Leap of Faith (2 page)

Right now the promptings of his heart told him to lean over and kiss those sweet pink lips. He felt quite certain those were not the promptings Zoe meant.

“I don’t understand. What does that mean?”

She took another breath. “It means God is trying to tell you something, Zack. You need to listen.”

A chill descended through him, as if cold water had been poured over his head. He blinked then took a step backward.

“God is trying to tell me something,” he said each word carefully, disbelief heavy in his tone.

Zoe nodded. “You have a decision to make. It’s important that you trust your instincts.”

His gaze darted to the computer. “Wait a minute, how do you know about the job offer?”

“You have a job offer?”

“Just about the best offer a guy could get.”

“Then why haven’t you accepted it?” She spoke in a soft and quiet tone.

“How do you—” He cut off abruptly and stepped back again. “This is getting way too weird.”

He remembered then that Zoe had always seemed a little too “other-worldly” for him. Maybe that’s how she’d slipped past his babe-detection radar. His weirdo-detection radar had been blipping too loudly. “Look, I appreciate your concern.”

She shook her head. “It’s OK, Zack. You don’t have to believe me. I just had to tell you.” She pointed to the ribs.

“Don’t forget Gabe’s waiting for your vote. Goodbye.”

She let herself out the door. It all happened so fast. Zack blinked twice before he realized she was actually gone. Unfortunately, her sweet scent lingered in the air.

3

Zoe leaned her back against the door and took a deep breath. “That went well.”

She closed her eyes as disappointment washed through her. Too bad. For a moment there, she actually felt something…a connection. Or maybe just attraction.

Zack had picture-perfect good looks. Straight, brown hair. Amazing brown eyes. Chiseled straight nose. Lips not too full and not too thin. He was magazine material all the way. Definitely not the type to be attracted to Zoe, let alone someone with “weird” ways like her.

She wasn’t sure which was more disappointing. The fact that he wasn’t really interested in her or that he had the usual negative response to her gift. What had started out to be a pleasant encounter ended not so pleasant. As usual.

“Just remember, Lord, I’m faithful and follow your orders, no matter how difficult,” she muttered as she headed back to the gathering.

Determined to put the incident behind her, she perked up when she saw Pia leaving her apartment. Zoe rushed across the lawn and relieved her of the casserole dish as Pia stepped outside her gate.

“Here, let me take that.” Zoe carried the hot dish to a table already groaning beneath an array of various dishes. She added it to the collection and inhaled deeply. “Smells luscious, Pia. What is it?”

“Baked beans.” Pia lowered her voice and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. “It’s the only thing I make well enough to offer innocent diners.”

“Grab a drink and come on over!” A smiling woman with dark brown hair beckoned from a nearby table.

“Be right there, Susanna!” Zoe called. She fished a cold soft drink out of a washtub filled with ice and beverages, handed one to Pia, and popped the top on another.

She listened to them talk about how Pia had chased Susanna down to give her an angel’s wings necklace even though they had never met. Susanna called it a “God thing” but all the while, Zoe thought it sounded like something
she
would do.

Zoe touched the graceful cross, resting against her own chest. When Pia had given her the necklace, it had totally confirmed the path she thought God wanted her to take. Nervously, she glanced toward Zack’s door. At least she felt pretty sure it confirmed the path He wanted her to take.

4

Zack stood in front of Zoe’s door and shuffled his feet. He didn’t want to spend his Saturday morning this way. He’d tried various times and ways to put the kooky, petite woman out of his mind. But she refused to go. He couldn’t forget her eyes, her skin as smooth as cream, or the look of hurt in her eyes when he’d called their encounter weird.

So, after days of wrangling with his conscience and his vivid imagination, he’d decided to find out if she was just as fascinating as he remembered.

Resolved, he knocked on the door. No answer filled him with disappointment, so he knocked again.

“Hang on!” A voice called. Relief flooded Zack as he heard something shift and footsteps hurry toward the door. Zoe wore a pair of jeans and a white top with a round neck and puffy sleeves. Covering it was a long heavy, leather-looking apron…and she looked as fresh and lovely as Zack remembered. She opened the door with a flourish and a smile, until she saw it was him.

“Oh, hello.” Her smile faded as she brought the door close to her body.

“Hi. I assumed this plate’s yours.”

“Yes. Usually, I bring my own. Salads tend to make the paper plates soggy.” She took the plate from his hand, still hugging the door.

“Thanks for bringing me dinner...and letting me use your plate. I really appreciated it.”

”You’re welcome.”

“I couldn’t pick a winner, by the way.”

“A winner?”

“Yeah, for the rib challenge. Gabe’s going to be disappointed, but I think David’s ribs are as good as his.” He paused and stuck his hands in his back pockets. “Everything, OK? You seem a little down.” Cautious or defensive was closer to the truth but he didn’t say it.

“I’m fine,” she said and lifted the plate. “Thanks for bringing this back, but I’ve got to get back to work.”

She didn’t sound fine, and he wasn’t ready to leave. Not yet. “Do you mind if I come in for a little while. I’d like to talk to you.”

She hesitated then shrugged. “I guess so. But I have to finish something.”

“Sure, sure. Go ahead.”

She opened the door wide, and Zack followed her in. Zoe headed for a table in the center of the room, but Zack froze just inside. Positioned on easels in front of every window were large stained glass pictures. Bright sunlight struck the artwork and sent shards of color everywhere.

Zack whistled in appreciation. “It’s like walking into a kaleidoscope.”

Zoe laughed. “Well, I’ve never heard it described quite that way.” She slid onto a stool behind the desk and lifted a soldering iron. In seconds, a thin trail of smoke wafted upwards.

Zack walked to the first piece, a wide garden scene with a waterfall, a lion, and a lamb beside a pool. He didn’t know glass came in so many shades of green.

The next piece was a beautiful rendering of Jesus on the cross. A woman sat at His feet and her upturned face was tear-stained. Her expression was so sorrowful and real, Zack wanted to reach out and wipe away her tears.

Beside that work of art rested a tall, framed image of an angel. One wing swept upward, one down and his arms were clasped in front of him. Longish, pure white hair wove around his ears. But his eyes were the remarkable part. They were piercing, as if they could see through things.

Zack stepped closer. Different shades of gray glass gave the eyes their incredible see-through effect.

“His name is Resolve,” Zoe said.

Zack glanced back. “Kind of an unusual name for an angel, isn’t it?”

“No. I believe angels’ names reflect their duties. This one’s duty is to be resolute, not to give in or to give up on anyone.”

“I can see that. He seems so firm and yet so compassionate.” He studied him a bit more. “You know, his eyes remind me of Mr. Hart’s.”

“That’s no surprise. Resolve is Mr. Hart’s guardian angel.”

Zack laughed. “That doesn’t fit. His name should be something like Grumpy or Codger.”

Zoe didn’t crack a smile. Without raising her head, she lifted her gaze to his. “Have you ever tried to tell Mr. Hart no?”

The laughter died on Zack’s lips. “Oh. I get your point.” He turned back to study the image, quite certain Zoe was right. Just like that, they’d crossed over into the realm of the unbelievable and uncomfortable, the place most people refused to go. How did she do it so naturally?

He turned to study her while she remained intent on her work. She bent over, her long braid trailing down her back. Sunlight from the window opposite him gave her a slight glow from behind, like an exquisite, medieval painting. She took his breath away.

She seemed out of place in her own time. Certainly not the kind of girl Zack should be interested in. But ever since she’d brought him the plate of ribs, he couldn’t seem to get her out of his head.

“Zoe,” he said, his voice low. “I’m sorry about what I said the other day, about things being too weird.”

She paused to lay the soldering iron down. After a moment, she gave a shrug. “It’s all right, Zack. It’s how everybody reacts.”

Her words hit him hard. He didn’t want to be like everyone else. He wanted to be different, special. “That may be how everyone reacts, but I shouldn’t have. I’ve thought a lot about what you said, and you were right.”

For the first time since he’d arrived, a genuine smile lit her lips. If possible, it seemed like the whole room brightened. “I usually am, so I’m glad you took the advice.”

He nodded. “So, is it a psychic thing you have?”

“No,” she said with a firm shake of her head. “It’s a God thing.”

A small laugh broke out before Zack could stop it.

“Why are you laughing?” A touch of anger tinged her tone. “Why is it easier for everyone to believe that I have some great mental power that allows me to know everything, even the future, but they can’t believe in a loving God who answers their prayers?”

Surprised by her outburst, Zack shook his head. “I guess the problem is, I’d have to pray for Him to answer me, and I haven’t prayed in a long, long time.”

The defensiveness left Zoe’s posture, and she smiled again. “Just because you’ve forgotten Him, doesn’t mean He’s forgotten you, Zack.”

Her words settled over him. It would be comforting to believe that some greater power was in charge. That someone who cared about him guided his future. It certainly would take the pressure off.

“Are you sure?” he said somewhat wryly. “It’s been a very long time since I talked to Him. I’m thinking since Sunday school.”

She slid off the stool and pulled the heavy apron over her head. “I’ll bet you lunch it hasn’t been that long.”

Anxious to spend more time with her, Zack easily agreed.

“We pray all the time,” Zoe said as she pushed the stool under the desk. “We just don’t realize it. How many times have you said, ‘OK, here we go’? Who are you talking to?”

“No one. It’s just an expression.”

“Then why do we say it out loud?”

“You got me. Why do we say it aloud?”

“Because subconsciously, we all sense Him out there. We know He’s watching us.”

Zack smiled. “Something tells me you’d have a hard time convincing most people that’s the reason. Besides, we talk to ourselves all the time. How many times a day do you tell yourself ‘that was dumb’ or ‘why did I do that’?”

“Those don’t count. You’re definitely talking to yourself. Or rather, talking down to yourself. God wouldn’t talk to us that way, and we know it.”

“You seem pretty convinced,” Zack laughed. “But I’m not so sure the rest of us are.”

“OK. I’ll prove it. What were you doing just before I came to your door the other day?”

He folded his arms and tried to remember. “I was sitting at my computer, trying to make myself hit the reply button.”

Zoe came closer. “And what were you saying to yourself?”

He had a hard time recalling anything besides the flecks of yellow in her eyes now that she stood so close. “I was wondering why I couldn’t press the reply button.”

“But what did you say to yourself?”

His words came to him with a flash of clarity. “I said, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ I even said it out loud.”

Zoe beamed. “See. You were talking to God, even though you didn’t realize it.”

Zack opened his mouth, but he didn’t know what to say. He only knew he’d lost the bet, and he was more than eager to concede. “OK. I lose. Where would you like to go for lunch?”

“I’m sorry,” Zoe said with a frown. “I can’t go right now. I have to go across town to deliver that window.” She gestured to the work desk.

“How about I go with you to drop it off and then we can stop and grab a bite?”

Zoe tilted her head. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

“I’m sure,” Zack said with conviction. “There’s nothing I’d rather do more.”

5

“It’s perfect!” Vivian Mallory, Angel Falls’ leading interior designer and a special friend to Mr. Hart, studied the picture Zoe had delivered. Zoe watched, relieved to see the admiration in the woman’s bright gaze. “I knew if I asked you to do this, Zoe, it would be wonderful.”

Vivian turned to Zack as they stood just inside the living room of her small cottage. “Some friends of mine are celebrating their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. They’re building their dream home on the beach in Galveston. Trouble has plagued the project, and I wanted to remind them of their reasons for starting it. So I asked Zoe to do this small piece based on a picture they took on their honeymoon.”

Zack turned his brown-eyed gaze on Zoe. His eyes held warmth and admiration. He made her feel talented. Unique. Beautiful. She was dangerously close to melting into a puddle of gooey emotions and that was not acceptable. She looked away.

“Speaking of the picture.” She handed it to Mrs. Mallory. “I’m glad you like it. I don’t usually do pieces on commission like this, so I wasn’t sure I could do it. I had a hard time getting the look of the waves.”

Mrs. Mallory held up the window. “I don’t know how you did it, but it’s beautiful.”

“It’s multiple tiny pieces of white glass,” Zack said, admiration deep in his tone. “Look how intricately she placed them. The pattern makes them look like they’re moving.”

Zack surprised Zoe. People didn’t usually notice the details of her work. The fact that Zack did, made his attention seem a little less like fawning and more real.