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“Good idea.” Levi made quick work of it. He logged onto the Midtown Chapel church app and donated two thousand dollars, designating them to be distributed to the missionaries whom the church supported. No, he wasn’t super rich or anything, but that money would come out of his savings.
“Wow, Levi. Thank you.” Maggie’s eyes were red again.
Levi studied Maggie’s face. “You don’t happen to have pink eye, do you?”
“Ah no. Dust or allergies. Don’t worry about me.” Her voice cracked.
“You miss your brother in Florida and your parents overseas.” Levi hadn’t met Maggie’s parents, but they were near retirement age after a number of years of missionary work.
Maggie laughed. “You say the most random things, Levi. Again, no, I don’t have the pink eye. Yes, my parents are always on my mind, but I wasn’t thinking about Malachi or family either. I was just thinking that instead of buying this skirt for me to wear a few times only in the winter months, it would be better if you gave the gift to our missionaries who are always looking for additional support. And then you went and made that happen. I’m so happy, but I hate to even suggest it because it’s your money, not mine.”
“Don’t worry. If Uncle Melvin and Aunt Marie were alive, they would be happy to donate the money to mission work.” He was sure of it.
Maggie grabbed his arm. “But I don’t want you to feel bad that you splurged on the coat and vest. You wear them well.”
“I’m glad you approve. I hope Forsythia likes the coat too.”
Levi expected Maggie to smile, but she did not. She barely nodded.
Levi wasn’t sure if he should read anything in her non-expression, but once again, he felt that she was holding something back from him.
Would their relationship change should he start dating Forsythia, if it ever came to that?
He expected Maggie to be happy for him.
Surely she wasn’t jealous of Forsythia. After all, Maggie had been the one who had asked Alden if he knew Forsythia. As a result, Alden had suggested a double date night.
Oh wait.
Alden.
Levi wasn’t sure if he wanted Maggie to be Alden’s date at all. No, no.
Things seemed to be getting complicated. Levi wanted to protect Maggie from Alden, but he also wanted that dinner with Forsythia.
Could he have both?
Chapter Five
For the first time since Levi met Forsythia, he saw her smile at him. Or she might be smiling at Alden, who was standing beside him in the glass-enclosed rooftop restaurant. Levi couldn’t be sure.
In any case, progress had been made this evening at the singles Christmas dinner, although Levi didn’t want to credit Alden for it. When Maggie showed up, he’d thank her for it by reminding her that he had donated two thousand dollars to the mission fund at church.
Trust Maggie to ground him in what mattered. He felt good giving money to mission work, to support ministries local and abroad.
When Maggie had reminded him to “pray about it” to be certain that it was what he was personally convicted to do, Levi wondered if he was backsliding from the faith, having spent an enormous amount of mental and emotional energy thinking about getting close to Forsythia, albeit without changing his career to food science or something kitchen-related just to be in her world.
Forsythia seemed to be a mirage.
On the other hand, Maggie was real. She was the stable Christian friend in his life. Levi knew he could trust Maggie to always talk with him honestly and as objectively as she could, without sugarcoating the truth or justifying lies. She was straightforward.
Yet, something had been bothering her of late.
Levi made a mental note to ask her as soon as she arrived at the dinner. He glanced at the clock on his phone. “She’s late.”
“Who?” Alden asked.
Levi didn’t think he spoke that loudly. He was mumbling to himself. “Maggie.”
