Miracles in Disguise (The Trampled Rose Series) by Michelle Lynn Brown

that she might again have a life she dreamed of.
    Until you let him down, and then he’ll change , she heard David’s voice whisper in her thoughts.
    “I didn’t let you down!” she cried to the empty room. “It wasn't my fault!”
    Kristina closed her eyes wearily, and a vision of David’s strong, handsome face appeared. One of his dark eyebrows was arched in question over eyes filled with so much anger, hurt, and disgust. But she remembered a time when they had been filled with so much love for her.
    Doubt came sailing into her heart, and she began to question her decision to go out with Nathan tonight. What would he think if he found out about her past? He didn’t even know she had been married before, let alone how her husband died.
    Throwing off the covers, she sat up and threw off her doubts. “No!” she told herself. “Things can be different, I'm different . . . Nathan is different.” But though she voiced the words, doubts still assailed her. And though she tried throughout the morning to shake them, they still lingered in the back of her mind.
    Later that morning, as she was walking to her class, Nathan came up beside her and flung his arm around her shoulder. “Rumor has it that you have a hot date tonight, Ms. Talbot.”
    His smile and charming personality never failed to have an almost magical effect of chasing away her fears. She stopped and feigned a serious look, “Oh, I hoped word wouldn’t get around!" She chuckled when his smile started to fade, “Just in case the date is a flop; I wouldn’t want to embarrass him.”
    He laughed at her playful response and said, “I’ll pick you up at seven.” Walking backward, he bowed low as he added, "And I’ll try not to let you down.” With a wink, he jogged off to his class.
    The day seemed to fly by, and before she knew it, she was home. She took extra care getting ready, and surveyed herself critically in the mirror. She had chosen a simple pale green dress with small sleeves that fluttered over her arms like the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. “You can do this," she said to her terrified reflection.
    She jumped when she heard Nathan’s knock at the door. But when she opened the door and saw his handsome face smiling down at her, anticipation flooded her heart, scattering all other emotions.
    “You look stunning,” he said as he took her hand.
    “So do you,” she replied, smiling shyly. Gone was the charming and playful look that always danced in his eyes. It was replaced by sincere admiration and affection that seemed to reach into the pit of her stomach and turn it inside out.
    He reached around her to close the door, and again took her hand and led her to his truck. He had chosen a charming little restaurant on the edge of town. As they ate, the conversation led to their families.
    “It must have been nice growing up with a brother,” she said, after he related a hilarious tale of him and Mike as children.
    “I also have a sister who lives in Albuquerque,” Nathan said, “Hannah has been trying to get me to move up there and become the worship leader at their church."
    “I would think that job would be right up your alley.”
    “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
    “No, I’m just saying with your beautiful voice and passion for music, I would expect you to jump at that job.”
    “I love this town, I love these people,” Nathan said, “It might not be as glamorous or well-paid, but I can’t imagine living elsewhere. Besides, now I have even more reason to stay.”
    Kristina looked away for a moment. Her mind said run, but her heart said stay.
    “So you don’t have any brothers or sisters?” When she shook her head, he smiled, “I bet your daddy spoiled you rotten.”
    A shadow crossed her features, “My father was a very hard, strict and demanding man. He showed very little emotion, though I do believe he loved me.” She finally looked up at him, as she added, "He died when I was 13.”
    Nathan held her hand