Sebastian had stayed for two hours, which was far longer than was wise, considering the length of his drive home and how early the two of them had to be at work. But a wide strain of rebelliousness ran through Sebastian. He wasn’t one to make the sensible choice if the sensible choice wasn’t what he wanted.

The text she’d asked him to send when he reached home finally arrived.

I’m at my apartment.

Sweet dreams.

Good night, girlfriend.

I wholeheartedly dislike girlfriend as an endearment.

Fine. Good night, princess.

Princess is worse than girlfriend. I advise you to stick with professor. Professor, I like.

In that case, good night, Professor.

She set her phone to silent, placed it on its dock, and relaxed against her pillows. “What are you up to?” she asked God.

Since Sebastian had asked her out on their first date, she’d been praying for and about him daily.

It comforted her when God provided her with clarity, like He’d done so many times before, regarding the path He wanted her to take.

In this case, He hadn’t provided clarity, which left her with circling doubts.

She couldn’t fathom why God had brought Sebastian into her life or His objective for the two of them.

“Are you paying attention?” Her words vanished into the darkness. If I’m veering off track by dating him, please, please let me know and steer me back on course.

Sebastian’s world was right again.

He couldn’t have cared less about the sleep he’d sacrificed last night driving to Misty River and back. He didn’t even feel tired. He’d succeeded at fixing things with Leah, and today, that was all that mattered.

He’d been granted a week of vacation that would start in two and a half weeks. Soon he’d have uninterrupted days in Misty River with her.

While waiting in line for lunch, a text arrived from Natasha to Genevieve, him, and Ben.

I just found out that Luke has a parole hearing today. I’m praying they let him out.

Sebastian grunted skeptically. Luke had been uncooperative with his attorneys when he’d gone to trial seven years ago, and he hadn’t made a good impression the last time he’d come up for parole.

Genevieve immediately responded.

I’ll be praying over it, too.

Then from Ben:

Same here.

Sebastian kept his response neutral.

Thanks for letting us know.

His stance on Luke was complex. Sympathy and resentment. Indebtedness and bitterness.

That evening Natasha sent a follow-up text.

Luke has been released, thank the Lord.

God continued to withhold clarity from Leah regarding Sebastian. But what she did receive—every day, day after day—was the heady delight of dating him.