Read Online Winter Winds by Gayle Roper - Free Book Online Page B

began to curve Phil’s lips. “Does Pop know? Because if he doesn’t, I want to be there when you tell him. That way I can bind up your wounds when he realizes you’re the reason his baby girl left home.”
    “He knows I love her, but I never told him we were married.” Trev didn’t know if Dori had said anything, but he doubted it. Surely Pop would have indicated he knew, wouldn’t he? “In fact, I’ve never told anyone but Dr. Quentin until right now, not even the elders at the chapel.”
    Phil looked at him strangely. “You never told anyone at all?”
    “It’s sort of awkward to say, ‘I’m married, but my wife left me three days after our wedding.’ ”
    “Yeah.” Phil nodded. “I see your point. But what’s going to happen if men like Jonathan Warrington find out? He’s not the sort to take news like this lying down.”
    Trev shuddered mentally. To say Jonathan Warrington was an elder of strong opinions was much like saying a cheetah was an animal that liked to run. Jonathan didn’t hesitate to use his position to unleash lethal attacks any more than the cheetah debated using his speed to overpower a weaker animal.
    “And then there’s Angie.” Phil was laughing now. “Whoa, baby, are you in trouble, Trev.”
    “Shut up, Phil.” Trev spoke without heat. Poor Angie. She’d had a bad crush on him ever since he came to the chapel two and a half years ago, straight from seminary. She was a nice person, cute, amazingly pleasant considering that Jonathan Warrington was her father. She was a college senior this year, and she clearly saw herself as a wonderful candidate for pastor’s wife.
    When Phil cocked his head and looked at him with narrowed eyes, Trev braced himself.
    “Is this marriage why you haven’t been willing to take the pastor’s position permanently? Does it make you feel unqualified?”
    Trev leaned back against the wall again and stared at his crossed ankles for a long minute. Phil was touching on a very thorny issue, one about which he knew there would be much debate if his situation were known. And it should be that way. A pastor’s marriage was a key issue in his suitability for the job.
    “Yes, I’m married, but I haven’t lived with my wife for sixyears,” was hardly the answer any church board would want to hear from a candidate for their pulpit.
    “When they asked me to come to the chapel over two years ago,” Trev said, “it was basically for the summer. Their former pastor had left rather abruptly, and they were caught with the summer season coming and no minister. I came with the idea of being there three, four months. What I would do at the end of that time, I wasn’t sure. Probably make use of my undergraduate degree in business somehow.”
    “That’s right,” Phil said. “Back before you got religion, you were going to be a very rich businessman.”
    Trev shrugged. “What can I say? I was young and immature. I thought money was the way to happiness.”
    “Then you found true love and lasting happiness.” Phil’s smile was sad.
    “Then I found Christ and true happiness,” Trev corrected.
    “And Seaside Chapel.”
    Trev nodded. “Every couple of months in the two and a half years I’ve been there, the elders ask me to take the job permanently, but I can’t. How can I be a pastor with a marriage like mine, and how can I ever explain the situation? Maybe I’m splitting hairs. I don’t know. All I know is that my conscience allows me to be the interim but not the permanent pastor.”
    “You’re as good as permanent, bro. I don’t see them looking for anyone else to fill the pulpit.”
    “I don’t either.” Trev couldn’t decide whether he was pleased about this or not. It was a compliment that the people of Seaside felt blessed by his ministry, but Phil was right. It might as well be a permanent thing. He’d have to prod the elders to look for someone else.
    “And I don’t think they will look, Trev. You’ve done too good a job. The