“Are you asking me out on a regular date that has nothing to do with the Miller project?”
“Yep, any objections?” He held his breath.
The corners of her mouth turned up, and that delightful dimple appeared. “You’re game for anything? ”
“Uh-oh, what have I opened myself up to?”
“Nope, you’ve done it now. You said I could choose what we do. I’ll have to come up with some fiendishly unpleasant plan.” The dimple in her cheek flashed again, and her dark eyes sparkled with good humor.
“Come along and repent of those intentions.” He tugged at her hand and drew her down to the pew where the Millers waited. “And I thought all this time you were a good Christian girl I could take home to Mother.”
“Oh, I am,” she said primly. “But even good Christian girls have depths you never dreamed of.”
“I’m beginning to find that out,” he said with a grin.
Barbara Miller greeted Callie with a cry of delight. Nick sat on the end of the pew so he could get out to sing. Callie chatted softly to Barbara until the pianist began to play the opening hymn.
“Pray for the Millers,” Callie murmured to Nick. “They really need the Lord.”
“I’ve already started,” he whispered back. He rubbed his slick hands against his pants leg. His special was the first one and would be right after the opening hymn. He hoped the words would touch hearts more than his poor voice could. As nervous as he was, he would be lucky if he could croak it out.
The music minister cleared his throat. “Nick Darling is new to our area, but he has a great heart for God. He’s going to sing for us this morning. I heard him practicing, and you are in for a real treat.”
Callie’s eyes widened as Nick rose. Approaching the platform, he prayed he wouldn’t forget the words and that the Millers especially might be touched by them.
The accompaniment music started, and his butterflies were swept away with his passion for the song. He’d chosen a Twila Paris number called “Could You Believe?” It talked about living a Christian life instead of mouthing the words. Nick was convicted the first time he’d heard it. That’s what he wanted in his life—for others to see Christ, not Nick Darling. He sang with all the desire in his heart to walk true to God.
Callie had tears in her eyes as he made his way back to the pew. He slid in beside her, and she squeezed his hand.
“It appears there are hidden depths to you as well,” she said softly.
§
A real date. Through church Callie mulled it over in her mind. Did she dare expose herself to the danger of heartache? Nick didn’t seem the playboy type, but she’d been fooled before. And even if he wasn’t the kind to break her heart deliberately, if he quit the Miller project in a huff, his pride would cause him to turn away from her. This project was one he’d worked for long and hard. And she had been thrust into the middle of it. She could back off and tell the Millers to choose another interior designer, but it would mean giving up the project that might really launch her into the stratosphere of the New York design world. She wasn’t sure she was that unselfish.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He was full of surprises. First the cowboy stuff and now the singing. His rich baritone had filled the church and made her think of her own walk. She had invited the Millers to church with a sincere desire to win them. Was she now thinking of them only as a means to her own ends? The truth cut like a spine from a teddy bear cholla. She resolved to put her own ambition and striving behind her. God had put these folks in her path for His purposes, not her own.
After church her grandmother stood and smiled in a way Callie had grown to distrust. Full of innocence, she smiled up at Nick. “Nicky dear, would you like to come to lunch? I’ve invited the Millers as well, but they say they are meeting with their builder. You don’t have any other plans, do
“Yep, any objections?” He held his breath.
The corners of her mouth turned up, and that delightful dimple appeared. “You’re game for anything? ”
“Uh-oh, what have I opened myself up to?”
“Nope, you’ve done it now. You said I could choose what we do. I’ll have to come up with some fiendishly unpleasant plan.” The dimple in her cheek flashed again, and her dark eyes sparkled with good humor.
“Come along and repent of those intentions.” He tugged at her hand and drew her down to the pew where the Millers waited. “And I thought all this time you were a good Christian girl I could take home to Mother.”
“Oh, I am,” she said primly. “But even good Christian girls have depths you never dreamed of.”
“I’m beginning to find that out,” he said with a grin.
Barbara Miller greeted Callie with a cry of delight. Nick sat on the end of the pew so he could get out to sing. Callie chatted softly to Barbara until the pianist began to play the opening hymn.
“Pray for the Millers,” Callie murmured to Nick. “They really need the Lord.”
“I’ve already started,” he whispered back. He rubbed his slick hands against his pants leg. His special was the first one and would be right after the opening hymn. He hoped the words would touch hearts more than his poor voice could. As nervous as he was, he would be lucky if he could croak it out.
The music minister cleared his throat. “Nick Darling is new to our area, but he has a great heart for God. He’s going to sing for us this morning. I heard him practicing, and you are in for a real treat.”
Callie’s eyes widened as Nick rose. Approaching the platform, he prayed he wouldn’t forget the words and that the Millers especially might be touched by them.
The accompaniment music started, and his butterflies were swept away with his passion for the song. He’d chosen a Twila Paris number called “Could You Believe?” It talked about living a Christian life instead of mouthing the words. Nick was convicted the first time he’d heard it. That’s what he wanted in his life—for others to see Christ, not Nick Darling. He sang with all the desire in his heart to walk true to God.
Callie had tears in her eyes as he made his way back to the pew. He slid in beside her, and she squeezed his hand.
“It appears there are hidden depths to you as well,” she said softly.
§
A real date. Through church Callie mulled it over in her mind. Did she dare expose herself to the danger of heartache? Nick didn’t seem the playboy type, but she’d been fooled before. And even if he wasn’t the kind to break her heart deliberately, if he quit the Miller project in a huff, his pride would cause him to turn away from her. This project was one he’d worked for long and hard. And she had been thrust into the middle of it. She could back off and tell the Millers to choose another interior designer, but it would mean giving up the project that might really launch her into the stratosphere of the New York design world. She wasn’t sure she was that unselfish.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He was full of surprises. First the cowboy stuff and now the singing. His rich baritone had filled the church and made her think of her own walk. She had invited the Millers to church with a sincere desire to win them. Was she now thinking of them only as a means to her own ends? The truth cut like a spine from a teddy bear cholla. She resolved to put her own ambition and striving behind her. God had put these folks in her path for His purposes, not her own.
After church her grandmother stood and smiled in a way Callie had grown to distrust. Full of innocence, she smiled up at Nick. “Nicky dear, would you like to come to lunch? I’ve invited the Millers as well, but they say they are meeting with their builder. You don’t have any other plans, do
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