His mind drifted to Nicole. Right now she existed in his life only through phone calls and the occasional Zoom—well, on a secure Zoom-like video chat system she’d created just for them. Because she’d taken so much time off for Operation Bezalel, she felt she had to dive deep into modeling in order to reestablish herself in that world. Every time they talked, it seemed she was in another part of the globe. He didn’t know how she did it.

He wondered if he should be clearer with her about his feelings. Was it time for them to go to the next level and make a commitment of some sort? One side of him said absolutely, one hundred percent, without a doubt. But he knew that was because he missed the part of their relationship that ceased when she became a Christian and got her new set of morals. Yeah, it would be nice, but that motive wasn’t strong enough for a life commitment.

And she’d already made it clear she could never make a lasting pledge to any man who didn’t believe the same way she believed.

I could just pray some prayer with her and all would be good. But I don’t make empty commitments. If I say I’m going to give myself to something or someone, I’m going to do it. And the truth remains that I’m still not convinced about her Jesus. Besides, she has one of the greatest ingrained lie detectors I’ve ever seen.

His mind went back to one of the secure video calls he’d had with her in March. She was wrestling with the deceit sometimes needed with her work in the Mossad. In particular, she was feeling guilty about hiding so much from Alicia Marcos.

“Sometimes it feels as though I become another person. It’s like what I’ve heard people who go on reality shows say. ‘I’m really an honest person, but here I lie and cheat and steal. Yet it’s okay, because it’s all just part of the game.’ And I get that. But this isn’t a game. It’s real life.”

“But it kind of is a game, Nicole. Just with higher stakes. I remember a story about David from when I grew up. This was before he was king and Saul was coming after him. I think Saul had tried to attack him with a spear or something. But David went to where the priests were, and he was really hungry, so he had them give him and his men the sacred bread that was only for the priests. Technically, both David and the priests were in the wrong, but my teacher said it was okay because it was for a greater good.”

Nicole had laughed. “Jesus used the same story talking about the Sabbath.”

“Jesus and I must have gone to the same yeshiva.”