I Choose Us: Book 2 in the Crossing Midian Series - A Christian Romance

Chapter 14

–Coop–

The next three weeks passed by in a blur for Coop. Things were much better between him and Lottie. They had spent a lot of time talking things through and had recently started going together to talk to Reverend Burton as they worked to strengthen their marriage even more.

Lottie had told him about Darlene and what had happened in the diner. As much as he hadn't wanted to believe it when Lottie had initially told him about her, he could admit now that he was wrong.

He hadn't seen the signs, but Lottie had, and he was thankful she had stood up for their marriage. She had made it abundantly clear to Darlene and to anyone else listening that she was prepared to fight for her marriage to Coop. It gave Coop such an insurmountable measure of peace and comfort about how things were going. Maybe they still weren't where they wanted to be, or even where they had been in the very beginning, but they were trying. They were making the effort, and it had to count for something.

They still got up every morning to read the Bible, except now they got up together, starting each day out with prayer, before heading to the living room. And were very intentional about finding devotionals and passages they felt could help them to not only better their marriage, but to help heal the hurts that had happened over the last couple of years.

Coop worked hard to be home in time for dinner on most nights. It didn't always happen, but more often than not, he made it. The things keeping him behind were the store and getting ready for the festival.

He knew Lottie was doing her best to be more understanding about it. To listen and hear Coop out when he called to say he would be late, and to go easier on him when he came home stressed and worried about how it would all work out.

Lottie was still finding time to catch up with him at the store most days, too. Whether she was bringing them lunch or simply stopping by to check in and chat before she had to get back to her own busy schedule.

The kids were getting ready for the recital, and Coop knew that was taking a lot of her time. He tried to be helpful by bringing Cassie to the store as much as he could, and when it was Lottie who had to miss dinner because of rehearsals, Coop brought dinner to her at the studio.

They were working on it, and it showed. 

***

The day of the festival finally arrived, and Coop pulled the car into an empty parking space in front of the feed store.

It was an all-day event with live music, craft vendors, food trucks, and games set up all around the Courthouse and down Main Street.

Already the streets were full of people putting up booths beneath canvas tents. Coop would have a booth of his own set up on the corner, where he hoped to sell plenty of the small wooden figures he carved, and of course, Lottie had a small booth to get attention for the dance studio. She had fliers and application papers for anyone who might want to sign up for classes, but she was also selling keychains and t-shirts advertising the studio as well.

Their booths were right next to each other and across from them, Ruth Anderson was selling canned jams and jellies, and beautiful holly wreaths.

Someone else was selling handmade candles, soaps, and perfumes. Another had a beautiful collection of art they had painted themselves, and still others had handmade jewelry, pottery, clothes, and quilts. Everywhere you looked, booths showcased the many talents of their small town's people.

The church yard sale was at the front of the Courthouse and, thanks to all the donations they had taken in, there wasn't room for any other vendors on that side.