Page 55 of To Believe In You
Matt’s palm covered the spot, and his finger traced the mark as he lowered his hand again. “You’ve got me there. I woke up one morning with blood caking my hair and the couch I’d passed out on.” The muscles in his arms shifted as he leaned more heavily on his elbows, head still tipped down into the rag. The skin around his eyes creased again, loaded with regret this time.
“You’re not that man anymore.”
He cast her a wary look.
“You’re not. I see how much you’ve changed. You’ve given me a better grasp on what the Bible means about becoming a new creation.”
They’d never talked about faith much. How would he take the allusion to it now? And when had sharing the same beliefs become vital to her?
“This new creation still finds himself at war with the old one a lot more than he’d like.”
How much had her judgmental statements about double lives and disappointing men discouraged him along the way? She’d make up for the negativity now. “That’s being human, but we don’t war alone. Christ fights for you.”
He nodded gently as he lowered the rag. When no new blood fell, he exhaled deeply. “How about you? Any scars?” He rose and deposited the soiled cloth in the garbage. He disappeared around a corner, and a faucet ran.
Compared with his collection, her two or three scars were nothing. He’d done enough for her tonight. She owed him more than stories about surface marks from minor experiences like petting a stray cat.
The water shut off.
In the quiet, she said, “You met my worst scar tonight.”
Matt remained silent as he returned to the table. Clean and dry now, a red patch on his cheek marked where Shane’s fist had connected, and his nose looked tender. A little swollen.
“In fact, if it were healed enough to call it a scar, I wouldn’t have talked to him. Maybe the wound is still fresh, even after a year.”
“Or maybe you were willing to talk to him because you’re not as scarred as you think. Maybe it shows you’re still willing to hope for the best in people.”
How could he deliver the vote of confidence with such a straight face when she’d been keeping him at arm’s length? She’d expected the worst from him since the day she’d gone to offer him the teaching position. Since before that, actually.
When they’d both worked for Awestruck, she’d considered him a lost cause. She’d never even tried to break through to him. Instead, she’d waited impatiently for Gannon and John to let him go. She’d never once considered that God would reach him and bring him back into her life as a force for good.
“I haven’t hoped for the best where you were concerned.”
The ease of his shrug saddened her. He wasn’t offended by her disbelief in him because he didn’t believe in himself, either, despite how far he’d come.
“Thank you for getting involved tonight.”
A smirk stole across his lips. “You would’ve done the same for me.”
She snorted. “We both know that’s not true.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want you to.” His expression sobered, and he studied her evenly.
He was still out to prove himself, as if he hadn’t already. Tonight, he’d once again made good on his promise to stand up for her. Her attraction toward him was based on that, rather than on the definition of his arms, the symmetry of his face, the depth of his eyes.
But his looks didn’t hurt, either.
Yet, Matt was complicated. He was a risk-taker. Unpredictable. Still reeling from the surprises Shane had doled out, could she trust Matt for more than the occasional intervention?
She fingered the pendent of Grandma’s necklace and blinked. “I should go.”
* * *
Matt stood onlyafter Lina did. Her gown rustled over the tile, and her bare feet peeked out as she stepped toward the door. He liked having her here. Liked that she’d invited herself in. What might she have done if she’d been able to resist whatever sense of obligation had sent her toward the exit?
With a swallow, she met his eyes again. “I should’ve taken your advice.” Her lips pressed shut, but only for a moment. “I need to have a direct conversation with my dad about Shane. And about The Captain’s Vista.”
Matt shook his head, not following. Sounded like something from a treasure hunt movie.
