Chapter 51
Lydia
Cole isn’t at home . Doubt starts to creep back in as I consider that, despite our fight, he appears to have gone to Traverse City. Then I find my phone and see that I have 12 missed calls from him. Maybe he didn’t go. Maybe he’s looking for me. At the very least, he wants to talk to me. I’m about to hit the call back button when my phone chirps with an alarm. Mandy Avondale Interview in One Hour.
Oh no! I forgot all about my interview. I can’t stand her up. She’s Mandy Avondale! Star of Holland daytime news. She could do some real damage to Cole’s campaign if I snub her. It’ll take me twenty minutes to get to the station and, I squeak in horror, I’m still in my pajamas! Throwing my phone aside, I dash to the shower. Maybe I don’t have time to talk to Cole right now, but I’ll do him one better. I’m going to go on air with Mandy and sing Cole’s praises. I’ll show him in front of the whole world, or at least the daytime viewers of Holland News One, that even though we fought, I’m still standing by him. Then later, when I talk to him, I’m just going to put it all out there. I love him. If that makes me pathetic, then so be it.
Cole
She’s not at The Robin’s Nest. She’s not with Jamie. She’s not at the school. Neither Josh nor Jamie have heard from her. I’m starting to get a little panicked. As I pull out of the school parking lot I try Lydia’s cell one more time, but she doesn’t answer. I guess the only thing left to do is go back home and see if she’s gone back there. All her stuff is there, so she has to go back eventually, right?
When I pull onto our street, I spot a car in our driveway, but it’s not Lydia’s. I do a double take as I park my car in the drive and spot the man waiting on our front porch.
“Saul,” I say as I step out of the car, “what are you doing here? You should be–”
“In Traverse City,” he finishes for me. “As should you, and yet here we both are.”
I cringe. I’ve been so wrapped up in finding Lydia, I didn’t think to call Saul and tell him about my decision to quit the firm. “I’m sorry,” I sigh. “I should’ve called you to tell you personally. I quit this morning.”
“I heard.” Saul crosses his arms across his chest and studies me for a second. “I’m proud of you, son.”
That stops me in my tracks. “What did you say?”
“I said,” he repeats slowly, “I’m proud of you.” Annndd…I’m crying again. Well, not all out crying thankfully, but there is definite wetness in the corner of my eyes. Luke Combs could put out a whole album on me today. This song would have a line about how my own father never once said those words to me, then maybe a really long guitar solo to allow time for crying.
“For what?” I croak.
Saul grins. “Why don’t you take a seat.” He gestures to the two rockers on my porch. I do as he says, waiting expectantly for him to continue. “You should know, Cole, that I spoke with Benton Hotels this morning and told them that I was no longer interested in the merger.”
“What? Why?”
“Well, I was about an hour into the drive when I got a call from an irate Harrison who informed me that you’d quit, but that I shouldn’t worry because he was sending Ashley up to help with negotiations, and, as he phrased it, she’d be sure to help with Pat Benton seeing as he’s a man who appreciates doing business with a woman in a short skirt.” His lip curls up in disgust. “Turns out, I’m not too interested in doing business with a man who objectifies women.”
“I feel the same way.” I sit back against the rocker. “I’m glad you’re not going into business with him, Saul.”
“Yes, well, it cost me a lot less to stand up for what’s right than it cost you. I still have a job and a multimillion-dollar hotel business. You lost your job. ”
“Well,” I sigh, “I have to admit, it wasn’t just Pat Benton’s misogynistic tendencies that made me quit.”
“Oh no?” Saul raises a questioning brow. “Tell me, did it have something to do with Ashley?”
“How did you know?”
“My secretary may have mentioned a thing or two.”
I flush. “She kissed me in the elevator on the way up to our last meeting with you,” I admit. “I pushed her away immediately, but I can’t work with a woman who doesn’t respect the fact that I’m a married man.”
“I agree.” Saul nods in approval. “What did Lydia say when you told her?”
“I haven’t actually told her.” I hang my head. “I wasn’t sure how to tell her.”
“Ah.” Saul frowns in thought. “You know, Cole, anytime you’re not honest in a marriage, you’re playing with fire. Lying to your spouse is a surefire way to let Satan spread division within your union.”
Immediately I bristle in defense. “Yeah, well I’ve kind of got a lot going on right now, Saul. I just quit my job. I’m trying to run a campaign. I had a huge fight with my wife, and now I can’t find her. Oh, and did I mention I just got diagnosed with diabetes? Somehow, I don’t think Satan is my biggest problem.” I shake my head. “Once I’m back in control of my life, then I’ll tell her. I can figure all this out by myself.”
Saul shakes his head. “Don’t you see, Cole? Satan has already done his job. He’s convinced you that you don’t need God. The Bible says he is the father of lies, and look what a job he’s done lying to you. The truth is we all need God. He’s the only answer for our innate desire to be loved and approved, the only answer to where can I find true rest from the struggles of this world?”
I stare at Saul. I want to deny his words, tell him he’s wrong, but there’s something stopping me from doing so: longing.
Deep inside me there’s a desperate, roaring longing for his words to be true. A longing for God to take the heavy burdens I’ve been carrying for so long and replace them with something lighter: His love.
“I didn’t know about your diabetes diagnosis, Cole,” Saul continues gently, “And I’m sorry to hear of it. That must seem so overwhelming to have to adjust to a new lifestyle while still working your demanding hours, running a campaign, and trying to act like you’ve got it all together. That’s more than any man could bear on his own.” I nod, his words ringing true.
“It’s been so hard,” I admit in a haggard whisper.
“Then why are you trying to do it alone?” Saul replies matter-of-factly. “Let Lydia help you. God blessed you with a woman who loves you and wants to support you; don’t reject that. Accept the gift.”
“You think Lydia loves me?”
Saul gives me a bemused smile. “She’s your wife. Of course, she loves you.”
“She’s my wife because she got pregnant,” I say dully. “I’m not sure love factored into it for her.”
“Are you telling me the two of you have never exchanged I love you’s?” Saul is shocked as I nod in confirmation. “Oh, my boy.” Saul shakes his head. “You’d better fix that fast. Lydia is something special; you need to make sure she knows it.”
“We had a fight,” I admit. “I was looking for her before I saw you. I was finally going to tell her how I feel about her.” An alert chimes on my phone, and I pull it out of my pocket, praying it’s Lydia. It isn’t, and the message I see there makes my blood run cold.
“Everything okay?” Saul asks, peering at me in concern.
“She knows,” I whisper, holding out the phone for him to see the text my dad just sent me. I don’t hear his response; the sound of blood rushing in my ears is too loud.
What the heck is this, Cole? You kissed Ashley! Mandy Avondale just told everyone about it–including your wife. The clip of her finding out is all over the news circuits. This is going to ruin your campaign. Ruin it.
And there below his message is a grainy photo. The pixelation of the photo doesn’t hide the identities of the two people in it: Ashley and I in that elevator, kissing.