Heaven Right Here by Lutishia Lovely Page B

the other end of his property on La Jolla’s shoreline. During lunch, the conversation had centered around business. Jack now steered it toward more personal matters.
    “You know, Cy Taylor, in a somewhat indirect manner, I have you to thank for my present happiness.”
    Cy shifted in his seat and looked at Jack. “How’s that?”
    “If it weren’t for what happened between you and Millicent, I may have never met her.”
    Cy turned back to face the road. “Is that so.” He didn’t know what or how much of their history Millicent had shared, and decided to tread lightly.
    Jack laughed. “Oh, you can relax, man. She told me everything. After the infamous run-in between the four of us in Mexico, she and I had a good ol’ heart-to-heart. She didn’t want anything to do with church, much less a pastor,” he continued. “But I’m pretty irresistible when I put my mind to it, and pretty determined when I see something I want. I was willing to wait a lifetime for that woman.”
    “It seems fortunate for both of you that you didn’t have to. I’ve never seen Millicent happier.” Suddenly, a thought came to Cy. “I guess you wouldn’t be doing business with me if you had any reservations . . . about Millicent and my shared past and her old feelings about me.”
    “If I thought there was any chance that Millicent was still in love with you, we wouldn’t be doing business. And if I didn’t want to do business with you, you wouldn’t be in my car.”
    They rode along in silence for a while before Jack spoke again. “The fact is, Millicent has forgiven herself for what happened, but I think she still feels bad about it, wishes there was some way she could make up for the trouble she caused you and your wife. Plus, she respects you as a person and as a businessman, and after doing my homework, I know that her respect is well warranted. So from a strictly business point of view, I’d be crazy not to want to partner up with someone of your caliber, and character. On a personal note, I think it would make my wife happy to know she was able to help you and your wife. She knows how scarce the real estate is in this area, and I know how hard it is to find good men with whom to do business. I think our potential partnership is a win-win for everyone. What about Hope? Is she okay with us working together?”
    “Yes, she’s given the partnership her blessing.” Even as he said this, Cy remembered her apprehensive look when he mentioned coming to San Diego. If what he had in mind was going to work, he had to be absolutely certain Hope’s resentment toward Millicent was over.
    Cy and Jack’s conversation returned to real estate and ministry. A few miles later, after traveling along the pristine, unobstructed ocean view, Jack turned into a partially obscured driveway. He punched in a code, and the heavy, steel gate slowly swung open.
    The pathway was lined with lush greenery, creating a canopy over the cobble-covered roadway. The atmosphere was at once tranquil and serene, giving one the feeling of being enfolded in beauty.
    “These trees are almost a hundred years old,” Jack explained. “My great-grandfather planted them not long after he arrived in California from England and fell in love with the place.”
    “This is your family’s property?”
    Jack nodded.
    “And you’re actually going to sell it?”
    “Just a couple dozen acres,” Jack answered. “We’ll still have over a hundred more to pass down to our children. The Word admonishes us to be charitable with our bounty. You’re a good brother in the Lord, and it’s a pleasure to share some of my blessings with you.”
    “Charitable, huh? So that means I’ll get this land at well below market value.”
    Jack smiled. “The Word also says, ‘Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.’”
    Cy laughed. “So you intend to share possessions, but keep