Page 65 of To Believe In You
Matt set his fork down, covered his mouth a moment, then slid his fingers under hers, loosely holding her hand. The touch rendered her breath shallow, even before his eyes locked on hers. “Is it possible your grandma had trouble trusting people?”
Lina opened her mouth. Closed it. A breath fluttered in her lungs, stretching wings of mismatched emotions. A desire to defend Grandma. A softening over Matt’s gentleness with her, in voice and touch. And a hope that whatever he said next would shift her perspective and relieve the burden she carried.
“She lost her husband, and that could’ve left a mark.” Matt released her hand to cross his arms on the edge of the table, ignoring his food. “Or maybe, she had trouble believing anyone could live up to the standard your grandpa set, especially when her own son didn’t.”
Lina searched her memories. Grandma had never acted bitter or exacting. “I don’t think that’s fair. And she was right about both Dad and Shane.”
Matt shifted his arms off the table. “If she only got close with you, she held a whole world of people at arm’s length. Being right twice isn’t a good average.”
A whole world of people.
Had Grandma been lonely?
“Don’t get me wrong. She sounds amazing. I’m glad you had her in your life.” Matt picked up his fork. “But don’t judge everyone by Shane’s example. Or by your dad’s.”
If only she could claim she hadn’t, but if he judged her by the same measure he’d used with Grandma, she’d be hard-pressed to prove she let anyone in.
Maybe she should stop using professionalism as an excuse to refuse Adeline’s invitations to friendship. She could also make more of an effort with the acquaintances she’d made at church.
She glanced at their still half-full plates and offered Matt a sheepish smile. “You have a knack for counseling.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time in therapists’ and pastors’ offices this last year.”
He must’ve.
His transformation since getting clean and sober had been so complete, she wouldn’t have recognized him if not for the tattoos when she’d first gone to Visser Landscaping to recruit him. He’d gotten fit, yes, but he’d also changed his attitudes, his priorities, his beliefs.
“The result is pretty impressive.”
Surprise registered on his handsome face, but as the compliment sank in, he gave a smile. “Only by God’s power and grace.”
The same God she knew and followed. Which meant she, too, had hope of transformation.
18
Matt left Lina’s shortly after dinner because the coworker he’d asked to fill in for him at the pizza place could only cover the first part of his shift. He spent the night wishing he could’ve accepted when Lina had invited him to stay for a movie.
At 11:15, he let himself into the condo, ready to go to bed so he could do it all again tomorrow. Dim light reached the entryway.
Tim sat on the couch. When Matt stepped into the living room on his way to the loft, Tim set aside his tablet and slid off his reading glasses. “What was that about?”
“Her parents.”
“This related to the scene at the wedding?”
Unfortunately it was, which meant Tim wouldn’t stop digging until he had the story, likely stepping on Lina’s toes to get it. Better for Matt to tell him.
Tim’s upper lip lifted with distaste as Matt relayed the story. “Okay. Well, she told me how he instigated the fight. I talked with Ray Brandt, and he still wants to hear what you come up with.”
Work with Ray Brandt, an up-and-coming musician, didn’t interest Matt as much as other opportunities. “What about Gannon?” His throat had gone dry, his voice slipping up a couple notches.
“We haven’t talked.” Tim’s focus flicked toward the ceiling. “He said if I call him on his honeymoon, he’ll announce Awestruck’s going country and won’t rescind until he gets back, which will be a week later for every interruption.”
“And that worked?”
Tim’s mouth shrank into an unamused line. “He’d tank tour ticket sales. Anyway, I did talk to John. If you have a song ready, he’ll consider it, but I’ll warn you now, he won’t decide on his own. You’ll also have to talk Gannon into it.”
Matt hadn’t been wondering about who might buy the song, but once he told Tim about his change of heart regarding Awestruck, there would be no taking it back. Still, he hadn’t been able to get his conversation with Philip out of his mind. He wanted to audition.
