Page 31 of With All My Heart, Joy

Silas looked shocked. “And you’re only telling me this now?”

“I wasn’t sure if it was going to go anywhere.”

“Keep talking.”

Isaac told him about the stolen gift card and the ensuing letter exchange. By the time he finished, Silas’s thin, blond eyebrows were dipping low over his eyes.

“How old is this…JJ? And what kind of name is that?”

“We haven’t gotten that far. But she has a wonderful heart and is a believer.”

“What if she’s older than you? Or significantly younger?”

Like Joy? He almost grunted at the instant, unwelcome thought. “Depends how much. I didn’t say this was going anywhere.”

“But you’d like it to.”

Isaac shrugged. He was tired of his lonely life. “Maybe.”

“Ask to video chat with her so you can see her.”

That would be a big risk. “Then what? What if I don’t like her? I would feel like a jerk after that.”

“Part of the dating game, my friend.” Silas clapped him on the back. “What does she do for work?”

“I’m not clear on that. Her answer was evasive.”

“Be careful. You could be getting catfished.”

Yeah, but did most scammers start by stealing a gift card and replacing it with one worth twice as much? His mom said her Target gift card was for twenty-five dollars. She’d meant for him to buy a new toy or cute dress for Paisley.

“I’ll be careful.” Isaac tugged at the hem of his suit coat in the mirror and pressed his shoulders back. “Before I go out, can I pray with you?”

Silas’s shoulders relaxed under his tux. “Please. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Isaac.”

“Be a lost soul, no doubt.” He put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and bowed his head. “Let’s ask for the Lord’s blessings on this marriage, shall we?”

Isaac waited at the door for the cue to take his place near the minister at the front of the church the Halverson family belonged to. Silas ushered in Arlene Halverson, then his grandmother. Her steps were halting, her body trembling, but Silas walked at her pace, his support unwavering. His grandfather followed behind, his steps more sure. Isaac was glad to see he was recovering well from his stroke in the summer.

That was the sum of Silas’s family in attendance. Isaac might be lonely, but he had family. Wonderful family. And for that, he was very glad.

Silas moved into his space between Isaac and the minister, and the four-string quartet began playing Pachelbel’sCanon in D. The sanctuary door opened, and Isaac stiffened involuntarily as Joy began her descent down the aisle. He didn’t miss Silas’s sideways glance in his direction.

What was he going to do? He couldn’t let this continue. It wasn’t right. On Wednesday, things had felt so awkward by the end, he concluded their session quickly with minimal eye contact. He needed to proceed with extreme caution. His career meant a great deal to him. He couldn’t blow it on an attraction to a one-of-a-kind client. Even if she was beginning to mean a great deal to him, too.

He watched Joy approach, the stylish floor-length dress hugging her slender figure to perfection. Isaac had never considered blue a Christmas color, but the way Lucy had incorporated various shades of blue with silver and white in the decor and apparel for this wedding gave it an elegant holiday feel. The color of Joy’s dress couldn’t be anything but Christmas blue, at least five shades brighter than his navy blue suit coat. They would complement each other nicely if he stood beside her. Which he wished he was doing right now.

She wore sparkly, silver high heels, a gorgeous silver pendant around her neck, and dangling silver earrings that glittered in the twinkling white lights that filled the sanctuary. Her almost-blond hair was twisted into a graceful updo behind her head, a few tendrils left around her face.

She was stunning. A total knock-out. Isaac’s gut fisted like a fighter ready to throw punches when her eyes slid to meet his. He couldn’t deny his attraction to Joy Halverson. It wasn’t shallow or surface level. It was deeply rooted in his soul. A soul that had, somehow, mistakenly bonded with hers.

He’d done it again, despite his best intentions. He’d fallen for his client.

But Joy didn’t need to know that. Nobody did. If he was extremely careful, he could come out of this with his career unscathed—and hopefully his heart. Because if Joy did realize the depth of his feelings for her, she wouldn’t look at him twice. If their age difference wasn’t enough to stop her, his biggest blessing and simultaneous burden likely would be.

Her name was Paisley.

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