Page 41 of Romeo

“Can I ask what’s holding you up with your faith?Feel free to tell me it’s none of my business.I grew up in a household where we shared everything, including questions or comments about our faith.”

I could tell him.

A part of me wants to fully open up and tear down every wall I’ve carefully built, brick by brick.But I can’t stand the thought of him looking at me the way he did when we first met.I meant what I told him—when I open up, people run.

Always.

And that’s even without exposing the darkest of my secrets.

“I just don’t understand how we can be created by a loving God then thrown into a world where we suffer.Look at what happened to my parents, my grandfather?It just doesn’t make sense.”Look at what happened to me,is what I really want to add, but I keep that part locked inside of me.

“I’ve had those same questions.Those same moments where it felt like God was far away.”

“And?”

He takes a deep breath.“‘Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows.But take heart, because I have overcome the world.’John 16:33.”He smiles softly and applies a topcoat to my toes.

“That was one of my grandfather’s favorite verses.”The words hit me square in my chest, a reminder that he truly believed that, when he died, he was going to a better place.Is he there now?Can he see how miserable I am without him?

Truthfully, I hope he can’t see me.Because then he stands a chance at truly experiencing joy.

“We were never promised peace in this world.And, to be honest, I struggled with that for a while, asking myself the same questions you are now.I wish I had a clear-cut answer for you, but I don’t,” Riley continues.“What I can tell you is that, after that day, I realized that even though we will suffer, even though we will face trials, we can also be the light for those who haven’t seen anything but darkness.”

“Is that why you do what you do?With the search and rescue business.”I see it for more than I did at first, understanding now that it’s not ego that drives him to seek out the lost.

He nods.“God placed me in the position I was in so that I could save that woman and her baby.And yeah, that bullet hurt.”He chuckles.“Bad.But He was there with me, arms wrapped around me, shielding me from the death that should’ve taken me that day.”

There are tears in his eyes as he speaks, and it takes one falling down my cheek for me to realize just how hard his words are hitting me.

“One day, there will be peace unlike anything we can ever imagine.”Riley smiles.“And until the day He calls me away from this life, I will fight to be a light in this dark world.Whether it’s bringing joy to moments where there is none or rescuing innocents from the clutches of evil.I will fight until the breath leaves my lungs and share His love with everyone I can in hopes they will seek that same peace I found in what should have been the final moments of my life.”

He places the cap back onto the bottle of topcoat then studies his work, all while I try desperately to find the words to respond.How do I tell him that, even as resistant as I was at first, as hesitant as I’d been to accept his help mere days ago, I feel more at peace in his presence than I have in a long time?

“I knew I could do it.The video made it look a lot harder than it was.”

“Video?”I ask.“You watched a video?”

“Yeah.I needed to see how to do it.”

I continue staring at him even as he gets to his feet and retakes his seat.How is this man, who has faced down death and survived, also gentle and caring?So much so that he’d notice chips in my nail polish and go out of his way to fix them?And not only that, but he even watched a video tutorial so he wouldn’t mess it up.

All while seemingly asking for nothing in return?

“Do you like them?”he asks.

I tear my gaze away and nod, trying hard to blink away more tears that are threatening to fall.“They look great.I think you have a real fallback career if the heroics don’t pan out.”

He laughs.“Good to know.Now, if you give me your hands, I’ll do those too.This is kind of fun.”

Chapter16

Riley

“You’re not telling me where we’re going.Why?”Jules asks as we climb into the utility vehicle parked just outside of my garage.Romeo jumps into the back, tongue hanging out, tail wagging, ready to explore.

Jules’s eyes are wide—untrusting.“I just thought you could use some fresh air.Tucker’s still doing some digging on the contract, so I thought it might do you some good to get out and see a bit more of the ranch.I find it always perks up my mood.”

“Oh, okay.”She relaxes.“That actually sounds great.”

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