Topaz Heat (Christian Romance) (The Jewel Series) (21 page)

“I see.” He smiled as he popped a sushi roll into his mouth and chewed. Sarah busied herself with fresh ginger and began eating. The more she ate the hungrier she became. Soon the two of them cleared the boxes and bags, leaving behind a wasteland of empty containers and used chopsticks. They filled the meal time with conversations about their nieces and nephews. Sarah’s sisters and their husbands had spent many weekends in New York for various reasons over the years, and Tony considered him as much a brother as he considered Barry a brother. Their children had always known Derrick as their “Uncle D.”

Once the meal was finished and the bags and boxes disposed of, together they moved from the kitchen into the living room. Sarah sat in the armchair while Derrick sat close to her on the couch. Tired of safe conversations, Sarah broached the subject that still hung in the air between them. “What will you do if you get arrested?”

Derrick leaned back against the cushions and hooked an ankle on his knee. “Pay a hefty fee for Clifford, I imagine.”

“How can you be so nonchalant about it?” Sarah said. “Your whole life hangs in the balance here.”

“No.” Derrick leaned forward and laced his fingers, resting his elbows on his knees. “My whole life is centered on God’s love for me, on the feelings you have for me that you’re still trying to figure out, and my place in this family. These charges, which will likely come sometime in the next twenty-four hours, are nothing more than my past trying to bring us down.”

Sarah leaned forward too, and surprised herself by sandwiching Derrick’s hands with her own. The backs of his hands felt warm against her palms. He looked at their joined hands then raised his head to meet her eyes. “Sarah, I just want to say something. All I can think is how thankful I am that you remembered what you remembered, that I was there with you when it happened, and that while praying I accidentally let you know what my feelings for you are. I’m thankful that God provided us with the opportunity to spend some nonhostile time together before I face this.”

He cleared his throat and Sarah squeezed his hands in encouragement as she felt a tear slide down her cheek. He continued, “I am going to need this evening. This will get me through it. Whatever ‘It’ is, I can face it. Your friendship –”

Sarah licked her lips and raised a trembling hand to Derrick’s cheek. “Derrick, I –”

The opening of the door cut off whatever she’d started to say. Melissa came in but stopped when she saw them. “We need to stop meeting like this,” she said to Derrick.

He laughed and stood. “Melissa.”

She waved a hand. “I’m only here to get my security badge. I left it on top of my dresser.” She rushed from the room and Sarah sighed and leaned back in the chair, rubbing her forehead. What had she been about to say? She couldn’t even think. Melissa came back very quickly, holding a lanyard that clipped together her hospital identification. “Just pretend I was never here,” she said with a wave.

Derrick shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at Sarah. “Listen, I should go. Tomorrow will prove to be a long day.”

“Derrick, wait!” Sarah stood quickly, panicked. “I –”

He put his hands on her shoulders and shushed her. “Listen to me. Don’t feel rushed or pressured. I need you to just relax and let this out of your mind for a while.” He squeezed her shoulders and stepped backward. “Thank you for allowing me to bring you dinner.”

“I just want to spend time with you,” she rushed out. He smiled and cupped her cheek with his hand, sending little excited flutters through her heart.

“There will be time. I promise.” His gaze held hers for several heartbeats. Before he turned and left the house, he gave her a quick peck on her forehead.

SARAH
stood next to her friends in the atrium of her family’s church. She made small talk with some friends while people came and went, going to their respective classes for the midweek services. She held her Bible in one hand and her cell phone in the other. While she tried to pay attention to the conversation, she felt focused instead on waiting for the phone to ring. The last twenty-four hours had dragged on and on while everyone just kind of collectively held their breath and waited. But nothing happened. Sarah had started to think that nothing would ever happen, that Tuesday had just been a bad dream.

A hand on her elbow made her turn from her friends and face her pastor, Norman Bishop. “Pastor,” she said with a smile, “good to see you.”

“We missed you Sunday, Sarah.”

“I know. I caught a bug that was going around the hospital.”

“That’s what your mother said.” He nodded his head in the direction over her right shoulder and Sarah turned slightly to see her mother join them.

“Mother.”

“Sarah.” The pursed lips showed that nothing had been forgiven or forgotten. Sarah felt only a small amount of remorse.

“I just wanted to tell you,” the pastor continued, “that Jean and I are looking forward to Friday night. It isn’t often that we get to attend a function at the Viscolli’s Grand Ballroom.”

“Friday?” Sarah felt her brow wrinkle in confusion.

“Your birthday party.”

She gasped as she remembered. “I’m sorry. That kind of snuck up on me. With everything that’s happened in the last few weeks, time has just flown.”

He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You and your mom have remained in our prayers. I know your father’s passing was hard on you both.”

Hot tears stung her eyes as a flash of pain cut at her chest. “It isn’t real yet.”

“No.”

Her mother cleared her throat and Norman looked at her. “Will we see you there as well?”

“I’m afraid not.” Darlene adjusted the collar of her coat. “I don’t enjoy driving in the city for any reason.”

Feeling a bit like a chided child, Sarah stepped out of character and said boldly, “I’ve taken care of that, mother. I have a car picking you up at seven.”

She knew her mother would be trapped by the presence of the pastor and her insistence on etiquette and manners. Her response did not surprise Sarah, but it pleased her. “Very well, then. I guess you will be seeing me.” She brushed at the tips of her bangs with the edge of her fingers. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get to my class.”

As her mother turned away, Norman spoke again. “Is everything okay here?”

Sarah waved a hand but had to clear her throat around threatening tears. “Not necessarily.” She surprised herself with her honesty. “We’re at a bit of an impasse right now.”

He squeezed her shoulder again and said, “I will pray that you two are able to mend things soon.” As he removed his hand, his attention was once again behind her. “Hello there.”

Sarah smelled him before she felt his hand on the small of her back. Suddenly feeling a huge weight of doom lifting from her shoulders, she turned her head and smiled at Derrick. “Hi.” She felt her face light up, felt the silly grin covering it, but was too happy to see him to pretend otherwise. “Pastor, this is my friend, Derrick. Derrick, Pastor Norman Bishop.”

Derrick held out his hand and shook the pastor’s. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You as well. Is this your first time here?”

“It is. The times I’ve had the luxury of worshipping with Sarah, she’s met me at my church downtown.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Boston Central Bible – BCB.”

“That is an amazing church. It does wonderful things for the disadvantaged in the area.”

“That is our focus.”

“Well, we’re happy to have you here tonight.” The pastor looked at his watch. “Excuse me, I need to get to my classroom.”

Sarah turned and faced Derrick fully. “I’m so happy to see you!”

He smiled and put a hand on her arm, then ran it down the length of her arm, squeezing her fingers before relinquishing the touch. Sarah immediately felt comforted, calm, and steady. “So far, everything today has been normal.” He gestured at her nursing uniform. “I see you worked today.”

“Yes. I had a six to six shift, so I just came straight here.” She tilted her head to look at him. “I left you a message at work when I got off.”

“I know. I’ve been in meetings all day. Trying to prep the staff for my…” he paused and clenched his teeth. “…my absence without really letting them know there will be one.”

“Derrick –”

“Sarah. It’s okay; it’s more important that I plan than ignore.”

“I just –” She paused and licked her lips. She wanted to tell him that she loved him. She needed to tell him that she loved him. But she didn’t need him to hear it standing in the lobby of her church. “I wish we knew what will happen.”

Derrick smiled and reached for her hand. This time he did not let it go. “I have been doing a lot of reading in Psalms. It’s amazing how much comfort can be garnered by reading the words of a man being pursued and persecuted. Here is one I’ve committed to memory to sustain me through this trial. ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.’”

He squeezed her hand and she felt the reassurance all the way up her arm. “I’m here to praise Him, and I would really enjoy doing it with your hand in mine.”

Sarah felt lighter, calmer, less burdened. She nodded and righted her glasses on her nose with her free hand. “I’d like that very much.”

As they turned for her to lead him to her class, she caught a glance at her mother, who stared at her with such firm disapproval that Sarah could almost hear the look. She resisted the childish urge to stick her tongue out at her mother, and instead looked up at Derrick and smiled.

AS
the last notes of the birthday song died down and applause erupted, Sarah blew out all thirty candles on the three-tiered cake and accepted the kiss on each cheek from her sisters. The smile on her face was strained enough that her muscles started to hurt, but she kept it plastered on because she didn’t want anyone in her family to think she wasn’t having the time of her life.

Derrick wasn’t there.

Minutes had clicked into hours and hours had clicked into days and still no word from the police. The last time she’d talked to Derrick, he’d been prepping for a morning meeting, but assured her that he would see her there at the hotel for the party. But the party had been in full swing for an hour, and still nothing. She laughed and cut cake and fought back the tears that threatened to mar the makeup Maxine had coated on her face.

What if they’d arrested him and everyone was trying to protect her so that she’d enjoy her party? Worse yet, what if they’d arrested him and he hadn’t made his phone call yet, so everyone was here yucking it up while he sat in central holding, or whatever they called it? She rubbed her hands on the shiny material of her dress and nodded a hello to a nurse friend. She wore a dress the color of tarnished bronze that fit tight and showed off her small frame. The sleeves hugged her arms to her wrists, the hem stopped just at her knees, and the neck scooped a little lower than normal. She had to resist the urge to tug at it. Around her neck she wore a choker of hammered gold – her birthday gift from Robin – and her hair was bundled loosely on the top of her head, allowing curly strands to fall and wisp along her neck.