Things Left Unsaid by Courtney Walsh

Author:Courtney Walsh [Walsh, Courtney]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781503901476
Publisher: Waterfall Press
Published: 2018-10-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Tucker slipped back into the church, but he was too distracted to listen to the pastor’s message. Something about celebrations or details or forgiveness? He couldn’t say.

What he could say was that he felt like a complete fraud. Lyndie was right, and it was likely everyone else in the congregation felt the same way about him being up on that stage. Who did he think he was?

If Kyle were here, he’d slap Tucker upside the head for that train of thought. Tucker knew who he was—a sinner, saved by grace.

But grace felt so far away when he was sitting in the wake of his screwups.

Travis found him after the service. “We’ve got this lunch thing with my parents, but the welcome party is tonight. You should wear something nice.”

“Fine,” Tucker said. “I’ll wear my good wet suit.”

Travis laughed, then met Elle and his parents by the chapel door. Tucker put his guitar in its case, and when he stood back up, his parents were standing next to him—staring. His mom’s eyes were glassy.

“Hey.” He set the guitar on the floor next to him. “Sorry I didn’t see you guys this morning. I went—”

“Kayaking with Travis. We know.” His mom smiled. “Will you be home for lunch?”

Sunday lunch at the family cottage. How long had it been? Even though he’d cleaned up his act, he still found it difficult to be around his parents. Why?

“Please say you’ll come, Tucker,” she said. “It would mean the world to me.”

His eyes darted to his father, then back again. “Sure.”

“Oh, good. I’m making a big feast. Feel free to invite whoever you want.” She reached over and touched his face. “I’m so proud of you, Tucker.”

His heart dropped. What a phony. He’d let his mom believe he was a man with answers, a man who lived a righteous life—but he was still so flawed.

She wandered away, and he stood face-to-face with a father whose approval he’d never won. Sadly, he knew it wasn’t his dad’s fault—Tucker hadn’t given his parents much reason to be proud.

“I wouldn’t mind taking the kayaks out with you,” his dad said. “If you’re up for it.”

Tucker doubted a kayak trip could smooth over the bumps in their relationship. In minutes, they’d be arguing. Just like old times.

Yet he said, “Sure, Dad. If you think you can keep up.”

His dad’s face lit with a genuine smile. “You’ll pull me along if I fall behind, right?”

“If you’re lucky.”

“Well, let’s make a plan for tomorrow morning. I have to go help your mom with lunch. You’re really coming, right?”

“Do I have a choice?”

His dad’s mouth twisted into a smirk. “If I don’t, you don’t.”

“So that’s a no, then?”

“That’s a no, son.” He gave a stern nod, then walked away, leaving Tucker standing at the center of a nearly empty church, the burden of his flaws weighing him down. He’d forgiven himself for so many missteps—chalked them up to the stupidity of youth—but there were a few he’d yet to make peace with, and it seemed the ghosts all resided here in Sweethaven.

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