A Bride Worth Waiting For by Jeanie Smith Cash

headed up to his room he was tired and his bed would look pretty good right about now. But first he had to pray. “ Thank you, Lord for helping me to find Bethany, for being with us tonight and for watching over her. Please heal her knee and her concussion. This could have been a whole lot worse if not for your watch care over us. I love you, Lord. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
    The next morning Cole went down to talk to Elizabeth. He wanted to see how Bethany had fared through the night.
    “Good morning.” Cole found Elizabeth in the kitchen baking cinnamon rolls. “Umm, those smell wonderful. I just came down to see how Bethany did through the night before we leave for church.”
    “I talked to her a few minutes ago and she was sitting up on the sofa enjoying the fire. She said she slept pretty well, that Carla had brought her some crackers and milk along with a pain pill about two o’clock this morning.”
    “It’s nice to have friends.” Cole accepted the warm cinnamon roll and cup of coffee Elizabeth handed to him. “Thank you. I figured they’d take good care of her.”
    “Yes, I assure you they will or I wouldn’t have left her. Those girls have been friends since they were in grammar school. I told Bethany I’d send up some of these with Mack, but maybe you’d like to take them instead.” She smiled. “I’ll see you at Church; the girls are going to stay with Bethany.”
    “Okay and thanks Elizabeth, for the rolls and coffee. I’ll take these up right now.” Cole took the plate of warm cinnamon rolls and headed up to Bethany’s room. He’d stay a few minutes and still be back downstairs in time to meet the guys to go to church. Afterwards Shane and Carl had to catch their flight back home. Cole would go with Chancelor, Scott and Hunter, to see them off and then they planned to go into Incline Village for awhile. Maybe he’d get Bethany some flowers and take them up to her when he got back later.
    Cole knocked on Bethany’s door and Carla answered.
    “Good morning, Cole. Come on in. Umm those cinnamon rolls smell wonderful.” Carla closed the door behind him “Sit down, how about a cup of coffee?”
    “Cole sat the rolls on the table and took the chair across form Bethany. She had her knee propped up on a pillow that was sitting on the coffee table. “That’s sounds good, Carla thanks. How are you doing this morning, Darlin?” Cole wanted to take hold of Bethany’s hand, but he resisted. She’d held his hand last night, but he wasn’t sure if that only had to do with the circumstances and he didn’t want to do anything to make her uncomfortable. Obviously the number of times she’d brought out the Peanut M&M’s when she’d been around him, he hadn’t been successful in making her feel comfortable in the past. He hoped to be able to change that in the future. He spent just a few minutes visiting with Bethany and her friends and then walked over to the small kitchen and placed his cup into the sink. “Thank you for the coffee. I’d better go so I won’t be late for Church. I’m glad you feel like being up this morning, Bethany. Is there anything you want from town?”
    “Not that I can think of, but thank you.”
    I’ll come up and check on you when I get back. If you need anything before then please call my cell phone.” He handed her his business card. “Take it easy today, okay?”
    “I will, and thank you for coming by, Cole. I’ll see you this evening.”
    He nodded, opened the door and walked out closing it softly behind him.

 
    Chapter Eight
     
    Cole and his friends spent the afternoon at Incline Village. Just before they left to go back to the lodge, they stopped at the florist and picked up the bouquet of long stemmed pink roses with baby’s breath, Cole had, had made up for Bethany earlier in the day. He’d also purchased a vase at one of the stores as they’d wandered around for her to put them in.
    “You’ve got it bad, Bud,” Chancelor said when Cole