and where I needed to go next. But, now . . .” Amber paused. Life is so different now. Could I really just stay here?
“Now, what?”
Peter stopped walking and Amber stopped with him. She turned to look at him.
“I think I’d like to stay.” Amber began to think about what all that could mean. Flashes of a home of her own, friends, and family passed through her mind. Two months ago I wouldn’t have thought it, but the idea of family and friends sounds comforting.
Peter smiled and reached for her hand. They started walking again.
After a few minutes, Amber said, “I suppose I should start looking for a place to stay. I can’t live with your mom and dad forever.”
“I don’t think there’s a rush. Mom likes you being close.”
“Yes, but the original deal was just for three or four months. If I’m thinking about staying here permanently, then I should get a place of my own.”
They’d reached the river and Peter brushed the bit of snow off the bench seat so they could sit.
“What about sharing?”
“Sharing? Like a roommate? I don’t know about that. It’s never worked out great before.”
“What about sharing with a husband?”
Amber stopped breathing momentarily. She could barely speak and wasn’t sure whether it was safer to look at Peter or the river. She couldn’t resist the urge to see what his eyes would tell her. “A husband?”
Peter reached for her hand again. “Look, Amber. I’m certainly not going to rush you down the aisle. I know a lot’s been happening inside you over the past month or so. But I do know that I am falling deeply in love with you. I’d like for marriage to be an option at some point in our future.”
Amber wasn’t sure what to say. Marriage. Me and Peter? She stood and walked a few steps closer to the river. “What about Stephanie?”
“Stephanie’s not an option for me. Never has been.”
“But you saw her so often.” Amber’s emotions were bubbling to the surface.
“I guess you could say that Stephanie was something to occupy my time. As far as I was concerned, she was never anything more than a friend.”
Amber felt like a huge load had been removed. Tears sprung to her eyes and began flowing down her cheeks.
“Anyway, she’d never settle down in Crossing,” said Peter, “or like my dad’s logging business. She was always pushing, trying to get me to move to Portland, become some executive in her father’s business. She just liked the idea of me. I’m not sure she ever liked the man I actually want to become.”
Amber couldn’t say a word without revealing she was crying. She just stood looking at the river, seeing instead the possibility of life with Peter. When did that become my dream? The first time we walked down this path together? Over dinner each night?
“Amber, what do you think?”
She turned and looked at him, tears still streaming down her face. “I don’t know what to think! I’m overwhelmed.”
Peter came to stand in front of her, taking her hands in his. “What is it, my precious one?”
Amber smiled at him. “First your dad wanted me. Then your mom and your dog.” Amber giggled for a moment. “Then I found out Jesus wanted me, and now you do. I feel like the verse you put on your mom’s bench. I feel like a ‘treasured possession.’”
Chapter 17
“ANDY!”
“Hey, Pete. We’ve got to talk.”
“Come on in.”
Peter was concerned. He knew his friend valued his home time, and to be away from Allie at almost 9:00 p.m. told him this was important. As Andy walked in, Peter noticed his crumpled suit pants and loosened tie. “You look beat. What’s going on?”
Andy sat on the leather couch while Peter took the chair next to him.
“I’m exhausted. I’ve been working on a new case, of sorts.”
“Can you tell me who the client is?”
“I guess you, Pete.”
“Me?”
Andy sighed. “A man came into my office the day after Christmas. A stranger to town, looking for a girl.”
“A
“Now, what?”
Peter stopped walking and Amber stopped with him. She turned to look at him.
“I think I’d like to stay.” Amber began to think about what all that could mean. Flashes of a home of her own, friends, and family passed through her mind. Two months ago I wouldn’t have thought it, but the idea of family and friends sounds comforting.
Peter smiled and reached for her hand. They started walking again.
After a few minutes, Amber said, “I suppose I should start looking for a place to stay. I can’t live with your mom and dad forever.”
“I don’t think there’s a rush. Mom likes you being close.”
“Yes, but the original deal was just for three or four months. If I’m thinking about staying here permanently, then I should get a place of my own.”
They’d reached the river and Peter brushed the bit of snow off the bench seat so they could sit.
“What about sharing?”
“Sharing? Like a roommate? I don’t know about that. It’s never worked out great before.”
“What about sharing with a husband?”
Amber stopped breathing momentarily. She could barely speak and wasn’t sure whether it was safer to look at Peter or the river. She couldn’t resist the urge to see what his eyes would tell her. “A husband?”
Peter reached for her hand again. “Look, Amber. I’m certainly not going to rush you down the aisle. I know a lot’s been happening inside you over the past month or so. But I do know that I am falling deeply in love with you. I’d like for marriage to be an option at some point in our future.”
Amber wasn’t sure what to say. Marriage. Me and Peter? She stood and walked a few steps closer to the river. “What about Stephanie?”
“Stephanie’s not an option for me. Never has been.”
“But you saw her so often.” Amber’s emotions were bubbling to the surface.
“I guess you could say that Stephanie was something to occupy my time. As far as I was concerned, she was never anything more than a friend.”
Amber felt like a huge load had been removed. Tears sprung to her eyes and began flowing down her cheeks.
“Anyway, she’d never settle down in Crossing,” said Peter, “or like my dad’s logging business. She was always pushing, trying to get me to move to Portland, become some executive in her father’s business. She just liked the idea of me. I’m not sure she ever liked the man I actually want to become.”
Amber couldn’t say a word without revealing she was crying. She just stood looking at the river, seeing instead the possibility of life with Peter. When did that become my dream? The first time we walked down this path together? Over dinner each night?
“Amber, what do you think?”
She turned and looked at him, tears still streaming down her face. “I don’t know what to think! I’m overwhelmed.”
Peter came to stand in front of her, taking her hands in his. “What is it, my precious one?”
Amber smiled at him. “First your dad wanted me. Then your mom and your dog.” Amber giggled for a moment. “Then I found out Jesus wanted me, and now you do. I feel like the verse you put on your mom’s bench. I feel like a ‘treasured possession.’”
Chapter 17
“ANDY!”
“Hey, Pete. We’ve got to talk.”
“Come on in.”
Peter was concerned. He knew his friend valued his home time, and to be away from Allie at almost 9:00 p.m. told him this was important. As Andy walked in, Peter noticed his crumpled suit pants and loosened tie. “You look beat. What’s going on?”
Andy sat on the leather couch while Peter took the chair next to him.
“I’m exhausted. I’ve been working on a new case, of sorts.”
“Can you tell me who the client is?”
“I guess you, Pete.”
“Me?”
Andy sighed. “A man came into my office the day after Christmas. A stranger to town, looking for a girl.”
“A
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