Free Heart's Design: A Contemporary Christian Romance by Joann Durgin Page B

for these thoughts. Please remove the hate from me.
    Beverly leaned back against the counter again. “To be honest, it took a whole lot of prayer and wrestling with God. But if you think your arms are long enough to box with Him, you’d be wrong. I know that trial tore your family apart. You believe you lost your mama because of what happened, but you can’t know that for sure. That trial didn’t cause her dementia. She’s suffering from a disease that robs a person of their memories. A disease that doesn’t discriminate. And you need to remember that Jesus died on a cross for that lawyer every bit as much as He died for you and me. And your mother and father.”
    Crossing his arms on the table, Seth hung his head. “Duncan Prescott,” he muttered. Lifting his head, he drained the last of the coffee, as black and bitter as the hardness in his heart. “That’s his name.”
    “Is that a fact?” An odd expression flittered across Beverly’s features. “After all these years, I don’t think you’ve ever told me his name until now.”
    “I hate to even say his name out loud, but you’re right. Keep praying for me. The Lord knows I need it.”
    “I always pray for you, Seth. But you can’t know that man’s soul. That’s not your job. It’s God’s job, so give him over to the Almighty and let Him handle it. You are to love and pray for Duncan Prescott. Pray that somehow the Lord makes Himself known to him in a special way so that he accepts that he’s not the only man in the universe. Enough so that he’ll accept what Jesus did for him on Calvary. Pray for that man to enter into the kingdom of God—whether it’s now or on his deathbed or whenever his time comes—because you don’t know that there’s no one else to do it for him.”
    Seth’s jaw tightened. He hated to admit it, but Beverly was right. As usual.
    Beverly wrapped her arms around him from behind. “Forgiveness is a powerful thing. I always go back to one of my favorite verses in Ephesians that says, ‘Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.’ Just promise me you’ll think about it. And keep praying that He’ll release you from the bitterness. In its own way, your anger has erected prison walls around your heart.”
    “I promise.” He wasn’t happy about praying for Duncan Prescott, but he’d do it out of honor and respect for his dear friend, if for no other reason. Because he couldn’t think of any better reason.
     
    ~~♥~~
     
    After showering, Caroline pulled on long denim shorts and retrieved her rumpled, pale pink green T-shirt from her backpack. Since she hadn’t brought many clothes on the trip, it’d have to do. Seth’s invitation hung in the back of her mind, refusing to let go. No, she’d definitely done the right thing in telling him she couldn’t attend the reception with him.
    Her hair hung in long, damp ringlets framing her face. Frowning as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she wondered if she should attempt to contain her wild mane in a ponytail. Deciding against it, she closed the bedroom door quietly and descended the staircase.
    Tantalizing aromas greeted her as she rounded the bottom of the stairs a few minutes after seven. Beverly was working in the kitchen, but no other guests sat around the table.
    “Why, good morning, Caroline!” Beverly lifted the lid on one of the silver warming trays and stirred what looked like scrambled eggs. “I trust you slept well. Breakfast is ready, so please help yourself to anything you’d like. The jams and butter are on the table. There’s coffee, tea, orange or cranberry juice, and milk. What can I get for you?”
    “Cranberry juice is fine, thanks.” She surveyed the impressive assortment of food. “Everything looks so good. It’ll be hard to choose.”
    “Go ahead and help