Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 20861 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20861 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Rule's daughter giggled even as she ran into Vixen's arms, and Vixen couldn't help closing her eyes as Riley hugged her back.
She remembered the first time she had met Riley, remembered wondering why she had felt so inexplicably drawn to the younger girl.
It had confused her then but not anymore.
Because Riley, just like her father, was part of His plans, and that was why everything about the three of them felt so, so right.
And when she pulled away, and she saw Him mirrored in both Rule's and Riley's gazes as well—-
Thank You, God.
Riley shyly volunteered to say grace, and Vixen felt like crying herself when she saw the way Rule was struggling to contain his emotions.
The rest of the evening went by as all good times went. Every moment was precious and unforgettable, every moment marked by both laughter and tears because this time, fear no longer held them back.
They talked about everything under the sun, both the good and the bad, and even the ugly. Regrets turned into lessons of wisdom, and milestones became reasons for gratitude. This time, all three of them understood that there was a time for everything—-
A time to kill, a time to heal...
A time to love, and a time to hate...
A time for war, and a time for peace...
And it was these verses that Vixen absently pondered when she found herself alone on Rule's back porch.
Where do we go from here?
Riley had already called it a night, but not without cheekily reminding them that they better start planning if they still wanted a Christmas wedding to happen.
Oh dear.
The memory alone had Vixen blushing anew.
Christmas?
Wedding?
Her...and Rule?
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Rule sat beside her on the steps, and Vixen could feel her cheeks turning hotter when his gaze turned curious.
"Everything alright, love?"
Her heart skipped a beat at the endearment Rule had used even as Vixen found herself biting her lip.
Things seemed to be moving too fast between Rule and her, but...at the same time, things felt so, so right as well. There was so much she wanted to ask him, but she also knew, before anything else, these were the same things she had to pray about.
And so until she heard clearly from Him...
I can't say anything just yet.
Vixen steered their conversation in a different direction instead, saying, "I didn't know how to tell you earlier..."
His gaze narrowed. "Is it Beatriz again?"
She nodded.
"Tell me everything."
"She was hurting, I think." Vixen chose her words with care, not wanting to lie but not wanting to paint the other woman in a bad light either. "I don't think she expected you to ask her to move out."
"I don't think it's proper for her to stay here, now that we're dating," Rule said curtly. "Do you think I should've handled it differently?"
"This is all new to me, too. But what I do know is that we can ask for an older or more experienced couple to mentor us?"
Rule frowned. "Couple counseling, you mean?"
"Something like that. But we don't need to do anything right away. We can and should pray about it first."
"Now that you've mentioned it..." A grimace flashed over his handsome features. "Maybe I wouldn't have lost my temper with Beatriz so easily if I had prayed about it first."
Vixen's lips pressed together in a straight line, but this proved futile in containing her joy.
"Why are you suddenly smiling like that?"
She quickly shook her head. "It's nothing."
"It has to be something for you to be still smiling like that."
Vixen squirmed under his thoughtful gaze.
Do I really have to tell him the truth, God?
His answer to this was loud and clear, and Vixen could already feel herself blushing as she turned to Rule. "The truth is..."
Oh, Father.
"I just love it so much whenever I hear you talk about praying."
Rule's eyes widened.
"Every time I hear you pray, it's like I'm also hearing His voice, telling me..."
"We have a future together."
It was Vixen's turn to gaze at him in shock. That was exactly what she was thinking about, and so, for Rule to know this, too...
Thank You, Father.
Because what she had always wanted was for His will to prevail, and so when praying about the possibility of marriage, all Vixen had asked for was one simple thing:
A man who knows and loves Him, a man who'll hold her hand but with Christ in the center of his heart, just like hers.
Eleven
THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED were some of the best times in Rule's life. As he had deliberately cut back on work since moving to Lavender Cove, he was able to be more intentional in how he chose to spend his day.
Rule used to take pride in the number of hours he spent working, and he had been extremely competitive as well when it came to the size and nature of his investment portfolio.