Unfailing Love (Heart Series #3)

32-You can't hear God's voice if you're focused on your own

"Sounds like your little family had quite the adventure." Mrs. Huckabee sipped her coffee and folded a washcloth. "The Good Lord was with you for sure."

They'd taken the laundry to the kitchen table and Mrs. Huckabee had insisted on helping while they enjoyed a light lunch Dani made of chicken avocado salad and iced tea.

"Adventure follows us," Dani said folding the corners of a dishtowel. "I like the ordinary things in life like doing laundry." She breathed in the fresh-washed scent of the towel. "It calms me."

The older woman chuckled. "Can't say that I blame you, but you have to go where the Lord leads. I hear congratulations are in order."

Dani stopped folding, confused, and looked up. "What do you mean?"

"Josh told me the two of you are getting married." Mrs. Huckabee smiled a sparkle in her eyes. "I assumed he'd spoken to you first. Didn't mean to let the cat out of the bag."

"Josh told you we were getting married? Me and Josh?" Dani imagined her face looked all puckered like a caught fish.

"Of course, you and Josh. Well, not those exact words. He said you were home for good and the three of you were going to be a family now."

"Oh." Disappointment sank within her.

"Oh?" Mrs. Huckabee leveled an admonishing look at her. "That's not the reaction I expected. I know you want to marry Josh, so what's wrong?"

"We talked about it on the trip, but he hasn't mentioned it since." Dani wasn't sure what she'd expected, and they hadn't spent much time alone aside from a few awkward dates that made her wonder if he was having regrets.

Most of their time was spent at church, with Jacob, or with their friends which were moments she'd always treasure. Doubts kept creeping in. She asked God to help her, but Dani wasn't hearing an answer. The more time went on she realized it was selfish of her to barge back into his life and expect him to give up his fiancé for her.

"It's not what you want?" The question was laced with disapproval. "You have a child together, and Jacobs needs both of his parents."

"It's what I want, Mrs. Huckabee---"

"Bee."

"Bee, I want that more than anything, but it's not just about me." The admission came out in a tumultuous rush of emotion. "Meredith is part of their lives. I don't want to be selfish."

Feeling Bee's shrewd gaze, Dani glanced up from the socks she was joining and saw the older woman watching her with a perceptive glint in her eyes. "He ended it with Meredith, and he wants to marry you."

"It's not that simple."

"There you go again, complicating two plus two." She shook her head with a roll of her eyes. "It's four by the way."

"He loves Meredith."

"He chose you. You're the mother of his son." Bee's gaze sharpened. "Love isn't a fleeting feeling, not if you follow the Lord God. Read your Bible."

Dani nodded, knowing she spoke the truth. Still, she was afraid. "You should have seen the three of them together after we found Jacob..."

"So, you got your feeling hurt and this is about your pride? Suck it up, child, and pray harder than you ever have before. You walked away from your family once don't make the same mistake twice."

Dani's stomach tightened. "Even if it hurts Josh?"

Bee leaned forward and put her hand on Dani's. "I'll pray for all of you, including Meredith. You keep praying too, Dani. The Lord has plans for you all—including Meredith. Trust Him. Don't get in His way."