come. What if you ’ re called to be a part of ushering in some aspect of God ’ s kingdom here on earth by being a Brighton royal? ”
Her heart burned with each of his challenges.
“ You still think of yourself as the scared little girl hiding from her parents while they brought the house down on each other. ”
She nodded, her tears unstoppable. Reverend Smith was hitting on all cylinders today.
“ But God sees a redeemed woman bought by His blood. One with a renewed heart and mind. Susanna, it ’ s extraordinary. He ’ s entrusting you to be a Christian example to people around the world. For such a time as this. Are you sure you want to give it all up to remain that scared little girl? Because I see a woman who broke out of her past, reached for the brass ring, got it, and is now letting fear rob her of her destiny. ”
“ I thought I was over all of that. ” Susanna fell against him, her head resting on his shoulder, sobbing.
“ Sometimes pressure brings up the last of the yucky old residue. ” He slipped his hand into hers, a soft prayer humming from his chest.
She wept for all the hours she ’ d hidden in her closet, pretending it was her magic garden while Mama and Daddy screamed obscenities at one another.
She wept for all the years she waited for Adam Peters, only to find out he wasn ’ t her one true love.
She wept for her soul, her heart, her country, and all she was surrendering for the sake of love.
“ You ’ re saying good-bye to a life you ’ ve known up till now. ” The reverend shoved a worn, soft handkerchief into her hand. “ Press on to what lies ahead, to the upward call of Christ, the apostle Paul told us. And forget what lies behind. Something better awaits you. ”
The reverend ’ s final words cut through every cloud of confusion and a blip of joy smacked her heart.
Susanna sat up, mopping her face with his white hankie. “ I asked the Lord for an answer and He sent me you. ” She smiled, peering at him. “ Thank you, Reverend, thank you. ”
“ Did I help? ”
“ Very much. ” Weird, now that the tears had dried up and the confusion had lifted, she felt so much lighter. Free.
Standing, she dusted the grass and leaves from her jeans. “ I know what I need to do. I only hope it ’ s not too late. ”
N athaniel tossed his suitcase in the master suite of the St. Simons Island cottage. This had been the royal family ’ s American getaway since 1902.
“ Liam, ” he said, jogging down the stairs. “ Let ’ s head to the Rib Shack, see if we can locate Susanna. ” His chief security officer fell in step off of his right shoulder.
They ’ d arrived on the island an hour ago, set up the chief and staffers he ’ d brought along at the Prince and King Hotel before heading for the family cottage.
Listening to their syncopated footfalls scuff over the gravel drive as they made their way toward the SUV, Nathaniel second-guessed his decision to not ring up Susanna with his plans.
He thought to surprise her, but now he wished he ’ d told her he was coming.
Oh, how he missed her, ached to hear her voice, to see her face. Back in Brighton, he had often met her for luncheons and they dined every evening together, spendingweekends touring Brighton ’ s glorious mountain retreats or walking the winter shores.
He was addicted to her being in his life. Living without her would be unbearable. Susanna brought him gifts he hadn ’ t realized he was lacking: ease, courage, and the joy of feeling comfortable in his own skin.
Liam headed down Frederica toward the Rib Shack as Nathaniel stared out his window, Wednesday ’ s soft evening light flickering past.
Being back on the island made him all the more homesick for Susanna.
He prayed that three days had been enough time for her to think. To perhaps miss him. To decide he was worth her everything.
Nathaniel ’ s thoughts came round as Liam turned into the Rib Shack ’ s sand-and-seashell car park.
As he
Her heart burned with each of his challenges.
“ You still think of yourself as the scared little girl hiding from her parents while they brought the house down on each other. ”
She nodded, her tears unstoppable. Reverend Smith was hitting on all cylinders today.
“ But God sees a redeemed woman bought by His blood. One with a renewed heart and mind. Susanna, it ’ s extraordinary. He ’ s entrusting you to be a Christian example to people around the world. For such a time as this. Are you sure you want to give it all up to remain that scared little girl? Because I see a woman who broke out of her past, reached for the brass ring, got it, and is now letting fear rob her of her destiny. ”
“ I thought I was over all of that. ” Susanna fell against him, her head resting on his shoulder, sobbing.
“ Sometimes pressure brings up the last of the yucky old residue. ” He slipped his hand into hers, a soft prayer humming from his chest.
She wept for all the hours she ’ d hidden in her closet, pretending it was her magic garden while Mama and Daddy screamed obscenities at one another.
She wept for all the years she waited for Adam Peters, only to find out he wasn ’ t her one true love.
She wept for her soul, her heart, her country, and all she was surrendering for the sake of love.
“ You ’ re saying good-bye to a life you ’ ve known up till now. ” The reverend shoved a worn, soft handkerchief into her hand. “ Press on to what lies ahead, to the upward call of Christ, the apostle Paul told us. And forget what lies behind. Something better awaits you. ”
The reverend ’ s final words cut through every cloud of confusion and a blip of joy smacked her heart.
Susanna sat up, mopping her face with his white hankie. “ I asked the Lord for an answer and He sent me you. ” She smiled, peering at him. “ Thank you, Reverend, thank you. ”
“ Did I help? ”
“ Very much. ” Weird, now that the tears had dried up and the confusion had lifted, she felt so much lighter. Free.
Standing, she dusted the grass and leaves from her jeans. “ I know what I need to do. I only hope it ’ s not too late. ”
N athaniel tossed his suitcase in the master suite of the St. Simons Island cottage. This had been the royal family ’ s American getaway since 1902.
“ Liam, ” he said, jogging down the stairs. “ Let ’ s head to the Rib Shack, see if we can locate Susanna. ” His chief security officer fell in step off of his right shoulder.
They ’ d arrived on the island an hour ago, set up the chief and staffers he ’ d brought along at the Prince and King Hotel before heading for the family cottage.
Listening to their syncopated footfalls scuff over the gravel drive as they made their way toward the SUV, Nathaniel second-guessed his decision to not ring up Susanna with his plans.
He thought to surprise her, but now he wished he ’ d told her he was coming.
Oh, how he missed her, ached to hear her voice, to see her face. Back in Brighton, he had often met her for luncheons and they dined every evening together, spendingweekends touring Brighton ’ s glorious mountain retreats or walking the winter shores.
He was addicted to her being in his life. Living without her would be unbearable. Susanna brought him gifts he hadn ’ t realized he was lacking: ease, courage, and the joy of feeling comfortable in his own skin.
Liam headed down Frederica toward the Rib Shack as Nathaniel stared out his window, Wednesday ’ s soft evening light flickering past.
Being back on the island made him all the more homesick for Susanna.
He prayed that three days had been enough time for her to think. To perhaps miss him. To decide he was worth her everything.
Nathaniel ’ s thoughts came round as Liam turned into the Rib Shack ’ s sand-and-seashell car park.
As he
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