Where Two Hearts Meet (6 page)

Chapter Seven

Tyler glanced out the passenger window at the spacious, green lawn of the Princeton Battlefield Park and turned to Allie. “Why are we stopping here?”

She turned off the car. “Close your eyes. I want to show you something.”

“How can I see it if my eyes are closed?”

“Very funny. Come on, I want it to be a surprise.” She sent him an impish smile that got his heart pumping.

“Okay.” He scrunched his eyes closed, sorry to lose sight of her. “I wouldn’t do this for anyone else, you know.”

She laughed softly. “Good.”

He heard her car door open, and then a few seconds later, his opened.

“Keep your eyes shut,” she said, a smile in her voice. Grinning, he climbed out of the car. “I hope I won’t regret this.”

“You can trust me.” She took his hand and led him across the soft lawn.

The early afternoon sun warmed his back, and the scent of freshly mowed grass filled the air. A light breeze carried the fragrance of some kind of flower he couldn’t identify. “If I’d known we were going on a hike, I would’ve worn my boots and packed a snack.”

Laughing, she squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry. We’re almost there.” They walked another thirty seconds or so, and she pulled him to a stop. “Okay. You can open your eyes now.” Tyler obeyed, then blinked at a sea of yellow daffodils stretching across the grass in all directions. The bright, golden flowers bobbed in the breeze like dancers on stage, their slim, silvery leaves flickering beside them. Tall evergreens at the edge of the park swayed in the breeze, providing a peaceful, deep green background. “Wow, this is amazing.” He glanced over at Allie as she took in the scene.

Her expression grew pensive. “The Princeton Garden Club planted seven thousand bulbs in memory of those who died on September 11. The flowers come back every spring.” She turned to him. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Very special.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “Thanks for showing me.”

“I knew you’d like it.” Her smile warmed his heart.

He slipped his arm around her shoulder, and contentment washed over him. It had been an amazing three weeks. He and Allie had seen each other almost every day and checked in by phone on days when other commitments kept them apart. Even in that short time they’d made some wonderful memories together—walks across Princeton University campus, an organ concert at the University Chapel, quiet dinners at her apartment, a visit to the Princeton University Art Museum, and discovering their favorite flavors at a unique little ice cream shop in Palmer Square called the Bent Spoon.

These were some of the same types of things they’d enjoyed six years ago, but everything seemed different now that there was a genuine spiritual dimension to their relationship. They often prayed together to end the evening and enjoyed attending church together.

Tyler lifted his gaze to the field of daffodils again. Allie didn’t know it yet, but he was working on some surprises of his own. In two weeks they’d celebrate her birthday, and he couldn’t wait to see her reaction when he showed her the limited- edition prints he’d had made from one of her paintings. He felt certain it would launch her artistic career, especially since he’d already contacted art dealers in Princeton and New York who were interested in carrying Allie’s prints.

“Thank you, Tyler,” she said softly.

He looked into her eyes and read the message of love reflected there. Gratefulness washed over him. “Why are you thanking me? You’re the one who brought me here.”

She smiled at him sweetly. “Because sharing it with you is what makes it special.”

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. “You’re the one who makes every day special.”

Chapter Eight

Rain drummed on the front windows of Sweet Something.

Allison glanced at her watch, concern tightening her stomach. Six forty-seven. Where could Tyler be? He’d said he would meet her at the shop after work, then take her home to change before they went out to dinner to celebrate her birthday. She straightened the little packages of specialty teas and adjusted the row of teapots on the next shelf. She shouldn’t worry. Tyler probably had a perfectly reasonable explanation for being late.

Then why hadn’t he called?

Tessa stepped down into the gift shop. “Hey, I didn’t know you were still here. I thought Tyler was picking you up at six.”

“I’m sure he’ll be here any minute. You can go. I’ll lock up.”

“Allie, it’s almost seven. Are you sure he’s coming? I don’t want to leave you here without a ride.”

“We have dinner reservations at The Blue Point Grill. He’ll be here soon.” But little vines of doubt wrapped around her heart, squeezing out her confidence and replacing it with old fears she couldn’t quite shake. Memories of another rainy night six years earlier flew into her mind and sent a chill up her spine.

Tessa frowned and crossed her arms. “Did you call him? Maybe he got held up at work.”

“I tried. No one’s there.”

“How about his cell phone or home?”

“I called those, too. He didn’t answer.” She wrapped her arms around herself as she stared out the rain-spattered windows. The glow from streetlights glistened on the wet pavement. Cars splashed through the puddles, making their way down Nassau Street. “The weather’s awful. I hope nothing’s happened to him.”

“Maybe his car broke down again.” Tessa glanced out the window and back at Allison. “Did you tell him how worried you were when that happened last time and he didn’t call?”

She averted her eyes. “No, I didn’t want him to think I was one of those clingy women who can’t let her boyfriend out of her sight for more than ten minutes.”

Tessa sighed. “You need to be honest with him. He should call if he’s going to be late, especially on your birthday! We wanted to have a family party tonight, but we had to change our plans because he said he was going to take you out.”

“I know, I know.” Allison rubbed her forehead. “This is probably just a mix-up or something.”

Tessa leveled her gaze at Allison. “I don’t know what’s going on. But remember this, people put their best foot forward when they’re dating. And if this is Tyler’s best, then . . .”

“Tessa, please. That’s not helpful. I’m sure there’s an explanation.”

“Okay. I hope you’re right.” Tessa joined Allison by the front window. “Just don’t give your heart away until you’re sure Tyler respects you and cherishes you.” She gently touched Allison’s arm. “Think about it, okay?”

The clock by the door struck seven. Allison looked into her sister’s eyes. “Okay. I hear what you’re saying.”

* * * *

Tyler pushed open the heavy glass door of his office building and dashed into the rain.

The limo driver of the Lincoln Town Car sprang into action and opened the rear passenger door for him.

As Tyler bent to step in, his cell phone slipped from his hand and splashed into a puddle at his feet. Irritation coursed through him. Fishing through the cold water, he retrieved the phone. He wiped it on his pants leg and gave it a good shake before he climbed in the car.

“Which airline are you flying with, Mr. Lawrence?”

“US Air.” Tyler hooked his seat belt and flipped open his phone. Little drops of water fogged his screen and dripped from the buttons. He swiped his coat sleeve over the phone’s screen and punched in speed dial for Allie at Sweet Something. Lifting it to his ear, he prayed it would work, but the silence buzzed back at him. A crazy mixture of fear and foreboding coursed through him. He had to explain things to Allie before he left town. He needed her prayers.

Sighing, he laid his head back and closed his eyes. Hopefully, he’d have time to call her from the airport.

Forty-five minutes later he hustled through the revolving door of the Newark International Airport and scanned the scene in Terminal A. Crowds of people, toting bulky suitcases, stood between him and the check-in counter. Tyler shot off an urgent prayer. He had less than thirty-five minutes to get through the line and onto that plane for Tampa. His stepmother’s call left little doubt. His father’s situation was serious. He had to come now.

He spotted a tall, blond agent, with a caring smile, helping passengers find the correct line. She listened to his story and took him directly to the ticket counter. In less than seven minutes he had paid for his ticket and had his boarding pass in hand. The same agent took him to the head of the security line. He thanked her and quickly made his way through the checkpoint.

Running down the concourse toward his gate, he spotted a pay phone. He hadn’t used one in ages and soon realized he needed coins he didn’t have. Dashing into a bookshop across the concourse, he tried to persuade the clerk to give him change for a five. But he refused to open the register unless Tyler made a purchase. He grabbed a bag of peanuts and tossed the five-dollar bill on the counter. The clerk passed back a handful of change.

Tyler glanced at his watch as he approached the phone. He had less than seventeen minutes before the plane took off. Frustration swelled in his chest. Allie must think he was a jerk for standing her up on her birthday. He wearily rubbed his eyes and pulled in a deep breath. He had to get a grip. She would understand. They’d been praying for his dad, asking the Lord to give Tyler an opportunity to speak to him about his faith. He just never expected their prayers to be answered like this.

He punched in her home number and waited for the call to go through. Gripping the receiver, he counted four rings, and then the answering machine clicked on.

Disappointment pulsed through him. He didn’t want to talk to a machine. Emotion rose and clogged his throat, stealing his words for a few seconds. Finally he spoke. “Allie, it’s me. My stepmom called from the hospital in Clearwater. My dad had a heart attack on the golf course this afternoon. She’s pretty upset. She wants me to come right away. I’m at the airport now, catching a seven-ten flight. Please pray. I’m not ready to say good-bye to my dad.” Tyler’s voice choked off. He closed his eyes and swallowed. “I’m sorry about tonight.” He stopped to listen as they made the final call for his flight. “I have to go. I love you.”

He listened to the silence on the other end of the line, and his shoulders sagged.

Chapter Nine

A jumble of fear and frustration swirled through Allison as she stooped and picked up the Saturday morning paper outside Tyler’s front door. It was almost ten thirty. Could he be sleeping in? Maybe he’d never come home. That thought sent a sickening wave through her.
Please, Lord, don't let it be something like that.
She lifted her hand and knocked.

Last night she’d finally given up waiting for him at the shop and left with Tessa. Her sister threw together a last-minute birthday party complete with a cake she pulled from the freezer and an off-key round of “Happy Birthday.” Allison sang along for her niece and nephews’ sake, but her heart wasn’t in it. When she finally arrived home around nine, she checked her answering machine. There was only one message. It began with a long pause. She knew it had to be a telemarketer and quickly pushed the DELETE button. She was
not
in the mood to listen to a sales spiel.

She called Tyler’s home and cell phone once more, leaving a second round of messages. Then she fell into bed and gave in to her tears. Lying there, staring at the ceiling, she tried to fight off the assault of accusing thoughts and painful memories. But the old fears of abandonment and betrayal rose to the surface, mocking her for believing Tyler had truly changed. She didn’t fall asleep until well after midnight, and she spent the night wrestling through disturbing dreams. When morning arrived, she resolved to stop fretting and do something.

She knocked on Tyler’s door again, but he didn’t answer. Standing on tiptoes, she took down the spare key and unlocked the door. Tyler had shown her his hiding place above the doorframe last week when he’d been locked out.

She slowly pushed open the door and slipped inside, feeling more like a burglar than a concerned friend. She called Tyler’s name and listened to her voice echo off the walls. A quick glance around the quiet living room and dining room revealed nothing unusual. She walked into the kitchen and spotted two coffee cups and a sticky cereal bowl on the counter. Looking more closely, she saw the cereal was hard and stuck to the bottom of the bowl. Definitely yesterday’s breakfast.

A shiver raced up her back as she left the kitchen and headed down the hall. Peeking in the bedroom, she saw his empty bed. The blankets and comforter had been pulled up and straightened. A pair of white socks and gray sweatpants lay on the floor near the closet. She tiptoed across the soft, beige carpet and slowly pushed open the bathroom door. A towel, comb, and shaving gear cluttered the counter, but there was no sign of Tyler.

She walked back into the living room, running through all the possible explanations for Tyler’s disappearance for the hundredth time. Should she call his mom or brother? The local hospitals or the police? Maybe she could find his dad’s number in Florida, but she wasn’t sure where he lived. Her gaze moved to Tyler’s desk in the comer of the room. His open laptop sat in the center of the desk. A tropical beach screensaver slowly faded to a second photo with palm trees and aqua water. Allison walked over and touched a computer key. The screensaver immediately disappeared and a desktop photo popped up, filling the screen.

Her eyebrows lifted. She and Tyler stood arm-in-arm in the center of the sea of brilliant daffodils. She sank into the desk chair and stared at her own image smiling back at her from the laptop. She’d looked directly at the camera lens, but he looked at her. The affection in his eyes was unmistakable. Warmth flooded through her, relaxing her tense muscles. Tears misted her vision. How could she doubt his love?

She sniffed and glanced at Tyler’s open Bible lying on the desk next to the computer. Leaning closer, she focused on a section Tyler had carefully underlined in 1 Corinthians 13.
Love is patient, love is kind . . . It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs . . . It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Allison tilted her head slightly to read Tyler’s handwritten note in the margin. Surprise rippled through her when she saw her name and the date of February fourth, over a year ago, written there. What did it mean? Had he been thinking of her?

Praying for her? It seemed strange since they hadn’t even been in contact at that time.

She focused on the verses again, letting their message sink in. The unconditional love described there was built on choices and decisions, not just feelings.

Did she have that kind of love for Tyler? Her heart ached as she considered that question.

What should I do, Lord?

* * * *

Monday morning Allison hurried in the back door of Sweet Something and hung up her coat.

Tessa glanced up from arranging hot scones on a delicate blue china plate. “Good morning.”

The question in her sister’s eyes sent a ripple of uneasiness through Allison. She knew Tessa wanted to ask if she’d heard from Tyler, but she didn’t want to talk about it. Her calls to the hospitals had turned up nothing. On Sunday, she’d left messages with his brother and his mother, but neither of them had called back yet. She’d made up her mind. If she didn’t hear from him by the end of the day, she would contact the police.

Kayla breezed into the kitchen carrying a tray of dishes. When she saw Allison, embarrassment flashed in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Allison, Tyler just called a couple minutes ago. I told him you weren’t in yet.”

Allison’s heart leaped. “Did he leave a message?”

Kayla set the tray by the sink. “He asked you to call, and he left a number.”

“You’re sure he didn’t say anything else?” Tessa asked, her brows in a skeptical arch. “Like where he’s been for the past three days?”

“Tessa, please.” Allison turned to Kayla. “Where’s the number?”

“Out front by the phone.” Kayla led the way back through the teashop. When they reached the antique desk they used as a hostess podium, she pointed to the pad of paper next to the phone.

Allison’s heart hammered. The number began with an area code she didn’t recognize. She thanked Kayla as she grabbed the phone and quickly punched it in.

After two rings a mechanical voice answered. “I’m sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please check the number and dial again.”

She immediately tried a second time but got the same message. She blew out a frustrated breath and called Kayla over. “That number’s not working. Are you sure he didn’t say anything else?”

Kayla thought for a few seconds. “No, he sounded kind of stressed or something.” She bit her lip and looked at Allison with an apologetic expression. “It was kind of noisy when he called. Maybe I got the number wrong. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.” She sent Kayla back to work and stared out the front window. At least Tyler had finally tried to reach her. But what would he think when she didn’t return his call? She closed her eyes, praying for guidance. The verses she’d read in Tyler’s Bible ran through her mind again.
Love is patient, love is kind . . . It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs . . . It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Conviction flooded her heart. She’d allowed doubt and fear to fill her thoughts. She had held onto Tyler’s record of wrongs even though he’d asked forgiveness and shown her in so many ways that he was walking on a new path of faith.

If she truly loved him, she needed to forgive him once and for all and believe the best about him, even though she was unsure of the future.

She would need a supernatural infusion of faith and courage to love Tyler like that, with no strings and no guarantees. Assurance washed over her. If she was willing, God would help her. He’d promised to pour out His love in and through her so she would have a never-ending supply.

If love was her goal, she couldn’t go wrong. This was her answer.

Later that afternoon, she noticed a stack of letters and a small package the mailman had left on the front desk. She sorted through the pile and pulled out the package. Reading the return address in the top comer, she smiled. It was from her friend, Haley Tannehill in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Tearing off the tape, she recalled how she’d first met Haley and two other young, single friends, Monica and Angel, at the National Restaurateurs’ Convention in Dallas almost two years ago. Thrown together that first night of the convention when they’d been stuck in the hotel elevator, they found they had a lot in common.

Besides attending seminars and walking the convention floor together, they’d shared several meals and confided in each other about their nonexistent love lives. After all, being in the restaurant business didn’t leave much time for dating. At least, that’s the excuse they gave each other.

Allison reached in the package and pulled out the apron with the words
KlSS THE COOK
emblazoned across the bib. Smiling, she shook her head. How had Haley ended up with the apron? They’d all laughed when Angel tied it on to show it to them that last night in Dallas. She remembered how they had joked about passing the apron around among the group, but she didn’t think they’d actually follow through. Looking closer, she noticed her friends had signed the apron.

Allison pulled out a folded letter from the package.

Dear Allison,

Here’s a little gift for you! Hope it will remind you of the fun time we shared in Dallas. This apron has made the rounds among our little group, and I understand you are the only one who hasn’t had the pleasure of wearing it.

Now don’t you dare toss it out! It’s had a wonderful effect on each of us.

Angel took it home and fell in love within just a few months of her return to Florida. Did you hear she got married last June? She sent it on to Monica who got back together with Gil, a great guy she’d known years ago. They were married in August! It arrived in my mailbox a few months ago, shortly after Scott Jantzen returned from his deployment overseas.

It worked, like a charm! Scott and I were married May first! So I'm passing it on to you. I don't believe it's magic, but I do think when you open your heart to all the possibilities and let the Lord lead you, some wonderful things can happen. I want you to tie it on and send me a picture! Don’t disappoint me. Give love a chance . . . and see where it leads.

With love from the Cowpoke Cafe,

Haley

P.S. You are coming to the convention again, aren't you?

Please, please say yes! And be sure to bring the apron!!

Allison lifted the apron once more. She smiled at the thought of her friends wearing it and falling in love. Would it help in her situation? She laughed at herself for even forming the question in her mind. She believed in Providence—the wisdom, care, and guidance of God—not lucky aprons. Still, what harm could it do to wear the apron and take a picture for Haley? It would remind her of her three special friends who cared about her and prayed for her. She slipped it over her head and tied it at the back. She would wear it for them . . . and see what happened.