She wanted to feel different. Maybe a change in the way she looked would do the trick and help her put the past behind her.
When they pulled into Addy and Nick’s driveway, Melody jumped out of the car and raced to the front porch to give Addy a hug. She hadn’t seen her friend since her wedding. Taking in Addy’s beautiful, long, blond hair and glowing green eyes, Melody smirked at her. “Someone sure looks happy.”
Addy bit her bottom lip and giggled. “Being married is a lot of fun.”
The tall, thin woman with bright red hair clipped in the shortest, spikiest hairstyle Melody had ever seen extended her hand. “You must be Melody. I’m Val, Addy’s roommate from college.”
Addy moved her eyebrows up and down. “I hear we’re doing a bit of a makeover on someone today.” Melody giggled, a sound she never thought would come from her own lips. “Believe it or not, I’m going to let you.”
Addy clapped her hands then brushed her fingers through Melody’s hair. She looked at her friend, Val. “With her dark hair and eyes, she’d be beautiful in yellow. Don’t you think, Val? I’ve always wanted to wear yellow, but I’m too fair.”
“Oh, and soft pink. She’ll look gorgeous,” Val added.
Melody felt dizzy as they led her to Gracie’s car. “What were we going shopping for to begin with?” she asked as the three women continued to talk about the colors Melody should wear.
“Sweetie, we were going to try to make you over all along.” Gracie smacked the top of the steering wheel. “We thought it would be a battle, but you’re already willing. Wonders never cease.”
“Amen, sister.” Addy lifted her hand for Gracie to give her a high five.
“God is always working, even with the small stuff,” Val added.
Melody’s body stiffened. It was always about God with these people in River Run. Even with Addy’s friend it was about God. She didn’t need God, and He definitely wasn’t involved in the small stuff.
She closed her eyes. She wouldn’t let the little comments ruin her day. She needed a change—something to get her mind off her past. She’d enjoy acting like a girl. For today anyway.
As they did at least once a month, Drew’s parents invited Roy and Renee, Nick and Addy, and Melody to their house for a cookout. He’d felt anxious about seeing Melody again. She’d seemed pressed on his heart all week. The girl needed Jesus. It was as obvious as a car’s need for gas. Today, Drew was determined to keep the peace with the woman and be a good witness to her.
Roy and Renee pulled into the driveway. Drew could hardly believe his eyes when Melody stepped out of the car. She didn’t even look like herself. Her hair cascaded like a waterfall almost all the way to her stomach on one side. Even from a distance, he could see long dark eyelashes framing chocolate-colored eyes. She wore a light pink sundress and carried a small purse in her left hand. Even at the wedding, she hadn’t carried any kind of purse.
The woman was a vision. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind since Sunday, having felt her inner struggle with God. Now, he’d never be able to get how beautiful she was out of his head either.
“Do you need some help carrying anything?” Drew hollered to Renee.
“Come get the deviled eggs,” she called back.
Drew nodded to Melody as he walked past her to the car. She held a dessert in one hand, probably Renee’s homemade blackberry cobbler, and a bowl of coleslaw in the other. He grabbed the eggs from the car and shut the door.
Roy nudged Drew with his elbow. “She’s awful pretty all dolled up like that, ain’t she?”
Drew lifted his eyebrows. “She sure is.”
He followed Roy into the house and placed the eggs on the table. Sitting beside his new brother-in-law, Nick, in the great room, he tried to watch the baseball game on television, but his gaze kept wandering to the women gathered around the kitchen counters.
He believed Melody even had a
When they pulled into Addy and Nick’s driveway, Melody jumped out of the car and raced to the front porch to give Addy a hug. She hadn’t seen her friend since her wedding. Taking in Addy’s beautiful, long, blond hair and glowing green eyes, Melody smirked at her. “Someone sure looks happy.”
Addy bit her bottom lip and giggled. “Being married is a lot of fun.”
The tall, thin woman with bright red hair clipped in the shortest, spikiest hairstyle Melody had ever seen extended her hand. “You must be Melody. I’m Val, Addy’s roommate from college.”
Addy moved her eyebrows up and down. “I hear we’re doing a bit of a makeover on someone today.” Melody giggled, a sound she never thought would come from her own lips. “Believe it or not, I’m going to let you.”
Addy clapped her hands then brushed her fingers through Melody’s hair. She looked at her friend, Val. “With her dark hair and eyes, she’d be beautiful in yellow. Don’t you think, Val? I’ve always wanted to wear yellow, but I’m too fair.”
“Oh, and soft pink. She’ll look gorgeous,” Val added.
Melody felt dizzy as they led her to Gracie’s car. “What were we going shopping for to begin with?” she asked as the three women continued to talk about the colors Melody should wear.
“Sweetie, we were going to try to make you over all along.” Gracie smacked the top of the steering wheel. “We thought it would be a battle, but you’re already willing. Wonders never cease.”
“Amen, sister.” Addy lifted her hand for Gracie to give her a high five.
“God is always working, even with the small stuff,” Val added.
Melody’s body stiffened. It was always about God with these people in River Run. Even with Addy’s friend it was about God. She didn’t need God, and He definitely wasn’t involved in the small stuff.
She closed her eyes. She wouldn’t let the little comments ruin her day. She needed a change—something to get her mind off her past. She’d enjoy acting like a girl. For today anyway.
As they did at least once a month, Drew’s parents invited Roy and Renee, Nick and Addy, and Melody to their house for a cookout. He’d felt anxious about seeing Melody again. She’d seemed pressed on his heart all week. The girl needed Jesus. It was as obvious as a car’s need for gas. Today, Drew was determined to keep the peace with the woman and be a good witness to her.
Roy and Renee pulled into the driveway. Drew could hardly believe his eyes when Melody stepped out of the car. She didn’t even look like herself. Her hair cascaded like a waterfall almost all the way to her stomach on one side. Even from a distance, he could see long dark eyelashes framing chocolate-colored eyes. She wore a light pink sundress and carried a small purse in her left hand. Even at the wedding, she hadn’t carried any kind of purse.
The woman was a vision. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind since Sunday, having felt her inner struggle with God. Now, he’d never be able to get how beautiful she was out of his head either.
“Do you need some help carrying anything?” Drew hollered to Renee.
“Come get the deviled eggs,” she called back.
Drew nodded to Melody as he walked past her to the car. She held a dessert in one hand, probably Renee’s homemade blackberry cobbler, and a bowl of coleslaw in the other. He grabbed the eggs from the car and shut the door.
Roy nudged Drew with his elbow. “She’s awful pretty all dolled up like that, ain’t she?”
Drew lifted his eyebrows. “She sure is.”
He followed Roy into the house and placed the eggs on the table. Sitting beside his new brother-in-law, Nick, in the great room, he tried to watch the baseball game on television, but his gaze kept wandering to the women gathered around the kitchen counters.
He believed Melody even had a
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