Free Lights and Shadows (Oregon In Love) by Bonnie Blythe

cynical ideas, but
when Sara returned to the room, her heart tightened in her chest.
Sara set a laptop computer in its carrying case on the table. “He
just bought a different model but he assures me this is fast and
powerful enough even for you.”
    Blinking away the moisture from her eyes, Julia wondered if he’d
come around to her way of thinking. No, that was unrealistic. It
appeared he’d just resigned himself to the reality that she would
take the job.
    Whatever the reasons, the computer was an olive branch. And a huge
help, since she didn’t bring her own up from California. Pig-headed
male he could be on occasion, he was still the best brother a sister
could have. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she ran her hand along
the edge of the nylon case. Her fingers itched to open it and start
at the keys. She’d do that later when alone.
    She looked up at Sara. “Did you talk him into this?”
    “No. He came up with the idea on his own. He also has arranged for
a maid service to take over the cleaning and for delivery of
breakfast items from a local pastry shop to begin tomorrow. Isn’t
he such a sweetie?”
    Julia smiled at the dewy expression in Sara’s eyes.
    “But why are you taking the job if you’re still recovering
from the accident?”
    “I feel I am recovered,” said Julia. Then she remembered the
crying jag Sara had recently witnessed. “At least I’m almost
there.”
    If her sister-in-law was unconvinced, she didn’t say so, and after
a few more minutes of small talk, Julia picked up the case and
returned to the cottage.
    She set the computer on the table and powered it up. While her hands
flew over the keys as she familiarized herself with the unit, Julia
thought back to the accident that was at the crux of her and Brian’s
disagreement. She’d been late for work and had hydroplaned in a
downpour. Without her seatbelt and airbag, she would’ve most likely
died at the scene. Instead, she’d ended up in the hospital with
head injuries.
    Julia decided the whole coma thing was just a dramatic way of saying
she’d been unconscious for awhile. She had no memory of those days
and preferred it that way. In her opinion, it had been God’s
graciousness and the power of prayer that sped her recovery. She’d
gone back to work before anyone expected it.
    Of course she hadn’t been able to return to the office for a couple
of weeks—her face had been too black and blue. Julia had files sent
over from the office so she could stay on top of her projects, even
though those projects had been reassigned to others.
    It was so easy for everyone to tell her to relax and get rest. The
time in the hospital after waking up had tried her sanity. As soon as
her face healed, she was back down at the firm, unable to stand one
more day of being home alone. Then came the depression. When she
recognized signs of that malady, she plunged back into work,
confident she could escape its clutches.
    For the most part she had. As long as she stayed busy, Julia felt
safe, secure, and needed. That she’d entered the consulting
profession had been no accident. She loved being able to come into a
situation and find ways of improving it. She loved the challenge of
solving problems.
    Her brother Brian was a workaholic, although he was trying to cut
back now that he had a family. But since he was a man, his drive to
succeed was affirmed. The same trait was viewed negatively in a
woman. Well, I don't have a husband or children, and I'm not
inclined to sit around and wait for someone to take care of me .
    She sighed and thought of Marc. It had been quite a while since she’d
seen him. Did he ever think of her? Doubtful, she decided. That was
one more reason to be thankful for this job opportunity. Why sit
around and become spoony over some guy when there was work to be
done! This consulting opportunity was from the Lord. There were too
many coincidences for her to believe otherwise. Now that she had a
direction for her life, she