Once Upon a Star by Lorana Hoopes

Author:Lorana Hoopes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lorana Hoopes

Chapter 8

“What’s the matter?” Blake asked as Audrey opened the door Sunday morning.

Audrey shook her head. “It was a rough weekend. When I came to town, I had no money, so I had to ask my parents for help. They agreed, but only if I worked for my father and attended a dinner with them once a month. Friday was the first dinner and needless to say, it didn’t go well.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, touching her arm. “What happened?”

She bit her lip as she glanced up at him, wondering if she should tell him. She didn’t want to hurt him, but if they were going to have a relationship—and she thought that’s where they were heading—then she wanted to share everything with him. “My parents forbade me from seeing you because you don’t meet their idea of what I should be dating. I left, but not before telling them I didn’t need their money, but in reality, I do.”

The news that her parents didn’t approve of Blake didn’t appear to faze him in the least. Instead, he opened his arms and Audrey stepped into them, enjoying the warmth and security they provided. “It will be okay,” he said, patting her hair. The simple touch felt like home, and she buried her face further in his chest.

“How? I even prayed on the way home, but I haven’t had any bright idea come to me.” Her voice was muffled against his shirt, but he seemed to understand her anyway.

“We’ll figure something out.”

Audrey pulled back and looked up at him. “Unless it’s the fact that you’re a secret millionaire, I doubt it will change their mind.”

Blake said nothing, but a small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.

Audrey’s eyes narrowed at him. “Are you a secret millionaire?”

“Maybe not a millionaire,” Blake laughed, “but I do have quite a bit of money to my name.”

“But, if you have so much money, why are you working for my father?”

Blake brushed a strand of her blond hair back behind her ear. “I work because I like it, and because I don’t want to end up one of those people who becomes attached to money and looks down on everyone else.”

Audrey snorted. “It’s like you’ve met my mother.”

“I have,” - Blake said - “at the Christmas party last year, but I don’t think your mother is bad. She’s just missing something in her life.”

“What?” Audrey asked, her brow furrowing. Her mother was lacking for nothing except for maybe decent civility.

“God. All the money in the world means nothing if I don’t have two things—God being the first.”

“What’s the second?”

Blake’s hazel eyes stared into hers. “Love,” he said as his thumb caressed her cheek. “First Corinthians says, ‘three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.’ But if you don’t have Jesus in your heart, it’s hard to understand love.”

Suddenly, Audrey wanted to know Jesus the way Blake seemed to. She wanted the peace he exuded. “Will you teach me about love?”

There was a double meaning in her words, and Blake didn’t miss it.

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