Love's Providence: A Contemporary Christian Romance Read online

  “This is a side of you I wasn’t expecting. I’m not quite sure what to make of you, Alex Walker.”

  “Trust me, the feeling is mutual.” He shoved his sandwich in his mouth and ignored the apprehension gnawing at him. She was just a tourist, nothing more.

  ”Tell me more about yourself.” She leaned forward a little more onto her hand and grinned.

  He chewed slowly and debated on how much he should disclose. “What do you want to know?”

  “Anything, I guess.”

  He took a swig of soda and wiped his mouth with the napkin. Stalling helped.

  ”Not much to tell. I’m really a pretty boring guy. Besides, I’d rather hear about you.”

  She stifled a laugh. “You? Boring? I doubt that.”

  “Oh, you’d be surprised.”

  “Come on.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. ”What’s your family like? I mean, I know you have an older sister that’s engaged to Steve, but that’s about it.”

  He sat forward and picked over his fries. Just a tourist, he reminded himself.

  “Well, my family isn’t that close. My parents divorced when I was little. Mom remarried when I was seven or eight. I don’t even remember much about it.”

  He took another bite.

  “Do you have any other brothers or sisters?” she asked.

  “Nope. Just me and Chloe.”

  “Do you get along well?”

  “She’s a pain in the neck in her own way, but I guess we get along as well as any other siblings.”

  ”What about your mom?”

  “What about her?’

  She laughed and threw her hands in the air. ”Are you always this forthcoming? I mean, I feel like I can’t get you to shut up.”

  “Sorry.” He shrugged and forced a smile. “There’s not that much to tell. And I guess I’m not use to talking about my family much.”

  He took another bite of the sandwich and dusted off his hands. She sat back in her chair and watched him finish eating. He wondered if he’d put her off, but he wasn’t quite sure what to say. It had been some time since a woman had been interested in him for anything more than just a good time for the evening. He wasn’t ready to spill his guts.

  His phone vibrated on his belt again, and he flipped it open just under the table to take a quick peek.

  Let’s talk. Call me.

  It had been one strange text after another all day, and he wasn’t interested in crazy right now. She’d just have to wait. He tucked the phone back in its place, and smiled back at Lily.

  When he was finished, they stood and weaved their way back through the tables and chairs to the exit. He tossed his trash and finished the last of his soda.

  Time to change the subject.

  Lily watched Alex out of the corner of her eye as they made their way back down the street toward the pier. His mood had shifted since she’d asked about his family, and it made her curious about how he had grown up. She hadn’t even asked about his father. But seeing it made him uncomfortable, she decided to let it go. It was really none of her business anyway.

  “All right, now it’s your turn.” Alex clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Let’s see how you like being interrogated.”

  “I wasn’t interrogating you! Sheesh. A girl can’t ask a few questions?”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “Please, all you were missing was the dark room and a tiny light shining in my face.”

  They laughed and dodged a group of teenagers heading in the opposite direction. She brushed his arm with hers, and her fingers tingled as she wondered what it would feel like to hold his hand.

  “Well, you can ask me anything.” She pointed at her chest and raised her voice. “I have nothing to hide.”

  “Oh, I’ll bet you do. Everyone does.”

  “Even you?”

  “Even me.”

  She looked for a sign of humor in his face, but suddenly he seemed serious. Had she said something wrong? But before she could dwell on it, he glanced at her and grinned. Maybe he was just kidding. He elbowed her gently, and again her skin reacted.

  “So what are you studying in school?” he asked.

  “Math. I want to teach and coach volleyball.”

  “Ugh! I hate math. I think I failed Algebra twice.” He wrinkled his nose like he’d gotten a whiff of something rotten.

  “Maybe you just didn’t have the right teacher.”

  “Maybe. She was pretty hot. It was very distracting.”

  She slapped his arm and laughed. “Just when I think you’re capable of grown-up conversation!”

  “What? I’m serious. She was very good-looking. I think she wound up marrying a guy a couple of years behind me in school.”

  Lily rolled her eyes and laughed to herself. As much as it had annoyed her to begin with, his light-hearted attitude was a nice break from the melancholy she’d been stuck in for so long. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d genuinely felt happy.

  Alex let out a low whistle. “Wow. You’re smart, athletic, beautiful.” He looked down at her sideways and winked, sending a hot blush up her neck and cheeks. “Is there anything the great Lily Brennon can’t do? Surely you have an Achilles heel.”

  She smiled and pushed down the butterflies that had taken flight with his wink. He was good. Too good. There was no way he was sincerely interested in her. Right? She rubbed her necklace between her fingers.

  “I don’t know about all that. I definitely have more than a few weak spots.” She looked at his smile and the tiny wrinkles around his eyes. She might have to add a few more to the list.

  “I doubt that. I saw you in action today, remember? There aren’t too many people around that would stand up to Dan Johnson, and you didn’t back down an inch.” He chuckled and ribbed her again. “You didn’t even back down from me.”

  “I apologized for that.”

  “Hey, I’m not criticizing you. I think it’s awesome. In fact, it’ll probably make you a good teacher, being able to control situations. You might even be a good cop.”

  “Hardly. I should have listened to you the other night. I could have made a bad situation a lot worse with that mom and baby.”

  “True. But your instincts were right to protect the baby.”

  “What happened to him anyway?”

  Alex didn’t answer at first. His smile faded, and he glanced down at the sidewalk for a while.

  “I’m not sure what’ll happen to the kid. The mom went to jail for DUI and resisting. Probably had some warrants on her too. They usually do.”

  She waited for his smile to return, for the joke she was sure would follow. But his face stayed sober as he looked around the crowded street. She wanted to ask what he was thinking about, but something about his eyes, almost a painful longing in them, told her to keep silent.

  They crossed the small intersection, and Lily tried not to keep looking at him, knowing it would make her look desperate. So she concentrated on the sun dress in the window as she passed. Suddenly, Alex grabbed her wrist and yanked her forward into his chest.

  “Watch it,” he said. He looked over her head and nodded at someone she couldn’t see. “Excuse us.”

  She glanced behind her and caught the raised eyebrows and harrumph of a lady walking past them with her Chihuahua poking his head out of her purse. Lily’s heart raced, and she tried to offer an apology. She turned back to Alex, his hand still gripping her wrist as they stood in the middle of the sidewalk. His eyes held hers, sending waves of adrenaline through her. Was he about to kiss her? Her mouth went dry with fear. This was wrong.

  “Th-Thank you,” she managed to breathe.

  “Sure.”

  He didn’t move, and she was sure her stomach was going to leap right out of her body. Hadn’t she sworn he wouldn’t have this effect on her? He finally released her arm, and they finished their stroll in silence.

  She wasn’t sure how it had happened, but something had changed during their walk—s
omething wonderful and confusing. Some part of her wanted to scream “Who cares!” at the top of her lungs, to grab onto the butterflies in her stomach and see where they might take her. But it was crazy to think that way, even if he did feel the same. There were only three days of vacation left—just enough time to make a fool out of herself.

  When they reached the ice cream parlor, they found Steve talking with Kara and Rachel. Lily deflected knowing grins from the girls, and focused instead on a sailboat outlined in twinkling lights sailing past the pier. She hadn’t even realized the sun had gone down. She took a deep breath to settle her nerves, careful to keep her eyes away from Alex.

  Once her butterflies finally settled, she glanced back over at him. He smiled and winked, sending her stomach flipping again. Just then, a dispatcher’s voice crackled over their radios, and both Alex and Steve angled their ears toward their shoulders as they listened. Steve glanced up the street toward the main intersection.

  “We gotta run,” he said.

  He went to work on the chain around his bike, and Alex looked over at Lily.

  “Sorry,” Alex said. “We need to hurry. There’s a fight up the street.” He knelt down by Steve and unlocked his bike. “Are you sticking around for a while?” She nodded her head as he straddled the bike. “Good. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  “You know, Lauren, if I didn’t know any better I might think you locked your keys in your car on purpose.”

  Alex shoved the slim jim down the driver’s side window and popped the lock of the silver Honda. He slid it out and tossed it over the car to Steve, who walked over to the patrol car waiting down the block.

  “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” Lauren’s mouth tipped in a sly grin, and she cut her eyes at him.

  She pulled open the door and leaned across the seat to reach for the keys in the ignition. The breeze caught her skirt and lifted it gently, revealing a set of familiar tan legs. He grinned to himself then looked away. Across the street, a group of teenage boys lounged over the hood of an old Crown Vic in the parking lot of the gas station. The bass shuddered, but he couldn’t hear any of the music.

  Lauren stood and slid her keys into her purse, smiling as she batted her lashes. He let his eyes take her in for a moment, knowing that was what she wanted. It was what she always wanted. Her silk white shirt dipped low on her chest, leaving little to his imagination—not that he needed it.

  He still remembered the first time he’d seen her at the gym, showing more skin than skill. She’d never made any secret about her intentions toward him. That was exactly why it seemed strange she would pull a stunt to get his attention.

  He’d seen her get out of the car earlier from across the street. She’d stopped about halfway across the parking lot, glanced around, and then returned to her car. She’d leaned into the car and put the keys back in the ignition. He’d wondered at the time what she was up to, but now it made sense. Pathetic. The last thing he needed was another woman trying to manipulate him.

  “Well, I hope you have a wonderful evening,” he said.

  Her smile dropped to a pout. “So can I expect to ever hear from you again? I thought we had a good time together.”

  “We did. And of course you’ll hear from me. Any time you want to chat just give me a call.” He grinned at her and leaned closer. “You really don’t have to lock your keys in the car if you want to talk. Just come by and say hi.”

  Her face flushed pink. “How desperate do you think I am?”

  She slammed her car door and stomped away, but the sharp flower smell of her perfume lingered. He hadn’t meant to tick her off. Maybe he should apologize. He considered it for only a moment. It could wait till next time.

  “Still charming the ladies I see,” Steve said. Alex hadn’t noticed him come up beside him.

  “You know me.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  Alex checked his watch. Thank God his shift was almost over. He’d had his fill of one mundane call out after another. Even the fight had proven to be nothing, just some old dude who’d had too much to drink stumbling around and yelling at people. He needed a good foot chase—a fleeing drug dealer he could tackle.

  “Speaking of ladies,” Steve said, bringing him back to the present. Steve nodded toward something down the street, and Alex followed his gaze. Lily, Kara, and Rachel crossed the street at the next intersection and continued toward the pier.

  “Mmm hmm.” Alex concentrated on the notepad in his hand, jotting down Lauren’s information for the report he’d have to fill out later.

  “What’s up with that, anyway?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean.” Steve elbowed him. “How was your little walk earlier?”

  “Nice.” Alex finished the note and pushed his pad into his back pocket. “She’s nice.”

  “Nice, huh?” Steve raised an eyebrow. “Did you tell her anything?”

  “No, I just walked up here to the deli, got a sandwich, and walked back in complete silence.”

  Steve shook his head. “You know what I mean.”

  “I’ve known her for what, five seconds? And why do you care what I’ve told her?”

  Steve shrugged. “She just seems like a nice girl. All three of them are actually. I just think you should be careful.”

  “You’ve been hanging around Chloe too much.” Alex headed across the street toward the teenage boys. “Come on, let’s go tell these guys to keep it down.” It wasn’t much, but maybe it would change the subject.

  By the time Lily, Kara, and Rachel stepped off the pier, most of the shops had closed down, and the only signs of life came from the bars and restaurants scattered along the main drag. Country music floated over the nearly deserted parking lot between the pier and Brogen’s Bar, and off to her right, Lily noticed Alex and Steve hanging their bikes on the rack of a patrol car.

  Her pulse jumped. Going unnoticed was a long shot, but maybe it would be best. Maybe her first impression of Alex had been off, but she wasn’t ready to handle her growing attraction to him either.

  But the guys had already seen them and waved, and Kara and Rachel headed toward them. Lily paused, but followed close behind. It couldn’t hurt just to say hello.

  As they approached, Alex caught her eye and grinned, sending a smile over her own face she couldn’t control. His hair was damp with sweat, and a few curls dropped across his forehead. His black t-shirt clung to his chest, like he’d just gone for a dip in the ocean. She wondered what he looked like without the shirt.

  “Hi,” she breathed, her cheeks warming.

  “Hey! And what have you lovely ladies been up to this evening?” he asked.

  Rachel smiled and tossed her hair over her shoulder. ”Just walking around.”

  “Defending yourselves from all the guys, no doubt,” he said. “Find any you liked?”

  “Maybe a couple that were worthy of our attention.” Rachel’s lips curled into a seductive smirk.

  Alex and Steve glanced at each other and grinned.

  “Whew, girl!” Steve said. “You are too young!”

  Lily rolled her eyes as Rachel grinned. She was almost too much to take. But both Steve and Alex seemed to take it in good humor, and as they began to move into familiar conversation, she had to admit her enjoyment of this little group they were forming.

  Kara and Rachel spoke easily with the guys, despite their nearly ten-year age difference. And Lily, who’d been annoyed and distrustful of Alex at first, now found his stories amusing. But after only a few minutes of conversation, she realized it was time to go. She turned toward Kara and tapped her watch.

  “We’re going to have to get going soon.”

  The girls’ smiles dropped into identical pouts, but Lily raised a hand to stop them before they could protest.

  “Sorry guys. You know the rules.”

  Alex shook with laughter, but stopped when Lily glared at him.

  “What’s so funny?” she asked.
r />   “I’ve just never met someone so hell-bent on sticking to the rules all the time. Don’t you ever just relax?”

  “Don’t start with me again.”

  “I’m not starting anything. You do what you need to do. I just can’t figure you out, that’s all.”

  “Lily,” Kara said. “A few minutes isn’t going to hurt anything. Dad won’t care.”

  “That’s not the point,” she said. She was beginning to grow tired of being the babysitter for these two.

  “Hey, look,” Alex said, tossing his water bottle into the trash. “We get off at midnight. Why don’t I give y’all a ride back to your place?”

  “Oh! That would be great!” Kara squealed.

  “Can you do that?” Lily asked.

  “Sure, it’s not a problem.” He waved a hand to dismiss her concern. “I’ll just radio my supervisor and tell him I’m escorting some drunk girls back to their residence.”

  “What?” Lily said.

  “Kidding! Lighten up!”

  She wasn’t sure the ride home was a great idea, but Rachel and Kara were already begging with their best puppy-dog eyes. So she relented, and they walked with Alex and Steve to the patrol car parked near the pier. After a few minutes, the supervisor radioed them to call it a night. Alex informed him of his escort for the girls, and then they piled into the cruiser and waved goodbye to Steve.

  The ride should have taken less than two minutes, but Rachel and Kara begged for more, so he drove past their house a couple of miles. He glanced around, and then briefly turned on the blue lights, much to the delight of Rachel and Kara, who were bombarding him with questions about the patrol car. If not for the Plexiglas separating them, Lily might have reached into the backseat to slap them into silence.

  When they finally pulled up to the house, Rachel and Kara thanked him for the ride and jumped out of the car as if they suddenly realized it was on fire. They practically sprinted to the front door, giggling the entire way.

  “Well, that was odd,” Lily commented.

  “Hmm.” He nodded in agreement.