Free Deceived: Lured from the Truth (Secrets) by Melody Carlson Page A

home.”
    “Thanks, Lucinda.” Josiah waves to them and steps back. “I better get going. Gotta get Rachel back to the resort.”
    I tell Monique and Lucinda good-bye, and then Josiah and I trek back toward the car in the dark. But now I feel guilty as I realize Josiah is responsible for getting me home and then he still has to drive all the way back here.
    “I’m sorry you get stuck driving me back and forth. I mean, it just occurred to me that it’s an hour each time you make the round-trip. You’ll have made it four times by the end of the day.” I sigh. “That’s a lot of driving.”
    He nods slowly. “Yeah, you’re right … it’s a lot of driving.”
    Now I don’t know what to say. “I wish there was a bus or shuttle or something, coming out here from the resort.”
    “Don’t misunderstand,” he says quickly. “I don’t mind getting you at all. I mean, sure, it’s a lot of driving. But you’re worth it, Rachel.” He opens the car door for me with a sincere-looking smile. “I just wish you lived a bit closer.”
    “Me too.” I slip into the passenger seat. “Maybe I can figure out a way to borrow a car,” I say as he starts to drive away. “Anyway, I suppose I have a week to figure it out. Since there won’t be church again until Sunday.”
    “Actually, we have a midweek service too,” he tells me. “Wednesday nights at seven.”
    “Oh …”
    “And then we have study groups during the week. To be a member of the church, my uncle expects you to commit to attend one of those as well.”
    Now I feel truly dismayed. “I suppose it’s not very realistic to think I’m going to ever be a real member of this church.”
    “I reckon it’s a big commitment, Rachel. It does take a fair amount of time. You’d have to want it really bad.”
    “I do want it really bad. I can’t even explain how important it is to me. It’s like, for the first time in a long time — maybe even the first time ever — I feel like I actually belong somewhere. It probably sounds weird to say, especially after such a short amount of time, but this feels like home.”
    “Truly?” He sounds doubtful. “You can tell that already?”
    “I can. I just wish it wasn’t so far out of the way. Or that I had my own wheels. I hate thinking I’m dependent on you to get me here, Josiah.”
    “If you really want to come, I don’t mind getting you. I actually like driving. I mean, all day long I’m making dairy deliveries and it’s fun. I like being on the road.”
    “You honestly don’t mind?”
    “Not at all. And my uncle probably won’t mind either. Not if he believes you’re really committed to his church. He only wants people who are fully committed.”
    “I’m fully committed,” I reassure him. “I really, truly am.”

[CHAPTER 7]
    S eeing that fireworks are exploding over the lake when we reach the resort, I ask Josiah to take me over to Nadine’s condo. This will allow me to spend some time with my mom before she leaves tomorrow. Instead of just dropping me off, Josiah parks the car and walks me up the condo stairs. But halfway up, the display above us is so spectacular, we both stop on the landing and just stare in wonder.
    “Isn’t it beautiful?” I say as a huge red, white, and blue starburst lights the entire sky, reflecting over the smooth black surface of the lake.
    He nods, slips his arm around my waist, and pulls me closer to him. “It’s almost as beautiful as you are, Rachel.”
    I feel myself melting inside as I turn to face him. Is this for real? And then he leans in and kisses me — several times and with an intense passion that takes my breath away. As we stand there kissing, I feel like I’m floating … like we’re both floating. More dazzling explosions are going off up in the sky now, but nothing like the fireworks going off inside of me. This is a Fourth of July I will never forget!
    “Sorry.” He steps back and lets me go. “I didn’t mean to get carried away like