feel like family, no matter how long she stayed in New York City or where God took her next.
“So,” Betty’s eyes twinkled. “Where’s Brandon taking you today?”
“I’m not sure.” She smoothed her pink T-shirt and white shorts. She had gone through three outfits looking for the perfect thing to wear today, and she was happy with her choice. It was the end of August, and she’d heard that the sweltering heat from last week was scheduled to let up a little. She smiled at Betty. “Life’s always a surprise with Brandon.”
“I see that.” She smiled, but she looked slightly pensive. “He’s full of life, that’s for sure.”
Bailey wasn’t sure she wanted to ask … she had a feeling the Kellers weren’t a hundred percent sold on Brandon. But she pressed on anyway. “What do you think of him?”
“We don’t really know him. Just a few minutes yesterday when he got here.” Bob grinned. His expression was far easier going than his wife’s. “I let him in and told him hello … that’s about it.”
“I guess the better question,” Betty leaned over the table, her coffee cup caught between her hands, “is what do you think about him, Bailey?”
She laughed. “That’s easy … I mean, look at yesterday. I was so down I was ready to board the next flight home. Brandon shows up and changes everything.”
“Yes.” Her expression remained the same, the questions in her eyes not quite satisfied with Bailey’s answer. “But is he someone you could love, Bailey?”
She thought about Cody, and his relationship with Cheyenne … the fact that he’d moved on and the reality that she’d most likely never talk to him again. “Yes …” She believed her answer to the center of her heart. “Yes, I could love him.” She shrugged, her mood easy. “Maybe I already do.”
They talked about the Bible study and the forgiveness God calls His people to do. “I feel a lot more able to forgive today … after spending the afternoon and evening with Brandon.”
“Did you tell him what you were dealing with?” Betty would’ve made a good counselor. She raised one eyebrow, not prodding but pressing the matter just enough to make Bailey squirm.
“I tried a couple times.” She remembered the chaos in Times Square, the crowds of people and their constant determination that no one would recognize either of them. “We’ll talk about it today.”
Bailey made a point to remember her statement, both then and later when she and Brandon climbed in the back of a black Suburban and the driver Brandon had hired pulled out into traffic. Not now, but sometime today she wanted to tell Brandon about her struggle with the cast and Francesca … and maybe even her thoughts about Cody.
He left some distance between them as he turned to face her. “You haven’t guessed where we’re going?”
“To the moon?” She turned and rested the side of her face on the seat. How thrilling to have a whole day with him. “With you anything’s possible.”
“Hmmm … the moon.” He put his arm on the back of the seat and played with a strand of her hair. “That would be fun. But not today.”
She realized how little they’d talked about anything serious yesterday. “So tell me about your shoot … how’s it going?”
“It’s great.” He hesitated. “Eva Gentry is interesting. She’s made it a challenge.”
Bailey wanted to ask. She knew a little of what it was like to date someone who was constantly filming love scenes with some actress. Her Christian Kids Theater drama instructor Katy Hart had dealt with that during the years she dated Dayne Matthews. Ultimately — before they got married — Dayne decided he wouldn’t do love scenes, not unless they were with Katy. These days he spent his professional time directing and producing rather than acting.
The slightest wave of jealousy washed over her. Eva Gentry was gorgeous, and every week she was with a different guy on the covers of the tabloids. Bailey wasn’t sure why, but she hadn’t given the reality a lot of thought until now. Too busy trying to hold her life together — what with the sad loss of Chrissy and her Bible study and the eight shows a week. But now she pictured the setting — a sunny secluded island, a love story, and weeks and weeks with Eva Gentry.
A handful of questions came to mind, like whether Eva had hit on him or whether Brandon had mentioned that he was sort of seeing someone. Brandon