Page 71 of To Believe In You
“It’s not up to them.”
“Who’s it up to?”
“You.” Tim still held his head in his hands, preventing Matt from seeing his mouth move.
He thought he’d heard the word clearly, but what had Tim done to him? The worst Matt could accuse him of was enabling him during his run with Awestruck. He’d done so much good for Matt since then, building bridges when the time came to make amends. He’d gotten him the job at Key of Hope, was letting him live at his place rent-free.
“You don’t owe me anything.”
Tim lowered his hands and lifted his bloodshot eyes.
Matt’s abs hardened against the coming blow. “What did you do?”
“Nadia.” His voice was hoarse.
Her image sprang to life in Matt’s mind. She’d been petite and energetic and always up for an adventure. Until one day, she’d changed her number, deleted her social media profiles, and disappeared.
Awestruck had been new to fame back then. They’d traveled almost constantly, met by bigger and bigger crowds, more and more enthusiasm. The hurry helped treat the heartbreak, but in quiet moments, Matt had been miserable, trying to figure out what he’d done to cause her to leave so abruptly.
Growing up, he’d often felt like he didn’t measure up to the standard Pete set. Nadia’s rejection had confirmed his shortcomings once again. Since the wound had been there all along, it had probably only been a matter of time until he turned to all the wrong things to treat it. In fact, the things he’d done with Nadia—heavy drinking, sex—had been the start of self-medicating.
Self-destructing.
Matt pulled himself back to the present. “You scared her off?”
Tim nodded.
Made enough sense. Before her, Matt had behaved pretty much like Gannon and John. If Tim saw Matt starting to lose his moral compass, he might’ve assumed Matt would clean up without his partner in crime.
Though losing Nadia had hurt incredibly, it was part of his story now. A story God had worked for good. “That was a long time ago. I don’t hold it against you.”
“Gannon was a lot rasher back then. He would’ve had your head, and I couldn’t have everything we worked so hard for disintegrate.”
“I understand. I forgive you.” Now if only Matt’s absolution would leave Tim hungry for reconciliation with God too.
“No.” Tim shook his head, a small, ongoing movement. “I haven’t told you yet.”
“Whatever it is, Tim—”
He held up a silencing hand, face skewed as though he’d just as soon double over with nausea as speak. “She was pregnant.”
* * *
Earlier in September,the Lakeshore coffee shop had released an apple crisp latte, and Lina was hooked. Unfortunately, with fall color in full swing, so was the autumn tourist season. She waited for two middle-aged couples and a family with tween children to order before taking her own turn at the register.
The drink would be a while. She settled by the cream and sugar station. Though she generally didn’t work on Sundays, checking notifications in social media apps passed a few minutes until the people in front of her had been served. Shouldn’t be much longer now. She glanced toward the windows, where sunshine highlighted the passing pedestrians. A man wearing sunglasses paused outside the coffee shop window. He sure looked like—
The barista called her name, and her attention flitted toward the counter before returning to the man outside. He’d resumed his course, weaving around others so Lina didn’t get a clear view of his face before he was gone from the window entirely.
He’d resembled Shane, but she was imagining things.
Right?
After collecting her drink, she cast another look toward the windows. No sign of the man.
Reminding herself of the things she’d said to reassure Matt about her safety, she stepped up to the glass and peered down the street. Not only did she not see the man, but she’d parked a quarter block in the opposite direction from the way he had been walking. In the unlikely scenario Shane was out there, at least there were lots of witnesses. She could get to her car, drive home, pull straight into the garage, shut the door behind her, then go into the locked house.
That’d be safe enough.
