refusal? If they talked, he’d get off his chest whatever he still wanted to say and leave her be. Leave her be? Strangely, the idea left her lonely.
“Okay. For a few minutes, but I’m not sure this is the place. I’d hate for gossip—”
“It’s been a long time, Christie. Most of these people don’t even realize we know each other.”
The truth of his words made her smile. “I suppose you’re right.”
She moved into step with him, and they followed the park’s path toward the old lighthouse. A summer breeze blew off Lake Michigan, and through the trees, Christie could see the sun sprinkle the lake with fairy dust. A perfect day.
Feeling Patrick beside her, a sense of déjà vu permeated her. She and Patrick had walked this same path years earlier when they’d come back to Lovingfor visits with their folks. She loved the peace and the feel of history lingering around the old Loving Light. Her hair ruffled in the wind, and she brushed it back, drawing in the scent of sun and lake.
Farther along, Patrick headed for a bench spattered with sunlight and shade. She followed, and they settled on the rough boards facing the water, neither speaking. She clung to the silence, enjoying the July heat and a strange inward warmth. Resolve. Perhaps they would settle the inner turmoil and get on with their lives.
She sidled a look at Patrick, his strong classic profile and dark hair creating a deep ache within her. Times had been so good back then. Christie bit back the desire to ask him why he was so quiet when he’d come here to talk.
“Don’t be angry if I tell you how nice it is to sit beside you again,” Patrick said, out of the blue.
The sound of his voice jolted the silence. She wanted to tell him she felt the same, but she swallowed the words. “It’s a lovely day” was all she said.
He shifted toward her, his face thoughtful. “Life hasn’t been easy for either of us. I know it hasn’t been for me.”
Christie wanted to tell him how difficult it had been. Instead, she shrugged.
“I just want to tell you how sorry I am about everything. I’m sorry I messed up your life. I didn’t know how to make a successful marriage. I’m notsure I even knew what to expect from one.” He shifted, resting his elbows on his knees, his eyes facing the ground. “My folks’ marriage was no example for me, as you know.”
To her surprise, he moved toward her and touched her arm. “I’m not making excuses, Christie. I’m just sorry I didn’t realize what a mess I was.”
Though emotion twisted through her, Christie clung to her defenses. She’d refused to allow herself to be hurt again by any man, but his confession left her wondering. “So what made the difference?”
He looked at her as if he didn’t understand.
“I mean why did you try again? What made you think marriage would work a second time?”
Emotion charged across his face—a blend of expressions that left Christie uncertain how he felt.
He drew in a lengthy breath. “I found the Lord. That’s what made the difference.”
His answer stunned her. He’d found the Lord and she’d lost a piece of her faith. God works in mysterious ways. “I spoke with you at church, but I figured you were there for your father.”
“For both of us. I know it’s difficult to imagine. While I was gone, Dad recognized the emptiness in his life and realized it wasn’t from without but from within. I learned the same lesson.”
Emptiness within. Resentment poked at her. Why did he have to say that? She’d felt empty too, since he’d been gone—the kind of emptiness that didn’t go away.
Patrick’s face brightened and his voice sparked with enthusiasm. “I had always seen peace and joy in your life, Christie, and never understood it. I resented it because I felt cheated. I’d never known that comfort. Not only did you have God, but you had a mother and father. A completed family. I had none of that.”
“You knew that when you married
“Okay. For a few minutes, but I’m not sure this is the place. I’d hate for gossip—”
“It’s been a long time, Christie. Most of these people don’t even realize we know each other.”
The truth of his words made her smile. “I suppose you’re right.”
She moved into step with him, and they followed the park’s path toward the old lighthouse. A summer breeze blew off Lake Michigan, and through the trees, Christie could see the sun sprinkle the lake with fairy dust. A perfect day.
Feeling Patrick beside her, a sense of déjà vu permeated her. She and Patrick had walked this same path years earlier when they’d come back to Lovingfor visits with their folks. She loved the peace and the feel of history lingering around the old Loving Light. Her hair ruffled in the wind, and she brushed it back, drawing in the scent of sun and lake.
Farther along, Patrick headed for a bench spattered with sunlight and shade. She followed, and they settled on the rough boards facing the water, neither speaking. She clung to the silence, enjoying the July heat and a strange inward warmth. Resolve. Perhaps they would settle the inner turmoil and get on with their lives.
She sidled a look at Patrick, his strong classic profile and dark hair creating a deep ache within her. Times had been so good back then. Christie bit back the desire to ask him why he was so quiet when he’d come here to talk.
“Don’t be angry if I tell you how nice it is to sit beside you again,” Patrick said, out of the blue.
The sound of his voice jolted the silence. She wanted to tell him she felt the same, but she swallowed the words. “It’s a lovely day” was all she said.
He shifted toward her, his face thoughtful. “Life hasn’t been easy for either of us. I know it hasn’t been for me.”
Christie wanted to tell him how difficult it had been. Instead, she shrugged.
“I just want to tell you how sorry I am about everything. I’m sorry I messed up your life. I didn’t know how to make a successful marriage. I’m notsure I even knew what to expect from one.” He shifted, resting his elbows on his knees, his eyes facing the ground. “My folks’ marriage was no example for me, as you know.”
To her surprise, he moved toward her and touched her arm. “I’m not making excuses, Christie. I’m just sorry I didn’t realize what a mess I was.”
Though emotion twisted through her, Christie clung to her defenses. She’d refused to allow herself to be hurt again by any man, but his confession left her wondering. “So what made the difference?”
He looked at her as if he didn’t understand.
“I mean why did you try again? What made you think marriage would work a second time?”
Emotion charged across his face—a blend of expressions that left Christie uncertain how he felt.
He drew in a lengthy breath. “I found the Lord. That’s what made the difference.”
His answer stunned her. He’d found the Lord and she’d lost a piece of her faith. God works in mysterious ways. “I spoke with you at church, but I figured you were there for your father.”
“For both of us. I know it’s difficult to imagine. While I was gone, Dad recognized the emptiness in his life and realized it wasn’t from without but from within. I learned the same lesson.”
Emptiness within. Resentment poked at her. Why did he have to say that? She’d felt empty too, since he’d been gone—the kind of emptiness that didn’t go away.
Patrick’s face brightened and his voice sparked with enthusiasm. “I had always seen peace and joy in your life, Christie, and never understood it. I resented it because I felt cheated. I’d never known that comfort. Not only did you have God, but you had a mother and father. A completed family. I had none of that.”
“You knew that when you married
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