32

Three months later

A blast of cold March air whipped through the front door of Chloe’s Confections.

Chloe grinned as Lindsay entered, book bag over her shoulder. “Hi, honey. How was school?”

Lindsay stamped her feet and brushed the snow from her shoulders. “Good. I sent in my college applications today. The guidance teacher helped me do it electronically.”

“That’s wonderful.” Chloe leaned over the counter to see Lindsay better. “So have you given any more thought to entering the Junior Chef competition?”

Lindsay removed her bag and coat and hung them on the rack. She turned to face Chloe with a hesitant smile. “I think I’d like to try—if you’ll help me.”

A rare burst of joy spread through Chloe’s chest. “Of course I’ll help. This competition will be a great experience for you.”

Lindsay grabbed an apron from the hook and tied it around her waist. “Working here has been great too. I’ve learned so much from you already.”

After three months in business, Chloe’s Confections continued to flourish. In addition to Matt and Lindsay, who worked part-time after school and on weekends, Chloe had been able to hire more staff, enabling her to spend the bulk of her time in the kitchen where she was happiest.

Chloe helped Lindsay clear the dishes left from a late lunch crowd. If business kept up, she’d have to consider expanding the eating area. Excitement rushed through her veins at the thought.

Over the past few months, the bakery had become Chloe’s salvation. Throwing all her energy into her business allowed her to block out the pain of Aidan’s rejection—most of the time. She still couldn’t walk through the front door of her apartment without a sharp jab to her heart.

Aidan had moved out soon after he recovered from the stabbing. He obviously couldn’t stand to be around her. His move made that abundantly clear.

For now, she worked to make up for her mistakes with Matt and Lindsay. “I’m glad you like it here. But the truth is you’ve helped me far more than I helped you. I could never have made it through these last few months without you.”

The Browns’ old apartment had needed major repairs, and the landlord had actually stepped up to get them done. Mrs. Brown had given permission for Matt and Lindsay to move in with Chloe temporarily, a huge blessing which had provided Chloe with the sense of family she’d always longed for, and given the kids a sense of stability they’d lacked.

Chloe thanked God every day for the way Lindsay and Matt had blossomed.

After several weeks of melancholy over the loss of her baby, Lindsay had come to terms with it, and now focused her energy on the future.

Matt had finally agreed to testify against the gang members, and the leader had been sent to jail, effectively disbanding the group. Without that threat hanging over his head, Matt’s marks had improved at school, and he now enjoyed a new circle of friends.

Lindsay paused in mid-swipe of one of the tables. “You’ve done so much for us. I don’t know how we’ll ever pay you back.”

Chloe swallowed a rush of emotion. “Just be happy. That’s all the thanks I need.”

Lindsay gave a sad smile. “I wish you could be happy too. If only Mr. North—”

The front door flew open, saving Chloe from the torment of that unfinished thought.

Matt rushed in with a flurry of snowflakes, a grin splitting his face. “Linds, guess what?” He waved his phone. “Mom just called. She got that job, and she’s looking for a better apartment in town.”

As Lindsay whooped with delight and rushed to hug her brother, Chloe’s hands stilled. She’d known the day would come when Mrs. Brown would return, but foolishly she’d hoped they could go on this way indefinitely.

“Too bad Mr. North’s old apartment is rented.” Lindsay glanced over at Chloe. “It would’ve been perfect. We could’ve come upstairs and visited any time we wanted.”

Chloe swallowed the tears that threatened to choke her and nodded.

“I wish Mr. North would take you back. Then you wouldn’t be alone when we leave.”

Matt snorted. “That’s not gonna happen. He’s got a girlfriend.”

A mug slipped from Chloe’s fingers and crashed to the floor, splintering into fragments.

Lindsay rushed over to help, eyes swimming with sympathy. “It’s Miss Peters. She teaches at the elementary school now.”

A dark cloud filled Chloe’s soul as she swept up the broken slivers. She hated to see Aidan with a woman who didn’t share his faith or his moral values. He deserved so much better.

Chloe rose and deposited the debris into the trash can, staring at the jagged shards. Much like her shattered heart, there was no putting those pieces back together again.

****

Aidan walked into Maxi’s kitchen and sniffed in appreciation of the apple pie she must have baking in the oven. “Hey, sis. What’s so urgent I had to leave work early?”

She’d left a message on his voice mail at work, demanding he come out to the farmhouse as soon as possible.

Maxi turned off the tap and dried her hands. “Thanks for coming. Have a seat.”

Aidan frowned, but remained standing, tension seizing his neck muscles. Maxi seemed on edge, not her usual bubbly self. “Is everything all right? Ben’s not sick, is he?”

“Ben and Jason are fine.”

Alarm spiked through him. “Is it Mom?”

“Mama’s fine too.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

She took a seat at the table. “Please sit down. I don’t need a crick in my neck.”

He sat down across from her. “What is it?”

“I want to talk to you about Patricia. And don’t roll your eyes at me.”

Annoyance crept through his system. “There’s nothing to talk about. We’re just friends.”

“You might think so, but I guarantee you that woman is out to get a ring on her finger.”

“That’s not going to happen.” Aidan couldn’t totally discount his sister’s observation. Patricia had been angling for a commitment since she’d moved to Rainbow Falls. Marriage, however, couldn’t be farther from his mind. Not when he couldn’t stop thinking about Chloe.

Even after all this time, he could still smell her hair when he closed his eyes. Loneliness had driven him to seek some type of companionship outside of his family. So he’d invited Patricia out for a few meals, making his stipulation of a platonic relationship clear from the outset.

Aidan’s stomach rumbled, reminding him he’d skipped lunch. He pulled an apple from the fruit bowl on the table and took a bite, hoping Maxi would change the subject.

She pinned him with a hard look. “Isn’t it time you talked to Chloe?”

Aidan sputtered. Juice dribbled down his chin while irritation shot up his spine. “I’m not discussing this with you again.”

Maxi poked a finger in his chest. “What kind of Christian are you? How can you forgive Patricia and not Chloe?”

“I’ve forgiven Chloe. But I can’t forget what she did.”

“Yet you have no problem overlooking Patricia’s actions.”

He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I’m not romantically involved with her. I know exactly what type of person she is, and I accept that.”

“Then why can’t you accept Chloe? Why is she so different?”

Because I loved her, and she let me down. The selfish thought jarred him. With added energy, he bit hard into the apple.

“Chloe didn’t set out to hurt you. She was following her heart—following her need to help those kids. She withheld information from you to protect you from the fallout. To make sure you wouldn’t be implicated.” Maxi jumped up, agitation evident in her jerky hand movements. “She’s taken in those two teens and has done wonders with them. She volunteers at Nick’s shelter for abused women. She’s even helping Mrs. Brown find a job and an apartment.”

Aidan’s back muscles tensed into painful spasms. The wound in his shoulder throbbed an accompanying symphony. “I get it. She’s a saint. What’s your point?”

Maxi scowled, fury glowing in her hazel eyes. “My point is that your huge ego is keeping you from seeing the truth about a woman who loves you.”

Aidan shot to his feet. “I don’t have to listen to this.”

“I hope your self-righteousness keeps you warm at night.”

“That’s enough, Maxine.”

She crossed the floor to face him. “Why? Are you going to write me off too?”

Her stark words halted his retreat, freezing his feet to the floor. Is that how he came across? As self-righteous and condescending?

“You’re so busy making sure everyone else is perfect, you don’t take time to look at yourself. Probably because even you wouldn’t measure up to your own impossible standards.”

The truth rang hard in his ears as he slammed out of Maxi’s screen door.

****

Aidan slipped into the back pew of the Good Shepherd Church on Sunday morning and ducked low in his seat. He’d avoided going to church lately, mostly because he couldn’t bear to see Chloe sitting with Lily and the kids. It hurt too much.

After Maxi’s dressing down, Aidan had been doing some hard thinking, and he wasn’t proud of what he’d discovered. Unlike Chloe, who owned her mistakes and tried her best to make up for them, Aidan had worn his intolerance like a suit of armor, taking no blame at all for what had happened. When had he become so superior?

The organ sang out the first strains of the opening hymn.

Aidan opened a hymnbook. Today he planned to pray hard for God’s forgiveness and by doing so, hoped he could learn to forgive himself.

A blur rushed by up the aisle, stirring the air around him. His heart thundered a response, moments before he even realized who it was.

His hungry eyes followed Chloe to the first pew.

A deep ache vibrated through his body, matching the sad tones of the organ. He rubbed his chest to relieve the building pressure. How he missed her. He’d moved out of his apartment because he couldn’t bear seeing her every day, hearing her heels tap across the floor above him. No matter how hard he tried to hang onto his anger, he could only seem to remember her good qualities.

Nick approached the pulpit and began to preach. “I’ll start my sermon today with a quote from Ephesians, chapter 4. ‘Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.’

Tender-hearted. Forgiving. Shame burned in Aidan’s stomach. What kind of Christian was he when he held grudges, showed no tolerance, and withheld his forgiveness like some treasured prize to be earned?

“It could be argued that a sin is a sin. Yet along with the black and white, there exists many shades of gray. No one is perfectly good or perfectly bad.” Nick’s eyes skimmed the congregation. “So let us be mindful of this as we strive for truth in our lives. Let us forgive others, and ourselves, if we slip up from time to time. Try not to judge another’s misstep, lest your own be judged as well.”

Nick’s gaze seemed to pierce right through Aidan as the words sank in. No one is perfectly good or perfectly bad. That’s exactly what Maxi had been trying to tell him the other day. He wasn’t perfect, and he shouldn’t expect everyone else to be. Oh Lord, he’d been such a fool. He’d allowed his pride to overshadow everything else, and by doing so, he had failed to see the bigger picture.

Not only had Chloe been trying to save the kids, but in her own way, she’d been protecting him too, preventing him from having to make the call that might ruin their lives.

And despite his harsh condemnation of her, she’d taken the full blame for the situation. Defended his good character and exonerated him completely. No one had ever done that for him before. How could he have been so blind?

At the end of the service, Aidan remained seated until most of the congregation filed out of the building. He didn’t see where Chloe had gone. Just as well. He needed time to figure out how he would apologize to her. And this time beg her forgiveness. Aidan sat with his eyes closed until he sensed someone standing in the aisle.

“Nice to see you back finally.”

Aidan’s eyes opened at Nick’s deep voice.

Still dressed in his clerical collar and black shirt, his friend’s eyes crinkled in a smile. “I hope this means you’ll stop avoiding me too.”

Guilt slid through Aidan’s system. “Hey, Nick.” He rose from the hard bench, casting furtive glances around the church.

“She’s outside with Lily.”

Aidan stiffened.

The smile faded from Nick’s face. “If you’d just talk to her, I’m sure you could clear things up.”

Aidan met Nick’s gaze, his jaw tight. “I thought you didn’t want me dating Chloe.”

“I was wrong to interfere. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that Chloe’s a grown woman. She tries hard to hide it, but I know she’s in a world of pain.”

Aidan sucked in a sharp breath as his own agony stabbed the region around his heart.

“I only want Chloe to be happy, and I think you have the power to make that happen.” Nick laid a hand on his shoulder. “Will you talk to her at least?”

A surge of hope leapt in Aidan’s veins. “I’ll definitely think about it.”