Maybe faith isn’t about having every answer lined up before you move forward. Maybe it’s about taking the nextstep anyway, shaky and unsure, trusting that God will meet you where your courage runs out.
The thought makes my chest ache in the best way—like hope is stretching wide inside me, making room for something new. I roll down the window, letting the late-summer breeze tangle through my hair, and whisper into the quiet hum of the road.
“Okay, Lord. I’m in.”
Chapter 24
Ivy
The knock on my door is gentle but solid, and I don’t think I’ve ever moved faster to answer it. When I pull it open, Gray is standing there, a bouquet of flowers in one hand—another messy, beautiful mix of pinks and whites—and that familiar grin softening his expression.
“Hey you,” he says, his voice low and warm.
I giggle, stepping aside to let him in. “Gray, I still have flowers from last time in a vase on the kitchen counter.”
He shrugs, stepping through the door and wrapping his arms around me in that full-hearted hug he does that makes the world fall quiet. His lips brush the top of my head as he murmurs, “I remember. But I told you—I’m your boyfriend now. It’s kind of my job to bring you flowers. Get used to it.”
I smile against his chest, my heart doing that little flip it always seems to do around him.
He smells like his typical mix of leather and vanilla. His hands slide gently over my back, not rushing, just there. I close my eyes, resting my head against his chest.
“I could stay here forever,” I murmur against his shoulder, the words slipping out before I can catch them.
Gray chuckles softly, his chest rumbling beneath my cheek. “Not gonna lie, I wouldn’t mind that.”
I pull back just slightly, my hands still resting on his sides as I look up at him. His eyes search mine, a question there, but he just smiles. “So...how’d the meeting go?”
I shift back, walking toward the kitchen and tossing him a casual glance over my shoulder. “Well…they want me to work on the Christmas designs. But there is something else.”
Gray’s brows pull together as he follows me into the kitchen. “What do you mean?”
I turn to face him, leaning against the counter, trying, and failing, to hide the grin tugging at my lips. “They offered me a job.”
He stares at me, waiting for me to say more. When I don’t, he tilts his head. “Like...an actual job?”
I nod, biting my bottom lip. “Part-time for now, but yeah. It’s real. I’m officially on the team.”
The words are barely out of my mouth before he’s across the room, his arms around me, lifting me right off the floor. I squeal, clutching his shoulders as he spins me around, his laugh warm and unrestrained. “You did it!”
I can’t stop laughing, my head tipping back as he spins us one more time before setting me down. His hands are still on my waist, his smile still wide and genuine. “I knew they’d see it. I knew it.”
I shrug, but I’m beaming. “I wasn’t sure at first...but when they offered, it just felt...right.”
Gray’s eyes soften as he takes a step back, still smiling. “I’m so proud of you, Ivy.”
Then he pauses, like he’s remembering something, and reaches into his jacket pocket. “I have something for you.”
He pulls out a small box with a little gold bow that’s slightly crumpled, and holds it out.
My heart flutters. “Gray, what…”
“Open it.”
I lift the lid and find a delicate gold bracelet inside. A tiny cross charm glints in the light, and as I turn it gently in my fingers, I notice the small engraving inside — 1 Corinthians 13:13.
I trace the numbers with my thumb, swallowing hard. “What verse is this?”
Gray’s smile softens, his voice low and full of meaning. “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
