Page 123 of Solid as Steele
He tucked Cassie closer at his side, his arm tight around her shoulder. “Well, son, you’ve given us no reason to believe you might ever find someone and settle down. We’d kind of given up on that.”
“We all figured you’d turn into a spinster.” Cassie laughed.
Owen let out a breath. “I guess I can see your point.”
Mackenzie looked at him. “Don’t worry. I don’t mind being your miracle. I can’t think of a much better thing to be.”
28
Three weeks later.
The Steele family’s pastor gave the Easter sermon, and Owen held tight to Mackenzie’s hand, thankful for her presence and for his sister on his other side. His parents sat next to her, and the rest of the Steele family and their extended family members filled the rows behind them.
The group totaled twenty-four people, all dressed in their Sunday finest. Mackenzie too, who wore a soft yellow dress and sky-high black heels that made her seem ultra-feminine. Nothing like the woman who hiked the dusty desert with him a few weeks ago. He loved that about her. One of the guys one minute—feminine and captivating the next.
“Easter is a story of hope,” the pastor said. “When everything seems lost, there’s still a future.”
That’s exactly what Owen had experienced. He’d lost hope and then found Cassie alive. But it could’ve gone the other way. And the pastor stated that no matter their circumstances, no matter their losses, no matter their pain, hope always remained. Owen had been hoping for a thing—for Cassie to be alive—and he’d lost sight of his hope in someone else, God the Father.
He had to keep his focus on God. God always had plans for His people no matter what they saw before them. He knew the next move and the next and the next. That included the women they had found at Tovar’s farm. Despite the horror they faced, they hadn’t lost hope and now they’d all been relocated to good living situations and had a bright future ahead of them. Owen could take comfort in that.
The sermon ended, and they stood to sing the final song. Owen had failed to worship God the past few years. Shame mixed with the joy of forgiveness. He clutched Mackenzie’s hand and when the song ended, hugged her tightly. “Thank you for inviting us today. The service was amazing.”
“Of course.” She slipped her hand into his. “I told you we have a fabulous church and pastor.”
“Agreed.” He turned to his family members who were talking to Mackenzie’s parents. Her dad was sharing directions to their farm where Owen and his family would have an Easter meal with them. He couldn’t imagine hosting a gathering for all these family members crowding around them, but Mackenzie said her grandad held a bigger meal on Christmas and today was a walk in the park for him.
The family departed, and they all greeted the pastor on their way out before getting into their respective cars to travel to the farm.
Owen started his Jeep that he had thankfully recovered and looked at Mackenzie. “I still can’t believe you were raised on a farm.”
“I could change into my overalls and boots and do some chores when we get there if you would like to see proof.” She laughed.
“You look amazing in that dress, so I’ll take your word for it.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” She winked at him.
Owen loved flirting with her. Loved the lighthearted banter between them since finding Cassie, and realizing that life—no matter the twists or turns that he faced—was worth celebrating and rejoicing over all the time. Sure, he knew as time passed he would lose some of the appreciation for finding Cassie alive, but he hoped not to lose it totally and live each day with the excitement of new life. Especially today as they celebrated Easter.
At the farm, Owen found a secluded parking spot by a big red barn and looked at Mackenzie.
“You know the house is back that way.” She jerked a thumb over her shoulder.
“I was hoping for a minute alone with you. Maybe we could take a quick walk.”
“I won’t argue with that.” Her soft gaze held his, and a promise of something great permeated her eyes before she opened her door and let in a cool wind.
She slipped on a long sweater coat and joined him. “We’ll want to head this way or risk encountering odors from my grandad’s new cow.”
He laughed, and they strolled around the back of a shed painted to match the barn where he discovered an empty field that seemed to stretch forever.
He didn’t actually want to walk and the shed protected them from prying eyes, so he took her hand, the chill of her skin cold against his. “It seems like we’ve lost what’s happening withusin the joy of my sister returning.”
“That’s okay.” She smiled at him. “It’s been a pleasure to see your family’s happiness.”
He tightened his grip on her hands. “That’s great, but I wanted to be sure you knew that I don’t have any reservations about the two of us going forward.”
“Ditto for me.” She frowned.
