Belinda

  At the sound of tires crunching on the gravel, she took Andi’s hand and hurried to the door. Rick was just getting out of his Jeep when she shut the screen door behind them and came down the porch steps. Rick’s smile was wide and welcoming. He looked different all dressed up; it was a far cry from the cowboy costume yesterday. She’d looked at the article in the paper again and noticed that it mentioned he had been born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He obviously made no effort to leave his roots behind. His black hair matched his straight, winged brows, and he had a dimple in his right cheek. She hadn’t noticed that yesterday.

  “Um, do you mind getting Andi’s car seat from the front porch?”

  “Sure.” He bounded up the steps and carried it back to the Jeep.

  Belinda was relieved that he didn’t mind messing with things like that. Some men would grumble about every little delay. Andrew always had. She started to put Andi in the car seat, but Rick took her daughter and buckled her in himself. He kept up a running chatter with her the whole time, and Andi giggled. Belinda slid into the front seat and fastened her seat belt. The Jeep was obviously new with that lovely scent of new leather. It would be nice to go to church in something besides her rusty ten-year-old Ford Escort.

  “You’ll have to direct me,” he said. “I still haven’t found my way around Wabash yet. It’s quite a different place from Fort Wayne.”

  “What made you decide to move down here?” she asked.

  He shrugged and began to back out of the driveway. “I got tired of the traffic and crowded stores. I still build a lot of houses up there, but I wanted to settle in a place with small-town values and a little slower pace.”

  Settle. It had been Belinda’s experience that only married men were looking to settle down, and that made her wonder if he had a girlfriend.

  The streets were quiet on this early Sunday morning. As they drove though town, they saw a couple of boys playing baseball in one yard and two toddlers splashing in a small pool in a side yard. She told him where to turn, and they pulled into the church parking lot at 9:15. She introduced him to a few people, then hurried toward her classroom. On the way, Mary Bickel stopped her and asked if she would take care of her cat while she was on vacation. She agreed with a bright smile, not really sure how she had come to be considered the pet sitter. Mary was the third person to ask her to pet-sit so far this year, but she didn’t mind. It felt good to be needed.

  After Sunday school, she looked around for Rick, but she’d worried about him needlessly. She found him chatting with several of her friends, and he seemed relaxed and at ease. People here always lived up to the church’s reputation of being one of the friendliest around. She slid into the seat beside him at the opening chords of “Amazing Grace.” All through church she found it hard to concentrate on the sermon. She hadn’t been this close to any man except her brother since Andrew died. She glanced at Rick occasionally from under her lashes. He listened with a thoughtful expression on his face that Belinda found refreshing. Andrew had come to church with her but generally fidgeted through the sermon and was always eager to leave as soon as it was over.

  “Some of us are meeting at the Great Wall for dinner. You want to come?” Dawn Porter, one of her good friends, asked.

  Dawn was obviously curious about this guy Belinda had brought to church. She glanced from Rick to Belinda, and Belinda could tell Dawn thought there was something going on between them. She felt a hot tide creep up her neck to her cheeks. Was that what everyone thought —that she was seeing a man now? This had obviously been a mistake, but she wasn’t sure how to get out of it gracefully. She’d already promised to have lunch with him. Maybe it would be easier to go with a group. She opened her mouth to agree, but Rick spoke first.

  “Thanks, but we’re headed for pizza.” He smiled nicely as he declined their offer.

  So that idea was out. She’d just have to try to think of things to talk about and get back to the safety of her apartment. She waved good-bye to her friends and followed Rick to the Jeep.

  “I liked your church a lot,” he said once they got under way. “Pastor Parks is a good teacher, and I think I could learn a lot under his ministry. I don’t think I need to look any further for a church home. Thanks for inviting me.”

  Belinda wasn’t sure what to say. She loved her church, and their pastor was terrific, but now she’d be seeing Rick at least every Sunday. She wasn’t sure that was such a good idea.

  Chapter 2

  Chattering happily, Andi clung to Rick’s hand as they walked into Pizza Hut. The place was packed, but they only had to wait a few minutes for a table. Rick could tell Belinda was uncomfortable for some reason. She kept glancing around anxiously, as though she were afraid someone would see them together. And while he didn’t consider himself God’s gift to women, he still wasn’t used to a woman acting as though she was half ashamed to be seen with him. He decided whatever it was, it wasn’t as important as enjoying their company.

  Andi immediately got out the crayon she’d been given and began to color her picture. When the waitress came to take their order, Andi looked up at her mother with pleading eyes. “Could I have a breadstick, too, Mommy?”

  Belinda hesitated, and Rick plunged in. “Sure you can, sweetheart.” He ordered a Supreme Pizza with only cheese on one side. When Belinda lifted her eyebrows in astonishment, he grinned. “My nephews refuse to eat pizza with anything but cheese. My brother says all kids are like that.”

  Belinda smiled. “You’re an observant man.”

  “Observant enough to know something is bothering you. Anything I can do to help?”

  A delicate wash of color rose on her cheeks. “I’m fine.”

  “Then why do you keep looking around with an ex-pression of dread on your face?”

  She bit her lip, looked over at Andi’s bent head, then stared down at the table. “Not now,” she said.

  He had to be content with that for the time being, but he intended to bring the subject up again later. Andi’s eyes grew bright when the waitress brought the breadsticks. Rick put one on her plate and was touched to see she wouldn’t eat it until she made sure her mother got to have one too. Then she picked it up and started to put it in her mouth but put it down and bowed her head.

  “Thank You, Jesus, for this food. You know it’s my favorite. Thank You for my new friend, and help Mommy not to be sad. Amen.” She picked up her breadstick again and bit off a piece with a blissful expression on her face.

  Rick smiled at her tenderly. Belinda had done a good job of raising her by herself. He turned to tell her so and found her fighting tears.

  “What’s wrong?” he demanded in a whisper.

  She shook her head and picked up her breadstick. Avoiding his gaze, she bit into it, but he could tell she wouldn’t have known if it was a piece of wood instead of food. Andi chattered happily throughout the meal, but Rick was conscious of Belinda’s tense posture for the whole hour they were in the restaurant. He got up to pay the bill, and when he came back he found an older woman standing at the table talking to Andi and Belinda. Belinda was practically cowering. The woman gave him a brief glance, then swept past him and out the door.

  “Who was that?”

  Andi bounced in her seat. “That was Grandma. Daddy was her little boy. She’s coming to take me for an ice cream tomorrow.”

  “I see.” What he saw was Belinda in an frantic hurry to get out to the Jeep. She was obviously afraid of her mother-in-law for some reason. Belinda must have seen her as soon as they had come into the restaurant. He’d only had a glimpse of the woman, but the steely look in her eyes didn’t seem like enough to send Belinda running for safety. With a wrinkled brow, he puzzled over the situation all the way to the Jeep.

  Belinda’s face was white with strain, and she fumbled with the catch on Andi’s car seat. He gently pushed Belinda out of the way and snapped it into place himself. He shut the back door and took her elbow. “Tell me what’s wrong. Let me help you.”

&
nbsp; “You can’t help,” she whispered. “Please, let’s just go home.”

  He gave an exasperated sigh, but there was nothing he could do. He shrugged and got in the car. Belinda kept her hands tightly clasped in her lap, her gaze staring straight ahead through the short trip home. She practically jumped out of the car and hurried to get Andi out. The little girl was asleep in the backseat.

  “I’ll carry her in,” he said. He gently lifted Andi out and followed Belinda into their apartment. He was pleasantly surprised by the hominess of the apartment. Warm wood contrasted with the deep, rich jewel tones she’d chosen for fabrics. The oriental rug and furniture were obviously cheap, but care had been taken to make it warm and inviting. It looked like a place where he’d like to spend a lot of time. He followed Belinda through the parlor and into Andi’s bedroom.

  She’d taken even more care in decorating her daughter’s room. Winnie the Pooh prints hung on the walls, and a Pooh border brightened the color-washed walls. A rocking chair sat beside the bed, and a small bookcase filled with children’s books showed she’d spent a lot of time reading to Andi. He loved Winnie the Pooh himself. He still remembered his mother reading him stories about Pooh and his friends when he was a child. He put Andi on the bed and pressed a kiss to her forehead, then backed out of the room.

  “Thanks for everything,” Belinda said.

  She shut the bedroom door and went toward the front door, but Rick didn’t follow her. He was determined to find out just what had happened in the restaurant. He sank onto the sofa and, leaning back against the plump cushions, patted the spot beside him.

  “I’m not leaving until you tell me what happened today. Was it your mother-in-law?”

  She perched nervously on the edge of the chair across from him and twisted a curl around her finger. “Yes,” she admitted. “But there’s nothing anyone can do. Alice, Andrew’s mother, owns the title to this place. She’s been threatening to sell it out from under me.”

  “Would she do that to her own granddaughter?”

  “She says that if I don’t have a job, she would be able to get custody of Andi.”

  “Anyone with half an eye can see you’re a terrific mother,” Rick said.

  Belinda sighed. “There’s no way I could take care of Andi if I had to get a regular job. I don’t have any skills, and minimum wage would be the best I could hope for. By the time I paid for day care, there would be nothing left. I’d have to let Alice take Andi.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “When she saw me there with you, she assumed I was dating you. She said she was going to put the business up for sale tomorrow.”

  “Would it help if I called her and explained?”

  Belinda shook her head. “I tried to tell her I’d just met you and invited you to church, but that set her off even worse. She hates religion and thinks I’m warping Andi by taking her to church.”

  “I’m sorry. I feel like this is all my fault.” Rick pulled on his earlobe, a habit he’d had since childhood.

  Belinda attempted a weak smile. “Don’t blame yourself. This has been coming a long time.” She swallowed hard and bit her trembling lip. “I’m sorry for being such a crybaby, but I just don’t know what to do.” She stood to her feet. “Can I get you some iced tea or coffee?”

  Rick shook his head and stood. “No, thanks. I’m going to shove off now.” She walked him to the door, and he put a hand on her shoulder. She laid her hand over his, and the brief contact speeded up his heart. He looked down into her remarkable eyes and wondered why he’d ever thought she was plain. She really was quite lovely. He wanted to kiss her, but he knew she didn’t feel the same way about him—yet. As he got into his Jeep and drove away, he vowed to figure out a way to help her. Someday he wanted to see those eyes light up with joy when she looked at him.

  Belinda sank onto the couch and clutched a pillow to her chest. The tears she’d been holding at bay spilled over onto her cheeks. What was she going to do? Alice was a formidable opponent. She’d never thought Belinda was good enough for Andrew, and now she didn’t think she was fit to raise Andi. It had been a constant struggle since he’d died, and she’d reached the end of her rope.

  “What do I do, Lord? Is my life always going to be one struggle after another?” The tears fell faster.

  The answer came to her heart. Trust Me. She remembered the words to one of her favorite songs. When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart. Gradually, her tears stopped, and she felt a sense of peace. One day at a time. That’s all she had to do. Get through one day at a time. She knew God was building her character, but the pressure was so hard sometimes.

  She glanced at her watch. Nearly two o’clock. She had time to bake some brownies before Andi got up from her nap. She always gravitated to the kitchen in a crisis. There had been plenty of those these last three years, which was probably why those fifteen pounds remained stubbornly attached to her hips.

  She’d just finished sliding the pan of brownies into the oven when the phone rang. Still licking the spoon, she ran to grab it before it woke Andi. For some reason she thought it might be Amanda.

  “Hi there!”

  There was silence on the other end of the line. “Belinda?”

  She gave a tiny gasp. It was Alice, not Amanda. “I’m sorry; I thought it was someone else.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized how her mother-in-law would take it.

  “You were expecting a call from that man.” Her frigid tone dared Belinda to contradict her.

  She tried anyway. “No, of course not. You remember Amanda, Collette, and Dani, don’t you? I thought it might be one of them.”

  “Harump,” Alice said. “Do you really expect me to believe that after what I saw today?”

  “He was just a new customer, Alice. Truly. I don’t really know him at all.” Belinda clutched the phone so tightly her knuckles turned white.

  “If that is actually the case, it won’t be a problem for you not to see him again.” Alice’s husky voice brooked no argument.

  Belinda gripped the phone even tighter. Some spark of defiance raised its head unexpectedly. “I’ll probably see him again occasionally. He liked the church, and he’s a customer.” Her voice trailed off at the gasp of outrage on the other end.

  “If I see you with him again, I’ll have no choice but to sell the business. I can’t have Andi growing up under the influence of another man. I don’t want her to forget who her father is.”

  “I talk to her about Andrew all the time,” Belinda said wearily. “And I’m not interested in marrying anyone else. Rick is just a new friend and a customer.”

  Alice gave a snort. “It’s unlikely he’d be interested in you, anyway. You dress like a frump; you don’t watch your weight; you never do anything with your hair. I don’t know what my son ever saw in you.”

  Personally Belinda had never been sure of that herself. She silently acknowledged the truth of Alice’s hurtful words. Sick from the tension and strife, she took a deep breath. “You’re right, of course. What time did you want Andi tomorrow?”

  Mollified, Alice softened her tone. “About eleven-thirty, I think. We’ll go out to lunch and then to get an ice cream. I have a bridge game at three, so I’ll have her home for her nap by two.”

  “That will be fine.” Belinda just wanted the call to be over. “We’ll look forward to seeing you then.” She hung up the phone with profound relief. It sounded as though Alice wasn’t going to put Timeless Treasures up for sale tomorrow. But with each threat, the reality loomed closer. She just didn’t know what to do.

  The phone rang again just after Andi awakened, and this time it was Amanda. They were only able to talk for a few minutes before Andi had a run-in with the cat, and Belinda had to go play referee. Something was up with her friend, and she wasn’t quite sure what it was. She’d asked about love. Belinda hoped she’d been able to help her. She’d hate to see Amanda make the same mistake she’d made. She’d settled for spark and no security, but from what she’d heard
about Wesley, she was afraid Amanda was about to settle for security and no spark. You needed both, she’d told her.

  The next few days flew by. She tried not to think about what Alice might be planning. She had quite a few people stop by and was beginning to hope her reputation was finally getting around. Another reason for her good mood was that on the last Thursday of the month, Amanda was going to connect with Belinda and Dani through a conference call. And next month they would actually get to hear Collette’s voice as well. She would be in the States next week.

  Thursday morning Belinda was on the ladder hanging light fixtures when the buzzer on the door rang. She was stretched as high as she could reach and could only call out to whomever it was. “I’m in here!” With a grunt, she managed to slip the metal ring over the hook she’d screwed in the ceiling.

  “Can I help?” Rick’s deep voice startled her so much, she wobbled and lost her balance. Her arms flailed out, but she couldn’t regain her equilibrium. She seemed to fall in slow motion and waited for the floor to rise up and smash her. Instead, she felt Rick’s strong arms catch her and hold her tight against his chest. The breath whooshed out of her lungs, and she stared up into his concerned face.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  He made no move to release her, and she was in no hurry to free herself. He had his cowboy hat on again, and he looked incredibly handsome in his black Stetson and turquoise shirt. Her mouth went dry, and suddenly alarmed, she struggled out of his arms. He let go instantly.

  He cleared his throat. “Where’s my girl?”

  “She’s in her room, playing with her doll.”

  “Can you get her? I have a surprise for her.” He looked like an eager little boy.

  “What is it?”

  “It’s a surprise for you, too.”