A Family of Their Own(77)

“You’re afraid. Worried.” He drew her closer. “God is my witness, Kelsey. I love you and Lucy with all my heart. I would never hurt you.” He kissed the end of her nose. “You’re being the practical Kelsey I first met. I watched you struggle to look at life with your heart, but you’ve had a setback. Instead of your heart, you’re trying to reason everything out. Some things can’t be reasoned. They’re felt.”

Head and heart. She had struggled. Kelsey gazed into his eyes, realizing he knew her better than she knew herself. “But I don’t want you to be miserable with my idiosyncrasies.”

“I’ve grown to love them.” He tightened his embrace. “I think of them fondly as your idiot-syncrasies.”

The sweet sound of his voice lifted her spirit. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He tilted her chin upward. “The Lord doesn’t promise we’ll have sunshine every day, but He promises that He’s with us every day—rain or shine.”

A ragged breath escaped her. “I know.”

“He also gave us a sense of humor. You put up with me and my idiot-syncrasies, too. We all have them, you know. But yours are part of you, and I love them.”

He loved them. The words washed over her. She’d never met a person who loved even her quirks, but Ross did. “I’m confused and so sorry. I feel lost without you, and I think that scares me. What happens if you can’t handle me after a while and decide to—?”

He pressed his index finger on her lips. “I will never walk out on you, Kelsey. Neither you nor Lucy. When I make a commitment, it’s from the heart, and that’s what counts.” Ross slipped his finger from her mouth and replaced it with his lips.

From the heart, and that’s what counts. She melted against his frame, yielding to his kiss. In his arms she felt complete. That was another thing that couldn’t be reasoned.



“See you next week.” Kelsey stood near the door, glad that her year as moderator had come to a close. Voting in a new leader and a new name—Parents of Special Kids—had been her final task.

Ross slipped past her with one of the other fathers, a newer one he’d taken under his wing. “Meet you outside.”

She adored his compassionate way of listening and now his ability to share his real feelings. So many men had found their way to the meeting and were learning to reveal their emotions.

“Thanks for all your hard work.”

She turned from the hallway. “Thanks, Ava.” Ava had run for moderator, but had been outvoted. One of the newer ladies was now the moderator. “I hope you’re okay with the vote.”

“The vote. I’m thrilled. After I agreed to run, I knew I’d made a mistake.”

“Really.” Kelsey found that hard to believe. Ava had always been their question lady. Nothing slipped past her without a multitude of questions that dug so deep into the topic that everyone longed to go home. But she’d been faithful to the group and a likeable woman otherwise.

“I don’t want to be in charge. I’d prefer to look at things from a different viewpoint and dig into it. I’d have to be unbiased as moderator. That’s hard for me to do.”

Amazed at her self-awareness, Kelsey gave her a hug. “Questions have always been your forte. We all know that.”

She chuckled. “Although I drive you all crazy sometimes.” She shook her finger. “Don’t think I don’t know.”

Her smile assured Kelsey that she had no hard feelings. “See you next week.”

She gave a wave and left.

Kelsey drew in a deep breath, relaxed her shoulders and turned off the light. The summer sun had reappeared from behind the morning clouds, and she longed to be outside. Home was more like it. They’d left the two girls at her house alone.

Ross gave her a wave when she stepped outside. He shook hands with the other father and strode her way. “Don’t tell me. You’re worried about the girls.”

She chuckled. “Not worried exactly. Just anxious to get home.”

Since they’d met, Ross could somehow read her mind. Maybe it was her face. But he seemed to know what she was thinking. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

He opened the car door for her and she slipped in. Their talk had grown easy in the past month, since she’d shaken the fear that had paralyzed her. Ross’s words often filled her mind. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. Both girls were doing great. Lucy had healed well from her surgery, and her hair had already begun to grow back. It was all more than she could have wished for, and she rejoiced with Ross that Peyton had made great strides, as well.