LITMIR.BIZ

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disappeared inside as Tanya put her foot on the first step. Quickening her pace, she half expected him to return to the landing and take the bag she carried, then bar her from entering his apartment. But when she reached the threshold, she found him across the room. He stood stiffly at the kitchen table, staring at the floor as though a memory had grabbed hold of him and wouldn’t let go. The look that flashed across his face tore at her heart.

      A board creaked as she moved inside. His head snapped up, his gaze snaring hers. A shutter descended over his expression, and he turned away and busied himself by emptying his bags.

      “Are you all right?” she asked and crossed the large room. His expression earlier had for one brief moment reminded her of Tom’s that first time she had gone to the prison to see him.

      Chance stiffened, stopping for a few seconds before resuming his task. “I’m fine.”

      Although the words were spoken casually, she knew something she’d said had upset him. “I’m sorry if I—”

      He pivoted toward her and took the sack from her. “Thanks for helping. I can take it from here.”

      In other words, get lost, Tanya thought but wasn’t ready to take the not-so-subtle hint. She didn’t totally understand why, but she needed to help him, as though God was urging her to be there for him. Something in his past had caused him to stop believing. Her faith was the only thing that had held her life together over the past few years. Without Christ she would never have been able to piece the fragments together into a whole—albeit a fragile whole.

      “That’s okay. I don’t mind helping. Crystal’s at church at a youth group activity, and I don’t have to pick her up for another twenty minutes.” She began removing the groceries from the paper bag she’d brought in, ignoring the scowl on his face.

      While she put the food on the table, Chance took the items and shelved them, each movement economical. The short sleeves of his black cotton shirt didn’t hide the fact the man had well-defined muscles. This prodded the thought she should do something for exercise other than walking to and from the van.

      He froze in midmotion. Her gaze lifted to his, and she saw a question in his eyes as he noted her interest. Heat scorched her cheeks. She didn’t usually stare at anyone, least of all a man. And then to be caught doing it mortified her.

      She averted her head and asked the first thing that popped into her mind, “Did you mean it when you said you’d help me with a budget?”

      “I never say anything unless I mean it.” He continued putting away his food, though thankfully his back was to her now.

      If she’d had to look into his face, she would have fled the apartment. She couldn’t believe she had openly stared at him again and then worse been caught doing it. She really had no experience when it came to men. The only one she had seriously dated had been Tom her senior year in high school. Not long after she’d graduated, they had married. Crystal had been born two years later.

      “I could use your help,” she murmured, surprised at her boldness in asking him for help.

      “I can come over later tonight.” He paused for several heartbeats. “Unless you have other plans.”

      Like a date, she thought, then nearly laughed out loud. There were some people in town who still thought she might have known about what Tom had been doing after Crystal’s accident. If it weren’t for her church and circle of friends, she would have left Sweetwater rather than endure their silent accusations that she had known Tom had been setting fire to all those barns. She’d never dreamed that her husband’s rage at Crystal’s accident and her paralysis would manifest itself that way. She’d been so wrapped up in dealing with Crystal’s recovery and her own manic depression she hadn’t seen the signs. Guilt still gnawed at her insides over not being there for Tom when he’d needed her the most. That guilt had plunged her into some dark times once, but she wouldn’t allow it to again.

      “I don’t have any plans except picking Crystal up and then doing the chores that I leave for the weekend.”

      His gaze fixed on her. “I’ll come over around eight then.”

      “That’s fine.” His loneliness, a palpable force, reached out to her and drew her to him.

      She took a step toward Chance, grabbing a can of green beans and thrusting it at him. Her hand trembled as he took it, his fingers brushing against hers. Her breath caught in her throat as his look delved beneath her surface as if he searched for her innermost thoughts.

      He opened his mouth to say something but instead snapped it close, spun around and placed the can on a shelf. “Great, then I’ll see you later.”

      She was being dismissed again, but for some reason she didn’t want to leave just yet. Even though tension vibrated in the air, a strong need to comfort—again she had no idea what or why—swamped her. She curled her hands into tight fists to keep from touching his arm.

      “Listen, if there’s anything—”

      “Thanks, for helping me put my groceries up. If you’re gonna pick up Crystal, you’d better get going.” He turned his back to her and opened another cabinet door.

      Tanya backed up several paces, saying, “You’re right. I’d better leave.” She whirled around and hurried from the apartment.

      Out on the landing she paused and stared down at her driveway and the back of her house. She couldn’t shake the feeling that God was pushing her toward Chance Taylor, that he needed a friend, someone to show him the power of the Lord. With quivering hands, she gripped the wooden railing.

      Lord, how can I be Your instrument when my own life is so messed up?

      No answer came to mind, leaving her feeling as though God was saying everyone can help another in need. Is that true? There was only one way to find out. She would be Chance’s friend because she knew what it was like not to have one. She also knew the difference her friends had made in her life. No one should go through life without people to care about him, and for some reason, she sensed Chance was totally alone.

      With a glance at her watch, she noted the time. She had to pick up Crystal in less than five minutes. Rushing down the stairs, she withdrew her keys from her jeans pocket then climbed into the van.

      Ten minutes later she pulled into the parking lot next to the church and jogged toward the back door that led into the classrooms. Usually Crystal was waiting for her by the entrance, but today she wasn’t around. As Tanya headed down the long hallway, she heard voices coming from the last room on the left where the youth group met.

      She started to enter when her daughter’s words halted her.

      “I don’t know what to do about them, Sean.”

      “Ignore them. They aren’t worth your time.”

      “I wish I could.”

      The sob in Crystal’s voice contracted Tanya’s heart. She hurried inside. “Honey, are you all right?”

      With her daughter’s back to her, she couldn’t see Crystal’s face as she answered, “Yeah, sure.”

      “I’m sorry I’m late.” Tanya took a step forward.

      “You aren’t that late. Sean’s been keeping me company.”

      A strange expression flitted across Darcy’s son’s features before he pulled himself together. “Yeah, Mrs. Bolton. Crystal’s been receiving a lot of spam lately on the Internet.”

      If Tanya hadn’t sensed the seriousness of the situation, she would have choked on her laughter. “Spam?”

      Crystal finally swung her wheelchair around. “Yeah, I went to the wrong web site by mistake and now I’m getting all kinds of spam.”

      Tanya knew that probably wasn’t what Sean and Crystal had been talking about, but she also knew by the tilt to her daughter’s chin she wouldn’t get it out of her until Crystal

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