Redemption by Karen Kingsbury

months into their friendship, Tim was particularly quiet over lunch.
    They had finished eating, and Kari sipped a cup of steaming cinnamon tea as she eyed Tim. "All right." She could feel the
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    way her eyes danced, hear the teasing in her voice. "What'd you do with Tim?"
    "Hmmm?" Tim looked up from his plate as if her question had taken him by surprise.
    Kari released a dramatic sigh. "Now I know you're an impostor. My Tim would've laughed a little, even if I'm not that funny."
    Tim produced a fading smile. Something in his expression told Kari this wasn't a time to joke. She blinked and softened her voice. "What is it, Tim? What're you thinking about?"
    "Truth?"
    She nodded.
    There was a hurt in Tim's eyes that she couldn't explain. Not once did he break eye contact with her. "Okay. I want to know about the special guy. Who was he?"
    "The special guy?" Her heart lurched.
    "That first day when we talked by your car, I asked you if there was anyone special, anyone you were seeing." His tone was gentle, and she knew he was being vulnerable with her.
    Where is this headed, Lord? Don't let me hurt him. Kari let Tim finish.
    "The way you said it sounded like what you had was over." Tim paused. "But that isn't true. You still care about him, Kari- a lot. Maybe more than you're willing to admit."
    She toyed with the handle of her mug. "How do you know?"
    Tim shrugged, and it occurred to her that he was truly handsome, more so than she'd thought at first. Not like Ryan, who had a way of turning heads wherever he went, but very nice- looking in a friendly sort of way.
    Tim sighed. "You absolutely never talk about him."
    Kari leveled a gaze at Tim and grinned despite the sorrow that still filled her heart at the mention of Ryan. "Okay, I'll tell you. His name is Ryan Taylor, and he was a friend of the family."
    When she mentioned Ryan's name, a strange look filled Tim's face. "Not Ryan Taylor the running back? Signed with the
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    Cowboys out of Oklahoma University? Set a record for most passes by a tight end last year? Not that Ryan Taylor, right?"
    Tim had been a sports reporter after college and still followed football. Kari should have known he'd recognize Ryan's name as She gazed down at her hands and nodded. "That's him."
    A moment of silence passed between them, and then Tim brushed his fingers together and pushed back from the table, extending a single hand out to Kari.
    "Well.. . it's been nice. Now if; you don't mind, I think I'll go find a woman I can really impress."I
    "Stop!" Kari laughed and grabbed his wrist. "Don't be stupid."
    Tim eased back in his chair and stared at her, his eyes so wide she could nearly see the whites all the way around. "Ryan Taylor? He's the special guy? You're serious?"
    Around the diner she saw other people looking at them, and she nodded quickly and put a finger to her lips. "Yes! Shhh . . . everyone's watching."
    Shock played across Tim's face as he settled back in his chair. He looked as if someone had knocked the wind out of him. "Why would a woman who's dated the great Ryan Taylor share lunch with a guy like me?" He grinned and held up a single finger. "I know! Because you like my jokes! That's it, right?"
    Kari held her hand to her face to hide her giggling. She leaned closer and took his hand in hers. "No, Tim. I don't like your jokes."
    His jaw dropped in mock astonishment, and he silently mouthed the words, "You don't like my jokes?"
    She laughed out loud this time, and when she'd regained her composure, she squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "What I mean is, it isn't your jokes that I like. I like . . . you."
    Tim's expression changed then, almost as if he were determined to move past the truth about her onetime love. "Well, then, at least tell me what went on between you two."
    And she did. For the rest of the hour she talked about her 45
    friendship with Ryan, the ups and downs and the fact that she had expected to marry him.
    The conversation with Tim that day had been a turning