One of the guys at work—you may have heard me mention his name before. Alex.”
She shook her head.
“Anyway, Alex and I went over to Hacienda Colorado to get a bite to eat. We had a good visit, and it ended up with him inviting me to his Bible study. I told him I wasn’t interested, and he proceeded to tell me about Jesus.” Bobby rushed on. “And right there, we prayed, and I took Jesus as my Lord and Savior. My feet have not touched the ground since. Between work and Bible study, it’s been quite a ride. But I have to tell you—Bible study has been incredible. I have learned so much. I mean, my parents raised me Christian, but I never knew Jesus the way I know him now.”
Speechless, Mary Lou could only blink.
“The thing of it is,” he continued, picking up speed. “Well, I want the same thing for you. Jesus is real. He wants to save you from sin and call you His own. You can pray and ask Him to forgive you of all of your sins, and He can do that because He took them on at the cross. He will forgive you and guarantee you a place in Heaven for eternity.”
Mary Lou’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re witnessing to me? I can’t believe you don’t know that I’m Christian. How dare you decide what my belief system is! Excuse me. I need to go to the rest room.” She wiped at her eyes and stood.
He grabbed her hand as she passed him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
She jerked her hand away and strode to the ladies’ room.
Ten minutes later, Mary Lou returned to the table. “Don’t worry. I’m better now.”
He put down his glass. “I’m glad. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
She reached for her glass and flatly said, “I forgive you.”
Bobby grimaced. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about us and about my career and…well, a lot of things.”
She leaned forward. “What? There’s more? What are you taking so long to tell me? Just tell me. You know I can’t take all this mystery.”
He sucked in a deep breath. “All right. Here it is: I’ve been offered the job in San Diego that I interviewed for last October. Remember when I had to go for the oral examinations?”
Mary Lou blinked. “I remember, but they didn’t call you, and I thought it was done. I thought—”
“It was never over. It just takes time for them to get all the background checks and so forth done. I accepted the job last week, and I will be moving to San Diego within the next few days.”
Mary Lou lost her appetite. She couldn’t speak. She sat there, stunned.
“I didn’t want to tell you this while you were in Alaska, but there’s another reason I’m going at this time. You see, I care very much about you. To be honest, I’m falling in love with you.”
Hope surged into Mary Lou’s heart. The conversation wasn’t turning out the way she’d feared.
Mary Lou felt her shoulders relax. Oh, Bobby, I agree. Don’t stop talking. Yes, I will marry you and move to San Diego. Just ask, you dope!
Bobby took her other hand. “The only problem with that is that—well, now, please don’t take this the wrong way.”
Mary Lou squeezed his hands. “Go on. I want to hear what you have to say.”
Bobby smiled a sad smile. “When Alex and I talked, I told him all about you and how wonderful you are. He told me that it sounded like I might be having impure thoughts about you. The more that we talked, the more I knew that what he said was true. Then this job came up. And the more that I think about it, I’m pretty sure it is a God thing. I need some distance to grow spiritually, and your beauty distracts me.”
Mary Lou summoned her brightest smile. “If that job is what you want, then you should go for it.”
Bobby glanced down at the plate in front of him then back at her. “The job is important, of course. But more important is for you to understand where I’m coming from.” He squeezed her hands back and took a deep breath. “I’m afraid that we’re unequally yoked, and I couldn’t live like that. You may be the woman God wants me to spend my life with—it’s just that, if you are that woman, it’s the wrong time. I hope to move back to Denver sometime in the future.”
Mary Lou let go of his hands. She found her voice and heard herself ask, “Unequally yoked? I told you I was a Christian.”
He reached across the table to take her hand back. “That is great news, but our spiritual priorities are different. Jesus means everything to me, and I don’t believe you have that same commitment.”
She clasped her hands together in her lap. Her shoulders lifted, along with her voice. “‘Spiritual priorities’? What does that even mean? I’m a Christian. Tell me what you want.” She felt her back arch. “So I’m not good enough for you?”
“I didn’t say that at all. It’s not about being good enough; it’s about being able to have a right relationship with the Lord and being ready to do whatever He asks for the rest of our lives.”
She threw her napkin on her unfinished meal. “I’m ready for something, Bobby. I’m ready to end this conversation. Take me home.” She went to get her coat.
Bobby caught the waiter, paid the bill, and hurried outside to see Mary Lou standing in the parking lot beside the car.
Snow had begun to fall. The light from the streetlight glowed around her. She was hugging herself and shivering in the cold. The sight made him want to take her in his arms to comfort her, but he knew better. He was the reason for her hurt.
He pressed the button on the key fob and unlocked the car from a distance. She was in the car by the time he reached it.
Chapter Five
Friday, January 11
Arvada, Colorado
After getting home from work, Mary Lou walked three houses down to Eileen’s house for dinner. It had been a furiously busy week. She had volunteered for extra jobs and helped people out with their own projects so she wouldn’t have time to think about Bobby. She was exhausted and looking forward to tonight. Her sister had always been the cook of the family. I hope it’s her eggplant Parmesan. She knows that’s my favorite. Mary Lou rang the doorbell.
The thick aroma of eggplant Parmesan escaped when Eileen opened the door. “About time you got here. I hate it when I cook a meal and have to serve it cold.”
Mary Lou walked into the kitchen nook. “Oh my, you have everything ready.”
Eileen heaved a sigh. “Yes, sit down so we can pray and eat this wonderful—if I do say so myself—meal.”
Mary Lou grinned and took a seat. “You pray. I’m not sure I’m speaking to God right now.”
Eileen shook her head. “I’ll pray over dinner, but you’re going to have to explain that remark after.”
Eileen
