bloom, though a couple needed to be trimmed back.
He missed not having a house and yard to work on. Years before, when the business with Kevin had finally begun to turn a modest profit, he had bought an older two-story home near where Patricia currently lived and used his free time to fix it up. He had enjoyed the work, both inside andout in the yard. When he had sold the home the summer he went to Africa, it had been like parting with an old friend. He had made good money on the investment, but it had been a sacrifice, selling the place.
He was a man who liked having a home that showed the benefits of his labor. For six years on the mission field, he had accepted living in temporary housing, often staying with members of the local church, their hospitality appreciated and generous, but it was not the same as having a permanent home.
Dave had a restless, nomadic streak. James was different. He looked forward to the day the clinics were built and the job was done, coming back to the States to settle in one place, buy a house and use his labor to make it a nice home.
Lace returned with the soda he had requested.
Dave flipped the ribs over, added more barbecue sauce.
Ten minutes later, they settled around the table for dinner. Rae and Lace sat across from Dave and James.
Rae was quiet, but her smiled was genuine, her laughter making her eyes twinkle. Although she was still avoiding catching his glance, he had a long evening to work on getting her attention.
Rae passed him the bread and he finally caught her eye. He smiled and it was tentative, but he got a smile back from her.
James relaxed.
Lace was back to flirting with Dave.
It was a wonderful meal. The food was delicious, and the company enjoyable. By dessert, the conversation had turned to Rae’s book.
Rae didn’t like being the center of attention; she was the one who preferred to listen. James found her slight blush tugging his protective nature.
He was pleased to hear that she had been able to get an average six hours of writing time in each week since the vacation, and was now working on chapter twenty-four. When she talked about the book, she came alive in a way that made her face light up. He loved to see that expression.
They eventually moved to the living room and the baseball game, Lace accepting a small gesture from Dave to join him on the couch. Rae settled into a chair, and James sat across from her, watching her as much as he did the game.
Often, he would see her eyes drift from the game to the pictures on the mantel. She looked less hurt, but still sad.
It was not the time to ask her. He could have arranged a chance to ask her, but he didn’t try. Tonight was not the right time.
There was a day coming soon that would be the right time. She needed to know a future did exist beyond what she presently had; she needed to know the sadness could be left behind and she could look at options beyond just her career. He had heard the weariness in her voice as she talked about how work was going, her progress in looking for a business partner.
She wasn’t going to leave the sadness behind without someone taking the step to ask her on a date. He cared too much about her to leave for Africa without having helped her open that door.
He would be opening the door that someone else would eventually walk through.
He wanted her to still be single in five years, when he figured he would be coming back to the States for good. It wasn’t fair to her. She wanted children. He had only to lookat her at church around the children to see the obvious. It wasn’t fair to rob her of a dream just because he would prefer to have her wait for him.
The sixth day working on the house was a physically challenging day. It was a hot, eighty degrees by 10:00 a.m., the sun and heat and humidity making them sweat and go through gallons of ice water. James paused on the bandsaw, having cut the last lumber they would need to finish framing in the master bedroom and master
He missed not having a house and yard to work on. Years before, when the business with Kevin had finally begun to turn a modest profit, he had bought an older two-story home near where Patricia currently lived and used his free time to fix it up. He had enjoyed the work, both inside andout in the yard. When he had sold the home the summer he went to Africa, it had been like parting with an old friend. He had made good money on the investment, but it had been a sacrifice, selling the place.
He was a man who liked having a home that showed the benefits of his labor. For six years on the mission field, he had accepted living in temporary housing, often staying with members of the local church, their hospitality appreciated and generous, but it was not the same as having a permanent home.
Dave had a restless, nomadic streak. James was different. He looked forward to the day the clinics were built and the job was done, coming back to the States to settle in one place, buy a house and use his labor to make it a nice home.
Lace returned with the soda he had requested.
Dave flipped the ribs over, added more barbecue sauce.
Ten minutes later, they settled around the table for dinner. Rae and Lace sat across from Dave and James.
Rae was quiet, but her smiled was genuine, her laughter making her eyes twinkle. Although she was still avoiding catching his glance, he had a long evening to work on getting her attention.
Rae passed him the bread and he finally caught her eye. He smiled and it was tentative, but he got a smile back from her.
James relaxed.
Lace was back to flirting with Dave.
It was a wonderful meal. The food was delicious, and the company enjoyable. By dessert, the conversation had turned to Rae’s book.
Rae didn’t like being the center of attention; she was the one who preferred to listen. James found her slight blush tugging his protective nature.
He was pleased to hear that she had been able to get an average six hours of writing time in each week since the vacation, and was now working on chapter twenty-four. When she talked about the book, she came alive in a way that made her face light up. He loved to see that expression.
They eventually moved to the living room and the baseball game, Lace accepting a small gesture from Dave to join him on the couch. Rae settled into a chair, and James sat across from her, watching her as much as he did the game.
Often, he would see her eyes drift from the game to the pictures on the mantel. She looked less hurt, but still sad.
It was not the time to ask her. He could have arranged a chance to ask her, but he didn’t try. Tonight was not the right time.
There was a day coming soon that would be the right time. She needed to know a future did exist beyond what she presently had; she needed to know the sadness could be left behind and she could look at options beyond just her career. He had heard the weariness in her voice as she talked about how work was going, her progress in looking for a business partner.
She wasn’t going to leave the sadness behind without someone taking the step to ask her on a date. He cared too much about her to leave for Africa without having helped her open that door.
He would be opening the door that someone else would eventually walk through.
He wanted her to still be single in five years, when he figured he would be coming back to the States for good. It wasn’t fair to her. She wanted children. He had only to lookat her at church around the children to see the obvious. It wasn’t fair to rob her of a dream just because he would prefer to have her wait for him.
The sixth day working on the house was a physically challenging day. It was a hot, eighty degrees by 10:00 a.m., the sun and heat and humidity making them sweat and go through gallons of ice water. James paused on the bandsaw, having cut the last lumber they would need to finish framing in the master bedroom and master