Meant-To-Be Marriage

“Did he specifically seek you out to ask about me?”

“I’m not sure. He saw my junior ranger name tag and said he once knew a woman from Cannon who’d become a park ranger.

“When I asked him what her name was, he said Sydney Taylor. I told him I’d been working with you this summer. He wondered if you were around. When I told him you were at a wedding in California, he asked where you lived so he could leave you a note.”

So that was how it had happened.

“Did you get it?”

Sydney’s hand tightened on the phone. “I’m afraid not.” In the next breath she told Cindy about her move to Gardiner and her new job.

The teen sounded terribly disappointed by the news, but Sydney promised to stay in close touch with her and the other kids throughout the year. Slightly mollified, Cindy said she was glad, then she brought their conversation back to Father Kendall.

“Could that man be one of your old boyfriends?”

“No—” Sydney cried before she realized how emotional that would have sounded to Cindy. “I’m thinking he was probably a parent of one of my students, but I just don’t remember. It doesn’t matter. I’ll talk to you again soon if that’s all right.”

“Oh sure. ’Bye for now.”

Sydney hung up, still trembling. Father Kendall had gone to a lot of trouble to come to the park to find her. For what reason?

Feeling trapped and desperate, Sydney got ready for bed, then collapsed on top of the mattress, sobbing.

The next time she had any awareness of her surroundings, she was shivering. At first she was so dazed by the haunting dream where she’d spent the night with Father Kendall at the rectory in Cannon, she assumed she was suffering overwhelming guilt for what she’d done in the dream.

Then to her chagrin she realized she’d slept all night on top of the covers. She couldn’t seem to throw off the effects of the dream which had been too real. No doubt her body was still reacting to the feel of him as he’d picked her up and carried her into the apartment last night.

The physical contact coming so unexpectedly in her weakened condition had set off shock waves. They were growing stronger in intensity because she knew Father Kendall was still somewhere around, waiting to take advantage of her vulnerability.

Jarred into action by the fear of seeing him again and being unable to resist him, she flew to the bathroom for a quick shower. After shampooing her hair, she toweled it dry and put on a clean pair of jeans and a knit blue top.

Once she’d applied lipstick and brushed her hair, she grabbed her purse and opened the apartment door to leave. In the next instant she almost collided with a solid male frame and felt strong hands grip her upper arms to steady her.

For the second time since last night, Sydney lifted her head and discovered Father Kendall, freshly shaved, staring down at her.

Breathless for several reasons, she eased out of his arms. This morning he was dressed in a burgundy-toned polo shirt and faded denims.

There wasn’t a man in existence to equal his striking dark looks and physique. In fact nothing compared to the sight of his vital, living presence in a spot where she couldn’t have imagined seeing him in a dozen lifetimes.

Her unrealistic hope that she’d be gone from the apartment before he came to her door hadn’t materialized of course. Deep in her core she’d known this moment was inevitable. Until she agreed to talk to him, he wouldn’t give her any peace.

Instead of attempting to avoid him, she’d be wise to find out what he wanted and get this over with. Otherwise her turmoil would destroy her.

Having made that decision, she drew in air to help steady her equilibrium while she faced this man who’d dominated her mind and heart far too long for her emotional well-being.

“What is it you want?” she asked in a resigned voice though her heart was frantically beating in her throat.

Jarod remained in place, his narrowed eyes trained on her features in the morning light.

“I’m glad you realize we have to talk, Sydney.”

She rubbed her damp palms nervously against her jeans-clad hips. His gaze took in the telling gesture.

“I’m due at school right now and won’t be free until four.”

“I’ll pick you up here at four-fifteen.”

He had her cornered.

She was fascinated by the tiny nerve that pulsed at the side of his jaw. Because he’d once worn a beard, she’d never seen the lower half of his facial features bared to her gaze until now. If anything he was more appealing, more…human somehow.

More tempting.

This was all wrong, but he’d left her no choice.

“All right.”

Maybe she was mistaken, but she thought she saw a gleam of satisfaction darken his eyes before he accompanied her to her car and watched her drive off. Like a master puppeteer, he had all the power to pull her strings.

The rest of her day passed in a tension-filled blur before she found herself back at her apartment and in his company once more.

She averted her eyes and headed toward an unfamiliar blue car she could see parked out in front of the complex. While they walked, she felt his piercing gaze on her profile.

How strange was fate that he’d actually stepped from her dreams into her reality. During the school year she’d spent in Cannon, they’d never planned a prearranged rendezvous to be alone together. Had never been on a date. This would be the one and only exception.

She kept telling herself maybe this final meeting was what they both needed to settle their unfinished business. Once he left Gardiner for good, they could get on with their separate lives and not look back. This would be the closure she desperately needed.

Out of the periphery she noticed his black hair was longer than she’d remembered. When he returned to his duties without his beard, the parish would notice the changes in him and be stunned.

She swallowed hard. There couldn’t be a more attractive man alive anywhere. His overwhelming physical appeal forced her to hold on to the open car door for a moment while she waited to get control of her emotions.

“You look incredibly beautiful, Sydney.”

The first words to come out of his mouth left her tongue-tied so that her response was unintelligible. He’d destroyed the myth that she could ever forget him. In fact his intimate observation acted like a verbal assault on her senses. During those nine months in Cannon he’d rarely spoken his private thoughts…except through his lambent green eyes.

Avoiding his gaze, she climbed inside. Afraid he would touch her and realize the true state of her feelings, she tried her best to elude him, but her arm accidentally brushed against his chest anyway. At the first contact, unaccustomed desire stole through her body.

She still had a hard time believing he’d come to Montana, that she was about to drive off somewhere alone with him.

A couple of the tenants waved and smiled at her. They could see she was in the company of a tall, dark stranger.

She nodded to them before Father Kendall closed the door. He walked around the car and levered himself inside behind the wheel. She could feel his eyes on her.

“Living in an apartment is like living in a goldfish bowl much the same way I once lived back in Cannon.”

Once?

Surprised by the revelation, her head swiveled around so she could look at him. He started the car and headed out of town.

“Does that mean you’ve been transferred to another parish?”

She heard his abrupt intake of breath. “I’d prefer to wait until we arrive at our destination before answering your questions. If you’ll reach around on the back seat, I brought us hamburgers and fries. I thought we could eat en route.”

En route to where?

Sydney had thought he was taking her out to dinner. His cryptic statements were unsettling enough, but it was his mysterious behavior that was beginning to alarm her.

Thankful for something to eat that might take the edge off her frayed nerves, she undid the seat belt long enough to retrieve the large sack. Inside she found two colas and several portions of cheesecake packed with the food. She put the drinks in the holders between their seats, then handed him his meal.

After thanking her, he began eating with what seemed a healthy appetite, as if this were an everyday occurrence for him. Normally she was hungry after work of any kind, but right now her emotions made her stomach clench. She could only eat a few bites.

“This tastes good,” she finally murmured if only to fill the unsettling silence.

“You’ve hardly touched your food.”

Ignoring his observation, she cleaned everything up and put the sack on the floor of the back seat.

Shadows formed by the pines were growing longer. Soon night would fall.

A tangible quiet filled the car during the drive. She could hardly breathe for the tension between them. Though he was a stranger here, he seemed to know his way around.

He drove them into the little town of Ennis. In a few minutes they came to a tiny, white, nondenominational church partially hidden by giant jack pines. There were no cars or people. He pulled into the parking area around the side where they were away from the street, then he shut off the motor.

Once again he’d surprised Sydney by coming to this particular spot. Maybe she’d been wrong about his reasons for seeking her out. If that was the case, and he’d wanted to talk to her in a holy place, why a church located on the other side of town? What was going on? She simply didn’t understand him.

Unable to handle the silence any longer, she cried, “Father Kendall—I…I—”

“Don’t call me that,” he interrupted. “I have no more parish to minister to. I’ve left the priesthood.”

Sydney’s body froze.

“What did you just say?”

“Two months ago I laid my case before the Church. I’m no longer Father Kendall, and never will be again.”

She couldn’t comprehend it. The shock was so great, she wasn’t able to think or talk.

“I don’t question your incredulity, Sydney. If I hadn’t lived through this experience myself, I wouldn’t believe it, either. But it’s true.”

A rush of adrenaline drove her out of the car where she could breathe in fresh air and try to process what he’d just told her. She stood beside the car hugging her arms to her waist.

When he approached, she lifted tormented eyes to him. “Why did you leave?”

A stillness came over him. He studied her features for what seemed like an eternity. “You already know the answer to that question. I fell in love with you.”

Like the thrust of a lance, overwhelming guilt pierced her soul. Her body shook. “No—please tell me that wasn’t the reason.”

Lines darkened his face, making him appear older. “You were there when it happened because you fell in love with me, too. We suffered nine months in silence. Tonight I’ve broken that silence.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks. “It’s all my fault—” Her voice rang throughout the pines.

His jaw hardened. “What are you talking about?”

“After the first time I took Brenda to your office, I should never have gone with her again. When she told me she wouldn’t go for any more counseling sessions unless I accompanied her, I clung to that excuse so I could see you. But deep in my heart, I knew it was wrong.

“For that whole school year I deluded myself into believing I hadn’t crossed the line with you. But I did cross it!” she cried. “I crossed it every time I found a legitimate way to be with you.”

“We both crossed it, Sydney. I made certain we could be together under all possible circumstances.”

His confession caused her to groan out loud. “If I’d been a stronger person, I would have stolen away from Cannon without your ever knowing about it. Instead I sought you out one last time. I shouldn’t have done that.”

There’d been a price to pay for the kiss of desperation they’d exchanged. Only now was she beginning to understand the far-reaching ramifications of her actions.

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