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Authors: Karen Kingsbury
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best thing that ever happened to you, Jade Conner. And don’t you forget it. Give me a call when you change your mind.”
Jim still called now and then, but Jade had the feeling he was giving up on her. He wasn’t a bad guy, really. Just shallow and self-centered, and the thought of being married to him made Jade nauseous.
She stretched and forced Jim’s face from her mind.
No, Tanner hadn’t looked at her the way Jim Rudolph had. Tanner saw straight into her soul. But he was also attending one of the finest universities in the country with plans to be elected to public office. He had a wonderful family, more money than she would ever see, and a future brimming with possibilities.
Whatever came of them this summer, it would not amount to more than friendship. Tanner deserved someone like himself.
And she … well, maybe her father was right. Maybe shedeserved someone like … like Jim.
If that were true, Jim had been right that day in the sporting goods store. Because she would rather live alone till the day she died than marry Jim Rudolph.
S even
I T STARTED WITH EVENING WALKS ALONG THE C OWLITZ R IVER and up the trails through Tam O’Ashanter Park and quickly progressed to dinner every night that week. They ordered pizza and watched a baseball game at Tanner’s apartment. Another time they ate at a Chinese restaurant and flew kites on a bluff overlooking the banks of the Cowlitz River.
By the end of that first week, Jade hoped the summer would never end.
Most couples spending this kind of time together would have considered themselves dating. But Tanner had not looked at her again the way he had that first night, after the town meeting. He did phone her every day when he was finished at the office and seemed happy to spend time with her. But then, she was the only person in town he knew. Nothing in his manner or words gave her any indication that he desired more than friendship from her. He didn’t seem to think of her in a romantic sense, and Jade was glad. What could possibly come of it?
They lived in worlds separated by three thousand miles and a chasm of time too great to bridge.
Even so, Jade was enjoying herself immensely. She was surprised at how freeing it felt to spend evenings away from home. By the time she got home each night, her father was asleep, and she would creep to her room unnoticed. No yelling or threatening or accusations.
No one telling her she was an idiot.
It was Friday evening, and again Jade and Tanner had plans to be together after work. They met in front of his apartment just after six. Tanner greeted her with a hug and a bag of sub sandwiches. “Joe’s Deli?”
“Mmm. Good choice.”
“The supervisors said I couldn’t go wrong at Joe’s.”
Jade followed him inside. “The supervisors … ah, yes. My favorite people. At least they’re good for something.”
He flipped on a light, pulled out two paper plates, and set them on the table. “How’s Shaunie?”
Jade wasn’t used to someone asking about her day. Three days ago the question would have made her suspicious, but now she smiled as she sat down at the table. “The infection’s gone. So far her tests look good. She might be able to go home tomorrow.”
Tanner sat down across from her and peeled the wrappers off two subs. “Pray?”
Jade nodded and quickly bowed her head. Tanner had prayed often that week—over every meal and sometimes after spending an evening talking. Just to let God in on the conversation, he’d told her.
When he was done, he caught her gaze. “You care about her, don’t you?”
“Shaunie?” It was wonderful talking with someone who so easily read her mind. “Yes … like she was my own daughter.”
Tanner took a bite. “Think you’ll have a daughter one day? Kids?”
“I don’t know.” She glanced down at her plate where the sandwich looked suddenly wilted.
Tanner set his food down and leaned back in his chair. He studied her in silence for a moment then
Jim still called now and then, but Jade had the feeling he was giving up on her. He wasn’t a bad guy, really. Just shallow and self-centered, and the thought of being married to him made Jade nauseous.
She stretched and forced Jim’s face from her mind.
No, Tanner hadn’t looked at her the way Jim Rudolph had. Tanner saw straight into her soul. But he was also attending one of the finest universities in the country with plans to be elected to public office. He had a wonderful family, more money than she would ever see, and a future brimming with possibilities.
Whatever came of them this summer, it would not amount to more than friendship. Tanner deserved someone like himself.
And she … well, maybe her father was right. Maybe shedeserved someone like … like Jim.
If that were true, Jim had been right that day in the sporting goods store. Because she would rather live alone till the day she died than marry Jim Rudolph.
S even
I T STARTED WITH EVENING WALKS ALONG THE C OWLITZ R IVER and up the trails through Tam O’Ashanter Park and quickly progressed to dinner every night that week. They ordered pizza and watched a baseball game at Tanner’s apartment. Another time they ate at a Chinese restaurant and flew kites on a bluff overlooking the banks of the Cowlitz River.
By the end of that first week, Jade hoped the summer would never end.
Most couples spending this kind of time together would have considered themselves dating. But Tanner had not looked at her again the way he had that first night, after the town meeting. He did phone her every day when he was finished at the office and seemed happy to spend time with her. But then, she was the only person in town he knew. Nothing in his manner or words gave her any indication that he desired more than friendship from her. He didn’t seem to think of her in a romantic sense, and Jade was glad. What could possibly come of it?
They lived in worlds separated by three thousand miles and a chasm of time too great to bridge.
Even so, Jade was enjoying herself immensely. She was surprised at how freeing it felt to spend evenings away from home. By the time she got home each night, her father was asleep, and she would creep to her room unnoticed. No yelling or threatening or accusations.
No one telling her she was an idiot.
It was Friday evening, and again Jade and Tanner had plans to be together after work. They met in front of his apartment just after six. Tanner greeted her with a hug and a bag of sub sandwiches. “Joe’s Deli?”
“Mmm. Good choice.”
“The supervisors said I couldn’t go wrong at Joe’s.”
Jade followed him inside. “The supervisors … ah, yes. My favorite people. At least they’re good for something.”
He flipped on a light, pulled out two paper plates, and set them on the table. “How’s Shaunie?”
Jade wasn’t used to someone asking about her day. Three days ago the question would have made her suspicious, but now she smiled as she sat down at the table. “The infection’s gone. So far her tests look good. She might be able to go home tomorrow.”
Tanner sat down across from her and peeled the wrappers off two subs. “Pray?”
Jade nodded and quickly bowed her head. Tanner had prayed often that week—over every meal and sometimes after spending an evening talking. Just to let God in on the conversation, he’d told her.
When he was done, he caught her gaze. “You care about her, don’t you?”
“Shaunie?” It was wonderful talking with someone who so easily read her mind. “Yes … like she was my own daughter.”
Tanner took a bite. “Think you’ll have a daughter one day? Kids?”
“I don’t know.” She glanced down at her plate where the sandwich looked suddenly wilted.
Tanner set his food down and leaned back in his chair. He studied her in silence for a moment then
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