When Dad died, something stirred inside of me, and I started attending church again. Maybe it was the reminder that life is fragile and no one knows how long they have on this earth. Or perhaps I was tired of telling Charlotte I wouldn’t go with her. She went to a church with a younger crowd while Mom preferred a smaller congregation with older people. Mom was much more patient than Charlotte as she only invited me to church every six months.
“I’m glad you came this morning,” Charlotte said, elbowing me as we sat down on the pew before the service started. “I was starting to get concerned.”
“Why?”
“You keep your feelings wrapped up tight. I never know what’s going on in that head of yours.”
I shrugged. “I’ve just been busy.”
She smiled as if there was a deeper answer, but she knew better than to press the issue. I stared straight ahead, and we waited as people filtered in and sat down. It was a large congregation, so I felt a small measure of privacy. I was just one out of thousands, and I liked it that way.
When Pastor Steve Walker got up to preach, he turned to Philippians 2:3-9. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
I felt instant conviction and was reminded why I hadn’t gone to church lately. Every time I heard scripture read, I had an ache in my chest and knew I wasn’t living the way God wanted me to live. It was as if Pastor Steve held up a mirror, forcing me to take a look inside. It was ugly and painful and I didn’t like it.
At the end of the sermon, Pastor Steve prayed, and I wanted to ask God to make me into a man who followed in Christ’s footsteps, but I couldn’t bring myself to make that commitment. Putting others first wasn’t an easy task. Doing what Jesus did by dying on a cross was almost over the top to me. I was thankful He’d sacrificed Himself, but I didn’t understand that kind of love. It was beyond my comprehension.
After the service was over, I went straight home and changed into sweats and a t-shirt and began my jog through the neighborhood. I worked out every day in preparation for the Warrior Obstacle Challenge, and it was one of the few things that relieved my stress. There was nothing like having the wind blow through your hair as your feet pounded against the pavement. It was a solitary activity, and it gave me time to think without all the distractions.
I often took a route that led into town, and as I jogged by a deli, the scent of freshly baked bread filled the air, causing my stomach to growl. A homeless man sat on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, his clothes so dirty they looked as if he’d dragged them through the mud. This was an expensive side of town, but it wasn’t uncommon for the homeless to wander through on occasion. This man was waiting for a handout, but I didn’t have cash with me. He’d probably use it for drugs, anyway. I bit back my irritation that he was hogging the walkway, making it difficult for anyone to get by. I would have to veer into the street if I didn’t want to run into him.
Just as I was about to go around him, he stood and lifted a hand. “Could you help me out—”
“Not today.” I waved politely and kept going, feeling slightly guilty for not assisting him, especially considering the message Pastor Steve gave, but I didn’t have time for this. Someone else would have to help.
***
On Monday morning, my secretary, Verity, transferred a call to me from Maya, and Maya told me she would be ready to take the position after she’d given two weeks’ notice to her current boss. I hadn’t thought she’d say yes, so it came as a surprise.
After our disastrous date, I’d felt bad for the way things had gone. I’d pushed her buttons, and she’d stood up to me. She had no idea how beautiful she was when she was on fire, not that she cared about my opinion.
Charlotte was partly to blame for how things had gone. If she’d told me ahead of time that the date was with Maya, I would have prepared myself and gotten my head straight. I wasn’t angry with my sister anymore, but I did wish she’d been more upfront with me. To her credit, she had no idea I’d once had feelings for Maya. No one knew that.
Back in high school, I made choices I regretted now, but I couldn’t undo my decisions. I could only move forward and hope Maya would be willing to let bygones be bygones.
I left my office and walked down the hallway until I reached George Layman’s office. I knocked on the door and stuck my head in. “Hey, George.”
He was sitting in front of his computer but glanced up and smiled. “How’s it going, Easton?”
“Can’t complain. Listen, I just hired a human resources coordinator to help out. The plan is for her to start in two weeks, and she’ll report directly to you. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
“Awesome.” He grinned. “The rest of the team will be thrilled. They’ve been feeling the workload lately.”
“Great. Glad it works out for everyone.”
He scrunched his brows and gave me a thoughtful look. “What made you hire someone new? You didn’t tell me you were looking.”
“Oh, it’s a friend of my sister’s. She needs a job so I’m giving her the opportunity.”
George nodded. “I’ll bring her up to speed and give her whatever training she requires.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it. I believe she’ll be an asset.”
I returned to my desk and Verity informed me that Darren Finley had called. I’d done some research about the Warrior Obstacle Challenge and found out he was the guy to talk to regarding training tactics. He’d competed in the race many times and had won first place more than once. I called him back right away, and he answered after the second ring.
“Hello, this is Darren.”
“Hey, Darren, it’s Easton Radcliffe.”
“Hi, Easton. Yes, I just tried calling you earlier.”
“Sorry, I missed your call. I wanted to reach out to discuss the Warrior Obstacle Challenge. Heard you give people pointers on occasion. I was hoping—”
“Oh, I can’t take another client right now. My wife recently had a baby, and that plus my current schedule are all I can handle at the moment.” He chuckled. “I don’t get much sleep these days.”
Disappointment washed through me, and I gripped the phone tighter. From everything I’d read, he was the best, and I wanted the best to get me through this thing. Failing was not an option, and I needed this guy’s help if I was going to be successful. “Look, I understand you have a lot on your plate, but I’m willing to pay you whatever it takes.”
“Uh…” His voice wavered. “As tempting as that sounds, I really can’t. My calendar is booked, and my family is my priority.”
“I get it.” I sighed and glanced out the window. “What if we just met one time? You can go over training strategies and point me in the right direction. I’ll fly out to you. Just name the day and I’ll compensate you well. What do you say?”