Chapter Three

Allie showed up at the church parking lot in her car at eight on the dot. Kristen was already there, chatting with some guy against her own car in front of the church building. Allie almost smiled, thinking it was somebody her single youth leader had found interest in and praising God that she'd finally found someone, but her smile crashed into a frown when she parked and came around to see who it was.

Justin wasn't smiling either. Instead he nodded to her in a stiff way, saying, "Hey, Allie. Heard you were back in town." All hopes of having a fun and relaxing night disappeared when he didn't use any of her nicknames like he always did when greeting her.


Justin couldn't keep his eyes off her. He realized he was probably going to scare her off again if he kept staring at her, but she was everything and more he'd remembered her to be. Her blond hair was straight and tapering around her face, and as always she knew how to look great in a pair of jeans and loose-fitting shirt. Her innocence was like a breath of fresh air compared to Laurie's seductive clothing, and he welcomed it into his lungs.

"Hi, Justin," Allie smiled shyly, and it was obvious she didn't know where to put herself. Leaning against the car with him and Kristen? Of course not. She looked too afraid and bashful to even get near him. She stayed at least five feet in front of him, looking down at her toes. Once she looked up at him to find him looking at her, only to return her gaze to the ground. Her hair didn't even begin to hide her blush.

The red creeping up into her cheeks made him wonder whether his thoughts were wrong. He'd thought she would come home with some verdict never to marry, or to devote her life to her job or God, or even return with a boyfriend… or worse. Engaged. But there was no ring on her finger, and she seemed nervous around him. That was a good sign. According to Jeff, with girls like Allie you know when they 'like' you because they're too afraid to get near you.

Allie seemed to gather her courage, for she looked up. But it was not at him.

She turned to Kristen. "I thought for sure you'd taken a love interest when I drove up. You know, it's time for you to find Mr. Right, my friend. You've been without a date for so long…"

Kristen laughed. "And Justin is definitely not my date."

Justin laughed, still unable to keep his eyes from Allie. Her grin stayed in place until her eyes turned to his, then it started fading ever so slowly. First her mouth turned serious, and then the twinkle disappeared from her eyes. She blinked but kept returning his stare, as if testing him to see how long he could lock gazes with her. He only blinked once before another car drove up and Allie turned to hug a senior that had just been a freshman when she'd left for college. Her words seemed far away, but her person was the center of his attention.


Justin plopped into the chair next to Allie, and she kept her gaze in front of her. If she was going to get rid of her crush, she couldn't keep concentrating on his elbow touching hers, his hips not far from her own, his arm just a centimeter from her unmoving own, the goose bumps raising on her skin. But she couldn't help herself.

"You gonna drink that?" asked Justin, gesturing with his head toward her Coke sitting on the table before her. She hadn't been able to get nachos and hadn't been in the mood for them either. Something with a ton of caffeine seemed suiting to her situation.

Allie blinked and looked at the melting ice in her cup.

"Do you prefer watery cola?" Justin teased.

For a few seconds she grinned, thinking that the real Justin was back. But she didn't want the real him, not when that was the one she really did have feelings for. She wanted to bite back the retort, but it squeezed through her lips anyway, "Do you normally start conversations this way? Asking somebody if they like watery cola?"

Justin laughed. "Ah, so there's the old Allie. You've sort of been… spaced out tonight. Daydreaming about something?"

Allie decided she liked where this conversation was going. Oh, yes, she could get him good, "Yeah. Jay."

She watched him stiffen. "Jay?"

"A guy I met at college," she sighed for effect. "I guess you'd call him my boyfriend."

"You have a boyfriend?" Justin asked. She couldn't tell whether his voice was more surprised or hurt.

"Yeah, he's really cool. He's a Christian, too. He graduated with me. I only met him at the beginning of this last year, though he claims he was in my math class the first semester, back when I was a freshman," Allie smiled, as if recalling a memory.