Seventeen

Kyle pressed a penny with a hollowed-out cross into my palm. "For your thoughts." His smile warmed my heart. I refused to dwell on what it was doing to the rest of me.

"I should probably let you sleep. It is 3 o'clock in the morning."

"I can sleep during surgery." He brushed a piece of hair from my cheek, making my skin tingle at the feathery feel of his fingertips. "I've been searching my whole life for a woman who will get out of bed in the middle of the night to pray with me."

"Should I leave before she gets here?" I teased.

I felt his deep chuckle all the way to my bones. The awareness of him was astounding. I was about to suggest we go downstairs, but he was still packing.

"I found this passage last night while reading. Heal me O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved for you are the one I praise."

"Jeremiah 17:14." The corners of his mouth kicked up. "No matter what happens, I'll praise God. I have everything I've ever wanted."

Not for the first time I was in awe of his faith. "You're not afraid?"

He didn't hesitate. "No. I trust God."

"Your faith is supernatural." I rubbed the penny between my fingers. "I trust God too, but sometimes I get scared and question things like why can't I make Izabelle and Katie, even my dad understand how wonderful God is."

"Only the Lord has the power to make them see. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them...'"

I suddenly realized how well Kyle knew the Bible. He was quiet about it, but his faith was stronger than mine. Tears of relief filled my eyes. I needed his strength and guidance. "What if he doesn't?" I whispered.

"Faith, sweetheart. Keep praying."

Taking my hand in his, we bowed our heads and spoke to the Lord. He asked God to bring our loved ones to Jesus, he prayed for me, and finally, he asked the Lord to watch over him in surgery.

Afterward, he finished packing.

"Knowing you, you'll be up and walking around this afternoon."

Kyle grinned. "Lying around doing nothing is the worst part of being in the hospital."

"I thought it was the food."

"That's a close second. Enough about me. Did you have fun last night?"

He didn't seem concerned that I'd gone to Shooters without him, but I felt strange about it. I quickly debated saying anything about Ava, not wanting to upset him. "We did. Ava joined us."

He was quiet for a moment, before giving me a knowing look. "Ava told you that she came over last night."

I looked up at him and nodded. "She did."

Taking my hand he pulled me closer. "Lucy, I don't want you thinking I've got something going on with Ava. We've been patient with Izabelle, but it's time to tell everyone about us."

"I know. My dad didn't get why we were keeping things a secret."

He gripped his neck. "Imagine him not understanding that," he drawled, sarcasm coating the words. "At least he hasn't hunted me down yet."

I tossed him a smile. "He's waiting until Saturday."

"You're hilarious. Good thing I love you."

Hearing the affection in his voice, my heart swelled. "We're meeting Saturday, but if you're not feeling up to it, I'll cancel."

"No, we're having dinner with your dad Saturday," Kyle insisted. "If we cancel, he'll think I'm some jerk that wants to keep his daughter a secret and doesn't have the guts to face him." He glanced down at me. "I'm glad this amuses you."

"I'm sorry, I know you're worried about meeting my dad." Actually, I thought I saw a hint of a smile tug at the corners of Kyle's mouth.

"We'll meet him and we'll tell Izabelle about us."

"What about Ava?" I asked warily.

His expression reflected genuine surprise. "What about her?"

"She found my earring in your couch. I didn't tell her it was mine, but she thinks you're seeing someone."

He seemed to consider this.

I needed to tell him everything. "She thinks you'll come back to her when you're done with me."

"She said that?" Kyle asked, clearly surprised.

"Yes."

"I should have included her in my prayer." He sent a cautious look my way. "What else did she say?"

My cheeks burned with a fierce blush. I probably looked like a tomato. "She said she loved being...intimate with you."

He looked shocked, then confused. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I don't know why she said that."

"Probably because it's true." I hated thinking about it. It made me sick.

Closing the distance between us, he lightly tapped my chin with his knuckle and I met his intent blue gaze. "Lucy, if I could go back... I wasn't a believer then."

"I know. It just hurts." I saw the pain in his eyes and knew he was troubled. "Don't worry about this. I shouldn't have said anything."

"A beautiful woman once told me that if it bothers you we should talk about it. Pray about it."

I smiled and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

He still appeared uncertain. Reaching out he brushed the side of my face lightly with his knuckles, and I shivered. "I won't hurt you, Lucy."

"I trust you as much as I love you."

His lips brushed the top of my head. Pulling back just enough to look at me I saw the love shining in his eyes. His gaze dropped to my mouth, and he lowered his head.

Izabelle's shocked gasp interrupted, and my head turned to catch her staring at us wide-eyed.

"Morning Izzy," Kyle said easily.

My heart was pounding. I wondered if he could feel it.

Izabelle stood frozen, shocked. Time crawled. Finally, she turned and ran from the room.

"We were going to tell her this week." He turned to me as if trying to determine how I was doing.

"I'd imagined it differently." Trying to follow his lead and make light of the situation especially since he was having surgery in just a few short hours, I joked, "Someplace other than your bedroom."

"Nah, that would be boring." His eyes twinkled with a smile. "Think how funny this will seem years from now."

I liked the implication that we might still be together for years to come, but I hoped it didn't take that long to see the humor in this situation.

We found Izabelle in the kitchen. She sat still as a statue on a bar stool with her elbows propped on the granite countertop. "What's going on?" she demanded when she saw us.

"Lucy came to pray with me," Kyle replied effortlessly. "You want some coffee?"

Izabelle's eyes flashed angrily. "In your bedroom? Try again, Brother." Her gaze darted from Kyle to me. "Are you sleeping together?"

"No. I'll marry her first." He poured three cups of coffee as if he hadn't just rocked my and Izabelle's world.

"What?" Izabelle was obviously flustered.

"We intended to tell you after my surgery," he explained.

"How convenient now that you've been found out."

"You were upset that Ava and I weren't getting back together so we decided to give you some time."

I watched her eyes flash with betrayal.

"Izabelle, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you or Ava." Waves of guilt crashed over me.

Unshed tears shined in her eyes. "How long has this been going on?"

"When he came home after your dad passed—"

"Two years! That night you drove Kyle home from the cemetery?" Her stricken expression made me want to beg her forgiveness.

"I really am sorry." The words were as useless as they sounded, but I didn't know what else to do.

"You're sorry?" She spun to face me. "Because you've been lying to me for the last two years!" Her head fell into her hands. "Does Katie know?"

It was at that moment I realized the extent of my betrayal, and I wasn't sure she would be able to forgive me. "Yes," I whispered, wishing I could say or do something that would make this better.

A muffled sob tore from her throat.

"Izabelle." Kyle put his arm around his sister. "This is my fault, not Lucy's." Brushing off his touch, she stepped back and glared at him through a blur of tears, but he didn't let that stop him.

With a reassuring glance at me, he tried again. "We haven't been hiding this from you for years. When Lucy came to see me last month we realized we were meant to be together."

Izabelle took a deep breath as if trying to absorb everything. "So before last month you two hadn't spoken to each other besides that one night?"

"No, not in person. There were a few emails."

Izabelle shook her head as if disgusted with me. "Is this because Brandon is marrying Lindsay? What, is my brother your rebound guy?"

"It's not like that. Kyle is everything to me." The words trembled from my lips.

I felt Kyle's gaze on me, but I was focused on Izabelle, desperate to make her understand.

"I don't know if I'll ever believe anything you say again, Lucy." Anger flashed in her eyes. "You pretend to be a Christian, but you're a hypocrite!"

"That's enough, Izabelle." Kyle's voice was firm. "I know you're upset, but this isn't anyone's fault."

"She's why you aren't with Ava!" Accusation glittered in her gaze. "Her family took us in and treated us like their own. After all, they've done for us, doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does, but being grateful doesn't mean I have to marry their daughter."

"Fine. We don't have time for this." Izabelle waved an impatient hand. "You have to be at the hospital in half an hour. Do you still need a ride or are you going with her?"

I winced at the tone of Izabelle's voice when she spat, her. "Izabelle, please," I pleaded, begging her to understand, but she wouldn't look at me.

"Are you coming, Kyle?" she called, ignoring me.

"Why don't we all ride together. You can drop Lucy off later to pick up her car," he suggested.

Izabelle folded her arms and glared at her brother making it clear that was not an option.

He sighed. "Then I'll ride with Lucy. I'm sorry."

At first, she appeared stunned. Then Izabelle looked like she might argue, but she closed her mouth and stomped away. Stopping suddenly, she turned around to face her brother. "I love you." She lifted her chin. "I'll be at the hospital when you wake up."

"I love you too, Izzy."

Kyle pulled me against his chest and held me close while he rubbed my back, whispering soothing words into my hair. I wanted to cry, but Kyle was about to have surgery, and falling apart now would be selfish.

"That didn't go as well as I'd hoped." My attempt at humor missed the mark. I felt drained.

"She'll come around," Kyle said confidently, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "I don't want you to worry about this."

"Funny, that's what I was going to say to you."

"Do I look worried?" he asked, grinning down at me as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"I think you'd say anything to make me feel better."

"Lucy." His tone was tender but confident enough to extinguish my doubt. "Have faith. This will work out."

When I would have dropped my head, Kyle clasped my chin gently between his thumb and forefinger forcing me to look at him.

He dipped his head and dropped a light kiss on my mouth. "Maybe we should have told her sooner, but I know my sister. She just needs some time to cool off."

"Thank you. Don't think about any of this today. You should be focusing on getting better."

His mouth tilted at the corners. "I'll be fine. I have a lot of motivation to get out of bed later."

"To referee between Izabelle and me?"

He laughed softly. "That and I have to meet your dad on Saturday."

"Lord, help us," I said as he pulled me into a hug.

Kyle's surgery lasted almost three hours. The waiting room was full of his friends, some of them I knew, like Jase and the guys he played cards with, but there were others I hadn't met.

Izabelle and I didn't talk. She sat with Ava and her family the entire time. Katie came and I appreciated the company.

When the doctor announced Kyle was out of surgery and doing fine, I breathed a sigh of relief. I couldn't see him since only family members were allowed in while he was in recovery. Izabelle and Ava went in. I guess Izabelle told the doctor that Ava was family.

It wasn't until several hours after the surgery that he was moved to a room, and I finally got to see him. Almost everyone had left by then, saying they'd let him rest and be back to visit tomorrow.

"You're awake." I was surprised, expecting to find him sleeping off the anesthesia.

His gaze was clear and steady. "I wanted to see you."

Leaning over, I pressed a kiss to his forehead, careful not to disturb the IV taped to his hand. "You look good." He did, crazy-good for a guy who'd just been through surgery.

My comment amused him. "I don't have a bionic leg anymore." He glanced down at his bandaged leg.

"You'll get used to it. Does it feel weird?"

"It feels normal. I like it."

I relaxed for the first time since Izabelle had walked in on us this morning. My prayers were answered. Kyle was out of surgery, and he was safe.

I'd intended to stay only a short time so that he could rest. The last thing I remember is holding his hand, resting my head on his bed.

The prickling sensation of being watched pulled me from sleep. I opened my eyes and blinked. Izabelle stood in the doorway, looking deep in thought as she stared at us.

I started to say something, but when I looked again she was gone.