Page 89 of Dreaming About Forever

JORDAN

Jordan held tight to the candle in his hand as he watched Alicia beside him. She’d been tense throughout most of the candlelight service. After finally being released from the hospital just in time to make it to church for the Christmas Eve service, would she tell him if something was wrong?

She would. He had to trust her. He didn’t want to go back to the hospital either, but waiting could set her healing back by days if they didn’t make a quick decision.

Jordan had been in awe of her strength from the beginning, but he had a new respect for her after she gave the media a piece of her mind in the hospital.

Alicia stared at the small flame she held as the choir sang “Silent Night.” It was one his mom used to sing on Christmas Eve. With a house full of kids, silence in the Taylor house was rare, but when his mom had asked for peace at Christmas, they’d all listened.

Alicia’s hand that cradled the candle started to shake, and Jordan turned to make sure the path to the exit was clear. They were about half an hour from the nearest hospital, if the roads were recently treated.

Just as he rested a hand on Alicia’s back, she turned to Caroline on her other side. She whispered something as she handed the candle over.

When she looked up at Jordan, there was determination in her eyes, not fear. “I need to go.”

He’d anticipated this and passed off his candle to the person behind him as he fired off a text from his watch.

She rested a hand on his arm. “No. I need to go there,” she said, pointing to the front of the church.

“To the altar?” Jordan whispered. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I need to go now.” She gently pushed him out of the pew and into the aisle.

“Is everything okay?” Good grief, the woman was going to keep him on his toes for the rest of his life.

If he was lucky.

“Everything’s great. You can stay here.”

“Stay here? You can’t be serious.”

Alicia looked up at him as she stepped into the middle of the church. “This is between me and God, but you’re welcome to come if you insist.”

“For the love of cupcakes, let her go,” Caroline whisper-screamed. “She’s giving her life to the Lord.”

Jordan’s eyes widened. “She’s what?”

Alicia was already halfway down the aisle, headed for Pastor Lyle.

Okay, this was one of those moments when he could let Alicia forge her own path. She was making the biggest decision of her life, and she’d told him in plain language that she had things covered.

Caroline grabbed Jordan’s hand and dragged him back into the pew. “Your girl’s a rockstar,” she whispered.

“Yeah. I already knew that.”

Alicia had been paying attention at church over the last month in Redemption Ridge, and patiently waiting for her to go to the Lord on her own time had proven a challenge. Through everything, he’d known she’d choose to follow Jesus. He’d seen it in her eyes from the first time they walked into the church together.

Jordan gripped the back of the pew in front of him as he watched Alicia with Pastor Lyle. Half the people in the congregation were sniffling and blowing their noses, but he’d barely taken a half-breath since she left his side.

Pastor Lyle wrapped Alicia in a big hug before lifting her hand in the air. Alicia’s smile was radiant as she faced the room filled with her new friends.

Caroline crashed into Jordan’s side, strangling him with her tiny arms. “This is the best Christmas ever!” she shouted as the whole congregation cheered.

Jordan watched with wonder as Alicia raced back down the center aisle toward him. She leapt into his arms and tucked her face into the crook of his neck.

“Thank you for everything. Thank you for bringing me here, for letting me be a part of this church and your family.”

Jordan held her close with one hand on her back and the other cradling her head. “This was all you, buttercup. I love you.”

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