Page 21 of The Secret of Emerald Cottage

Chapter Twelve

“Chase!”

Eyes narrowed in concentration, Chase ignored the call for his attention while he tossed the volleyball back and forth like a predator, gaze locking with the Irish jock on the other side of the net. Brec McGill may be one of the best soccer players on the planet, but it took far more than a killer scissor kick to prove one’s athletic prowess at Hope Church’s weekly volleyball game.

Mentally calculating the exact spot he planned to drop the topspin bomb Cat had taught him, he squared hips and shoulders to the net, his serving hand flush with his ear and elbow up, determined to teach his new friend a lesson in humility. Molly Stewart was one of Chase’s best friends, and the last thing she needed was another cocky player in her life like Tyler. Grinning, he tossed the ball high in the air, breath suspended while he waited to bottom-slam it. After all, everyone knew imparting humility was part of a pastor’s job …

“Chase!”

A groan slipped from his lips when someone shook him so hard, he missed his shot.

“Chase, wake up!”

“What?” His eyes peeled open a sliver to see his wife leaning over him, the whites of her eyes spanned wide. “Cat? Honey, what’s wrong?” Shaking the dream off, he sat up and gripped her arms, his sudden concern chasing all sleep away.

“I’m scared for Miss Lilly,” she whispered, her usual bravado nowhere in sight.

“Aw, babe …” He dropped back down, tugging her along to lay on his bare chest. He pressed a kiss to her hair before banding her close with his arms. “Miss Lilly’s going to be fine, Cat. Brec and I will install a security system tomorrow, and Molly and Brec are there, for heaven’s sake, and they never leave her alone.”

“I know, but …”

“But what?” he whispered, breathing in the scent of her coconut shampoo, its clean and sunny smell always a trigger for how grateful he was to have this woman in his life. He burrowed into the crook of her neck. Among other things ...

She pushed up from his chest to meet his gaze, her hands splayed across his skin. “I had a nightmare tonight.”

His heart skipped a beat. “About what?” he whispered, reaching up to cradle her face in his hands.

“That … Miss Lilly was”—she swallowed hard, moonlight highlighting the duck of her throat— “gone.”

Both he and his pulse took a pause. “What do you mean, ‘gone’?”

“I mean, she … d-died, Chase,” she rasped, the sound harsh in the dark of their bedroom, “and I think someone may have killed her.”

Any residue of sleep completely evaporated as he rolled onto his side, bringing her along so he could study her face to face. “Cat,” he whispered, weaving his fingers into the silky hair on both sides of her head, “Miss Lilly is going to be fine—”

“But, how do you know?” Eyes like saucers, she clutched his waist.

His heart swelled with love, experiencing a rare glimpse into the woman his wife used to be. Brazen and bold on the surface with little to no regard for God, but underneath a quivering mass of uncertainty who only wanted to be loved. A woman he had never intended to marry until God opened His eyes to the soulmate he never saw. “How do I know?” he repeated softly, his smile inching up as he pressed a kiss to her nose. “Because the woman is drenched in prayer, Catherine Marie, and the fervent prayer of a righteous man”—he nuzzled her nose again— “or woman, avails much.”

“But the dream—”

He chuckled, warming both his skin and hers when he brushed his lips against her earlobe. “Uh, someone has been hanging out with Molly a little too much, I think. Your dream is just a dream, Catherine, nothing more than a golden opportunity to pray for Miss Lilly all the more, that’s all.”

“You think?” Her voice wavered the slightest bit, sounding like that scared little girl that God—and Cat’s family—had once coerced him into befriending.

“I know,” he said with a tender graze of his mouth against hers, “and if I don’t, I need to look for a new line of work.”

Her body finally relaxed against his as she snuggled in close. “I guess God knew what he was doing when he married me off to a pastor because I guess I get a little crazy sometimes.”

“Ya think?” He gently rubbed her back, his chuckle laced with affection and tease as he deposited another kiss to her head. “You’re my other fulltime job, Catfish, but then I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Chase?”

“Mmm?”

“Will you pray with me about it?”

He pulled back to assess her with a crook of his brow. “Excuse me, but is the sky blue?”

“Always,” she said with a smile, planting a quick kiss to the scruff of his jaw, “being married to you, Pastor Griffin.”

Cuddling her closer, he closed his eyes, a sense of peace settling over him along with a grateful smile. “Lord, Scripture says ‘You watch over Your Word to perform it’, and ‘that ‘if two of us agree on earth about anything we ask, it will be done for us by Your Father in heaven.’ That said, Cat and I join together in prayer on behalf of Miss Lilly. That you would watch over her, Molly, and Brec to keep them safe. Because Your Word says ‘no weapon formed against them shall prosper … this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,’ which Miss Lilly and Molly definitely are.” Humor suddenly edged his tone. “And Brec will be if Miss Lilly has her way.”

He felt Cat’s smile against his chest. “She usually does.”

“Amen to that.” He gave her a light hug. “Feel better?”

“I do, thank you.” She reached up to award him with a quick kiss before pulling away to lie on her back with eyes closed, hands folded on her stomach. “Good night, babe. I should be able to sleep now.”

“Me too.” Chase hooked an arm to her waist to roll her back onto his chest with a wayward grin, “eventually. But keep in mind that you woke me up, Catfish, robbing me of a killer serve against Soccer Boy in my dream, so I’ll be needing a little payback first.” In one fluid motion, he tumbled her on her back once again, descending with a kiss that instantly melded his moan with hers. “Because this, my sweet wife,” he whispered as he suckled the lobe of her ear, “is what you call a real “good night.”