Page 252 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

He laughed. “If we’re going to be bumping into one another, think we should get past the awkwardness and become friends? He shifted his gaze to her briefly before turning back to the road. “Do you think you can forgive me?”

She slowly nodded. “I forgave you a long time ago, Wade.”

“You did?”

“I had to for my own piece of mind. The hurt and anger were eating me up. Thankfully, a long talk with another woman in my church helped me to see things from your perspective.”

“I appreciate that. Sounds like a wise woman.” He smiled.

She pushed him playfully.

“Friends?” he asked.

“If someone told me I’d be friends with Wade Brunner a week ago, I would’ve told them they were crazy, but, yes, I think I’d like to be friends.”

“What have you been up to for the past eleven years?”

“Seriously? Eleven years?” She laughed out loud. “School. Work.” She raised an eyebrow. “You?”

“Army. State Police Academy. Work.”

With that out of the way, she relaxed against the seat. “What did you do in the military?”

“31 Bravo. MP.”

“You were military police. I should’ve guessed.”

“It made the transition to state police a natural one.”

“Do you miss the military?”

“Sometimes.” He pulled into the lot at the park office. “Made for a tough transition to civilian life, but I’m mostly happy with my decision.”

She took off her seatbelt and turned to face him. “Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened if we stayed in touch?”

He raked a hand through his hair. “All the time.”

Uh-oh. “I should get going.” She put a hand on the door handle.

“I’ll come around and let you out.”

“This isn’t a date. I can open my own door.”

“My father taught me to be a gentleman.” He jumped out.

She exited the truck before he could make his way around to her side. “I’ll see you around.”

He watched as she climbed into her car, and she had the feeling he wanted to say more, but he remained silent.

The following morning,Emily smoothed a wrinkle in her long skirt and looked around the parking lot. It was nearly full, which was unusual for White Haven Bible Church. She made her way into the room where the pastor would be teaching. Her usual seat near the front beside Bessie remained empty, so she grabbed a cup of coffee and hustled over.

She asked Bessie when her granddaughter planned to visit next, and the two made small talk until Pastor Clarke cleared his throat to start class.

The study on Jonah hit home. Not only did God give Nineveh a chance to repent, but He also offered that same chance to His prophet: a man who ran away to avoid a hard assignment. How many chances had the Lord given her? Yet, she played judge and jury when it came to Wade and convicted him of all crimes real and imagined. She claimed to have forgiven him, but now she wasn’t sure her forgiveness had been more hypothetical than real. Now she had to put it into practice and stop herself from snapping at him, she felt bitterness sneaking in. It was something she needed to overcome. And she would. With God’s help.

After Sunday School, she ambled over to the main church building. When she approached her pew, she nearly choked on her breath mint when she found Jerry, the maintenance guy from work, in her spot. Before he noticed her, she turned and moved to the back of the church and found a seat among visitors whose names she didn’t know.

Once again, the message on charity seemed directed at her personally. She hadn’t been charitable to Jerry. In fact, she’d been downright rude by not welcoming him to service. Calling him creepy behind his back was even worse.

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