Page 58 of To Believe In You
Matt wasn’t serious, was he?
The kiss had been memorable, but it didn’t warrant anyone quitting a job. Especially since, aside from their connection to Key of Hope, neither of them had reason to live in Lakeshore.
But what were they going to do? Return to the status quo? Ask Adeline if it was okay for them to date? She pressed her hand to her flaming cheek. The relationship wasn’t serious enough to warrant that, and Adeline was on her honeymoon anyway. By the time her boss returned, perhaps she’d have this figured out.
In the meantime, no sudden moves.
She slid the envelope in her desk drawer and sent Matt a text.Don’t quit just yet.
* * *
Matt parkedon the crumbling asphalt behind Key of Hope. He’d put some extra miles on the Brownmobile this weekend. First, he’d driven down for the wedding. Then, once he’d gotten back to Lakeshore, he’d looked up Lina’s address. The rarity of her name made the search easy, meaning Shane could find it in seconds too—if the man hadn’t already gotten her location from her dad. It was a long shot that Matt might see something and be able to help, but he’d driven by a few times anyway.
The drive, fifteen minutes out and fifteen back to Lakeshore, had given him time to pray about Lina, Shane, and the things Philip had said at the wedding. He couldn’t shake the idea that they hadn’t seen the last of her ex, but in the areas of Awestruck and Lina, he didn’t sense the Lord telling him to hold back.
Lina had been coming in late morning and working into the evening, so around ten thirty a.m., he’d stopped by Key of Hope to check that the place was undisturbed and to leave his resignation.
The thought of his letter brought a smile as he pulled open the back door of the studio.
He’d hoped for more of a reaction when she found it, but at least she’d told him not to quit.
Other teachers and their students occupied the practice rooms as he advanced down the hall. Lina sat at her desk, her brown eyes focused on her laptop. If she’d worn any lipstick today, it had faded, but that was probably for the best. Her lush lips didn’t need the added allure of attention-grabbing colors. Especially when a kid sat in the waiting area.
Instead of lighting up on noticing him, she tilted her head with a guarded smile. “Hey.”
So they wouldn’t be picking up where they’d left off. Nothing good was ever easy, was it?
“Hey yourself.” He continued to the second computer and eyed the buffet next to it. “The weekend wasn’t busy enough for you?”
Lina shrugged. “I like to cook.”
She’d brought food in often enough to prove the claim, but her decision to take the time for her hobby yesterday made him wonder if there wasn’t more to her cooking than enjoyment. Maybe taking care of others distracted her from her own problems.
“Still no sign of Shane?”
“None.” She kept studying him as if … as if he were a sweater she’d purchased, and she had a case of buyer’s remorse.
He dropped into the seat at the second desk and woke the computer.
The screen sighed to life.
“We should talk about the other night,” Lina said.
“Yeah.” He swiveled away from the desk. If the jury was out on him, he’d do what he could to keep it from coming back. “What’d your dad say?”
“Oh.” Her throat shifted with a swallow. “He didn’t call me back. I’m going to try again tonight, after work.”
The front door bumped open, and Matt half-hoped the newcomer would turn out to be Shane. The red-and-yellow bruise on his cheek and alongside his nose must not be striking enough to earn her sympathy, but another run-in might show her the benefit of keeping him around.
But the new arrival was Tim, not Shane. With his crossed arms and glare, the manager appeared equally willing to launch an attack.
Matt swiveled back toward the desk and opened the app to punch in. The night before, Tim hadn’t returned to Lakeshore before Matt left the condo to drive by Lina’s once and report to the office building he cleaned. Normally, he wouldn’t need to put in a shift on a Sunday night, but he’d taken off Friday so he could head to Fox Valley for the wedding. The extra excuse to avoid Tim was a bonus.
The manager could say whatever he wanted about Gannon’s reaction to the fight. Only Gannon, or possibly John, could tell Matt how much of a setback the altercation had really been.
“I hope it was worth it.” Tired amusement carried Tim’s voice as he focused on Lina.
“What?” No doubt, the note of guilt in her voice traced back to their kiss.
