Page 25 of Hidden Depths

“You too, Tom.”

He laughed and disarmed her, which was startling. All she could see was a genuineness in his face that she was afraid to believe was real.

“I’ll leave you two to get familiar with one another,” Evelyn said and stepped away before Sara could object.

“Evelyn’s nice,” Tom said.

“I don’t know her well, but she’s been kind to me. Except when she abandons me with a stranger.”

“Her departure was rather abrupt and wasn’t my intention. Although I did tell her I was interested in meeting you.”

“Why?”

“She said you helped her up the stairs.”

“I haven’t done anything anyone else wouldn’t do.”

“You’d be surprised. She mentioned you’re a local.”

“Five years now. It’s been a—” The answer had fallen from her mouth involuntarily. She slammed her lips together, unsettled by her openness.

“Is something wrong?”

“No.” Who was this guy? Even Margaret couldn’t get her to share details of her life so easily. “I don’t…um.”The weather. Talk about the weather.“So Chicago’s colder than here?”

“Cold rain is the worst.” The look on his face said he knew she was hiding in small talk.

“Yeah.” She was not prepared for this. Old people, she could do. Little kids? Sure. But her attraction to Tom had her flustered, a vulnerability she hadn’t experienced in a very long time. She considered excusing herself as a protective mechanism.

“I should—” But then she stopped. This was an opportunity to prove to herself that she wasn’t afraid of moving forward with her life. Perhaps this was God’s way of testing her. Maybe that’s why she felt comfortable with Tom. God was letting her know he was honorable. A safe way to allow herself to step into a new season.

“You should what?”

“Uh…introduce you to a few people.”

“I’ve met a few already. I don’t want to tell anyone else about the cold Chicago rain.”

“Oh.”

“Not that I mind telling you.”

She nodded. “Fair enough.”

“You said you’ve lived here five years. Where were you before that?”

She only paused for a second, ignoring the usual flutter of apprehension about sharing details of her life. “Virginia.”

“What made you move all the way down here?”

“It’s a nice place.”

“That’s it?”

“As good a place as any.”

She could see the gears turning in his head. Her answer hadn’t satisfied him, but he’d have to live with it. There were some details she wasn’t willing to divulge.

“Did you know anyone here when you came?”

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