"I almost dropped my Bible when I heard Pastor Wyatt announce your engagement," Tanner said with a whistle. "Who's turn is it?"

"Mine." Josh stepped up and took the darts from Tanner. "That makes two of us."

Caleb's jaw dropped at Josh's admission. "Come again."

Josh should have kept his mouth shut, but he needed advice and since Ty was off saving the world these three were the most Godly men he knew. He didn't want to go to Pastor Wyatt about this, not yet anyway.

"It was unexpected. I didn't know she'd tell Pastor Wyatt or that he'd make the announcement."

Caleb's expression twisted as if Josh was speaking a different language. "Dude, you've had the ring for a month waiting for the right time to propose. How'd you finally do it?"

"The ring was in my pocket." Josh threw and missed. "I accidentally pulled it out, she saw it, and I asked her."

They all laughed.

A moment slipped by, and another.

"Wait. You're not joking," Parker said, sobering.

Caleb and Tanner shared a look.

"Of course, he's joking, Park," Caleb chuckled. "No man accidentally gets engaged."

"Not and still call himself a man," Tanner threw out there.

"I didn't say it was an accident just unplanned." Josh figured they'd be making fun of him until they were old enough to collect social security. He missed the target again.

Silence.

"Wait. Why didn't you just tell her the truth?"

Josh frowned at Parker. "You mean that I'd been carrying the ring around for a month but I wasn't sure I should ask?"

"Uh, yeah, that would be bad. Wait. I thought you were waiting for the perfect moment like something out of a chick-flick movie."

"Do I look like the kind of guy to pull off some romantic proposal?" Josh grumbled, missing another shot.

"I didn't know you were having doubts. Did you pray about it?" Caleb asked.

"Yes. I prayed. I thought Mer finding the ring might be God's answer."

"Meredith seems happy." Tanner took a drink from a soda can. "You on the other hand seem off. It's Dani, isn't it?"

"It's always Dani," he confessed. "Nothing has changed. She doesn't want to be a wife and mother."

Caleb's gaze sharpened. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I told her I'd prayed for her to come to Jesus and for us to be a family and raise Jacob together." Josh tried once more. He'd missed all his shots. If only he had another chance...

Parker looked surprised. "I don't believe Dani said no to that."

"She said she it wasn't her intention to come between Meredith and me."

"Dude, you clearly are not proficient at interpreting woman talk." Caleb smacked the back of his head like he was truly clueless. "You weren't clear enough. You should have asked a yes or no question."

"Are you serious? I don't see how it could have been clearer."

"C'mon, did you expect Dani to say she wanted to be with you when you're engaged to another woman?"

Josh froze. Caleb was right. Of course, Dani wouldn't do that and shouldn't have expected her to. What had he been thinking? He'd wronged Dani and Meredith.

"I see you're coming to your senses."

"Mer doesn't deserve this. I'm a jerk. I've got to tell her."

"Tell her what exactly?" Caleb lifted a brow. "When you first started dating you told Mer you wanted to marry Dani and keep your family together. Right?"

"Yeah, but Dani wasn't willing then and—"

"And you don't know if she's willing now. The proposal might be a mistake, but rushing and making another one won't fix it. Start praying and this time wait for an answer."

Josh took a deep breath. "You're right. I need to pray."

"Hey, don't feel too bad. I've made my share of mistakes with the ladies," Tanner said, smacking his back.

Parker smirked. "Bet you've never had two fighting over you."

Josh's gut clenched. They were not fighting over him. He changed the subject. "I've got to finish the Arelleno's deck, and Mrs. Arelleno keeps saying something is missing. I have to make right for her."

"We have to finish that deck," Tanner corrected, his tone sobering. "It's her husband that's missing."

Parker lifted a brow. "Actually missing?"

"Mr. Arelleno passed away from a heart attack last fall. He'd drawn the plans for the backyard but they weren't done. His wife wants it to be like her husband dreamed."

"Ah, man, that's sad."

"He was a believer." Josh was grateful. It made the news of Mr. Arelleno's passing easier. For him anyway.

"Thank the Lord for that."

Caleb scratched his jaw. "Nothing in this life will ever be perfect. We have to play the hand God has dealt us."

Josh handed Caleb the darts. "I wish I could see the cards. Sometimes it feels like I'm playing blind."

"God will show you when he's ready."

Josh let out a low exhale, regretting the question. A lunch break wasn't enough time to figure out his life. "You ever have trouble figuring out what God wants from you?"

"Yeah." Caleb nodded. "It usually happens when I'm trying to run my own life instead of trusting Him."

"Same," Parker agreed. "I want to act and God wants me to be still. He's probably teaching me patience. Lord knows I need it."

"Crickets usually answer my prayers when I'm too busy and distracted," Tanner said. "I can't hear God's voice because of all the noise of life."

"I relate to all of what you guys have said." Josh gripped his temple.

"Something else bothering you?" Parker asked.

"Pastor Wyatt."

"You asked him to marry you too?" Tanner jeered.

Caleb and Parker laughed.

"Why do I even hang out with you?" Josh asked, fighting a smile. "Nah, it's probably nothing but the expression on Pastor Wyatt's face when he saw Dani's been bothering me. He was troubled. I think he thought she was out of the picture."

Parker nodded. "We all thought that."

Josh stood, walked to the entrance of the barn, and stared out at the horses grazing in the pastures.

"He probably wished he'd have known the mother of your child was back before he blessed your marriage."

"Yeah, that's probably it," Josh agreed, but he had the feeling Pastor Wyatt knew something he didn't.

***

"You came back," Mrs. Huckabee—Bee—rolled into the kitchen.

"Of course. I said I would. When you didn't answer I used the key you gave me. You were sleeping when I checked on you so I baked a casserole," Dani pulled the hot, delicious-looking dish from the oven.

"That smells good. What is it?"

"Stuffed bell peppers. The recipe was on the refrigerator."

"Hmph," Mrs. Huckabee grunted. "I only put it there so I wouldn't hurt Sally Hammon's feelings. She likes her recipes, but I didn't have the heart to tell her the peppers to give me indigestion."

Dani's stomach sank. She'd wanted so much to impress Alice. "Oh. I'm sorry. I thought-"

Mrs. Huckabee smiled suddenly and laughed, waving a hand. "I'm kidding. It is my absolute favorite!"

"Really?"

"Absolutely, I haven't been able to make it in a long time." Her gaze softened. "Thank you. Now I have a fabulous lunch for the week."

Dani felt a rush of something she hadn't felt in a long time. It was the pleasure of doing something for someone else. Her old lifestyle was all about self-care, but real peace happened when you focused on others. "You're very welcome. I enjoy cooking."

The older woman studied her with renewed interest. "Do you?"

"Yes, but I haven't done much of it lately." Dani felt lighter and happy. "It was fun. Soothing."

"I suppose you had people to do that sort of thing for you in Cali."

"Yeah, I did." A note of sadness clung to the words, remembering how useless she felt then. "I wouldn't have wanted to cook for just me anyway. It would have been too—" 

"Lonely? Sit down with me." Mrs. Huckabee nodded at a chair as Dani served her coffee and toast at the table. "Pour yourself a cup and tell me about church."

"I didn't go to the service," she answered taking a seat and setting her coffee on the placemat.

"Why not?" The older woman frowned.

She shifted uncomfortably. "I haven't been to church in a long time. Not since I was a kid."

"Hmm." Mrs. Huckabee's expression was pensive.

"I went to vacation bible school with Caleb and Tanner when I was little, but never Sunday services."

"I'm surprised Jennifer never took you."

"My mom wasn't one for church." Dani shrugged.

"Your mother never missed a Sunday growing up, and she loved it! I used to be her Sunday School teacher."

Dani blinked, sure she'd heard wrong, or maybe Mrs. Huckabee was confusing her mother with someone else. "Mom always said she didn't believe in God."

"I was there the day Jennifer was baptized." Alice seemed surprised she didn't know this. "Your Mamaw and Papaw were faithful followers of Christ until the day they died."

Dani went still. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, child. Your mother struggled after they were gone."

"She never mentions them much. I wish I remembered them better." She recalled vague memories of her Mamaw baking homemade cookies and her PawPaw handing her a shiny penny with a cross etched into it.

Mrs. Huckabee looked from her toast. "They were wonderful people, kind to everyone, and always sharing Jesus with the lost."

"I got the feeling mom didn't get along with them. Did it have something to do with..." The words seemed to stick in her throat. "my dad?"

"You don't know." It wasn't a question. The older woman's eyes widened. "Now, that is downright shocking since everyone knows everything in this little town."

"Did you know my dad, Mrs--Bee?" Dani heard the hope in her question.

"Yes, I believe I did." Mrs. Huckabee was quiet a moment. "Everyone loved him. John was a dear soul. David and Sarah miss him so, but they know he's with Jesus."

Dani fiddled with the little cross around her neck. "David. And Sarah. You don't mean Pastor Wyatt and his wife do you?"

"Of course, I do. John was their only son. Oh, John and Jennifer were young and in love with their lives ahead of them," she said wistfully. "I'm afraid it was a sad story."

"Because Mom got pregnant with me?" Dani felt sick. Her mother's teenage pregnancy was why Jennifer wanted her to have an abortion.

"No, child. Never that. You were very much loved."

"My grandparents didn't kick her out when they found out about me?"

"Lord, no! They loved that girl and helped her as much as they could. Your grandparents were true followers of Christ."

Dani's heart raced. She'd always assumed her grandparents' harsh judgment was what turned her mother away from God. She stiffened, trying to piece together the story. "Pastor Wyatt and Sarah didn't approve?"

"Just because people don't approve doesn't mean they won't forgive. You young people need to remember that."

"What happened to John...my dad?"

Mrs. Huckabee's somber gaze met hers. "He was killed in a car accident. Your mother was devastated. She told everyone that John wasn't the father of her baby, and she ran away."

"Was he my father?" Dani's voice cracked on the last word.

"You'll have to ask Jennifer, but I suspect she lied to protect John's memory. She loved him so." Alice's hand covered hers. "David and Sarah tried to help her, but Jennifer wouldn't have it. She insisted John wasn't the father of her baby."

"Maybe he wasn't."

"Talk with your mother about that."

"We're not really on good terms. She didn't want me to come home, and I wanted her to come with me."

"Life's too short to waste. Call her. Forgive her. Fix your mistakes. Praise the Lord."

"I'm working on it." She swallowed hard, feeling defensive. What happened with Josh and Jacob was her fault, but she'd tried everything with her mother. Hadn't she? "Some mistakes can't be fixed."

"Nonsense. Jesus will help you."

Dani was suddenly very tired. "I'm sure Jesus has a different plan for my life than the one I'd like, but I'm doing my best to trust him. His Will, not mine."

Mrs. Huckabee watched her with a shrewd gaze. "You're talking about your boys—Josh and Jacob."

"Not my boys. Meredith's. They're engaged now. Pastor Wyatt announced it yesterday at church."

"Of course, I know that. I've got friends who keep in touch. Don't look so forlorn." She finished her toast and wiped her mouth. "Meredith is a wonderful young lady, and God has a plan for her. I'm not certain what that plan is and neither are you."

"I wish I did know." Her heart was heavy with what she'd found out about her family and Josh. Were Pastor Wyatt and Sarah her grandparents? Did Jennifer really lie?

Josh's dark gaze and smiling face filled her mind. Was the man she loved meant to marry another woman? She had too many questions and no answers.

Mrs. Huckabee's eyes crinkled at the corners with her smile. "Keep praying, child."

"Yes. It's all I can do," Dani said quietly because thinking about Josh marrying anyone else was unthinkable.

And yet that was what was going to happen.