He groaned and fought off the sheets, then sat up on the edge of the bed, breathing hard.
This nightmare held him tight.
If only he hadn’t messed with the radio.
If only he had double-checked his lumber load.
If only he’d taken his meds.
If only—
If only he could break free from the darkness he was living in.
eight
It would have been better if the night at the dance had never happened. Robin sat in church trying hard to pay attention—really, she was. A silver-haired woman shared about an orphanage in India that needed funds and then they sang a hymn. Robin couldn’t remember which one.
Now Pastor Dan stood in the pulpit delivering a sermon she was sure spoke to her heart, straight from God’s Word, if only she could concentrate on it.
The sight of Sammy and his mom sitting up two rows and over three seats kept snagging her gaze. She wondered if his thoughts drifted to the night before too.
Probably not. He’d probably written her off as a crazy tease.
Enough. She needed to focus. She’d already decided starting a relationship right now would be a mistake. She. Was. Leaving. Heading back to Paris or LA or wherever. Deep Haven wasn’t home, and she didn’t want it to be.
She needed to stay strong.
Sammy and his generous heart wouldn’t turn her head.
She tuned back in to Pastor Dan.
“Listen to this verse from Romans five. ‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ Friends, you don’t have to clean yourselves up for God.” At the pulpit, Pastor Dan held his Bible up. “God loved us before we were perfect. In fact, it is only through His love and Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that we can be made holy. Some people believe they aren’t good enough for God to love them, that they’ve somehow strayed too far. That’s just not possible. Turn with me to Ephesians 3:18.”
Pages rustled all around her. Pastor Dan read the verse out loud. “I’ll start a little earlier, in the second half of verse seventeen. ‘And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.’”
Robin didn’t hear Pastor Dan’s closing prayer or the final hymn. As she sat in her seat, her brain still spun on those final words. God’s love was colossal indeed. She brushed away a sudden wetness in the corner of her right eye, tucking the thought away for later. That kind of love was its own kind of home.
“Excuse me.” A voice broke into her thoughts. “Are you Robin Fox, Elaine’s granddaughter?”
She shifted in her seat, then rose and greeted the woman who had spoken. The older woman from earlier, with silver-gray hair, held the arm of a man of similar age. Robin guessed them to be in their seventies. They must be friends with her grandparents. “Yes, I’m Robin.”
“I’m so pleased to meet you,” the woman said. “I am Jean Adams, and this is my husband, Palmer. We know your grandparents. Megan Barrett said you make cakes?” Jean gestured to where Megan stood with her family, bouncing her baby on her hip. Megan gave a quick wave, then turned back to Cole.
Where was this going? “Yes, I run my grandparents’ bakery here in town. I’ve added cakes to the menu.”
“Oh, wonderful.” Jean reached out and took Robin’s arm, leaning in close. “I knew any relation to Elaine would be someone who would help us. You might be exactly the person to solve our little problem.”
“I’ll do what I can.” Robin glanced around. She hoped this wasn’t a donation situation. She wanted to be as generous as possible, but right now, paying the plumbing bill was much more important.
“Just tell the girl what you want her to do,” Palmer said.
Jean smiled at her husband. “Palmer and I will be celebrating our fifty-fifth wedding anniversary in February.”
“Congratulations! That’s the emerald anniversary, right?”
“Thank you. And yes, it is. It’s not too often you find a young person who knows about those things,” Jean said.
“Really, it’s a miracle I’ve put up with her all these years.” Palmer’s long-suffering tone was undercut by the twinkle in his eye.
