Page 141 of Doyle

Oh,he was handsome when he was standing in her way.

Her mother’s voice softened. “Darling. I loved Edward. But we both know that he didn’t make your heart sing. He wasn’t your One. You need someone who sees you the way God does—for the passionate, brave, determined woman you are—who stands up to you, and who makes you feel safe and cherished.”

“Please, trust me.”

Ugh,now he’d sat down in her brain. After she’d worked so hard to forget him.

Right.

“Has it occurred to you that God made you two for each other, knowing you’d need each other?”

She met her mother’s gaze. “No, it hasn’t.”

A beat.

“Because?”

“Because God doesn’t... He doesn’t really... I mean, I’m not important to Him. He doesn’t...”

“Oh, I see. You think because God rescued Penny, He’s forgotten you?”

She lifted a shoulder.

“Darling. If you were the one sheep lost, He’d leave the rest to find you. He has not forgotten you.”

“I just haven’t ever, you know, wanted to need God. I just figured He wouldn’t hear me even if I called out to Him.”

“You really believe that?”

“I don’t know.”

“Interesting. Or maybe you just don’t recognize when you have needed Him. Or called out to Him.” She folded her arms. “God knows what you need even before you ask. We ask because that puts us in a place of surrender, even expectancy, watching for Him to show up. But He goes before us every single day, saving us from things we have no idea about. Because that’s what love does.”

Tia looked out the window. “And when He doesn’t?”

“Then He’s giving us the opportunity to need Him a different way. If you never have problems, you miss the grace of God showing up.” She leaned back. “None of us want to be in the place where we are over our heads, when all we have is God, but frankly, it’s the safest place to be.”

She stood up. “If you really want to trust God, let Him be in charge of your heart. Love isn’t safe. It’s terrifying and freeing and—what was it?—oh. It sweeps you off your feet.”

“Seriously.” But Tia grinned.

Her mother winked. “I’m off to learn how to serve, again. Good luck on your presentation.”

Her presentation. She checked her watch.Oops.

Forty minutes later, when Tia pulled up, Penny was waiting outside the café, dressed in a summer dress and sandals, wearing a jean jacket, texting. She looked up and grinned, her dark hair in a braid down her back. She looked tanned despite her too-many hours in an ice arena.

She gave Tia a hug.

“I’ve never been here,” Tia said as Penny opened the door. Twinkle lights and café tables and a shelf of used books. The scent of baked cookies filled the room.

“Ironclad Desserts.”

“I thought we were having lunch.”

“We’re havinginspiration.” Penny walked to the counter, spoke to the server. “Hey, Marcie, I need a Peanut Butter Panache and a Twilight Temptation. As Conrad would put it?—

stat.”

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