Page 56 of Upon an April Night

“Nothing. It’s …”

“Great?” Shannon finished.

He groaned. “Whatever. Leave me alone. I just woke up.”

“That’s no excuse for you being such a weirdo.”

“Loon.”

“Psycho.”

“Doofus.”

“Okay,” Mama cut in. “You’d think you two would’ve outgrown this by now.”

“Never!” they both cried in unison.

Mama and Nana shook their heads as the two of them cracked up laughing.

Duncan returned to his room with a nervousness in the pit of his stomach. As he got ready and went about his day, he found it impossible to concentrate. He was supposed to be focused on a design scheme for a new client, but all he could think about was Jamie’s newfound salvation.

He wasn’t surprised that God could change a heart. God had changed his, after all. But he hadn’t expected it to happen to Jamie. She knew their family’s beliefs, and it had never made a difference for her before. So why now?

He wasn’t upset that she was a Christian. Not at all. This was truly amazing news. It was just that she was Jamie—fun-loving, uncommitted, unbelieving Jamie. Her lack of faith in God had been his primary reason for never dating her in the past. And besides that one night of weakness, it had kept him away from her for a long time.

So, now what?

What if Dréa didn’t forgive him? Could he have some kind of future with Jamie?

Questions like this swirled around in his head all afternoon until he felt as if he was losing his mind. He tried to force himself to work, but after two hours of staring at the cursor on his screen, he slapped the laptop closed and went for a run around the lake instead.

The fresh air did him good. He ran and ran. He should’ve been praying, seeking God, and getting right with Him, but he’d found himself unable to talk to God since he got to Denver. He couldn’t find the words to pray. And it was worse now that Jamie was pregnant.

The laughter from the back yard floated in through the open kitchen windows and down the basement staircase to Duncan. He’d made himself scarce all evening, trying to watch a TV show, but he had no interest in what was happening on the screen.

He clicked the television off and made his way upstairs, walking through the house to the sunroom, where he stayed out of view. He felt a little like a stalker, but he was curious.

Shannon had set up a little table for four with candles and flowers. Strings of bare bulbs were hung in a zigzag pattern between the house and the trees and gave the yard a warm glow. Their photographer friends, Maggie and Sarah, were there. Maggie had a camera in her hand and was taking a picture of Sarah, who was bouncing a baby girl on her knee. Jamie was smiling at the baby and holding her tiny hand. The sight pulled at something deep inside him.

He hadn’t planned to join them, but he found himself pushing the back door open with a squeak, his feet moving him across the yard.

“Hey, D,” Shannon said when she spotted him.

“Ladies.” He greeted them with a wave and bent down to get closer to the baby. “Hello, pretty girl.”

“This is Claire,” Sarah said as the baby cooed at Duncan.

His heart melted in his chest, imagining his own baby looking at him like that. He glanced over at Jamie, who was giving him that familiar look of adoration.

“Take a seat.” Shannon pointed at one of the nearby patio chairs.

He waved her off. “I don’t want to impose.” He straightened and turned to Jamie. “I’m really happy for you, Jamie, for the decision you made. It’s really exciting.”

She smiled up at him. “Thanks. I feel … different. Peaceful.”

He nodded, knowing exactly what she meant.

Shannon stood suddenly. “Maggie, Sarah, remember that thing in the house I wanted to show you. Let’s go look at it now.”

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