Not Until Us by Valerie M. Bodden

Not Until Us by Valerie M. Bodden

Author:Valerie M. Bodden [Bodden, Valerie M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: contemporary romance, Women's Fiction, Forever Love, Christian Stories, Faith Based, Inspirational Reads, Love Inspired, Bachelor, Single Woman, Hearts Desire, Clean & Wholesome, Life-Changes, Second Chance Reunion, Honesty & Trust, Home & Family, Lifetime Love, Romantic Schemes, Love-Family & Forever, Action & Adventure, Small Town & Rural Area, Beautiful & Feisty, Hope Springs Series
Publisher: Valerie Bodden
Published: 2019-09-11T04:00:00+00:00


Chapter 23

The ball swished through the hoop, and Jared lifted his hands in triumph. “That’s three in a row, man. What’s up with you today?”

Dan grabbed the rebound. “Nothing’s up with me.”

Jared checked the ball but didn’t move in for the block as Dan made his way down the half-court that had been painted off to the side of the church parking lot for youth group events. For the past year or so, he and Jared had been playing a quick game of one-on-one every Friday morning.

“You know, for a guy who’s always encouraging others to talk about their problems, you aren’t so quick to share your own.”

Dan shrugged. He was here to play basketball, not talk about his problems.

Not that he had any.

“You remember what you told me when I needed someone to talk to about Peyton?”

Dan drove to the basket for a layup. The ball went in easily, only because Jared didn’t take so much as half a step to block him.

“Are we playing basketball or talking?” Dan tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

But Jared was standing with the ball clasped in his hands. “Talking.”

Dan stared at his friend a second, then jogged to the sideline to grab his water bottle.

“You said―” Jared walked over, setting the ball in the grass and grabbing his own water. After a long swig, he continued. “You said you were human.”

Dan looked up. Of course he was human. “I don’t think I’ve ever said I wasn’t.”

“No.” Jared scooped the ball up and tossed it from hand to hand. “But you act like you’re superhuman. You don’t share your problems because you don’t want people to know you have any.”

“I don’t have any.” But he’d known Jared long enough to realize his friend wouldn’t let him get away with that.

He dragged a hand through his hair. “Fine. It’s Jade. And Grace.”

Jared nodded but didn’t say anything, just kept tossing the ball from hand to hand. He was using Dan’s own technique of waiting silently to draw him out. Dan would think it was nicely played, if it weren’t so frustrating.

Jared was right. Dan didn’t want anyone to think he had problems. After all, he was the pastor. He was supposed to solve everyone else’s problems, not come to them with his own.

But Jared was a good friend. And Dan did need some advice.

He reached to steal the ball from Jared and started dribbling. “Not many people know that Jade and I went on a few—I don’t know if you’d call them dates—but we spent some time together at the end of high school, right before she left Hope Springs. We were actually getting pretty serious. At least that’s what I thought. But then―” Dan gave an extra-strong dribble that made the ball bounce up to his head. “Then she left. And it seemed pretty clear the path God had laid out for me. And then Grace moved here, and everyone kept telling me how perfect she is for me. But now Jade is back and―” He caught the ball and shrugged helplessly.



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