A Test of Faith by Carol Cox

Author:Carol Cox
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780824907549
Publisher: Guideposts
Published: 2007-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Are you sure you’re up to doing this?” “I’m fine, honey.” Paul finished putting a Windsor knot in his tie and gave her a reassuring smile. “Eli is here in case anything goes wrong. Just be sure to bring my Bible, and we’ll be on our way.”

Kate watched him make his way out to the living room. He had tried so hard to look normal for his first public appearance since his accident.

The jacket of the charcoal pinstripe suit she picked up at the cleaner’s the day before hung perfectly on his athletic shoulders. From the waist up, he looked handsome and fit.

The tailored effect was marred somewhat by the dark gray sweatpants he’d changed into after finding there was no way the matching charcoal slacks would fit over his moon boot.

She heard him giving Eli the same kind of assurances she had heard since bringing him home from the hospital. “It probably wasn’t necessary to drag you out early, but I appreciate having you here, just in case.”

Kate followed the men out into the living room, trying not to laugh. The man needed help getting into his clothes, for goodness’ sake.

He did admit to needing Eli’s help getting down the step into the garage where Kate’s Honda was parked, but he insisted he was fine, perfectly ready to preach a sermon.

Eli showed a knack for rendering aid without making his assistance obvious to Paul. Once he had made sure Paul was situated comfortably in the passenger seat, Eli got into the rear and held the crutches across his lap.

“I might as well leave my truck here and ride over and back with you. No sense using two vehicles when one will do.”

Kate gathered up their Bibles and locked the door behind her, making a mental note to bake a special batch of chocolate-chip cookies in return for Eli’s tactful help.

“GOOD. Nobody else is here yet.”

Kate noted the relief in Paul’s voice when they pulled into the church parking lot. He had insisted on leaving early so they would arrive ahead of the rest of the congregation.

He might insist he was doing fine, but his masculine pride obviously wasn’t ready for a crowd of observers in the event his performance on crutches wasn’t quite as graceful as he hoped.

Kate went on ahead to open the front door, leaving the two men to work out the logistics of Paul’s exit from the car. Better to preserve his dignity than hover over him like an anxious mother hen.

He was fine, she reminded herself. Paul was right: his injury could have been far worse. She thought back to the long evening spent in the emergency room and wondered how Eppie Barlow’s husband was getting along.

THANKS TO ELI, Paul made it from the car into the church without any mishaps and had settled himself in a chair on the platform by the time the first worshippers arrived. Their show of concern for him warmed Kate, although she noted a good number of them refrained from venturing across the aisle to greet her as well.

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