LITMIR.BIZ

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child, but he would take it from her if she ever told anyone what he’d done. With her family history and his resources, that would be too difficult.

      Silence reigned for a long moment, then Garrett turned to face Chandler and squared his shoulders. They were both beginning to show a few scrapes and bruises but nothing that wouldn’t be gone by morning.

      “I apologize,” he said. “I have a history of overreacting where the women in my family are concerned.”

      Chandler shrugged, his gaze skimming over Bethany. “No real harm done, I guess.”

      Garrett nodded curtly and moved to stand at her side, saying, “You have to admit that it’s a lulu of a coincidence, my sister stumbling into your path.”

      “No kidding,” Bethany murmured. Even Chandler lifted his eyebrows and nodded in agreement. Not so the triplets.

      Hypatia shared an amused look with her sisters and calmly said, “Oh, my dears, do you not realize that for God’s children, there are no coincidences? Only plans.”

      Chapter Four

      Straightening, Chandler felt an eerie feeling skitter up his spine.

      No coincidences for God’s children.

      Chandler knew that God had plans for the lives of believers, but he’d never before thought of it in quite that way. He suddenly remembered his father speaking from the pulpit.

      “God allows nothing into our lives without a reason.”

      As a teenager, Chandler hadn’t paid much attention, already at odds with his dad over his friendship with Kreger. Both he and Kreger had been horse-mad and dreaming of careers in rodeo. Pat’s grandfather had encouraged their interest, but Hub believed that sports were frivolous, mere hobbies, certainly not occupations fit for Chandler men. Only lately, since Chandler’s sister, Kaylie, had married a pro hockey goalie, had Hub rethought his prejudice somewhat.

      Now, suddenly, Chandler heard his father’s long-ago words with a different ear and applied that new interpretation to his meeting Bethany.

      If Kreger had flown in to compete as they’d planned, he’d have been riding with Chandler back to Buffalo Creek. They wouldn’t have left for home early that morning because Pat never hauled himself out of bed before he had to, which meant they’d have stopped for dinner long before they’d have reached that little diner. The only reasonable conclusion was that Chandler would have missed Bethany completely if things had gone as he had planned. No telling where she’d have wound up then.

      A fresh chill ran up his spine, and he found himself wholly identifying with Garrett’s impulses. If Bethany was his sister… But she was not his sister. She was, instead, a very attractive, single woman. A single expectant mother, he reminded himself.

      No, Chandler didn’t blame Garrett for wanting to pound someone.

      His ears perked up when Magnolia asked Bethany if she still intended to look for a job. Putting aside his thoughts, he listened to Bethany reply, “As quickly as possible.”

      “Sis, do you really think anyone is going to hire a woman as pregnant as you are?” Garrett asked, looking down at her.

      Bethany sighed but otherwise did not answer.

      “It is a problem,” Hypatia agreed gently.

      “I can’t just live off your generosity and my brother’s until the baby comes,” Bethany pointed out.

      Chandler surprised himself by speaking the instant the thought entered his mind.

      “Dad might be willing to hire her.”

      Five pairs of eyes turned to him. Well, it only seemed logical. In fact, he was surprised that his aunts hadn’t thought of it themselves. He cleared his throat and said, “Dad is about to open the new Single Parents Ministry to the public, isn’t he?”

      Hypatia brightened. “That’s right. He’s been talking about hiring a receptionist.”

      “That would be perfect,” Bethany said, sitting forward. “What do they do there?”

      “Offer parenting classes, support groups, Bible studies,” Hypatia said. “They’ve also put together a panel of advisers, attorneys, mental health professionals, charities, anyone who can help lighten the load of a single parent.”

      “It sounds wonderful!” Bethany gushed.

      “It’s part-time, so the pay wouldn’t be much,” Magnolia warned.

      “Still, it’s something,” Bethany pointed out.

      “And of course you’ll stay here until after the baby comes and you’re on your feet again,” Odelia put in.

      For the second time that morning, Chandler watched Bethany’s eyes fill with tears. She reached a hand up to her brother, who pressed her fingers with his, smiling.

      “Looks like God brought both of us to the right place,” she noted in a shaky voice.

      “You’d think I’d learn to let Him handle things, wouldn’t you?” Garrett said with a guilty glance in Chandler’s direction.

      Bethany chuckled and wiped tears from her cheeks. “That’s something I guess we both have to work on.”

      Watching those slender fingertips swipe at the moisture on her ivory cheeks, Chandler felt a lump rise in his own throat and shifted uncomfortably. He realized suddenly that it was past time for him to be about his own business, even if he was tired due to lack of sleep. That, he told himself stoutly, was what was behind this sudden emotionalism, surely.

      “How soon do you think I can speak to your father about the job?” Bethany asked him.

      Chandler opened his mouth, but Hypatia spoke first.

      “Chandler, dear,” she said, “might you take Bethany to meet your father Monday?”

      “Me?”

      “That will give us time to speak to Hubner about it beforehand,” Hypatia said to Bethany.

      “Grease the skids, in other words,” Garrett said wryly.

      Magnolia laughed and quipped, “I’ll get out the oil can.”

      Meanwhile, Hypatia answered Chandler. “Of course you, dear. You’re the perfect person to do it.”

      Chandler flung a hand at Garrett. “Why not him?”

      “On the back of my motorcyle?” Garrett retorted, shaking his head. “Not in her condition.”

      “And Chester is busy,” Odelia informed him helpfully, “especially Monday. It’s Hilda’s shopping day, you know.”

      The aunties themselves did not drive. Chandler thought of his appointment with his cousin, the attorney, on Monday and a hundred and one other things he needed to get done as quickly as possible, but he knew that he had to do this. Talking to his dad about a job had been his idea in the first place, and Bethany was not getting on the back of that motorcycle if he could prevent it.

      “Yeah, okay, fine,” he said with less grace than he might have. “Now if that’s settled, I’m going to move most of my stuff into the attic.”

      “You’re moving in here?” Garrett asked, his brows drawing together.

      Chandler rose. “Yeah. You have a problem with that?”

      “No, of course not. Just surprised.”

      “That makes two of us,” Chandler muttered. He purposefully did not look at Bethany, but turned to dispense kisses to the papery cool cheeks of his aunties, thanking them for their hospitality.

      “Don’t worry,” Hypatia said, beaming a smile, “It’s a very big house.”

      “The east suite should suit,” Magnolia began,

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