man like my own son, I’d have to shake him ’til his teeth rattled.”

At the image of his tiny grandmother shaking his brawny father, Daniel laughed. “I’d be happy to help.”

“Don’t you give up on your daddy. He’s bottled up a lot of pain. I think having you both here in Corinthia is a blessing. God can work miracles.”

Yeah, he’d started praying for that miracle at the age of nine, when he realized other boys had dads who didn’t work every waking hour, dads who showed up for peewee football games, who ate meals at home and tucked their kids into bed at night. He’d prayed for a dad who cared until the day he left for college, when he finally let go of the desire to matter to his father and changed his focus to look to the future. To quit wallowing in self-pity and make a difference in the world.

“You must be starving. Now eat,” Gran said.

He bowed his head and thanked God for the food.

As soon as he opened his eyes, she dropped into the chair across from him. “Cricket’s mother called before dinner. She wanted to thank you for coming over this afternoon. Said she thought Cricket seemed better.”

The breath rushed out of him in a surge of relief. The girl, pregnant at fifteen, was severely depressed. “Good news. I’m meeting with the family again next week.”

“Even better news is Cricket has finally agreed to see a psychiatrist about the depression.”

“I’m glad. I should probably follow up with her parents, to make sure she goes. I’m uncomfortable waiting a week before we meet again.”

A sense of unease over Cricket wouldn’t let up. He decided to call her mom in the morning to offer assistance. Then, he’d regroup and figure out a way to convince Lilly Barnes that renting out her basement could benefit them both.

* * *

Lilly walked in the front door of her sister and brother-in-law’s house, her temporary home, tension knotting her gut over what she’d find inside. As if concern over the yarn shop hadn’t already tied her stomach tightly enough.

“I’m home,” she called. Both Jenna’s and Ned’s vehicles were there. Which meant potential for an evening of arguing.

The cool, dark entry hall enveloped her. Quiet. A good sign. Maybe she’d dreaded coming inside for no reason. Maybe tonight would be one of the good nights.

As she hung up her coat in the closet, her stomach started to relax. Then a bedroom door slammed down the hallway of the tiny two-bedroom rental. Behind the closed door, voices raised, one high-pitched, the other low.

Jenna and Ned.

She considered slipping out to go to a restaurant, but then a whimper came from the family room.

Will.

She headed toward the sound and found her ten-month-old nephew standing in the exercise saucer, leaning over, trying to reach a toy on the floor.

“Hey, sweet thing. Did you drop your doggie?”

Will’s big brown eyes lit up, and he gave her a slobbery grin that made her feel like the most important person in the world. He sprang up and down on his chunky little legs as he raised his arms to her, straining for all he was worth.

She pulled him up and out of his seat and kissed the top of his head, the silky brown curls tickling her nose, the powdery scent of baby shampoo calming her. Then she handed him his toy. “Let’s go see what’s for dinner.”

The voices down the hall escalated, but Will didn’t flinch. Apparently, he’d grown accustomed to his parents arguing. Like she and Jenna had grown accustomed to their parents arguing. Or so she’d told herself.

Lilly blew out a huge sigh as she headed toward the kitchen, wishing that she could as easily exhale all the old memories and be rid of them permanently.

Jenna pretended all was well in the Jones household, but Lilly knew better. And from what she’d observed, she feared Jenna and Ned might not be able to work out their differences. Jenna refused to go to marriage counseling. Why couldn’t she see she’d snagged a decent guy worth fighting for? He was a good father, a hardworking firefighter who loved Jenna. If not for Ned’s help, they couldn’t have managed repairing the yarn shop building.

Yet, Jenna seemed to have checked out, sabotaging the relationship, just like she had every other one. Lilly hoped Ned would be patient and not give up on his wife.

Though the tiny kitchen’s countertop was stacked with a day’s worth of dirty dishes, Jenna had left a pot of chili simmering on the stovetop. Two jars of unopened baby food sat on the high chair tray beside a clean bib. “Looks like you and me, kid. Dinner for two. Although I’ll pass on your smooshed-up peas.”

She placed him in his chair and snapped the bib in place. The spicy steam wafted her way, making her stomach growl, but she needed to feed Will first.

As she opened the jars of food, he banged the tray and started to fuss. “Eee!” His impatient version of eat.

He cranked up a pitiful wail. A splash of Cheerios on his tray appeased his appetite and allowed for independence as his little fingers snagged the oat circles he loved. Since he usually spit out half of what she fed him, she’d learned to distract him with the cereal while she tried to sneak in some vegetables and meat.

They’d managed some success with her method when she heard Ned’s heavy footsteps coming down the hall toward the kitchen.

He walked in, cheeks high in color, dark, wavy hair disheveled. “Hi, Lilly.” He kissed his son on the head. Wiped a smear of sweet potatoes off Will’s cheek. “Eat like a good boy. Daddy’s got to go to work.”

She couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room. “Ned, I’d be glad to move out if it would help. I don’t want my presence to cause additional strain for you two.”

His cheeks flushed redder. His dark brown eyes darted around the room as if he was embarrassed by her comment. “No. Stay. You’re good for her, and for Will, too. It’s just...” He ruffled Will’s hair as his throat bobbed up, then down. “I’ll see y’all later.”

Her appetite followed him right out the door.

Jenna walked in the kitchen shortly after, her pretty green eyes red and swollen. She wore sweatpants and a faded, holey college T-shirt. “Thanks for feeding Will,” she said as she grabbed a bowl and ladled out a small portion of chili. Enough for a mouse.

“You need to eat more.”

“I can’t.”

“What’d y’all argue about this time?”

“Nothing.”

“That nothing made you cry.”

Jenna plopped the bowl onto the scratched pressed-wood table and slid into her chair. She’d forgotten a spoon but didn’t seem to notice. Lilly got up to get one, waiting for her to talk.

“Thanks,” she said, taking the spoon, then proceeding to shove the chili around the bowl, never taking a single bite.

“I’ll feed you, too, if I have to.”

That drew a little smile. “We can’t agree on anything. He wants to spend. I want to save. He wants to buy a house. I want to rent a little longer. He wants to go to church on Sundays. I want to stay home and have family time. He wants another baby. I don’t.”

Lilly wasn’t a professional therapist, but she understood that with her and Jenna’s family history, trust was an issue. Jenna’s actions all pointed to someone who was afraid to believe her relationship had a future. “Sounds like maybe you should go with him to talk to a marriage counselor.”

“That’s not going to help at this point.” She nibbled a tiny bite, enough to nourish a flea. “Let’s talk about something else.”

Will banged on the high chair and squealed, ready to get up and move again. They’d somehow managed to get most of the two jars of food into his stomach with only a small percentage landing on his bib and in his hair. Success, in Lilly’s opinion.

Jenna got to her feet to reach for Will, but Lilly pushed her sister back into her chair. “I’ll get him. You need to eat or you won’t do him any good.”

As Lilly stood at the kitchen sink waiting for the water to warm to wipe Will’s hands and face, Jenna withdrew into her own world.

Time to distract her from her thoughts. “I had a visitor to the shop today. Daniel Foreman, Ann’s grandson.”

“Hmm?”

“Daniel Foreman. He came to the shop today.”

Jenna turned toward Lilly, her eyes refocusing in the present. “Oh, he’s the pastor who started the new church. What’d he want?”

“He claims Aunt Talitha agreed to rent out the basement as a meeting space for the church.” She reached for Will’s hands to wipe them before he latched onto her hair. “Did you know anything about it?”

“No.” Jenna propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm. She looked totally forlorn. “That’s the church Ned’s been attending, wanting me to visit. I can’t say I’d relish having them around. They already tie up too much of his time.”

So much for taking her mind off her marital problems. “I don’t see how they could rent it until we finish the space, and we can’t afford that right now.”

“They’d be there all the time—apparently they’re pretty active with the community service projects all week long. Ned’s mentioned some kind of after-school mentoring program. He’s volunteering with a food pantry and a clothes closet ministry.” She rolled her eyes. “Reminded me of that old busybody neighbor we had, Mrs. What’s-Her-Name, who brought us clothes and reported Mom and Dad to the social worker.”

Humiliation nearly two-decades old stung Lilly’s face as if the act had happened yesterday. Mrs. Wiley had come from across the street with a bag of new dollar-store shorts and tops and, within viewing and hearing range of other neighbor kids, wrinkled her nose in disgust and offered to wash Lilly and Jenna’s clothing for them since their parents didn’t seem to care.

Even if the woman’s intentions had been good, she’d carried out the act of charity in a scarring manner. And set their dad on course to uproot and move his family once again, tearing them away from some good people of a local church who had been quietly helping her and Jenna—people who’d shown them kindness and love.

Old anger burned like acid in Lilly’s stomach. “I’ve done some figuring. If we hold a few small knitting classes upstairs, we’ll generate income from fees and selling the supplies. We should be able to get by until we can afford to renovate the basement to hold larger classes.”

“Who’d teach?”

Lilly eyed her sister for evidence she was poking fun, and immediately thought of Daniel, teasing, promising to come back to see her knitting. She ignored the warm, cozy feeling and checked her sister’s face. Not a hint of a smile. “I don’t know. But I’ll work on it. In the meantime, I’m going to check Aunt Talitha’s records for any information on the agreement with Daniel.”

Jenna pushed away her barely touched bowl and wiped her mouth. “You know, that rent money would be a sure thing.”

“Yeah, but we’d have to spend a lot to get there. Besides, building a sense of community is important for our type of business. I’d rather ask Ned to help us get started on finishing the basement, to create a place for customers to hang out. That way, there’s no deadline and no rush. Volunteer labor, of course, until we can afford—”

“He’s gone.”

A frisson of alarm passed over her. Surely Jenna didn’t mean that in the way it sounded. Surely he’d just left for work. “What do you mean, gone?”

Jenna looked up, her pain-filled eyes welling with tears. “Ned can’t help us with the store anymore. He left me.”

Chapter Two

Armed with two lists, Daniel headed to The Yarn Barn the next day, trying to keep his promise to his grandmother. He hoped to at least get a peek at the basement to see if it was as ideal a setting as Gran had asserted. Though he wouldn’t push Lilly and her sister, he did need to find the church a new location soon.

His first list included all the advantages of allowing the church to rent—including the idea for the church to renovate the space—as well as the perks they would offer.

The second list was extra incentive. An evaluation of her store’s current visibility in the community, along with suggestions to increase exposure. Might as well use his marketing expertise to help.

He pulled into the gravel parking lot and got a good look at the place in daylight. Granted, the building was old. But the structure, painted barn red, with a sloping roof and white trim, had charm. Was quaint and welcoming.

Wind chimes jingled as he walked in, something new she’d added since his visit yesterday.

“May I help— Oh. Daniel,” she said, voice flat. Disappointed. She may as well have said, oh, it’s just you.

He considered her attitude a challenge.

“Hello, Lilly.” For the first time, he noticed one whole wall lined with cubbyholes packed with yarn of every color. “The store’s certainly well stocked.”

“Our aunt’s inventory was depleted when we came on board. We had to place a large order of supplies.” Her sad gaze darted away as she ran her hand over a closed laptop computer, wiping away invisible dust. “Can I help you find something? A gift for your grandmother, maybe?”

If a sale would put him in her good graces... “Uh, sure. Do you have a nice scarf?”

Pushing long, dark hair behind one ear, she winced. “I’m afraid I don’t have many finished items left. A couple hats. A pair of children’s mittens.” Her expression brightened as she came from behind the counter. “I remember Aunt Talitha talking about Ann knitting. Maybe I can interest you in some yarn. Along with a new pattern book?”

The hopeful look in her eyes smacked him in the gut. “I need to come clean. I didn’t really come in to buy a gift. I stopped by to talk business.”

Her eyes shot sparks as they focused all her ire on him. “Thank goodness you’re honest, Reverend.”

Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on him. Though he deserved the censure, he had to battle a smile. With her big greenish-brown eyes and rosy cheeks, she had to be the prettiest angry woman he’d ever seen. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t look sorry.”

“I’m sorry. For not looking sorry, that is.” A chuckle rumbled out before he could stop it. When she glared harder, he added, “Sorry.”

Before she could say anything else, he held up a hand. “I couldn’t help it. You’re just so beautiful when you’re mad.”

She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and shook her head. “Words a woman longs to hear. Now...since I don’t want to talk business with you unless you’re here to buy yarn, I suggest you leave before you make me truly angry and find out how utterly gorgeous I can be.”

Even though he knew it would probably blow up in his face, he couldn’t help the grin that formed. “I like you, Lilly Barnes. I hope you’ll let me look at your basement and then listen to my offer.”

She crossed her arms but didn’t throw him out.

“We would pay rent, of course,” he said quickly. “And to sweeten the deal, we’d do any work you need to finish the basement, deducting the cost of materials out of the rent. Labor would be donated by church members, the teenagers I’m mentoring...and me.”

Something akin to interest flashed across her face.

He held up the paper with his first list. “The names of five women in my congregation who knit or crochet. Two said they’d be willing to teach you. My grandmother might even be persuaded to teach a class for you if you give her a call. She taught for Talitha when she opened the shop.”

“Bribery, huh? I have to say, you’ve caught my attention.”

“I prefer to think of it as incentive.” Incentive to follow through with her aunt’s promise.

She nodded toward a door at the back of the shop. “It couldn’t hurt to let you look.”

One small victory. He tried not to irritate her with a smile.

She led the way down a set of steps into a cool, damp space. Definitely needed dehumidifiers. But it was a nice large space that would easily hold some tables and fifty chairs. The walls were finished, but they’d need to paint and put in a drop ceiling. Add more lighting. Maybe build a small room for an office that she could later convert to a storage closet.

A plan began to take shape. He couldn’t imagine her wanting to deal with the renovation on her own. “It wouldn’t be too difficult to make the basement functional.”

“Looks dreary to me,” she said. “Lots of work to make it livable.”

He squatted down to check for moisture on a crack in the cement floor. “I’ve been on several mission trips. This is a piece of cake compared to what I’ve worked on.”

“We still plan to hold classes down here at some point. I wouldn’t want the space tied up indefinitely.” She rubbed her hands up and down her arms as if trying to warm herself.

With the winter cold outside, he’d have to beef up the heating system, as well. “If ‘indefinitely’ is the problem, we can put an end date on the contract. And maybe work out a way to share the space so you can hold classes if you’re ready sooner than expected.”

Surely, he’d tempted her with his offer.

She looked around the room, her hazel eyes more brown than green in the dim lighting. Dark, mysterious eyes...beautiful. Beauty wasn’t what drew him to her, though. He’d like to get to know her better and, since they’d gotten off on the wrong foot, to make her change her mind about him.

She shivered. “This business ownership is all very new. I’m still looking at my aunt’s records, figuring out the financials. I’d like time to look through her paperwork to see if she mentioned the agreement.”

“Let’s go upstairs. It’s too cold to talk down here.”

When they got to the heated area, she rubbed her hands together and the tension eased out of her shoulders.

The warmth made him relax, as well. Though the seating area was small and had those rickety folding chairs, she’d done a nice job making it as homey and comfortable as possible. That, and the rainbow of colors from the wall of yarn, made it a place customers would enjoy spending time. And money.

Should he bring up his second list, his suggestions for marketing?

She shivered again. “Ooh. Goodness.”

“Having trouble getting rid of the damp chill?” He pulled off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. “There. Maybe that’ll help.”

Before he knew it, he was lost in her eyes. He could hardly breathe as she stared back at him.

Confusion clouded her expression, then she looked away...and retreated behind the sales counter. The solid wood structure served as a firm boundary, Lilly wielding it like a shield.

She smiled. An impersonal, dismissive thing. For some reason, he wanted to make her smile for real. Like the first day they met, before he started talking business.

“Well, Daniel, you’ve seen the basement now. Are you sure you still want to lease it?”

“It’ll fit our needs nicely.”

“You’ve made a generous offer. I’ll need to discuss it with Jenna. And I don’t want to make any decisions until I meet with Aunt Talitha’s accountant tomorrow. Is there anything else you need today?”

“Would you go to dinner with me?” Heat blasted from his neck up to his face. Had he really said that out loud?

The shocked look on her face confirmed it.

“To discuss some ideas I’ve had,” he added quickly. “About marketing your shop. It’s what I do...did.” He snapped his mouth shut before he embarrassed himself further.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. Gloriously wavy, brown hair that trailed halfway down her back. “Thank you, though. It’s that...well...life’s a little hectic right now...”

He’d flustered her. Probably messed up everything. He had to do damage control, and quick. “How about coming to our service on Sunday? Meet some folks. I think you’ll find we’d be good tenants.”

If he’d thought she was tense earlier, at the mention of the church service she turned into marble. Whether she physically moved or not, he wasn’t sure, but she’d definitely distanced herself. Had put up a wall.

“Um, no thank you. I help my sister with my nephew whenever I’m not working. Sunday is our day to clean the house.”

Even though he sensed it wouldn’t do any good, he had to try. Maybe if he took away her excuses, she’d tell him the real reason. “We have a nursery worker who watches the younger children. Bring both of them and come.”

She looked all around the room as if searching for an escape route. “Look, you need to know you shouldn’t waste your time preaching to me. What little childhood faith Jenna and I had got crushed out of us by our parents.”

Anger burned in his gut. But he tamped it down. “Were your parents abusive?”

She glanced away. Shook her head. “I pretty much raised Jenna. We were too busy getting by to go to church regularly.”

“I’m sorry.” This time he really meant the words. He hated to think of her and Jenna suffering. “I hope, now that you’re adults, you’ll give worship a try. We have small group meetings, Bible studies and—”

A forced laugh burst out of her, as if she was trying to blow off the painful glimpse of her childhood. “Now I feel like one of your projects.”

The ease with which she dismissed his concern spoke volumes. She was an expert at covering the hurt.

This wasn’t the time to talk business or marketing. “Just know the invitation stands. We’d love to have you anytime. We meet at ten o’clock Sunday mornings at Frank’s Pizza Place, downtown Corinthia.”

“At a restaurant?”

“Yeah. Frank’s a member of the congregation and offered the space. But it’s a tight fit. That, and the noise in the kitchen while they prep for lunch can be distracting.”

A tentative smile revealed a little dimple forming at the left corner of her mouth. She pulled her lips back over her teeth, almost self-consciously. “I imagine growling stomachs distract, as well.”

“Especially mine.”

When she laughed, his heart squeezed in his chest. He suddenly wished...what? That he could keep making her laugh?

She grabbed a cloth at the end of the counter and swiped it over the wooden surface, her dimple still in place. “I can’t keep up with the dust.”

He had no business wanting to make her laugh. He should pray for her, for God to heal her painful past. “I appreciate you showing me around. Hope to see you on Sunday.”

The moment of friendliness ended as she reestablished the barrier, eyes cooling, smile tempering. “Thank you for the information on the church services.”

Her insinuation? Thanks, but no thanks. He suspected she blamed God for her rough childhood. If so, would she ever agree to rent the space to a church?

* * *

Lilly had played phone tag for days before finally getting an appointment to meet with her great-aunt’s accountant, Mr. W. R. Andrews. Afterward, as she escaped his office, she wished she hadn’t bothered.

Jenna, manning the shop but leery of handling customers with a baby to watch, had asked Lilly to take Will with her to the appointment. Which hadn’t made the news easier to swallow.

Working around Will’s warm jacket, she strapped him in his car seat, kissed his cheek then closed herself in the front seat of the car. She shoved her hands into her hair, grabbed hold at the roots and tugged as she voiced the growling sound she’d wanted to make for the past half hour.

Will giggled as if she’d given the funniest performance ever.

Outside the confines of her vehicle, the peaceful little town of Corinthia mocked the turmoil inside her. A grand courthouse sat in the middle of the quaint downtown square, surrounded by little shops, a white-steepled church and a library. But nothing about the picturesque scene could calm her after the meeting she’d just had with Talitha’s tax guy.

She turned to Will. “You’re probably hungry, aren’t you, sweetie? Let’s go eat lunch.”

“Mama.”

“Mommy is working right now.” And would hopefully get in the swing of retail sales with a child around. “You get to eat lunch with me today,” she said with a smile, pitching her voice to reassure a tired, hungry boy who wanted his mommy. And who’d patiently sat through the appointment.

Apparently, Aunt Talitha’s record keeping left a lot to be desired. Nothing had been computerized. She’d thrown receipts in large manila envelopes and just filed them away at the end of each month. Mr. Andrews, a kind, elderly man who had patted Lilly’s hand and tried his best to reassure her, said that Talitha had piled everything in a box and brought it to him to deal with quarterly.

He’d then calmly informed her that he’d had to file for a tax extension while her great aunt had been sick, and that if Lilly would pile everything in a box and bring it to him, he would take care of it.

Her heart raced from thinking about it again. Lilly couldn’t afford to pay him for the hours it would take to wade through hoards of receipts. She needed to get a handle on the finances herself. Pull together the sales numbers and receipts into a file and then take it to Mr. Andrews to prepare the tax forms.

She took a deep, slow breath and tried to push away the worry.

One step at a time. Her job for the afternoon was to dig through all the records and come up with a new bookkeeping system. But only after feeding Will and—

A knock on the car window made her jump.

Daniel. Smiling at her.

His perfectly even, white teeth and movie-star-blue eyes set her on edge. Made her want to temper her own smile to hide the fact she’d never had braces to fix the slight overlap of her two front teeth.

She fumbled for her keys so she could get power to roll down the window. She still couldn’t figure him out—his good humor, his laughter, even when she hadn’t exactly welcomed him.

He’s offered to do the work I can’t ask Ned to do now that he’s left Jenna. She’d tried not to panic since Jenna had dropped the bomb about their separation. And now they had the additional worry over possibly having to pay an accountant for more hours than they’d anticipated.

“Sorry I startled you again,” he said as the window slid slowly downward.

“I didn’t see you standing there.”

“Hey, buddy,” he said when he spotted Will. Then he leaned down to look at her. “So what’s got you tearing out your hair?”

Oh, no. He’d seen her fit of frustration. How embarrassing. “A meeting with Aunt Talitha’s accountant. But it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“Are you headed to the shop?”

“I’m about to take my nephew to lunch. This is Will, Jenna’s

baby.”

Daniel stuck his head in the window to look across the headrest into the backseat. “Hey there, Will. I’m Daniel. How old are you?”

Lilly drew away. The man was way too close. And smelled way too good, like shampoo and some expensive cologne. “He’s ten months, Daniel. Sorry, but he’s not going to hold a conversation with you.”

Her comment drew a laugh...and attention from those baby blues. Too close. Entirely too close. And smiling like he cared. Right there in her face, so close he could shift by mere inches and touch his lips to hers and—

She scooted toward the steering wheel, placing herself at an odd angle, but at least putting distance between them.

Thankfully, he had the sense to know he had invaded her space and hauled himself back out of the window.

She slumped into her seat and nearly gasped out loud as her lungs sucked in air once again. She’d never experienced anyone filling a space quite like Daniel Foreman. Had never had anyone affect her so. And yet, despite his charisma, his regard made her feel...significant. As if he wasn’t just trying to charm her, but truly cared.

“Lilly, let me take you and Will to lunch. I’d like to discuss something with you.”

Visions of baby food splattering on her face—or, worse, on his—sealed her decision. “Thanks, but no. We wouldn’t be good company. Landing food into his mouth can be a challenge.”

His eyes sparkled and the faintest of lines crinkled at their edges. “Oh, but, Miss Barnes, I thrive on challenges.”

A shiver slid through her—from the cold March air blowing inside, of course. Not the deep timbre of his voice or the fact he seemed to dare her to join him.

She resisted the urge to roll up the window and escape. “I planned to make it quick. I have to get back to the shop to help Jenna.”

“I can do quick. I promise not to take much of your time. I’ll even help with Will.”

Spoken by a man who thought a ten-month-old could tell him his age.

Should she do it?

You’re a businesswoman, Lilly. No longer the shy schoolgirl who hid from handsome guys. “If you can promise me that we’ll be done in less than an hour, we’ll join you.”

Victory flashed across his face. Or perhaps hope.

“I promise.”

“Climb in. I’ll drive.”

“No need. We’re walking over to Frank’s. You like pizza?”

He didn’t even give her time to answer before he opened Will’s door and reached in to get him. He struggled with the buckle a bit, obviously not an expert at child restraint systems. She was about to ask him to move out of the way when the clasp released. Instead of fussing, like she expected Will to do when a total stranger reached for him, he let out a giggle and gave Daniel a slobbery pat on the face.

The little traitor.

“He’s cute.” Daniel handed Will over and casually wiped his face on the shoulder of his expensive-looking, light tan microfiber jacket, leaving a wet ring. He grabbed the diaper bag. “Need this?”

She took the bag from him and slipped the strap on her shoulder. “Sorry. He’s a drooler.”

“No problem.” He led the way across the street past the courthouse. Frank’s red-and-white-striped awning and flashing neon open sign welcomed them.

Once they were seated in a booth in the back corner and had placed Will in a high chair on the end, a man barreled toward them, arms spread wide in welcome. “Daniel, my boy! Who do we have here?”

“Frank, I’d like you to meet Lilly Barnes. Lilly, this is Frank Dellano, the member of my church I told you about.”

“Aah, Lilly, nice to meet you!” He warmly gripped both her hands in his and stared into her eyes, his own brown ones encircled by evidence of years of laughter and smiles. “Any friend of Daniel’s is a friend of mine. Enjoy your lunch.”

“Great place you have here. I’m sure I’ll love it.”

The waitress, a young, friendly female replica of Frank, took their order, Daniel asking her to put a rush on it if possible. Then he leaned his forearms on the table. “I’ve been studying your shop.”

She dragged away her gaze from his and focused on jars of baby food, opening them. Snapping a bib around Will’s neck. “Oh?”

“I noticed you don’t have a website. Could really use new, more visible signage. Need to advertise.”

Each word out of his mouth shot up her blood pressure another notch. So much to do and with limited funds.

He slid a list toward her. “I can help you increase your business traffic.”

The worst part was she suspected she might need help. Though her aunt hadn’t been much of a businesswoman, she’d been loving, fun, generous—and talented. Talitha herself had been the business’s biggest asset.

A cold fist squeezed inside Lilly’s chest. She could never take Talitha’s place.

A blob of green beans dripped off Will’s chin onto her thumb.

Daniel took hold of her hand and swiped it off with a napkin. Contact with his hand shut out everything else around her. Made her zoom in on the spot where they touched.

That level of awareness disturbed her. She pulled away her hand. “I can clean off my own baby food.” When she realized how ridiculous that had sounded, she laughed. “I mean, clean it off myself.”

His expression teased, almost as if he understood how he’d affected her. “Just trying to help.”

Trying to help feed her nephew. Trying to help run her business. What next? Trying to help run her life?

No, thank you. She’d been there, done that, and had the emotional scars left by an ex-fiancé to prove it.

She might end up having to rent the shop’s basement to Daniel. But she didn’t need any other involvement with a man who made her heart race just by touching her thumb.

She firmly planted the spoon on the table and steeled herself to look into his gorgeous eyes. “I appreciate your taking the time to evaluate The Yarn Barn. But I don’t think there’s anything you can do at this point. We don’t have the money.”

Daniel opened his mouth to respond, but movement drew his attention away.

“Dada!” Will pursed his lips and blew mashed green bean bubbles that splattered into her face.

Lilly swiped off the mess as the waitress delivered their pizza and her brother-in-law approached his son. The first time they’d seen him since he had left Jenna two days ago.

* * *

Daniel let the conversation with Lilly drop and greeted Ned.

Ned ruffled his son’s hair and nodded. “Daniel. Lilly.”

“Dada!” Will grinned and strained to reach for his father.

“Hang on, big guy.” Ned wiped his son’s hands and then lifted him out of the high chair. “I’m glad I found you, Lilly. I tried to call earlier, to arrange picking up my boy, here.”

Lilly gave her brother-in-law an odd look, as if nervous around him. “I’m sorry. My phone’s been off since I met with the accountant.”

“Jenna told me that you were in a meeting.”

Lilly’s eyes lit up. “So you two have talked?”

With red-streaked cheeks, Ned cut a glance at Daniel. “Not really. I called to set up a visit with Will.”

A visit? Had he and Jenna separated?

Ned tucked Will under his chin and kissed the top of his head. “I’m sorry I haven’t been by. I’ve been trying to find an apartment.”

“Your son misses you. Jenna misses you.”

Daniel rose from his seat. “I can take Will and let you two talk.”

“No, stay, eat your lunch,” Ned said. “You’re my pastor. It’s time you know what’s going on.”

Motioning for him to join them, Daniel sat. Lilly scooted over, and Ned, holding his son, slid in the booth beside her. She didn’t seem angry with her brother-in-law. If her attitude was any indication of Jenna’s, maybe there was hope of reconciliation.

As he and Lilly ate, Ned filled Daniel in.

Ned brushed a finger over his son’s arm. “So we’ve separated. I have to take responsibility for that. But we argued about everything. Then Jenna told me that she didn’t need me. That I might as well go ahead and leave.”

“Have you had marriage counseling?” Daniel asked.

“She refuses.”

Lilly shook out some Cheerios for Will. “She’s just scared, you know. Expecting you to leave at any time. She thinks it’s easier to push you away before she gets hurt.”

Daniel suspected the sisters shared that trait. Maybe from growing up with those “rotten parents”?

“Look, Lilly, I know what a tough childhood you and Jenna had,” Ned said. “But she’s pushed me away for a long time. I can’t take it anymore.” He stood with his son in his arms. “Jenna said it’s okay for me to take Will until after dinner.”

“He’ll enjoy that.” Lilly, with a pale face and a sheen of unshed tears in her pretty hazel eyes, gathered Will’s diaper bag, then told Ned and Will goodbye.

Daniel said, “I’m sorry your family is struggling right now.”

She glanced at him, looked away then once again met his eyes. “We’ll make it through.”

“A rough childhood makes depending on someone difficult, even when you’re all grown up.” He touched her hand, couldn’t resist offering some sort of comfort.

She glanced down at their hands. “Are you speaking from experience?”

He suddenly recalled his mom sitting in the bleachers alone at football games, an empty seat cushion next to her, the spot his dad had promised to fill. Then after she had died, no one in the bleachers. Frozen dinners alone. His dad coming home and shutting himself in his home office.

He glanced at his watch. “Oh, look. I’ve almost passed the hour lunch I promised.”

She’d turned the tables on him. But he never shared his past with anyone. Daniel had never been able to fill the void after his mother’s death, or to pull Blake out of his grief. To share that would be too painful. Especially now. A pastor needed to look capable and inspire confidence if he hoped to help others, to make a difference.

Lilly gave him a look that said she knew he was avoiding the topic.

He simply flagged down the waitress and paid the bill.

As they walked out of Frank’s, cold air slapped him in the face. His cell phone vibrated. Normally, he’d ignore it, but the screen showed the caller was Cricket’s mother. “Excuse me a second. I need to take this.”

On the other end of the line, the woman sobbed uncontrollably. Sick dread slammed him in the gut. “Mrs. Quincy, what’s wrong?”

“Cricket took a bunch of pills. We’re at the emergency room in Appleton.”

“Is she going to be okay?”

“They’ve given her an antidote that’s been pretty successful in similar cases. We have to wait. And pray. Please get Miss Ann to start the prayer chain.”

“I will. I’m on my way.” Lord, protect Cricket and the baby. Please let this treatment work.

Lilly stood beside him, her arms hugged around her waist. “What happened?”

“I need to head to the hospital. A teenage girl from the church is in the ER.”

“Do you need a ride?” she asked without any hesitation. A woman who saw a need and jumped in with a solution.

He started to decline, but the offer would save time since he’d walked to town that morning. “Thanks.”

They rushed to the car. Lilly backed out of the parking spot, and they sped toward Appleton. He called his grandmother and filled her in, asking her to get the town praying.

“The situation sounds awful. Anything I can do to help?” Lilly asked.

“Nothing. Unless you feel led to pray.”

Sick at heart, he stared out the window as they zipped past The Yarn Barn. Surely he could’ve done more. Could have done something besides set up another meeting for next week. Maybe if he’d called her that morning like he’d meant to...

Except for his brief directions to the hospital, they drove the next ten minutes in silence.

“I hope she’ll be okay,” Lilly said.

The hospital came into sight. He pointed her toward the emergency entrance. “She’s fifteen and pregnant. And I failed her.”

“I don’t know the whole situation.” She reached out and touched his sleeve. “But I know you care. I’m sure that helps. More than you probably realize.”

As the car came to a stop out front, their eyes locked, her compassionate gaze soothing him, making him wish for... But at the moment, he had no time for wishing.

He gave her hand a squeeze, a thank-you for understanding him, and then climbed out.

“Wait. Here’s my phone number.” She jotted it on a piece of scrap paper out of her purse. “Call me when you’re ready to leave. Any time, even if it’s late.”

Touched by her offer, he took the paper. “Thanks for bringing me.”

“I’m sure you’ll be a comfort to the girl’s family.”

He shut the door and hurried through the ER entrance. A comfort? How much good was he as a pastor if he hadn’t been able to help Cricket see God was big enough to handle her problems, that God had a plan for her life?

Mrs. Quincy paced the floor, a tissue wadded up between her hands, her face streaked with tears. Her pain enough to bring him to his knees, he repeated the prayer circulating in his head. Lord, don’t let Cricket die. Protect her baby.

He steeled his spine and crossed the waiting room, determined to do more for the hurting teenagers. The kids God had led him to in Corinthia and the neighboring Appleton community had many problems—family struggles, run-ins with the law, failure in school. And Cricket wasn’t the only pregnant high schooler.

He couldn’t let them down.

The problem was, he was good at starting churches, good at preaching, good at planning outreach ministries. But apparently, when it came to helping the hurting, he fell short.

The pain on Lilly’s face whenever she mentioned her childhood etched itself into his brain.

He had to steer clear of beautiful, thoughtful Lilly. Or he would let her down, as well.

Chapter Three

Lilly couldn’t help but worry about Cricket. Yet she was glad she’d been able to take Daniel there, to support her family. He seemed to think he’d failed, but all she saw was a man who cared. Who did what he could to help. Like pray.

The fact Daniel and others, including Ann, were praying for the teen, somehow soothed Lilly.

Thinking of Ann reminded Lilly she needed to ask her to teach knitting classes, so instead of stopping at The Yarn Barn, she bypassed it and headed to town. On the way, she watched for the signage problems Daniel had mentioned.

How had she not noticed that in one direction, they had no store sign at all, and the other, the wooden sign was partially covered? She would have to rectify the situation soon.

When Ann answered her front door, she looked surprised, then pleased. “Lilly, I’m glad you came for the prayer vigil.”

Alarm shot through her. “Uh...no. I actually came to ask a huge favor.”

“I’ll help however I can.”

She decided to be direct, honest. “I desperately need your assistance, and Daniel suggested I contact you. I can’t knit or crochet, and we need to start holding classes to build community, to keep the business afloat.”

Silence. Not good.

“Could you teach? I’ll offer you half the class tuition,” Lilly said quickly. “And you can pick your hours.”

“Oh, it’s not the money. I’d be delighted to teach one class a week. But aren’t you going to rent out the basement to Daniel? That income would surely help more than one of my classes.”

Lilly’s heart sank. She’d hoped Ann might teach two or three. “I’m still going through Aunt Talitha’s records and am considering renting to the church. If you could teach a class or two, I’d be grateful.”

“I think I could manage one every Thursday afternoon. But please take advantage of the rental income.” Ann put a firm hand on Lilly’s shoulder and gave what she suspected was a stern grandmotherly look. “I’m sure Talitha would want you to honor her agreement with Daniel.”

Embarrassment stung Lilly’s face. “You’re right.” Besides, if Ann was only willing to teach one class, they would need that rent money. “Thanks for offering to teach. You’re a lifesaver.”

The woman’s expression morphed into pure happiness. “Good, then. It’s settled.”

As Lilly drove back to The Yarn Barn, she made plans to locate and organize the tax documents, to try to make sense of all the accountant had told her.

And to inform her sister they would have tenants.

When Lilly walked in the shop, her sister met her at the door.

“The supplier called, the one Aunt Talitha has had for ages. He found out she died, and that you and I placed the recent large order. He’s demanding a big payment next week.”

Her stomach sank to her toes. “Next week?” The word week ended on a squeak. “He always let Talitha pay over ninety days.”

Tears filled Jenna’s eyes. “I don’t know if I can handle one more problem.”

Torn, Lilly wasn’t sure whether to use tough love or to give Jenna a break. “We’re business owners now. We have to handle it.”

A spark of irritation flashed in her sister’s eyes. Good. Irritation was better than the recent sadness.

“It’s more than just this place,” Jenna said. “My husband left me. He left me. And he’s already insisting on spending time with our child.” She let out a quiet sob. “I can’t bear thinking of our lives turning into a shared custody agreement.”

“You told him to leave.” She said it softly, tenderly. “He’s apartment hunting. It’s time for you ask him to come home.”

“Easy for you to say. You’ve never been married and had to worry about someone you love leaving and breaking your heart.”

Lilly’s heart squeezed in pain. She’d quit her job and sold her condo to follow her fiancé, Clint, across the country, willing to move even though she’d promised herself she would never move for a man. Only to discover he was uprooting them to hide a fling with a married coworker.

She’d been too humiliated to tell her own sister. Jenna thought Lilly had broken the engagement over the move.

So no, she had never married. But she knew about the loss of hopes and dreams, knew the pain of betrayal and a broken heart.

Lilly pushed away the painful memories. “I may not know exactly what you’re going through, but I know your son needs you. And I need you. So you can’t let this knock you down. I raised you to be stronger than this.”

Jenna mumbled something about Lilly not being her mother as she busied herself straightening the yarn bins.

“Now, little sister, I suggest you go after your husband and work out your problems. Before he leases that apartment. Because, I tell you what. The man looked miserable today. He misses you.”

Jenna glanced up, stricken. “Does he really? You’re not just saying that?”

“He really does.”

Jenna pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. “I doubt he’ll answer if I call.”

“You won’t know until you try.”

“You’re right. Maybe I’ll talk to him when he brings Will home.”

“Good for you. Now...I came in here to tell you Ann is only willing to teach one class a week. So I think we should honor Aunt Talitha’s promise to rent the basement to the church.”

Jenna’s green eyes looked huge in her pale face. “Lilly, are we going to make it? The shop, I mean. Because I can’t bear to think we might lose it.”

They wouldn’t lose it if Lilly could help it. Determined to use her good business sense, and not the emotions that seemed to have taken over since Daniel first walked through the door, she made a vow to put the shop first. “We’ll be fine if we rent to Daniel’s church. He’s even offered to have his church members begin refinishing the basement, taking expenses for supplies out of the rent money. Using volunteer labor.”

“Sounds like it’s a deal we can’t refuse.”

“I agree. And if we ask for a security deposit, maybe we’ll have enough to pay the supplier, or at least get him off our back.” As much as she’d like to resist having him around, and resist changing her plan for the basement, she needed to make wise choices.

As Lilly dug through boxes of Talitha’s records for the next few hours, she considered her options for marketing the store. Daniel had been right. She needed to make the shop more visible. Needed to consider inexpensive and free advertising. With his office in her basement, she’d have easy access to his advice...should she choose to take it.

Daniel. She couldn’t shake him from her mind.

The man sat at the hospital in an impossible situation with that poor family. They probably hadn’t had dinner. And he would need a ride home.

This is not good. She had to quit thinking about him. The man was too attractive for his own good. For her own good.

And he was kind and good and, she suspected, trustworthy. All dangerous, because those qualities made her want to know him better. To spend time with him.

She should call and offer to take by some sandwiches. See if he—they—needed anything. To try to be a friend to him—them.

Or course, anything beyond friendship wasn’t wise. Because once she and Jenna revived the business and sold it into capable hands, she would be taking her half of the proceeds and returning to Kentucky to follow her own dream. Of starting work as a freelance photojournalist.

Once the terms of Talitha’s will were fulfilled, she intended to leave Corinthia—with her heart intact.

* * *

Nothing in seminary had prepared Daniel for sitting in an ICU waiting room with parents whose daughter—and unborn grandchild—might die.

But, praise God, they’d survived.

“So they think Cricket will fully recover?” Lilly asked as she drove him back to GranAnn’s house, her presence easing his earlier despair.

“The antidote they administered was successful. The main worry now is the possibility of long-term effects of the acetaminophen overdose on the baby. Won’t know anything until after he’s born.”

“Scary stuff.” She glanced his way, light from streetlamps flickering on her face. “It’s a boy?”

“Yeah. We’ll keep praying.”

Her gaze darted away like it did anytime he mentioned prayer. He wished she would talk to him about what had happened that turned her away from her faith.

As they neared his grandmother’s house, he spotted his dad’s car. Daniel dreaded what would undoubtedly end up as a confrontation.

Lilly parked but left the car running. He hopped out and walked around to the driver’s side. Opened her door and held out his hand, hoping she’d join him under the beautiful blanket of stars.

She hesitated but ultimately turned off the car and stepped out.

“Thanks again for offering to bring dinner tonight. The Quincys were grateful.”

“No biggie.” She glanced away as if embarrassed.

“Seems you’re good at being thoughtful, taking care of others.”

With a shrug, she proved she had trouble accepting praise.

“I’ve just always stepped in when needed.” Her quiet laugh hinted at hurt.

“No, it’s more than that. I suspect it was in your nature all along.”

Cold, brisk wind whipped her hair into her face. She cinched it with her hand into a ponytail and held on. She looked into his eyes, and he felt the same connection he’d felt when he’d first met her, as if something simmered below the surface. Something neither of them was willing to examine.

“Thanks for bringing me home,” he said.

“No problem.”

“Come on, Lilly. Try accepting my thanks and saying, ‘You’re welcome, Daniel.’” As he grinned at her, a piece of her hair escaped her grasp. He brushed it behind her ear.

A thrill jolted through him at the contact. Then fear followed the same route.

She laughed but stepped out of touching range. She bowed with a flourish. “You’re welcome, Daniel. And now I have something that’ll make your day even better.”

He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket, a reminder not to touch. “What’s that?”

“After a little...uh, prompting from Ann, Jenna and I talked this afternoon. We need the income from rent, and you made a tempting offer to renovate the place.”

He shook his head, incredulous. Leave it to Gran to fix a situation he couldn’t fix. Then again, she probably had ulterior motives. “You’re accepting the offer?”

“Yep. We’d like you to move in and renovate the space.”

“It’s a deal.” He reached out quickly to shake on it before she changed her mind.

With a laugh, she hesitated, staring at his outstretched hand. When she tentatively took his hand, his heart thumped in his chest, as if the moment were momentous, more than a business deal. Silly, of course, but no less jarring.

The temptation to pull her into his arms nearly overwhelmed his good sense. He ground his teeth and jammed his hand in his pocket. “We’ll be good tenants. And I’ll do a good job with the work, keeping costs low.”

“We can talk details and contracts later, after this crisis with Cricket is over.”

“I think we’re past the immediate crisis.” He shook his head and glanced skyward, praying once again for her and the baby. “But she has a long way to go.”

“You didn’t let her down, you know. She needed medical help, not a pastor.”

Spoken by a woman who didn’t think she needed God. “I appreciate your take on the situation. But I feel like I need to do more, though I’m just not sure how.”

“You’ll figure it out. You have a good heart, and Cricket is lucky to have you on her side.” She slid into the driver’s seat.

He leaned inside. “Thanks again for the ride. Your support today meant a lot to me.”

“No pr—” She gave a sweet laugh. “I was glad to help.”

Her laugh wrapped around his heart like a balm. Which terrified him. He couldn’t afford to be attracted to someone, especially someone who didn’t believe as he did, didn’t have faith in God. When the stray hair blew in her face once again, he forced himself to ignore it.

He put his hand on the door, preparing to close it. “You won’t regret allowing the church to meet in your basement. We’ll move on when we find a permanent location. And actually, I’ll move on before that.”

“What do you mean?”

“My calling is to start churches. Once this one is running smoothly, I’ll move on and start another.”

As if he’d pushed a button, her expression chilled. Gone was the teasing laughter, the warm camaraderie.

“I see,” she said. “So you’re here temporarily, as well.”

“Yes. In fact, I’ve already had a congregation in South Georgia ask me to move down there to start an inner-city mission church.”

“How soon will you go?”

For the second time, he had a flicker of doubt. Wondered if he could’ve misread his calling. “Hard to say. We have a couple more projects to get off the ground here.”

She clutched the door handle. “Well, good luck to you.”

“I’ll be in touch about a rental contract.”

“Come by on Monday if you’d like.” The invitation was in her most businesslike voice.

At least Daniel had secured the church’s location for the near future. He didn’t plan to tell the congregation about it until he had the contract in writing, though. Too many variables, including the fact that Lilly could back out at any moment.

Yes, they had a business relationship. Short-term. Then why the attraction? Why the worry over her reaction to the fact he would eventually head south? Moving on was what he did, what he was good at.

Lilly Barnes was a distraction he couldn’t afford.

* * *

Lights and the sound of the television in the family room drew Daniel. GranAnn sat in her chair watching her favorite news channel. His dad read the paper.

“I’m home.” Daniel kissed his grandmother’s cheek. “Cricket’s going to be okay.”

Ann clasped her hands together at her chest. “Oh, thank You, Lord.”

“Hello, Dad.”

“Daniel.” He nodded a greeting. No hug. No handshake. “So what happened with the girl? I thought you said you’d been counseling her. Now I hear she tried to kill herself?”

Daniel clenched his jaw, chomping down on the words that nearly flew out of his mouth. “I’m surprised to see you here this late. Were you waiting to see me?” He despised how pathetically hopeful he sounded, as if he hadn’t had the same smack down over and over.

Gran reached for Daniel’s hand. “Yes, son, he was. I’ll let you two talk.” She patted his cheek and then left the room.

Daniel sat in Gran’s worn green recliner and faced his father.

Methodically, as if taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Blake folded the newspaper, pressing the creases to hold them in place. A man who worried about insignificant details, forgetting what was important.

“I came to let you know I’ve found you a building to rent. It’s a vacant gas station over in Appleton.”

Daniel sucked in a breath and held it. He should say something. But he couldn’t.

“Don’t look so shocked. I do have connections around here, you know.”

“It’s not that. It’s...” For the first time in ages, he wanted to smile at his father. “Thank you. I appreciate the help. More than you know. But I’ve gotten the okay to rent from Lilly and her sister at The Yarn Barn.”

“Have you signed a contract yet?”

“No, sir. But we have a verbal agreement. I plan to honor that.” Especially since Gran seemed to think Lilly and Jenna needed the income.

Blake’s face turned red. His cheeks puffed out with air, as if trying to hold back angry words.

“I’m sorry, Dad. But thanks for your effort.”

He slapped the newspaper on the end table. “I hope you don’t regret it. That yarn place is a dump. Looks like it’s falling down.”

“It’s actually structurally sound. And the outside has recently been painted.”

“I bet she’ll overcharge you. You don’t even know this girl.” Blake stood regally, but indignation rolled off him in waves. He stalked away, and a moment later, the front door slammed.

Daniel rushed outside and caught up to him before he could close his car door. Blake had made an effort. Daniel needed to try to, as well. “Dad, I’m sorry. Please stay. I’d like to tell you more about my plans for the church.”

Blake stared out the car windshield. Didn’t acknowledge his son. He paused for about three seconds as if making a decision, and then he closed the door.

Daniel stood on the pavement, the cold wind cutting through his shirt, as the car backed down the driveway. His dad had always been such a strong man. With broad shoulders and a confident gait, he had a powerful air about him. Blake felt in control of his world, and some called him arrogant.

But tonight, he’d taken the time to wait around for Daniel. Had made a move to help him. Could he be trying to reconcile? Yet, earlier, his dad hinted at Daniel’s failure in counseling Cricket.

Daniel sighed, his breath fogging in front of his face. He tried not to expect much from his dad. But he craved the man’s respect, hoped that someday he’d earn it.

To earn respect, Blake’s or anyone else’s for that matter, Daniel had to do better at his job. Needed to better serve the people in the community. If he could just find some way to minister to the increasing number of hurting people he’d come in contact with.

Maybe if Cricket hadn’t felt so alone... Maybe if she’d had a support group she wouldn’t be lying in a hospital bed in the ICU.

An idea began to take shape as his dad’s taillights disappeared from sight. But the plan would require a favor from Lilly Barnes.

And he suspected that with this, even Lilly, who always rushed to help, would think he was asking too much.

* * *

Lilly felt as conspicuous as a slice of pepperoni on a veggie pizza. She practically dragged Jenna and Will toward a table in the far corner of Daniel’s “church” to the only empty seats she spotted. Frank’s Pizza Place was packed for the Sunday morning worship service, so they hadn’t stood a chance of slipping in unnoticed.

A woman they squeezed by said, “Welcome,” and gave Lilly’s arm a friendly pat. Others smiled, obviously curious. Embarrassed to be the object of attention, she tugged harder to hurry Jenna toward the two chairs.

“You don’t have to pull off my arm,” Jenna whispered, her eyes flashing. “I’m as nervous about this as you are.”

Not nervous enough to keep her from waking Lilly at the crack of dawn, using old-fashioned guilt to try to coerce her into coming. Will needs to have the roots we never had, she’d said.

That was at least partially true. Will did need roots, something she and Jenna had desperately craved as their dad had moved them from one city to another, blaming others for his job failures, looking for some pie in the sky that never materialized.

But Lilly didn’t think taking the boy to church would fill that need. When she’d refused, Jenna begged her to come with them to the worship service to see Ned. To prove to him that Jenna was trying to change.

The real reason for Jenna’s sudden urge for church attendance.

Honestly, did Jenna think showing up once for a service would send her husband rushing home, begging her to take him back?

Still, Lilly hadn’t been able to refuse. She wanted to collapse as they reached their chairs and pulled off their coats, but the people were standing, singing.

“Where’s Ned?” Jenna mouthed.

Lilly scanned the crowd but didn’t see him. Had they come for nothing?

After two songs that Lilly and Jenna didn’t know, Daniel came to the front of the room—no pulpit in this church—and spoke without the aid of a microphone. He welcomed everyone, and she knew the exact moment he spotted her. His eyes widened and one side of his mouth hitched up in that crooked smile that always arrowed straight to her belly.

She tried to deflect that arrow, reminding herself what he’d told her two nights before. Daniel was a church starter. He would soon move on. And then move again. And again. He was not the kind of man whose smile should make her stomach flutter.

His expression softened when he noticed Jenna and Will. Will, who had refused to stay with the nursery worker over in the side dining room. Will, who would most likely cause a fuss before the end of the service.

Why on earth had she let Jenna guilt her into coming?

Roots. For Will...for Jenna. And maybe hope for a flailing marriage.

Lilly would tolerate anything to make sure Jenna was settled and happy before it was time to sell the shop and move on to pursue her own dreams.

Daniel’s deep voice drew in Lilly despite her desire to send her mind wandering off elsewhere. His message—and the type of love he spoke about, God’s love—sucked her right in. As if she were an arid desert and his words rain.

She tried to ignore the yearning that suddenly made it hard to breathe. She bit her lip, and dug the fingernails of her right hand into her left palm, fighting tears.

No. She slammed a wall around her heart. Refused to listen. She wanted to hold her hands over her ears and shout la la la la to block out Daniel’s words. Instead, she thought of the chorus of her favorite country music song and, in her mind, sang it as loudly as she could. Thankfully, Daniel appeared to be winding down.

She looked at Jenna, who had a tear trailing down her cheek. Oh, no. Lilly had to get a grip on her own emotions for Jenna’s sake.

Will wiggled and whimpered. Yes. The perfect distraction. She took him from Jenna and held him in her lap. He stood and bounced, his face turning red and scrunching up as if working up to a good cry. Everything else faded into the background. Finally.

Will let out a wail. “Eeeee,” he whined.

Laughter sounded around the room and Jenna frantically dug in the diaper bag for the container of Cheerios.

“I’m hungry, too, Will.” Daniel rubbed his hand over his jaw stifling a laugh. “Time to tie this up, anyway.” He raised his arms. “Stand with me, and let’s pray.”

When everyone stood, Jenna grabbed Lilly’s arm. Tears poured down her sister’s cheeks, her shoulders lifting in jerky shudders as if she was desperately trying to hold herself together. “I’m leaving.” She slipped away and rushed out the door.

Was Jenna crying over Ned? Or had she had a spiritual breakthrough? The latter scared Lilly silly. How could she possibly understand and help?

The words Daniel had spoken nudged once again at Lilly’s heart, reminding her that if Will hadn’t called out, she might be in the same condition as her sister.

Rather than risk staying through the prayer, Lilly grabbed their stuff and hurried out. She opened the car and found Jenna sobbing.

Jenna shielded her face. “Don’t let Will see me, it’ll upset him.”

Lilly shut the door and stood outside the pizza parlor, Will on her hip, trying to decide what to do. She peeked in the restaurant window and watched as the church people hugged and laughed and talked. A variety of people from all walks of life. Also several young families. A group Ned and Jenna could fit in with.

After a few minutes, her sister’s crying hadn’t stopped. Lilly decided maybe she should go inside and find Daniel. She was out of her league and probably needed backup. As she entered and slinked toward the kitchen, Frank spotted her.

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