She quieted her qualms for Del’s sake.
Colin leaned to hug Del. “I bought the property across the street from Meadow’s.”
“On purpose?” Del wiggled her eyebrows.
Colin stiffened. “I moved back after a broken engagement.”
Meadow caught the sharp look that said he wasn’t in the market for matchmaking. Fine. Neither was she.
She’d believe herself, too, if his obvious slight wasn’t stinging. Pride. Had to be. Because she couldn’t possibly be interested in Colin McGrath.
To Del’s credit, she looked contrite instead of compelled to borrow Cupid’s arrows where Meadow’s love life was concerned. “Sorry to hear that.”
He shifted foot to foot. “The engagement never should’ve happened.”
Del’s hand brushed her scars. “I know the feeling. What happened?”
“My ex was a fellow service member who got PTSD. I mistook sympathy for love. She figured it out and broke things off.” He paused. “But I actually moved back here to help Mom with Dad’s construction business.”
Her respect for him ramped. Until he added, “Meadow and I are just working out a business barter. I’m sure you already know about her cave-in.”
That was all their . . . arrangement meant to him? Disappointment stung until the rest of what he said came back to mind. “Is your dad okay, Colin?”
“Not really. But sometimes when things look like they’re falling apart, they’re actually falling into place. That’s my hope, anyway. I’m glad to be back.”
Meadow tried to tamp compassion but couldn’t as she recalled his reveal in the truck that his upbringing wasn’t as perfect as portrayed.
Del eyed her curiously. They’d become close. She could read Meadow like a one-ingredient recipe. Del wouldn’t question her in front of Colin, but that didn’t keep the shrewd inquiry out of her eyes. Meadow had questions of her own. When had her heart thawed to the idea of hoping for a coveted spot on Colin’s friends list?
When Colin stepped out to visit the restroom, Del smirked, and Meadow hissed, “This isn’t funny, Del.”
“I disagree. This is the funniest thing in a century. Your life has turned into a soap opera starring Murphy’s Law.”
“That’s not funny either. Be nice to him.”
“Say that to yourself.” Del whistled. “He’s a looker. Single, too, like you.”
“Don’t tread there, Del. We have a history that can’t be—”
“What? Forgiven? Forgotten? Renovated?”
Meadow clamped her mouth shut. After all, she’d been the one to drag Del to church. Now here Del was, having to preach to the choir. Meadow needed to be more mindful of how she represented Jesus. Besides, was Del right? Was she unforgiving?
“Wanna know what I think?”
“Since when do you ask? You say it whether I wanna know or not.”
Del’s finger shot up. “True. Here’s the deal, kid.”
Del’s eyes took on a sparkle that clanged warning bells up Meadow’s spine.
“I get feelings about these things. And let me tell you, when you two walked in together, I got God-sanctioned goose bumps.”
“Because it’s forty degrees in this room, Del.”
“Nope. It’s in my knower.”
Meadow sighed. Knew she should listen, but part of her was scared to hear it.
“I really sense that once you get past the hurt of what happened, God has specialness in store for you with Colin. Something more permanent than a business barter.”
That ear bomb was not what she’d expected Del to drop.
Didn’t Del see Colin’s negative reaction to her Cupid conspiracy before?
“You’ve been relentlessly badgering me to trust my instincts, Meadow.”
She grinned. “Badgering? Isn’t that your territory?”
Del chuckled. “Guilty. Through your relentless encouragement, you finally convinced me, despite my staying in an abuse system so long, that I have the gift of discernment and need to not only use it but pay attention and trust it. So . . . can you?”
The warning bells moved to Meadow’s brain. “What do you mean?”
“Despite only interacting with Colin again for a few minutes, my discernment tells me he’s way different. I’m not sure you’ve noticed.”
Unfortunately, she was starting to. Although it’d be easier not to.
“I’m just saying give the man a chance.”
“Chance for what?”
“Shh. There he is.”
Upon Colin’s return, Meadow forced herself to look anew. Striking, how tall and filled out he’d become. He’d always been well muscled and athletic from sports. But his well-constructed demeanor was what captured her attention most.
Del was exactly right. Something about him seemed very different from before. It was dynamic and deserving of her notice. It seemed time and trial had forged his character into first-rate greatness.
Question was, could Meadow see past the boy he used to be?
Honestly, she couldn’t.