Page 138 of Faking the Shot

“Even with the whole Ainsley thing?”

“Especially with the whole Ainsley thing.” It didn’t make sense, but somehow through the past whirling weeks he’d felt a deep sense of peace, like he just knew God was in control. “If God wants us together, then He’s going to have to make a way. But until then, I’m going to do my best to bless her as much as I can.”

Drew sniggered. “Can you believe the nerve of Logan to say what he said before?”

“I think it’s pretty cool that he wants to stand up for women. I’m all for that.”

He glanced across the parking lot, saw Logan was drawing closer. He nodded.

Logan hesitated. “I didn’t mean to sound creepy.”

“Dude, I appreciate that. And appreciate that you care about stuff like that.” Zac shrugged. “If you want to help, then pray for her. She’s got an aunt who’s really sick, and some other stuff that’s going down, and I think she could do with as much support as she can get.”

“I thought you two had broken up,” Logan said.

“It doesn’t mean I stopped caring. Love doesn’t do that.”

Logan lifted a brow. “Love?”

Well, he’d gone and put his foot in it. Better own it. He jerked his chin. “Love.”

He prayedfor the two guys as he drove home. Prayed that Drew would let God continue to work in his heart. Prayed for Logan that God would touch him too. Then prayed for Ainsley. For her aunt. For her career. For her house.

Her house. What was happening with her house? If her aunt was as sick as everyone believed, then surely this would be something they would want sorted soon. Now.

And while he wanted to give her space, that didn’t mean he would stop trying to help her. Especially when there was a chance he could do something about one of the stresses in her life. But for that, he would need to talk with Mack, and he really didn’t want to find him via Emmett, who might not be particularly sympathetic to his cause.

What to do…

Lord?

Somehow, he found himself driving into the suburb where her parents lived. Somehow, he found himself driving past her parents’ house. And somehow, at that precise moment, he saw Benson out the front.

Zac parked the Porsche. Got out.

Benson’s eyes widened. “Zac! I didn’t expect to see you here today.”

“Gotta admit, I didn’t expect to be here either.”

“Come in. It’s just me. The girls are with Winifred on the island, and I’m back for a day or so, just to check on things.”

Benson offered him tea, coffee, and Zac accepted a green tea.

“I can’t stand the stuff,” Benson said, “but Ainsley swears by it.”

Ainsley. His heart clenched.Lord, bless her. “Have you seen her?”

“Since she got fired? No. I still can’t believe they would do that to her. What do they think is gonna happen to the show without Ainsley Beckett?”

“I’m more interested in how this is going to affect her career,” Zac murmured.

“I suspect she’ll find something.” Benson sipped his coffee. “She’s always had a thick, independent streak. But then she had to be, to protect her brother and help her mom.”

Zac nodded, even though this was stuff he didn’t know about. He longed to know this woman more, to understand why she’d done what she had, to see what he could do to truly help her. Sometimes staying patient, staying quiet, allowed people to speak. Just like with Drew before.Lord, touch him.

Benson nursed his cup in his hands. “When I came along, Ainsley’s father had left a year before. Just walked out the door. Her mother told me that Ainsley would stand at the window waiting for him to come back, but he never did.”

His heart wrenched at the picture. Poor Ainsley. “What happened to him? Is he in contact at all?”

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