Page 12 of Not Until I Found You

We pull into the job site. It’s an old two-story brick home with a roof that’s begging for mercy. Two other trucks are already parked nearby—one of them my own, which tells me that Ryland is here—and the sound of hammering echoes faintly from inside the house.

Ashton kills the engine but doesn’t move right away. He sits there, staring out through the windshield.

“You good?” I ask, my door halfway open.

He blinks before nodding slowly. “Yeah. Just…thinking.”

“Want to pray about it?”

Ashton looks at me for a moment before giving a small nod. “Ye-yeah.” He clears his throat. “I could use that.”

I place a hand onto his shoulder, and we bow our heads.

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Ashton and the man that he is. Lord, You know the weight he’s been carrying lately. You see the worries he doesn’t always talk about and the responsibilities that keep piling onto his shoulders. I pray that You give him strength for each day ahead. Be with his dad as he continues to heal and remind Ashton that he doesn’t have to carry everything on his own. Help him to trust You with the things that are beyond his control. And Lord, be with Maxinne too. Bring her peace as she walks through this difficult season and help her find comfort in knowing You have a plan for her future. Most of all, remind this family that they aren’t facing any of this alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

“Amen.” Ashton lifts his head and rubs a hand across his jaw. “Thanks, Z.”

“Always happy to pray over you, brother.” I hop out and stretch, the heat from the sun already cutting through the cool morning haze. “Do you think Maxinne will come?”

He steps out and grabs his bag from the backseat. “I hope so.”

I sling my toolbelt over my shoulder. “What can I do to help get your place ready for her?”

He glances at me. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I know I don’t have to. I’m offering.”

He doesn’t say anything right away, giving me a long look. Then, he grins. “I appreciate that.”

I shrug and open the front door. “You can thank me by buying my lunch today.”

A loud whine sounds from behind us, and I glance over my shoulder and laugh.

“Alright, alright, Mr. Impatient.”

Sven is standing in the truck bed with his front paws propped against the side, barking at me like I’ve personally betrayed him. The second I lay down the door, he launches himself out, nearly knocking me off balance before trotting straight for the yard. He lowers his nose to the grass and immediately begins investigating whatever scent has captured his attention.

I head toward the house, but Ashton’s voice stops me.

“Hey.”

I glance back at him, and his expression turns serious.

“Maxinne has had a rough go of it lately.”

I shove my hands into my pockets. “I gathered that.”

He furrows his brows and points a finger at me. “Don’t get any ideas.”

A laugh escapes me. “What kind of ideas?”

“You know exactly what kind.”

I bark out another laugh and hold my hands up in surrender. “You don’t have to worry about anything.”

I head inside, the scent of sawdust greeting me like it always does. Summer is only getting started, but something tells me things are about to shift in ways none of us expected. And while I’ve never been one to invite change with open arms, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t wondering what it might bring with her.

Chapter Four