Free The Reluctant Bride by Kathryn Alexander

shouldn't even date anyone who doesn't.”
    “What harm could dating someone like—”
    “If I date a man like that, I could fall in love with him. Then what? Ask him to change? Get him converted?”
    Carole shook her head, admitting defeat “I get your point. But what about Rob?”
    “He was a Christian when he was younger, but then something happened and he left the church.”
    “So he's got two strikes against him—his future clashes in some way with your past and he's a nonbeliever. If the picture looks that bleak, why do you care that he's not called? Why not just let him go?”
    “Because…” Micah caught her lower lip between her teeth when warm tears filled her eyes.
    Carole froze in her steps, studying her friend's troubled expression. “You really like this guy, don't you?”
    “I didn't want to, but—”
    “But you do. You really do.”
    Micah nodded again. “Too much, too soon.”
    Carole gave her a generous hug. “You can't possibly care too much. The more the better! And it's certainly not too soon. You're twenty-eight years old, and I haven't seen you serious about anyone in the two years I've known you. I'd say you're long overdue for a full-fledged romance.”
    “It takes two to make a romance,” Micah commented. “I thought Rob—”
    “Don't give up on him yet. Maybe he's just busy with work or something else.”
    “Or someone else.”
    “No, now, let's think positive. Maybe he's been sick with the flu or had an accident.”
    “Right, Carole. Positive thinking at its best,” Micah quipped and opened the front door.
    “Well, I'm sorry. I'm just trying to be helpful. Let's go get some food and we'll devise a plan to rekindle his interest.”
    But the only plan Micah would agree to was to wait. If Rob wanted to see her, he would call. And if he didn't, she thought she might die.
    Busy with a trial. The message glared at her from the pink While You Were Out note stuck on her desk when she returned to her classroom after supervising lunch in the cafeteria the next day. Micah crumpled the paper with more force than necessary and tossed it into the nearby trash can.
    An excuse phoned in to the Wellspring Elementary School office while Micah was busy with thekids. “Nice knowing you, Counselor,” she murmured as she slammed her books into a disorderly stack. Hot tears burned her eyes and she blinked hard, not wanting them to fall. But it was better this way. She shouldn't have dated him at all. Maybe finally he had listened to her warning and decided he didn't want to take the risk. She couldn't blame him for that He had a lot at stake. “But at least you could have told me in person, not leave a message with a twelve-year-old office volunteer at the school,” she thought aloud.
    “Hey, Micah?” Angela burst into the classroom with an abundance of energy. “Heather's with her grandmother, I'm taking the boys for ice cream and we wondered if you'd like to go along.”
    Micah pulled a tissue from the box she kept on her desk. “Thanks, but—”
    “What's wrong? Are you okay?” Angela noticed Micah's reddened eyes. “Did something happen?”
    “I'm all right,” she responded and blew her nose. “But I really don't feel like eating ice cream.” The threatening tears subsided, and Micah was grateful
    “Trouble with a student?”
    “No,” she answered as she picked up her sweater from the back of her swivel chair. “It's just… there's been a misunderstanding. I really thought that…”
    “Thought what? Does this have anything to do with Rob?” Angela asked hesitantly.
    Micah glanced up at Angela, who stood awkwardlyinside the doorway, apparently unsure whether to stay or go.
    “I'm a pretty good listener, Micah, if you want to talk. If not, I'll understand.”
    “He's your brother. I can't talk about him with you.”
    “Nonsense. I'm his sister, not his spy. This can be confidential,” Angela replied. “But if you'd rather not—”
    “No, it's okay. It's just that,