AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He thought so, too. But it wasn’t her love of him that was the problem. It was her love of herself. Rather, her lack of love of herself. She thought she was a piece of junk.
She didn’t know that God didn’t make junk. No, Melody Reed was a priceless treasure.
“I gotta get back to work. But I’m going to go see her tonight.” He had decided so right now. He wouldn’t give up on Melody. He would persist until she saw how much she was valued by him. He wouldn’t give up until God told him otherwise. And, as so aptly demonstrated with the tale of the lost sheep, God didn’t give up.
Later in the afternoon, he checked his work email. An unread message from Gary appeared in the inbox, displaying a subject of “Resume.” TJ’s stomach balled up with nerves. He’d sent it over yesterday afternoon shortly after their conversation. Had Gary already decided he wasn’t qualified?
It took diligence to keep his breathing calm and even as he clicked on the email. His breath leaked out, his body sagging weakly. Gary wanted to set up an interview for early next week.
TJ shook his head. Why had he waited this long to be courageous? Why hadn’t he trusted in his Lord all along instead of enduring years upon years of wishing for change that only he could make in faith? Half of his life had passed by while he had been a fearful fool. And yet God was faithful and fulfilled his promise of working things together for good to those who believed. If only Melody believed…
He worked late, staying until he was certain Melody would be home from Artisan’s Hope. If he went to his apartment, he feared he would lose his nerve. Instead, he went straight from work. Sure enough, he spotted her car on the street. An older sedan was parked in her usual place in the driveway.
“God, I could really use your help,” he muttered as he walked to her doorway and pushed the bell. It took a minute, and then the door cracked open, showing one of Melody’s rich brown eyes.
“What do you want?” She opened the door wide enough to reveal her body, clothed in washed denim jeans that flared out a little around her ankles, a cozy gray sweater on top. She was beautiful. TJ’s arms ached to reach for her, pull her against him, and never let go. Her face was haggard, though, her eyes red.
“I’d like to talk. Can I come in?”
Her eyelids fluttered with indecision, and then she shook her head, her voice dropping to a whisper. “My mom’s here.”
“Lucy told me.”
“Oh. Well…” She began to close the door. “I need to go.”
“Wait, Mel. Please.” He stuffed his foot in the door to keep it open, breathing in the smell of lavender and ocean. The smell of Melody. “Can we talk in my car then? Just for a few minutes?”
Emotions flitted across her face in such fast succession TJ struggled to pin them down. Panic. Longing. Hope. Despair. It was all there.
His heart pounded out a desperate rhythm as he waited for her answer.
Which emotion would win?
* * * * *
Melody should shove his foot out of the way and slam the door in his face. But this was TJ. She couldn’t do that to him.
“Just for a few minutes.” She reached for her coat on the rack beside the door and stepped out, pulling the door shut behind her. Her mom was zonked out in the bed. It appeared she had gone out while Melody was at work. If Melody’s sense of smell was correct, her mother had been drinking in broad daylight. What a champ.
The day had felt eternal. Teaching music with a pounding headache had strained her last nerve, and her students had known it. At least her work at Artisan’s Hope had been low-key as she and her acting students cleaned up the last of the play props and began discussions about what type of play they’d like to put on next. The overwhelming majority had voted for tragedy.
Sure fit Melody’s mood today.
The only bright spot in her day was when Debra pulled her into her office and told her from now on, she could do musicals anytime she wanted. Debra was a proud woman and stopped short of admitting she had been wrong. About musicalsandMelody. But she made up for it by piling the praise on Melody until she was practically buried.
Melody should be stoked. And maybe she would be later. But nothing seemed to matter today. Not after losing TJ. Did he actually think more words could fix what had broken between them last night? It was words that had ruined everything in the first place.
TJ held his passenger door open until she lowered herself in. Then he joined her in his own seat. Something about him was different. More sure. She had expected him to retreat to his shell, beg to remain friends, vow to never speak of his feelings again.
Instead, he looked her in the eyes, his face tender and true in the light of the streetlight above his car. “Melody?”
Her heart began to thud. “Yeah?”
“I love you.”
She swallowed. She’d pretty much known so. But hearing it was something entirely different.
“I’ve loved you since I met you. And so we’re clear, I’m not talking about the love of friends. I love you much, much more than that.”
