The Way Back to Faith: Christian small town romance (Aspen Valley Homecoming Book 2) by Carolyne Aarsen

Author:Carolyne Aarsen [Aarsen, Carolyne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Misty Ridge Publishing
Published: 2021-07-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Sandra listened to Dean’s steps as he walked down the sidewalk. Then the sound of a door closing, an engine starting.

Sandra blew out her breath forcing away the memories of Dean holding her, the concern in his voice, the touch of his mouth on hers…

“Stop right there,” she said aloud. “Get ready for bed.”

The hot flashes of pain centered on her injured knee pushed everything else out of her mind. She slowly lowered her leg, pushed herself up and caught her balance. It took her a few minutes to get to the bathroom, to down the last two painkillers she had and find the tensor bandage to wrap around her knee.

Her movements were awkward and fraught with pain as she got into bed. She turned off the small bedside lamp and settled back, waiting for the painkillers to take effect.

Fifteen minutes later, she painfully rolled onto her side. Instead of sleep bringing its blessed memory loss, it was as if the loneliness of the dark pressed in on her. A loneliness made all the sharper because of what she had shared just an hour ago with Dean.

Don’t go there, she warned herself. Going back to that moment was a mistake. For both of them.

So why did it feel so wrong to dismiss him? He wasn’t the man she had been looking for all her life. In fact, Dean was the exact opposite of what she wanted.

But what do you want? she asked herself. Someone like Henri who lives free and easy then stiffs you? Do you enjoy living hand to mouth, spending more time avoiding what you don’t want instead of figuring out what you do?

Her words accused her, underscoring the dissatisfaction that grew with each wrong decision, each stumbling mistake she made in her life. She had left her home, her father and his unceasing expectations, hoping to find an elusive peace.

Peace I leave with you; My Peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

The words that drifted through her mind were familiar, safe. Words from her past. Words she had heard and read many times. She wasn’t exactly sure where in the Bible they were found, she only knew they were words of comfort.

So what did they mean to her?

Sandra rolled carefully onto her back again, wincing at the pain in her knee. Unbidden came memories of other times she was in bed, hurting or sick. Her mother’s hand on her forehead. A cup of juice or soda on the bedside table.

The gentle weight of her mother’s body as she would sit on the mattress, lightly stroking Sandra’s head.

Sandra stifled a cry at the memory. Her mother had been Sandra’s defense, her refuge. But she was gone.

Sandra pressed her hand against her mouth as she looked around the room. How had she come here, to a rented place and short of money?

Running away. Leaving the heaviness of expectations she could never meet.

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