at two strangers.
Nick sighed. “How do you stop loving someone? Of course I still love her, but it's different now. You know that old Beatles’ song, “All You Need Is Love?” Well, it's a bunch of baloney. Love will only take you so far. There's also sacrifice and commitment and faith and—”
“I get the picture,” Chris said, bringing Nick's rambling to a halt. “How's Maura doing in the faith department?”
“Struggling. I’m not even sure she believes God exists anymore. If she does, she doesn’t believe He cares about her personally. And I’m partly responsible for that.”
“How so?”
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about what happened between us. I know I made mistakes. I spent almost all of my time doing church work, and I just assumed Maura would want to do the same.”
“That's not good, but it doesn’t seem big enough to make her lose faith in God.”
Nick frowned. No, it didn’t. And he didn’t think that alone was what upset her enough to leave him. “You’re right. There had to be something else. I just don’t know what it is. But it shook her foundations, and she hasn’t had an easy time since. Her father died a few months ago, and I think that was the final blow.”
“So she's become a project for you now.”
Nick smiled. Part of the reason he’d wanted an associate pastor was to have someone to confide in. Chris hadn’t known him long, but he certainly knew him well. “Yes, I guess you could say that. Her spiritual well-being has to be my first priority.”
“I agree. But don’t forget about your well-being, spiritual and otherwise.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re the type of man who puts everybody else first. It's an honorable trait, but if you’re not careful, you’ll run out of steam. You’ll give so much of yourself there will be nothing left for you.”
Nick fought back irritation. Wasn’t a pastor supposed to sacrifice for his congregation? Wasn’t he supposed to be Christlike? Why was that a problem all of a sudden?
“So what's your point?” he asked Chris.
“Even if you’re able to help Maura reconnect with her faith, that doesn’t mean she’ll want to resume her role as your wife, or even stay in town. For all you know, she may decide to sell the theatre as soon as the property transfers over to her and be on her way. And if that happens, I don’t want to see your heart leave town with her.”
6
I t became clear to Nick that he and Maura needed to set some ground rules when he ran into her the next morning. He left his bedroom, still half asleep, when the door to the bathroom opened and Maura stepped out.
In her bathrobe.
For a moment Nick couldn’t process her presence. Maura was in his house. Damp strands of hair curled around her face. A flame of contentment sparked to life deep in his core. She was so beautiful.
She was so appalled. “Nick, I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize you were still here. Your door was shut, and I thought …” Her words trailed off as she pulled the edges of her robe closer.
Cold reality doused Nick's flame. Yes, Maura was in his house, but he wasn’t supposed to be so happy to see her. And he certainly wasn’t supposed to be checking her out in her bathrobe.
“No, Maura, it's okay. I’m sorry. I—” He touched his chest. Oops. “I’m not wearing a shirt. Hold on one second.”
He ducked back into his room and threw on a T-shirt. When he came back into the hall, it was empty.
“Maura?”
“I’m in here.” Her voice called out from behind her closed bedroom door. “I’ll be right out.”
Rather than wait for her by the door like a vulture, he went to the kitchen and poured two cups of coffee. He was sitting at the table when she walked in. She’d put on jeans and a T-shirt and fastened her still-damp hair at the base of her neck with a big clip.
With a questioning look she pointed at the extra coffee cup.
“I figured we could both use this.” He motioned to the
Nick sighed. “How do you stop loving someone? Of course I still love her, but it's different now. You know that old Beatles’ song, “All You Need Is Love?” Well, it's a bunch of baloney. Love will only take you so far. There's also sacrifice and commitment and faith and—”
“I get the picture,” Chris said, bringing Nick's rambling to a halt. “How's Maura doing in the faith department?”
“Struggling. I’m not even sure she believes God exists anymore. If she does, she doesn’t believe He cares about her personally. And I’m partly responsible for that.”
“How so?”
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about what happened between us. I know I made mistakes. I spent almost all of my time doing church work, and I just assumed Maura would want to do the same.”
“That's not good, but it doesn’t seem big enough to make her lose faith in God.”
Nick frowned. No, it didn’t. And he didn’t think that alone was what upset her enough to leave him. “You’re right. There had to be something else. I just don’t know what it is. But it shook her foundations, and she hasn’t had an easy time since. Her father died a few months ago, and I think that was the final blow.”
“So she's become a project for you now.”
Nick smiled. Part of the reason he’d wanted an associate pastor was to have someone to confide in. Chris hadn’t known him long, but he certainly knew him well. “Yes, I guess you could say that. Her spiritual well-being has to be my first priority.”
“I agree. But don’t forget about your well-being, spiritual and otherwise.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re the type of man who puts everybody else first. It's an honorable trait, but if you’re not careful, you’ll run out of steam. You’ll give so much of yourself there will be nothing left for you.”
Nick fought back irritation. Wasn’t a pastor supposed to sacrifice for his congregation? Wasn’t he supposed to be Christlike? Why was that a problem all of a sudden?
“So what's your point?” he asked Chris.
“Even if you’re able to help Maura reconnect with her faith, that doesn’t mean she’ll want to resume her role as your wife, or even stay in town. For all you know, she may decide to sell the theatre as soon as the property transfers over to her and be on her way. And if that happens, I don’t want to see your heart leave town with her.”
6
I t became clear to Nick that he and Maura needed to set some ground rules when he ran into her the next morning. He left his bedroom, still half asleep, when the door to the bathroom opened and Maura stepped out.
In her bathrobe.
For a moment Nick couldn’t process her presence. Maura was in his house. Damp strands of hair curled around her face. A flame of contentment sparked to life deep in his core. She was so beautiful.
She was so appalled. “Nick, I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize you were still here. Your door was shut, and I thought …” Her words trailed off as she pulled the edges of her robe closer.
Cold reality doused Nick's flame. Yes, Maura was in his house, but he wasn’t supposed to be so happy to see her. And he certainly wasn’t supposed to be checking her out in her bathrobe.
“No, Maura, it's okay. I’m sorry. I—” He touched his chest. Oops. “I’m not wearing a shirt. Hold on one second.”
He ducked back into his room and threw on a T-shirt. When he came back into the hall, it was empty.
“Maura?”
“I’m in here.” Her voice called out from behind her closed bedroom door. “I’ll be right out.”
Rather than wait for her by the door like a vulture, he went to the kitchen and poured two cups of coffee. He was sitting at the table when she walked in. She’d put on jeans and a T-shirt and fastened her still-damp hair at the base of her neck with a big clip.
With a questioning look she pointed at the extra coffee cup.
“I figured we could both use this.” He motioned to the
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