Celebrate in Good Hope (Good Hope #22)

Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

The Christmas Eve service at First Christian was crowded. Roe felt like she’d hit the jackpot when she spotted two seats at the end of a row near the front. As she and Boone made their way down the aisle, Roe was surprised by how many people they recognized.

Waving and calling back greetings of Merry Christmas boosted her already high spirits into the stratosphere. Roe recalled listening with a mixture of envy and skepticism to Dakota rave about her hometown. She’d taken all the gushing about community and the whole neighbor-helping-neighbor thing with a grain of salt.

Dakota had grown up here, and she had always seen the community as welcoming and caring. In only a month, Roe had discovered that Dakota hadn’t been sugarcoating it—her community was just as wonderful as she’d described.

Roe slipped into the pew, and Boone took the seat beside her. It was a tight fit, but pleasurably so. His arm resting on the back of the pew just above her shoulders gave them a little more room. Still, she liked the feel of Boone’s muscular thigh pressed tightly against hers .

Unsure how everyone would be dressed, Roe had chosen a red fluffy sweater, a plaid skirt, black tights and knee-high boots. Pants would have provided a little more warmth, but she felt more holiday-ready in a skirt.

“This is such a pretty little church,” Roe said in a low tone to Boone. The sanctuary’s wooden pews gleamed, as did the stained glass above each tall window. The pretty glass added a nice pop of color to an interior that otherwise would have been too plain.

The church, filled with parishioners in their holiday best, added even more brightness while the boughs of greenery at the end of each pew—complete with pinecones—wafted the pleasant scent of pine through the sanctuary.

“I love the smell of pine,” Roe whispered.

Boone only nodded. From how he kept glancing around, she realized she wasn’t the only one taking it all in.

Hymnals were stashed on the back of each pew, but a quick glance at the bulletin they’d been given when they’d entered the church revealed to Roe not only the order of the service, but also the words to the two hymns that would be sung.

Easy peasy , Roe thought and felt her shoulders relax.

The service moved smoothly. Singing “Joy to the World” with the rest of the congregation had Roe recalling that night when she and Boone had gathered in the town square and sung carols with strangers.

When the minister moved behind the pulpit for the sermon and began talking about the reason for the season, Roe tuned out, knowing there wasn’t much he could say that she hadn’t heard before.

Instead, her mind wandered to the woman she hoped would help her find her next position. She’d considered telling Fin she did have some parameters on where she wanted to settle and that she hoped to find a spot where she could see herself living long term.

In the end, she’d left it open. There were so many factors that would go into locations she would seriously consider, it seemed easier just to see what Fin and Gladys came up with and go from there.

“We have choices in our lives.”

Pastor Marshall’s words caught Roe’s ear and had her refocusing on the front of the small church. It seemed funny that he should mention choices when that was exactly what she’d been pondering.

The minister’s Scripture reference, followed by something about Christmas representing God’s ultimate choice to send His son as a gift to humanity, had her almost tuning out again.

“Not long after I took over this congregation, I was offered the opportunity to become the pastor at a large, well-established church in the city where my family lived.”

Roe’s attention returned to the minister. She’d always loved presentations that used vignettes as a teaching tool. In her mind, the more detailed, the better.

“It was clear that my choice would shape the course of not only my career, but my life.” The pastor paused to make sure he had everyone’s attention before continuing.

“You might think it was the same path. After all, I would still serve the Lord—the only difference was where. I’m here to say that wasn’t the case at all. Each choice would lead me down wildly different paths and affect all aspects of my life.”

Roe thought of the choices she would soon face. She understood what the minister had faced in a very personal way.

Being a director at a wealthy theater in a metropolitan area would be very different from accepting a position at a theater in a smaller town.

“The offer from the large church was incredibly tempting. It represented security, prestige and a clear path to success in my ministerial career.” A slight smile lifted Pastor Marshall’s lips. “On the other hand, the church where I currently serve faced challenges with no guarantees of success or stability. ”

Once again, the minister’s gaze swept the congregation. He had everyone’s rapt attention. “I prayed. I sought guidance from others. The advice I received was mixed, but one piece of advice stood out: ‘Sometimes the path God calls us to is not the easiest or most obvious one. It’s the path where we can make the most difference.’”

There was more, but Roe had heard enough to get her mental wheels spinning. Like the decision the minister had once faced, Roe stood at a crossroads. The decisions she would make during the next month would set the course for her life.

Roe slanted a sideways glance at Boone, and her heart flip-flopped. They had never talked about a future, not one together.

Everything had been about the here and now.

Did he want a future with her? He’d never given any indication that he did, but then, she’d never told him how much he meant to her.

It seemed far too soon to talk about forever. But if they didn’t speak soon, would it be too late?

Large white flakes began drifting down just as they stepped outside. Feeling like a child from the South experiencing her first snowfall, Roe resisted the urge to turn in a circle with arms outstretched and catch a snowflake on her tongue.

A tiny smile played at the corners of Boone’s lips as if he could read her thoughts. “Ready to head home?”

Home .

Just the word brought a feeling of contentment.

“Yes.” Roe took another deep breath of the cool, fresh air, knowing she would always remember this night. Ending the church service with lit candles to the tune of “Silent Night” was the perfect way to spend Christmas Eve .

Boone took her arm, and they turned toward where his truck was parked. “I wonder if they expected this many people.”

“Roe. Boone. Hold up.”

They turned to see Marigold hurrying toward them.

Roe stepped to the side so they wouldn’t block foot traffic. “Merry Christmas, Marigold.”

“Merry Christmas.” Marigold’s blond curls spilled out from a red hat that matched her cashmere coat. “I have something to ask you two.”

“What is it?” Roe offered an encouraging smile. At the moment, she was inclined to say yes to just about anything.

“Are you and Boone available to serve Christmas lunch tomorrow at Muddy Boots?”

Roe blinked. “The café is closed tomorrow.”

“Technically, yes. But Muddy Boots serves a free meal to whoever shows up. It’s become a holiday tradition. While there is no cost for the meal, if someone wants to donate, there’s a jar for a free-will offering to the Giving Tree on the counter.”

“This is the first I’ve heard of this.” Roe couldn’t stop the smile. “What a fabulous idea.”

“So, anyone can come and eat?” Boone asked, speaking for the first time.

“That’s right.” Marigold brushed a curl out of her face with a gloved hand. “Ami and Beck see it as a way for those in the community to gather with others. Some come because they can’t afford to eat otherwise, others because they don’t want to be alone on Christmas. And others for the fellowship. It’s grown more popular each passing year, and more servers are needed for the buffet line.”

“How long is a shift?” Roe asked, already knowing that no matter how long it was, she would agree.

“Two hours,” Marigold advised. “Once your shift is done, you’re encouraged to stay and eat.”

Roe glanced at Boone. “I’d like to do it. ”

“Me, too.” He smiled at Marigold. “What time do you want us there?”

“You’ve certainly embraced this time in Good Hope,” Boone commented on the drive home.

The thought of leaving this small community on the Door County peninsula brought an ache to Roe’s heart. “I don’t understand it, but Good Hope feels like home.”

“A home you’ll soon have to leave.”

Like all the others, Roe thought. Only, she vowed this next move would be her last.

“I don’t see that I have much choice.” She offered a slight smile. “Not if I want to eat.”

“The minister sure hit the topic of choice extra hard.”

“You listened to the sermon?” Roe didn’t bother to hide her surprise.

Puzzlement filled his eyes. “What else was there to do?”

Ponder your future , she thought but didn’t say. Unlike her, he had a place to go once his time here was up. “I listened to most of it. Which part was your favorite?”

“My favorite?”

“Yes, your favorite.” Roe smiled. “I liked the example of the big church and the small church.”

“I bet most in the audience would have chosen the big church.”

“You’re probably right.”

“No probably about it.”

“Like I said, I’m sure that’s true, but I liked when he said that sometimes the best path isn’t the most obvious one. We must consider all factors and then pick the one that will give us the life we want. ”

Boone studied her for a couple of seconds and then shook his head. “Did you make that up? I don’t recall him saying that.”

“I’m paraphrasing.” Roe waved an airy hand. “That’s probably why you don’t immediately recognize the sentiment.”

Boone chuckled. “I’m sure he’d just be glad you were listening and got something out of the sermon. I can’t imagine going to all that trouble and having no one listen.”

“We all want to be heard.” Roe had read that somewhere, and it rang true. “I hope Pastor Marshall had someone who listened as he struggled to decide.”

Boone’s gaze met hers. “If you ever want to talk about your options or bounce ideas off me, I’m a good listener.”

“Same goes for you.”

He gave a noncommittal nod.

“When I start getting offers,” she said, “I may take you up on that. Not many understand my passion for theater. God knows my parents and siblings don’t.” Roe laughed humorlessly. “They see careers in the arts as frivolous and unstable. In their minds, being let go from this last position only supports that belief.”

“Unless you’re in the military, I don’t know many positions that come with guarantees.” His dark eyes met hers. “Being around the theater this week has made me realize it’s a unique setting, its own world.”

She nodded, wondering where he was going with this but wholeheartedly agreeing with what he’d said so far. “The feeling of camaraderie and community is what attracted me in the beginning. Plus, making a production the best it can be is always an exciting challenge.”

“How did you get involved in theater in the first place?” he asked, turning the truck toward home.

“Music was never my forte, and I’m not great at sports.” Roe’s lips lifted in a halfhearted smile. “I discovered early on that high school productions are always looking for someone who can handle the technical aspects—you know, set design, lighting and sound. I became knowledgeable in the behind-the-scenes stuff. Eventually, I moved into stage management and discovered I loved it and was surprisingly good at it.”

“I was only good at one thing—football.”

“That’s not true. What about your writing? That scene you read to me the other night was great.”

“One scene does not a book make.”

“True, but you’ve got a lot more than one scene,” she reminded him. “Maybe being a novelist isn’t for you, but surely you’ve given some thought to what you’ll do when the time comes to retire from football.”

His eyes took on a distant glow. “It’s been my life for so long, I can’t fathom it being over.”

“What do you like about it?”

Boone smiled. “The friendships, the camaraderie and the adrenaline of game day rank at the top.”

Roe inclined her head. “Would you miss being in the spotlight?”

“No.”

“Not even a little bit?” she teased.

“I know some guys love it, but for everyone who wants to congratulate you on your performance, there are a dozen who want to tell you everything you, your teammates and the coaches did wrong.”

“Sounds like there’s definitely a downside to fame.”

He nodded.

“Are there other downsides to playing?”

“Of course. The practices, the need to maintain peak physical condition, the pressure to perform at an elite level.” Boone’s expression turned serious. “And, like we talked about before, there isn’t time to do much else.”

He stopped in front of the garage, and the door slowly opened. Instead of immediately pulling the truck inside, he shifted in his seat toward her .

“You know, for the first time that I can remember, I’m not excited to go back.” His expression softened as their eyes met.

Her heart fluttered like there were a thousand hummingbirds in her chest. She cleared her throat. “Ah, why do you think that is?”

Boone cupped her cheek in his large hand and kissed her gently. “Maybe because I’m realizing football isn’t the only thing I love.”