Where Two Hearts Meet by Carrie Turansky Page A

plate, fighting the emotion tightening his throat. “I don’t want our dinner to get cold. Maybe we should eat first, and I can explain more later.”
    She shook her head. “I’ve been waiting six years to hear this.”
    “Okay.” He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “When I found out my dad was having an affair, I didn’t know how to handle it. I couldn’t get past the anger to the hurt underneath, so I kept it inside and pushed you and everyone else away.
    “While my mom and dad were going through the divorce, I was fighting my own battle, telling myself I never wanted to be like my dad, but I was afraid that’s exactly what would happen. All kinds of doubts ran through my mind. Could I be faithful to one woman for the rest of my life? Or would I crash and burn in the relationship department like my dad? Did I have what it takes to be a good husband and father? Or would I end up hurting the people I loved the most?
    “Then seeing the way my mom tried to destroy my dad totally blew me away. They betrayed each other, and I never wanted to be in a relationship where that much pain was possible.
    “So I could only see two choices for us—stay together, get married, and eventually end up divorced like my parents, or break up and avoid that possibility. I know that sounds crazy now, but that’s what was going through my head.”
    She nodded slowly, questions still lingering in her eyes.
    “I took a job in New York and made a whole series of bad choices that led me farther away from everyone I loved. Then about three years ago, I met a guy at work who really lives out his faith. We became friends, and I started attending a Bible study he was leading. He challenged me to recommit my life to the Lord, and go back and ask forgiveness of anyone that I’d hurt. That was tough, especially going to my friends in New York who aren’t believers. Most of them didn’t understand where I was coming from. But having a clear conscience was worth it to me.”
    “So that’s why you came back and wanted to help me—so you could have a clear conscience?”
    He swallowed, struggling to find the words. “Yes . . . and no. I owe you so much, Allie. If you hadn’t told me about the Lord and loved me into His family, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me. Even when I took off and was doing stupid things, I couldn’t run away from God. I was part of His family, and He wouldn’t let me go.”
    Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I’m glad. I prayed for you.”
    “Thanks, Allie.” He took her hand again. “I have to be honest. There’s another reason I came back.” Looking into her eyes, he felt like he stood on a high cliff about to jump off into a choppy ocean. “I never forgot you, Allie. No matter where I went or what I was doing. You were always with me. I came back to ask your forgiveness, but I also wanted to see if there was a chance for us to be together again.”
    Her stunned expression made his heart take a dive.
    “Oh, Tyler,” she whispered.
    Feeling like a fool, he dropped her hand. “Hey, it’s okay. I should’ve known you’d be dating someone else by now, not sitting around waiting for me to get my life together.”
    Her blue eyes widened. “But I’m not dating anyone else.”
    “What about Peter?”
    She shook her head. “We’re just friends.”
    “Come on, Allie, I saw you kissing him right out there on your front porch.”
    Hurt clouded her eyes.
    Immediately he regretted his tone. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t spying on you. I stopped by to show you the final designs for the sign and promo pieces.”
    Her face was flaming now. “That was just a good-bye kiss.”
    “Well, if that’s good-bye, I’d like to see hello.”
    “No, I mean I’d just told him good-bye for good.”
    Tyler stared at her, hoping he’d heard her correctly. “You’re not dating him any more?”
    “No, it wasn’t working out. We had a lot in common, but he’s not serious about growing in his