Page 2

Chapter 2
Two weeks later
Getting to know Denver was like a new adventure every day as Duncan became acquainted with the beauty of the location, local businesses and eateries, and the people who called this city their home. His freelance design job at Masalis Sporting Goods was going well so far. He always found it easier to create branding for a company when he was among the products and people, which was why he often traveled rather than working from his home in Michigan.
As he sat at the desk they had given him to work from and stared at his computer screen, his mind wandered back to that morning at Jamie’s apartment. Even thinking about it now, his heart rate increased, remembering what he’d experienced with her.
They hadn’t really talked much afterward. She told him about upcoming weddings she was photographing. He told her about this trip. She asked if he would call her when he got there. He simply nodded, kissed her forehead, and held her until they fell asleep.
She had looked so peaceful in the dim morning light of her bedroom, lying there on her side, her arm draped across his stomach. Her shoulder-length chestnut hair was spread out across her pillow, the magenta highlights standing out against the crisp white pillowcase.
His attempt to slowly slide out from under her arm had only made her snuggle up to him, and it took all of his willpower to continue maneuvering out of her bed and away from the warmth of her.
When he was dressed, he paused beside the bed, glancing down at the beautiful woman lying before him. His stomach was tied up in knots as guilt overcame him. She wasn’t his wife, and he’d made a decision years before that he would not have sex again until he was married. In his reckless youth, he’d been careless with girls’ feelings. But he was a grown man now, and he hadn’t meant to be careless with Jamie. He knew she cared about him, and he cared about her. But there wasn’t a future there. There couldn’t be.
Jamie wasn’t the kind of girl you marry. She was a free spirit, a party girl, not serious enough for him. She was not a religious person, and he would not be in a relationship with someone who didn’t believe the way he did.
He was finding it impossible to focus on the graphics on his screen as he thought back to the moment he gave in and kissed her. Just after his lips had touched hers for the first time—soft and sweet and oh-so-intoxicating—a small voice in his head had told him to stop, but he’d turned a deaf ear to it. He had ignored what he knew was right for temporary pleasure.
He raked his fingers through his hair and groaned aloud.
“Hey, Duncan.” A voice jerked him back to reality. “Everything going okay?”
He turned to face the owner of the company, Kyle Masalis. “It’s coming along.” He nodded toward his computer screen.
Kyle rested his fingertips against his beard-covered chin as he observed Duncan’s designs and gave a nod. “Looking good.”
“I’ll have new logo concepts ready for you to look at soon.”
“That’s great, but I actually stopped by to ask if you’d like to join my family for church on Sunday.”
Duncan perked up. “Really? That would be great.”
“I’ll text you the time and place.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Kyle patted him on the back before walking away. He turned back suddenly. “Oh, and you’re invited to lunch at our place too.”
“Thank you.”
Kyle nodded and wandered away.
Duncan smiled to himself. God had brought him to this place at the perfect time. He needed to be away from Michigan right now, away from Jamie, to reset and work on his relationship with God. And what better place than at church. He’d been wanting to find one to attend while he was in Denver and had thought about venturing out last week, but he’d skipped it in favor of a morning hike instead.
He wished he could say that hike had been spiritual and transformational, but his mind had mostly been on Jamie. She had texted him a few times, asking how Denver was, but he hadn’t replied. It was a jerk move, but he didn’t want to lead her on. He fully expected to get chewed out by Shannon when he got home. He was sure Jamie had told her everything by now. Just another reason to stay in Denver as long as possible.
On Sunday, Duncan drove to a quaint Bible church on the outskirts of Denver and met up with Kyle and his lovely wife, Melissa, and their six-year-old twin daughters, Jenna and Aubrey. Kyle proceeded to introduce him to person after person from the church, people whose names he would definitely have to hear more than once to remember.
A tall, slender woman approached with cascading espresso brown hair and a killer smile. She walked straight to Melissa and hugged her, then Kyle, then each of the girls.
“Good morning, family.” Her voice was as smooth as silk. “And stranger I don’t know.”
“Duncan, this is my sister, Dréa,” Kyle said.
Duncan almost couldn’t find his words. “Nice to meet you, Dréa.” He held his hand out to her.
She reached out and gave it a firm shake. “You too.”