Page 124 of To Believe In You
Finally, the wheels of Matt’s chair rumbled on the hardwood, indicating he had finished.
She swiveled toward him. “Done?” Her voice squeaked.
Matt smirked. “I’m all yours.”
At his earnest tone, a pang shot through her core, anticipation and longing a combustible combination. His smile broadened. The guy knew exactly what he was doing to her.
And she hoped he’d never stop.
“Walk me out?” she asked.
Matt crossed to the coatrack. As he returned with both of their jackets, his posture expressed calm confidence, but his eyes moved constantly as though he harbored real concern that she might be a figment of his imagination.
He helped her into her trench coat, then pulled on his own jacket as they started down the hall. “You were in Maine?”
“I wanted to feel safe. It took going there to realize what I should’ve known all along—I’m always safe with God.”
Matt’s low chuckle seemed incongruent with her statement. Lina glanced into the practice room they were passing. Samantha had turned from her student to wiggle her eyebrows at them and give a thumbs up.
Lina’s face blazed. Whose idea had all the glass been? She stepped into the alcove at the back, exhaling as they finally achieved a bit of privacy. Outside would be even better, but before she gripped the knob on the exit, Matt touched her shoulder.
She turned toward him.
“Youarealways safe with God.” His fingers traced to her elbow, then he let his hand fall to his side.
He may have noticed Samantha’s antics, but he’d been listening, and that reassured her in a way pangs of attraction never could. After the initial fireworks came and went, this kind of real connection would light the way.
“But it’s understandable you needed a reminder,” he continued. “You have been through a lot.”
“Not because anything got past God. He allowed what happened, carried me through, and will use it for good. Someday. Even if I don’t see it now.” She caught herself fidgeting and interlaced her fingers. “How about you? How are you doing?”
He leaned his shoulder into the door frame between the back foyer and the rest of the studio. “I’m good. It’s funny that as soon as I surrendered my death grip on making amends myself, God brought Axel and Nadia here without my involvement. It’s like He was waiting for me to stop trying to take care of everything myself.”
“He does seem to expect us to treat Him like He’s God.” She took a step backward, meaning to lead the way outside.
Matt stayed in place as a laugh rumbled in his throat. “Along those lines, I’ve been talking to Him about you.”
“Oh?” The one syllable was the best she could do.
Matt hooked one hand in his pocket. “You’ve got good reasons to not trust me. Lots of people have broken your trust, including me when I pushed you away after I learned about Axel. You were generous to come back to help me brainstorm.”
“Well, you said …”
He’d written that he loved her, but it seemed inappropriate to put the words in his mouth.
The hardwood creaked as she backed another half-step toward the exit. If this conversation headed where she wanted it to, she’d rather not finish the talk here.
Matt seemed to inventory the growing space between them. Mischief tugged at his mouth and sparkled in his eyes as he maintained his place. “Which one got you to come back, being needed or being loved?”
“Being safe.” She meant to quit there, but she smiled with joy she couldn’t suppress. “And needed. And loved.”
“And what’ll get you to stop running for the closest exit?”
She laughed. “We’re at work, remember?”
“So?”
So there were students and teachers and parents nearby. Sure, the practice and waiting rooms didn’t have a view of the alcove, but anyone moving around the space could catch a glimpse of them.
