LANCE COULDN’T WAIT TO SEE THE LOOK ON KENDRA’S FACE. They were headed back to St. Louis as far as she knew, and she’d fallen fast asleep soon after they left Tallahassee. But less than three hours later, he’d exited off the highway toward another destination. He wondered how long it would take Kendra to wake up and figure it out.
Using the map feature on his phone, he’d navigated his way. He parked and cut the engine.
Kendra stirred and stretched. “Stopping for gas or are we eating?” she asked, eyes still shut.
“We’ll probably do both . . . during our stay here.”
Kendra peeked open an eye. “Where are we?”
“On our honeymoon.”
She sat up and looked around. “Where?”
“Pensacola Beach.”
“Oh my goodness, seriously? How did you do this?”
Lance looked at her. “Are you acting like it’s a miracle that I’ve planned something? You saw our wedding, didn’t you?”
“Which you didn’t plan.”
“I asked a question that put the plan in motion,” Lance said. “Same thing.”
“Uh-huh,” Kendra said. “So what question did you ask that put this in motion?”
Lance laughed. “I asked about vacation spots in this area, since we’d be down here. Somebody knew somebody who owned this condo and made a call.” Lance looked up at the building. “It’s supposed to be the penthouse.”
“Are you serious?” Kendra asked. “How long will we be here?”
“Three nights,” Lance said. “It’s not long, but I didn’t want to take a chance. I knew you needed to get back soon for lab work and other tests before surgery.”
Kendra looked at him. “Three days and nights with my husband, at the beach, on a honeymoon . . . sounds like forever to me.”
Lance had already been full from the visit with his mom, but this—special time with Kendra—was taking him over the top. They’d done a little shopping—“for the things I would’ve packed, had I known”—had a romantic dinner by the water, and slow-walked the beach. It almost felt normal.
And while “normal” for Kendra came with physical challenges, it was as if God had given them a vacation even from that. At least from the worst of it. On the balcony reclined on a double chaise with his wife, soaking in an amazing view, there was no place he’d rather be.
“So when do you see yourself becoming lead pastor of a church?” Kendra asked.
Lance eyed her. “Where did that come from?”
“Popped into my mind,” Kendra said. “You always say you don’t ‘see’ it, so I’m wondering when you think that’ll be.”
“How would I know?” Lance asked. “I’d have to see it first. Then I’ll know.”
“Is it that you’re still uncomfortable because of what happened in high school?”
“Actually, no,” Lance said. “Once the Bible studies got going, that fell away. But that’s the thing. I love what we’re doing Wednesday nights. It’s fruitful. People are being impacted.” He sighed. “I’ve prayed a lot about the church-plant idea, and I really don’t hear God saying to take that big step.”
“But if you felt that’s what God was saying, you’d go that route?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay.” Kendra paused. “I just don’t want you to hold back on anything God’s telling you to do because of me.”
“Well, that’s funny,” Lance said, “because you are what God’s telling me to do.”
She leaned into his shoulder. “What were His exact instructions?”
“Very simple. To love you.” He snuggled closer. “How am I doing?”
“Hmm . . . I don’t know,” Kendra said. “I think I need more evidence.” She tilted her head up and kissed him lightly, then tossed her eyes, thinking. “I’m still not fully persuaded . . .”
She turned more toward him and kissed him again, and slowly it grew deeper . . . deeper than they’d ever experienced.
“I love you so much,” Kendra said, kissing him still.
Lance could feel her heart beating against his. “I love you too.”
Kendra pulled away, got up from the chaise, and took his hand. He stood with her, and she kissed him again.
“Let’s go into the bedroom,” she said, “where we can be more comfortable.”
Lance hesitated, not wanting to assume.
She held him. “I’m sure, Lance.”
“But what if . . . I don’t want to . . .”
She was kissing him again. And this time he allowed himself to get lost in it.
“Oh my gosh!” Kendra’s voice sounded as though she could barely contain her excitement. “Look! Look! I got the shot!”
Lance came over and checked the back of her camera. “Look at that!” he said, smiling. “Perfect.”
“Really?” A balmy breeze swept across her face. “You’re not just saying that?”
“The picture speaks for itself,” Lance said. “You caught a flock of seagulls taking flight, with different wingspans, different heights off the ground. You’re becoming a pro with shutter speed.”
“Aww,” Kendra said, pointing to a corner of the picture. “I just noticed these two about to take off, looking at the others like, ‘Hey, wait for us!’ ”
“Very cool, Mrs. Alexander.”
She sat on a blanket, working on a close-up of a seashell. “Every vacation we take needs to be by the water.”
“Because?”
“The photography vibe,” Kendra said. “Being out here at sunrise and sunset, catching the colors reflecting off the water . . . amazing.” She glanced up at him. “What?”
Lance sat beside her. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you talk about anything future with respect to the two of us.”
Kendra rested the camera on the blanket. “And I didn’t think before I said it.”
“It’s nice to think about though.”
She picked up some sand, let it run through her fingers.
Lance intertwined his fingers with hers. “Sometimes, especially these past two days, I can’t help but hope. I find myself thinking, what if? You know? What . . . if?”
“I was thinking something else these past two days,” Kendra said, “that it’s like a dream, being with you. And I wouldn’t have it—I wouldn’t have you—if I had a normal life with normal thoughts about a normal future. And I knew without a doubt . . .” She looked at him. “I’d take you and this over normal.”
Lance felt like his heart would burst. Lord, if You take this woman from me, I don’t know what I’ll do. What he hoped—what he wanted—was for them to beat the odds . . . for this honeymoon to be a foretaste of a long life together.