logged that enlightening bit of information as she studied him, looking for a family resemblance. Maybe in the eyes, though Garrett’s were more gray than blue and accented with laugh lines. His hair was darker as well. Older than her but younger than Luke, Garrett and his cousin hadn’t come from the same mold.
When the call was picked up on the other end, Garrett immediately launched in. “Hey, cuz. I’m helping our summer youth volunteer get moved in to Charlie and Emma’s old place and— What? Yeah, right. You let that slip by you?” Garrett chuckled. “You’ll appreciate that she’ll be keeping teens with too much time on their hands out of trouble. Anyway, the microwave downstairs isn’t working.”
Delaney watched as Garrett paused to listen intently, then he gave her a thumbs-up before pocketing his phone. “He’s on his way.”
Anticipation mingled with apprehension. “I hope he doesn’t think I’m going to be a nuisance.”
Garrett shrugged. “Being pestered is good for him. Gets him out of his comfort zone.”
Having moved back to the main room to wait for Luke, the door standing open to admit the scent of sun-warmed pine, they again marveled at their providential good fortune. Only last Sunday evening Garrett had been in contact with her aunt’s pastor in Canyon Springs—who happened to know of Delaney’s availability for a summer position.
“I can hardly believe the perfect timing,” Delaney concluded. “With Aunt Jen’s health in question, I needed an excuse to stick relatively close by this summer.”
“Believe me, we’re more than happy to have you here.”
“I’m glad. And thanks for helping me carry in my stuff.”
Garrett glanced at the suitcase, sleeping bag and boxes by the door. “This isn’t everything you have, is it?”
“It’s all I could cram in my car to bring over this afternoon. The apartment in Sacramento was furnished, so I’ll be borrowing furniture from my aunt and friends in Canyon Springs. I do have a few more boxes, clothes and my bicycle.”
“I’m sure folks here at the church will be happy to loan you whatever else you may need. As I’d mentioned earlier, with our youth intern forced to pull out at the last minute, you’ll be considered an answered prayer.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” said the low, mellow voice of the pastor’s cousin, carrying from the open door. “Better plan on a few disgruntled looks when Delaney is introduced on Sunday rather than David.”
She turned to Luke with a laugh, trusting his comment was teasing, even though his tone didn’t reflect that. “I hope no one is too disappointed.”
He shrugged, unsmiling. “You never know.”
Okay, maybe he wasn’t teasing.
“Disappointed?” Garrett shot his cousin an aggravated look. “Not a chance.”
“I’m giving her fair warning.” Luke leaned a broad shoulder against the doorjamb and crossed his arms. “Last Sunday you were singing the praises of that college kid, claiming he’d be a big draw for the local teens with his background in biblical studies and enthusiasm for outdoor sports. You got the boys fired up that he was big into hiking and mountain biking.”
Luke cut an apologetic glance at Delaney as if to acknowledge it was no fault of hers that her only claim to fame was making jewelry. Then his eyes narrowed in speculation as he directed a pointed look at his cousin.
Garrett merely offered a serene smile. “God moves in mysterious ways.”
“Right.” Luke pushed away from the door. “Now let’s take a look at that microwave problem.”
He strode to the back of the building, Delaney almost scampering behind him, eager to explain why his afternoon had been interrupted.
“Pastor McCrae—I mean, Garrett—attempted to warm a mug of peppermint tea, but—”
“Peppermint tea?” With a glance in Garrett’s direction, Luke raised disbelieving brows.
The pastor only shrugged, his impish smile unapologetic.
“Anyway,” Delaney continued, wanting Luke to get the full story, “when he put the mug in the microwave and pressed the start button, nothing happened.”
“Zip,” Garrett confirmed. “I told Delaney there’s probably a trick to it. A secret knock or something.”
Luke took a slow breath, his tone dry. “There’s a trick to it all right.”
Garrett cast Delaney an I-told-you-so look.
Squatting in front of the wooden microwave cart, Luke reached underneath. Then he pulled out a length of electrical cord, waved the plug end at his cousin and poked it in the wall outlet.
“Well, what do you know?” Garrett laughed, not the least bit embarrassed.
But she was. Heat scorched her cheeks. Luke probably thought her a total airhead. Why hadn’t she taken a look herself before Garrett called him? “I’m sorry. It didn’t even dawn on me that it might not be plugged in.”
Luke looked down at her, a faint light of amusement in his eyes. “No problem. It’s my fault. I forgot Uncle Mac would have unplugged everything when the tenant vacated last fall. A safety precaution. Usually new renters don’t move in fifteen minutes after they sign the lease, so there’d normally be time to get everything hooked up and the refrigerator cooling.”
He ran his hand roughly through his hair in an almost weary gesture—again confirming he had more important things on his mind. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll plug in the rest of the appliances down here and in the loft.”
Garrett playfully punched him in the shoulder. “This is something you couldn’t have told me over the phone, cuz?”
Luke drew back. “Are you kidding? And miss an opportunity to publicly demonstrate the shortcomings of our good pastor?”
“He lives for that,” Garrett acknowledged with a smile in Delaney’s direction. “But all’s well that ends well, right?”
Luke moved past her to the refrigerator, his height seeming even more imposing in the confined space.
“Hey, while you’re in a Boy Scout frame of mind...” Garrett stepped in to assist in pulling the large appliance away from the wall. “Delaney has furniture and more boxes to bring over from Canyon Springs. Do you think you and that big pickup of yours could help her out?”
Luke glanced up from where he’d plugged in the fridge, then slowly rose to his feet. “Now?”
“No, not now,” Delaney quickly inserted, catching the reluctance in his tone. “Besides, I can always recruit someone from Canyon Springs.”
Garrett helped push the now-humming refrigerator back into place. “Luke can do it. When would work best for you, Delaney?”
“Today’s Thursday. So tomorrow, maybe? Or Saturday? Before Sunday evening, if possible.” But she wasn’t convinced that her new landlord
