insley snapped the book shut and enveloped Kaily and Miranda in her arms. Leiland, a toddler with pitch-black hair and dimples, wiggled beside her. Raising her arm, she included him in a group hug and squeezed.
“Again, again, again!” Kaily tugged on the book, forcing the pages open once again.
“Again, again, again!” The other children chorused.
Ainsley giggled. “Then The Muffin Who Lost His Berries it is, for the tenth time.” She shot Rose a wink who sat at an adjacent table reading through documents.
“Chris!” Kaily bolted to her feet and ran across the cafeteria, the other children following close behind.
Ainsley stiffened, her gaze locked on Chris’s as a handful of kids barreled into him, nearly knocking him down. William stood beside him clutching a paper bag, his mother and Nancy, another resident recently added to Chris’s crew, close by.
Rose set her papers aside and stood. Sauntering over to Chris and the others, she broke into conversation. “Thanks for coming down here. That rickety old bus drives me crazy.” She rolled her eyes. “Always breaks down at the last minute. But Pastor Jenkins from Faith Community says his congregation plans to buy us a new one. Should be bringing it by in a few days, so this’ll be the last time you gotta play taxicab. Course, you know Wanda’s done got herself an apartment smack-dab on the bus line. Moves in next week, so you won’t be driving her around no more.”
Chris smiled and squeezed William’s shoulder. “Heard all about it. God is good!”
“All the time!” William beamed and gave Chris a high five.
Kneeling, Ainsley gathered the pile of books with a heavy heart. Rose and Chris’s conversation drifted toward her. She watched them from the corner of her eye.
“So, that café of yours has become quite the happening place, huh?”
Chris chuckled. “Thanks to my fantabulous crew.”
Rose flicked the paper bag in William’s hands then crossed her arms. “So, you workin’ them or feedin’ them?”
“A bit of both.”
“Like I always said, will work for food.” Wanda laughed.
Chris nodded. “Love seeing the body of Christ in action. They’ve been amazing. We must have at least ten different Bible studies meeting at the café, and many come with cans of food. We’re talking about turning it into a soup kitchen, minus the soup, on Thursdays. Giving the less fortunate a warm place to hang out, a toasted bagel, and a hot latte. Along with a little dash of Jesus, of course.”
Rose turned to Ainsley and planted her hands on her hips. “You’re not still looking for another place to work, are you? Cuz it sure seems Brother Chris could use your help.”
Ainsley stood and brushed her hair from her face. “It sounds like a wonderful endeavor.”
Chris shifted and looked at his watch.
“Don’t let me keep you.” Rose gave him a sideways hug. “Always good to see you. One of these days I need to come get me a mocha.”
“Yes, you do.” He looked at Ainsley and held her gaze.
A loud crash sounded through the ceiling.
Rose frowned, staring up. “Guess I better see what’s going on up there.” She whirled around and clomped up the steps, her long, floral skirt swishing around her feet.
Ainsley searched for something to say. “I see you’re moving.”
“Yeah. Figure it’s time to downsize. You, too, right?”
“Thinking about it. It’s either that or sign on for another six-month term.”
Silence stretched between them.
“I didn’t sexually harass that lady.”
“I know.”
“There’s nothing between Candy and me.”
She nodded.
“About those pictures—they were before I came to know Christ. I was in college, drank way too much, and some buddies and I—”
“You don’t have to explain anything to me.”
“Then why are you so angry?”
Tears lodged in Ainsley’s throat. “I’m not angry. I just . . . Don’t want you to break my heart, only it was too late for that.
His shoulders slumped and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Well, I guess I better go.”
Her pulse quickened as he turned to leave, words of protest flooding her mind, warring with her heart. But the sooner he left, the sooner she found a new job, the sooner she moved, the sooner she could return to her old life. Pre-Richard, pre-Chris, just her and Gina. And a whole slew of cats.
The door shut, leaving Ainsley to stare down the dim, empty hallway. Images of Chris sitting on the floor, large garbage bag stuffed with toys plopped before him, flashed through her mind.
Why did love hurt so bad? When would her heart mend?
“Hurts most when you fight it.”
She whirled around to see Dixie standing beside her, propped against the kitchen doorway. “I used to have me a man like that but I let him get away. Done settled for a life of regrets instead.”
Ainsley blinked and stared at the closed door.
Chris straightened some papers on his desk and closed his laptop. Crunching numbers for an hour didn’t erase the memory of Ainsley’s soft eyes, moistened with unshed tears. With a sigh, he pushed himself to his feet. There was nothing more he could do. At least when he thought she believed the lawsuit, he had something to fight against. But now he knew. The woman didn’t love him. How could he fight against that?
He flicked off the light and shuffled down the dim hall, his footsteps echoing through the empty café. Standing at the counter, he dipped his head in prayer.
You’ve done some amazing things here, God. And I’m grateful. I really am. Pain stabbed at the back of his throat. But somehow I thought Ainsley would be part of this.
He grabbed his keys and turned off the lights, the glimmer of streetlights and passing cars casting long shadows on the stained concrete floor.
A silhouette filled the doorway, flanked by two others bundled in tattered garb. Chris hurried to the door and threw it open. He ushered his guests inside.
“I didn’t think you’d come.” He guided Albert and his friends to a table and grabbed a Bible from a nearby shelf. “Vanilla latte, whole milk, right?”
Albert nodded. “Don’t burn your tongue. It’s hot. Steaming hot in a plastic foam cup.”
“And for your friends?” Chris studied the wind-chapped faces in front of him, trying to catch their darting gazes. “Three lattes it is.”
He returned a few moments later with a tray loaded with toasted bagels slathered in strawberry cream, and steaming espresso. After distributing the drinks and food, he set the tray on an adjacent table. He flipped a chair around and straddled it, draping his hands across the backing. “So, I told Albert I’d introduce him to my best friend, Jesus.” He flipped to John chapter John 14:1-2. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.” He continued through verse 6. “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’”
For the next twenty minutes, he answered questions and read numerous other passages while Albert and his friends drank their coffees. As he spoke, his heart swelled within. The pain of losing Ainsley remained, but the joy of seeing wounded hearts turn to Christ numbed his sorrow.
“Let’s pray.” He held out his hands and Albert and his friends stared at them. “It’s OK.” After exchanging glances, they slid their hands in his. Everyone bowed their heads as Chris prayed. “Holy Father, thank You for sending Your Son. Thank You for Your free gift of eternal life. And thank You for the promise of heaven.”
The door chimed open and he looked up. Ainsley stood in the doorway.
His heart burned as he rose to his feet. “Excuse me.” Balling his hands, he fought the urge to run toward her.
“Ainsley, I . . . He reached for her, stopping with his fingers an inch from her face, then let his hand drop. Why was she here? To quit? Tell him she’d found a job sooner than expected?
“I’m sorry. I . . . Can we . . . ?” She pulled her lips in over her teeth as a tear slid down her cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
His heart leapt. “Oh, Ainsley.” He wiped her tear away with his thumb then traced it along the edge of her jaw. Her skin was so soft. “There’s nothing to apologize for. I can’t imagine how it must have felt to see that picture.” He shook his head. “I was disgusting. Completely selfish and irresponsible.”
“You don’t have to explain your past.”
“I want to.” He searched her eyes, his reflection mirrored in them. “I need to.” He motioned toward a table a few feet away, and they walked there together. They sat across from each other. “Before I became a Christian, I was a complete jerk. Nothing but a cocky jock who felt entitled.” He took in a deep breath. “I’m ashamed at who I was.” He shook his head. “But then I met Christ, and everything changed. I changed.”
She studied him. “And that lawsuit?”
He shrugged. “The lady who made those claims once worked as my assistant. She was OK for a while, but then she started slipping. I think she was an alcoholic who fell off the wagon, but I could never be sure. Long story short, she wasn’t cutting it, so I fired her, and she became bitter, vindictive.” He paused. “The case was long and drawn out. Cost me a boatload of money in lawyer’s fees and lost time. Obviously, I wasn’t stupid enough to represent myself. Through discovery, we learned she’d filed bankruptcy half a dozen times, but the judge wouldn’t allow that in.” He shook his head. “Even so, she had a weak case. We thought for sure it’d be dismissed, but it wasn’t. We were shocked when the jury ruled in her favor.”
“Any idea why they did?”
He nodded. “A reporter talked to one of them later. She said they never believed I harassed her, but they were upset with me for firing her.” He shrugged. “She was a single mom with a kid at home, and this was at the height of the recession when conspiracy theories and employer hatred ran high. Of course, that wasn’t what the headlines read.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through all that, and that I wasn’t more . . . understanding. Trusting.”
“You’re here now. Oh, sweet Ainsley.” He stood and moved to her, his gaze locked on hers, his heart hammering so fast it hurt. “If you only knew how much I love you.” Folding her hands in his and pulling her close, burying his face in her hair as her tears dampened his shoulder. Pulling away, he looked her in the eye and dropped to one knee.
“Oh, Chris!” Hand to her neck, laughter lit her eyes, her entire face.
“I didn’t realize how much I loved you until I thought I lost you.” His voice went husky. “I don’t want to lose you again. I don’t have a ring, but . . . He searched his pockets for something that might work then sighed. “But I’ll get one.”
She giggled, her eyes dancing.
“Will you marry me, Ainsley Meadows?”
She bent down and cupped his face in her hands. “Yes, Chris Langley. Yes!”
Clapping sounded behind them. They rose to find Albert and his friends gathered around, grinning.