Georgia Sweethearts by Missy Tippens

Author:Missy Tippens
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2012-09-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Daniel grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket when a reminder alarm went off. “Time to head over to Belinda’s for that dinner I told you about.”

“The one with the girls’ support group?” Gran asked.

Another much-needed project accomplished, thanks to Belinda. “Yep. I shouldn’t be late.”

“Oh, wait.” She set aside her knitting, pulled off her reading glasses and let them hang around her neck. “I have a message for you here somewhere.” She got up and shuffled some magazines on the coffee table. “Here it is. That man from Valdosta called. Asked if you’re any closer to determining when you’ll move down there.”

“Hiding the note from me?” He laughed when she wiggled her brows at him.

She jabbed a finger into his chest. “You know I don’t want you to leave. Your church and community love you. Plus, you need to stick around to take care of me in my old age—which, by the way, isn’t going to be for a while.”

“You’re hardy and independent. And besides, if I’m so lovable, the next church should love me, too.” He winked, and she teasingly pushed him away.

She plopped back into her chair, her blue eyes losing their humor. “I’m serious, son. It’s like you’ve got ants in your pants. You need to put down roots, fall in love, start a family.”

Lilly’s face flashed through his brain like a painful lightning strike. Once he got over the shock, he reached for his jacket. “All in good time, GranAnn. God’s time.”

“Don’t let fear stop you.”

Fear? He kissed her cheek and then headed for the door. “I’m not afraid. Just doing what I feel called to do.”

As he drove to Belinda’s, he pondered Gran’s words. Why would she think he was afraid to love? He’d simply been too busy to make the effort. Had dated, a couple times seriously. Hadn’t found that perfect woman who understood him fully, who understood his calling.

He’d begun to doubt he ever would. Until he met Lilly. In some ways he felt she did understand him.

She knew him well, all right. Well enough to know they weren’t right together.

The painful irony left him seriously bummed, yet determined to plow ahead with his plans.

When he went to make a call to Valdosta, he found he had a voice mail.

“Daniel, this is Greg. Just wanted to see if you have an approximate start date. We have a group of fifteen who’ve committed to join you at the mission church. They’re excited and can’t wait to meet you.”

Daniel was thrilled to have a core group ready to work. Like Frank and Belinda and the others here.

It would be difficult to leave, but he’d find a new group of friends and fellow church members.

Daniel called Greg and left a message. Told him he had one more big project—the food pantry in Appleton—to kick off in the next few weeks. If all was well with the church, his best guess was he’d be ready to move in early to mid-summer.

He drew in a tight breath and tried to shake an off-kilter feeling.

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