More Than This: Contemporary Christian Romance Novel by Staci Stallings

world? I mean what kind of God sits there and lets the people who are supposed to be His children act the way they do? Take that one guy. That one in the news the other day, that preacher guy. He was all supposedly a Christian and everything and what’d he do? Embezzled money from the church. And then there’s those other ones that molested the little kids. What kind of God thinks that’s okay?”
    “He doesn’t think it’s okay, but He gave us a free will to make our own choices.”
    “Well, from what I see, some of them are making some really bad choices.”
    “Yeah. You’re right. They are. No doubt. But maybe they are trying and they got caught up in something they didn’t know how to stop. Did you ever think of that? I mean, look at alcoholics. They don’t start out to be alcoholics, but they take a drink and another and pretty soon, the alcohol’s got control of their lives.”
    He wondered if she had a video camera plugged in recording his life. He even looked around to see if he saw one and then realized that was ridiculous.
    “It’s a choice. Every minute. Life or death. Love or hate. Growth or stagnation. Do we choose wrong sometimes? Yeah, we do. In fact, sometimes we choose really wrong, but without the choice, we would never be able to choose Him, we would be forced to by having no other choices.”
    As she finished sweeping and went to the counter to clean it one last time, Jake sat down on a stool and scratched his ear. “And that would be a bad thing, why?”
    Her cleaning stopped, and when her eyes met his, he could see all the way into eternity. “Do you want someone to love you because they have to or because they want to?”
    His brain stumbled. “I… I don’t know. I guess I’d never really thought about it before.”
    The cleaning resumed and her gaze fell to it. “Most people don’t.”
    “But you have?” The question was gentle as if he was holding the fragile pieces of a delicate piece of crystal.
    “Yeah.” It was all she said.
    Jake sat there, watching her until everything was clean and in its place. She went to the back and came out without the apron but with her coat. He slid off the stool, captivated by her every move, her every breath.
    “So, you going home now?” She opened the door and stepped outside, sliding into her coat before he could think to help her.
    “Uh, yeah. I’ve got work at five.”
    Mid-lock she stopped and looked up at him. “In the morning?”
    The admission made him feel stupid. “Yeah.”
    “Wow, and I thought I had it bad with an eight o’clock class.”
    Door secured, they turned together up the sidewalk and made it all the way to the crosswalk before the next decision was to be made.
    “Um, well.” She stopped and turned to him. A long breath and she smiled. “Thanks for tonight.”
    “You’re welcome.” The urge to kiss her again swept over him, but he beat it back. “You working tomorrow night?”
    She tilted her head and brushed a strand of hair form her eyes. “Yeah. I am.”
    He nodded, absorbing that and all the manifestations of it. “Do you…” Fear clawed the question in half, but he battled that back as well. “Do you mind if I come in?”
    Soft hope settled in her beautiful hazel eyes. “No.”
    Absorbing that as well, he nodded once, and then he couldn’t stand it any longer. He pulled her to him, wrapping her in his arms in a hug that was friendly and grateful more than anything. “Thank you,” he whispered into her ear.
    “You’re welcome,” she said over his shoulder.
    And then he let her go, and they went in their separate directions. Back home, Jake walked right by the darkness of the alley to the front door of the building. His key fit, which he was mildly surprised by. It had been years since he’d last used it. Up the stairs and into his little nothing of an apartment, but somehow, even in the darkness, it looked different, not as lonely. His gaze chanced to the clock. It was nearly one, but he