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  Dani snorted and drew a pattern on the table with her finger. “Yeah, I met James at church if you remember.”

  “Look, James had issues. He shouldn’t have cheated on you. That was wrong, but at least you found out before you married him. It could have been much worse, and that was God looking out for you.”

  “I never thought of it that way,” Dani said.

  Aaron shot her a pointed look. “Now, I don’t know this Calvin well, but he appeared a decent fellow when I spoke with him. Maybe you could give him and God another chance.”

  “Yeah, maybe,” Dani said. She finished her sandwich in silence, but Aaron’s words bounced around in her brain. She had blamed God, not that she’d been much of a Christian before James, but attending church with him opened her eyes to a father figure she’d never experienced. However, when James cheated on her, she blamed God and left the church, but maybe Aaron was right. Maybe God showed her James’s true colors to keep her from marrying him. If that was the case, she owed him a giant apology.

  There was a church on her way home and Dani decided to stop in and have a few quiet moments with God. As she unloaded Sydney though, the dog jerked to the right.

  “What is it, girl?” Dani asked.

  Sydney’s response was to whine and pull on her leash some more.

  “Okay, girl, let’s see what’s got you so riled up.” Dani gave the dog a little slack and followed where she pulled. To the right of the church was an alley. The hair on Dani’s neck stood up as Sydney led the way into the darker area.

  The alley was empty except for a dumpster which Sydney made a beeline toward. As Dani cleared the side of the dumpster, she saw why. A man lay crumpled in a heap on the ground and if Sydney had alerted, it could only be one man. His face was pale, but even without its normal color, the resemblance to Calvin was unmistakable.

  Dani leaned down and checked for a pulse. Weak, but there. She turned her attention to the rest of the man. Blood pooled around his midsection where it looked he had been stabbed several times.

  Dani pulled out her phone and dialed 911. Then she took a deep breath and dialed Calvin’s number. He picked up on the second ring. “Calvin? It’s Dani. It’s about Chris. Can you meet me at St. Michael’s downtown?”

  “What is it?” he asked, and fear was palpable in his voice.

  “He’s been stabbed. I’ve called an ambulance, but I think you need to be here too.”

  The response was a click and then silence, but Dani didn’t blame him. Worry for his brother was his main concern right now. She lowered the phone and returned it to her pocket.

  The ambulance and Calvin arrived at approximately the same time.

  “What happened?” Calvin asked as he watched the EMTs load Chris up into the back of the ambulance.

  “I don’t know,” Dani said, touching his arm. “I found him like this.”

  “I should have called you when he left last night,” Calvin said, running a hand through his hair.

  “What?” Dani’s guard instantly shot up.

  “After you left last night, he stopped by, told me his story. I was going to call you and drive him in myself, but I couldn’t find my phone. While I was looking, he slipped out.”

  “You should have called me anyway, Calvin,” Dani said.

  “I understand, and I’m sorry. Is he going to be okay?” Calvin looked back toward the ambulance.

  “I'm not sure. Why don’t you go with them and I’ll meet you at the hospital soon? I can take your statement there,” Dani said. The cop in her was irritated he hadn’t called her when Chris came by, but the civilian in her understood and realized that right now he needed to be there for his brother.

  “Thank you,” he said. He squeezed her hand, gave her a final longing glance, and then climbed into the back of the ambulance.

  His haunted brown eyes were the last thing Dani saw before the doors closed. As the ambulance drove away, she led Sydney back toward the front of the church. She still had unfinished business inside, and now it seemed she needed to pray for Chris too. The stab wounds had looked deep and she wasn’t sure he would live through the night.

  Chapter 18

  Calvin paced the hospital floor waiting for word from the surgeon. Chris had been stabbed multiple times in the abdomen and at least one vital organ had been hit. They had rushed him into surgery shortly after they arrived.

  “Any news yet?”

  He turned to see Dani approaching him, and a wave of emotion swept over him. She must have noticed it as she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. With that simple gesture, the tears that Calvin had so carefully held back flooded his eyes and spilled down his cheeks.

  “He’s all that I have left,” he said into her hair. “I know he’s messed up, but he’s all that I have left.”

  She squeezed him tighter and nodded against his chest. “It will be okay.”

  “Calvin Phillips?”

  Calvin turned to see a man in blue scrubs standing a few feet away. His heart dropped to the floor. “Yes, I’m Calvin.”

  “I’m Dr. Rhodes. I’m the surgeon who operated on your brother. We managed to stop the bleeding, but his liver and spleen were both injured. His liver should heal on its own, but his spleen was ruptured. I repaired it, but we’ll need to watch it closely to make sure it heals properly.”

  “He’s going to be okay, then?” Calvin asked. Dani dropped her arms and stepped away, and while Calvin appreciated the gesture, he missed her warmth and comfort.

  “Well, there’s always a risk with surgeries, but he’s stable for now.”

  “Can I see him?”

  The doctor hesitated. “For a few minutes, but he needs to get his rest.”

  “I need to get your statement after anyway,” Dani said. “Go ahead and see him and I will be here waiting when you get back.”

  “Thank you,” Calvin said before following Dr. Rhodes down the hallway.

  Chris looked pale in the hospital bed. His eyes were closed, and tubes flowed from his arms.

  “He’s sleeping and probably won’t wake while you’re here. We gave him drugs for the surgery and pain killers.”

  “He’s an addict,” Calvin said. “Did you give him anything that is addictive?”

  “No, but thank you for the information. We’ll put an extra watch on him in case he starts to detox,” Dr. Rhodes said. “Five minutes, no more, okay?”

  Calvin nodded and stepped closer to the bed. Dark shadows circled Chris’s eyes and his cheeks were sunken in, but he looked peaceful. It was the most peaceful Calvin had seen him look in ages.

  “Hey, little brother,” he said, “I’m sorry this happened to you, but maybe this will be what you need to get your life back on track. I hope this hiatus will help you get off drugs.”

  Chris didn’t respond, but his chest rose and fell in a regular rhythm and that was enough for Calvin for now. After saying a quick prayer for Chris’s recovery, he squeezed Chris’s arm and then exited the room and walked back to where Dani was waiting. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I’m ready to give my statement now.”

  * * *

  Dani wanted to assure Calvin, to tell him everything would be alright, but the truth was she didn’t know. She had no idea what charges might be filed against Chris or what his future might hold. Calvin’s statement wasn’t much to go on, but it held hope that perhaps there was someone bigger the police might want to go after.

  “Do you want to get some dinner?” she asked as they finished.

  Calvin shook his head. “Can you just take me home?”

  Dani nodded, but she wanted to do more. It hurt her heart that he was hurting.

  As they drove, she thought back to her moment in the church earlier. She had asked God to forgive her for pushing Him away and she’d felt lighter, not so jaded. Now, she asked for wisdom in what to do. How to help Calvin, and as they pulled into his parking lot, one word settled on her shoulders. Pray!

  “Calvin,�
�� she said as they reached his door, “can I pray with you?”

  He turned questioning eyes on her. “I thought you didn’t pray.”

  “I didn’t,” she said with a soft smile. “Then someone reminded me that sometimes things happen for God to save us from something worse. I’ll tell you the rest of my story one day, but right now I’d like to pray with you for Chris.”

  A wet sheen covered Calvin’s eyes as he nodded. “Thank you, I would like that.”

  Dani followed him inside and asked for the words to say. She hadn’t prayed aloud in ages, and to be honest, the thought terrified her.

  “What’s going to happen to him?” Calvin asked as they sat on his couch.

  Dani shook her head. “I'm not sure, Calvin, but he’s a small fish in the big sea of drugs. My guess is they will offer a reduced sentence in exchange for information on the dealer, but only if he can and will give them the information.”

  “Can you be there when they ask him?” Calvin asked. “I know it’s probably not your case anymore, but I’m worried he’ll say what they want him to say. Can you be there?”

  “I’ll try,” Dani said, squeezing his hand. “Can I pray for him now?”

  Calvin nodded and closed his eyes and Dani let the words come to her. It was strange that as she ended, she didn’t feel awkward or weird. Was that because she had let God lead or was it because she felt so comfortable with Calvin?

  “Thank you,” he said when she finished. “I know we didn’t meet under the best circumstances, but I’m really glad you’re in my life.”

  “Me too,” she said. She locked eyes with him and ran her hand down his bearded cheek before leaning in and brushing his lips with her own. “I should go, but I’ll call you tomorrow?”

  “I’d like that,” Calvin said.

  Chapter 19

  Chris was awake when Calvin entered the hospital the next day.

  “Hey, little brother. How are you feeling?” Calvin asked.

  Chris offered a weak smile. “Like I’ve been stabbed.”

  “Yeah, do you remember what happened?”

  “I should have let you take me in that night,” Chris said, “but I was scared. So, I ran. I made the mistake of going home and they were waiting for me. I managed to get away the first time, but they followed me and caught me by the church. Do you know who found me?”

  Calvin nodded. “Yeah, my friend Dani. She’s a K-9 officer, and I’ve asked her to be there when they question you. But, Chris, you might still face jail time.”

  “I know,” Chris said, “and I’ll deserve it, but will you come visit me?”

  “Of course I will,” Calvin said. “You and me, we’re family. No matter what happens.”

  “Cal, do you think God will still accept me?” Chris asked. His face was serious, and his eyes were clear of drugs. It was the first time Calvin had seen him this way in a long time.

  “You know he will,” Calvin said. “You just have to ask him.”

  “Can you help me?”

  Calvin smiled and squeezed Chris’s arm. “I’d be happy to.”

  * * *

  Calvin was still in high spirits when he picked Dani up for their date that night. “Guess what, Dani? Chris came back to Jesus today.” He picked her up and swung her around.

  “That’s great, Calvin,” Dani said with a smile. “I have good news too.”

  “Oh yeah?” he asked as he set her down.

  She nodded and her smile reached from ear to ear. “I talked to the DA and asked if they would consider pursuing rehab as an option for Chris, and they agreed. He will have to stay in for six months instead of the regular three, but he won’t have to serve any jail time.”

  Calvin’s heart stopped in his chest. This was more than he could have hoped for. “Dani, that’s great.”

  “I know, right?”

  “You really are amazing,” Calvin said, pulling her closer to him.

  Her arms wound around his neck, and her smile turned into a mischievous smirk. “I think you’re pretty amazing too, Calvin Phillips.”

  When his lips touched hers, Calvin felt an emotion he hadn’t felt in a long time. Not since his parents’ death, and in his heart, he knew that Dani was the woman he would marry someday.

  * * *

  “Whoa, what’s with the smile?” Aaron asked as Dani picked up Sydney that night after her date with Calvin. He often watched her when Dani didn’t want to board her or leave her alone too long. She returned the favor by watching Dexter whenever he needed her to.

  “This wouldn’t be about the new man, would it?” Margaret asked with a sly smile as she came up behind Aaron. Margaret was a quiet woman with graying hair but twinkling blue eyes. Though in her fifties, she still seemed young at heart.

  “Maybe,” Dani said with a smile.

  “Oh, I think that’s more than a maybe,” Margaret said, jabbing Aaron. “I think we might be attending a wedding sooner than you think.”

  “A wedding?” Aaron asked. “Margaret, she’s only known him a week.”

  “I knew you were the one after our first date,” Margaret said, looking up at Aaron. “It took longer for you, of course.” She leaned closer to Dani and lowered her voice. “Men are blind sometimes.” She patted Aaron’s arm and smiled at him. “Now, you should get to know this guy to make sure, but when God sends you the right one, you just know.”

  Dani smiled. Though she hadn’t necessarily been thinking about him being “the one,” she couldn’t deny she had pictured the future with him. They had so much in common, and he possessed a strength she found extremely attractive, but could she really know after just a week and some days. Was that possible?

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Dani said. “Thanks again for watching Sydney.”

  “Always a pleasure,” Aaron said. “See you tomorrow at work?”

  “Yep, bright and early,” Dani said. As she took Sydney’s leash and said goodbye, she couldn’t help smiling. She had another date with Calvin after work tomorrow and as far as she was concerned, the time could not go fast enough.

  Chapter 20

  Four months later, Calvin stood over the jewelry case looking at rings. On one hand, he couldn’t believe he was about to do this, but on the other, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t done it sooner. Every day he spent with Dani just solidified his feelings for her.

  She had begun attending church with him, and afterwards they would go to Chris’s rehab facility and spend the afternoon with him. During the week, they shared dinner and devotionals together and took Sydney out for evening walks if the weather wasn’t too bad. Thankfully, it was now late spring, and the rain showers were tapering off as summer grew closer.

  “Do you have an idea what you’re looking for?”

  Calvin's eyes flicked up to the salesman who regarded him with kind eyes behind a small pair of spectacles. He wore a brown suit that matched the color of his mustache.

  “Yeah, something special,” Calvin said.

  “Well, I expect that,” the man said with a small smile. “Do you have anything in mind?”

  Calvin scanned the rings again. Dani had delicate hands. She would need something small so as not to look gaudy. Also, in her line of work, it was probably important that it not affect her job. At the far corner of the case, he spied a ring he thought would be perfect. A shiny diamond sat in the middle of the setting and smaller diamonds lined the ring on either side of the center diamond.

  “That one,” he said pointing. “Can I see it closer?”

  “Ah, that’s a good choice,” the man said as he pulled it out. “It’s a half carat all together with the main diamond being just over a quarter and the other diamonds filling out the rest.”

  The man continued to rattle off something about color, cut, and clarity, but Calvin didn’t understand all of it. What he knew though was when he held the ring, he pictured it on Dani’s finger.

  “This one. This is the one,” he said.

  “Excellent,” the sales
man said. “Let me wrap it up for you.”

  After handing over his credit card and signing the receipt, Calvin slipped the ring box into his pocket. He patted that pocket as he walked out, enjoying the promise of what that box might hold. That is if she said yes.

  As he stepped into the sunshine, his smile stretched across his face. The only thing that would make the day any better is if Chris could be here with him, but he had another two months in rehab. However, he would be out in time for the wedding. As long as Dani accepted his proposal.

  * * *

  Dani regarded herself in the mirror and smoothed down the simple black dress she had just pulled on. It was the third dress she had tried on and she still wasn’t sure it was the right one. What was wrong with her tonight? Why was she feeling so undecided?

  “What do you think, Sydney? Is this the one?”

  Sydney glanced up from her bone, but her brown eyes held no approval or rejection.

  “You’re right,” Dani said, “I should change.” But before she was able to pull the dress off, a knock sounded at her door. “Drat, I guess this will have to suffice.”

  With a final glance in the mirror and a small sigh, Dani walked through the house to the front door. Calvin stood on the other side wearing a button down green shirt that made his hazel eyes appear more green than brown and holding a bouquet of flowers.

  “Wow, you look amazing,” Calvin said.

  Heat flared up Dani’s neck, and her eyes dropped to the floor. “Thank you. Come on in. I need to get Sydney taken care of before we go.” She took the flowers from him and stepped back to allow him in.

  After a quick stop in the kitchen to put the flowers in some water, Dani continued to the bedroom where Sydney was still finishing her bone.

  “Okay, girl, time to get in your crate.”

  Sydney's eyes regarded her, but the dog made no effort to move.