Crossing Values by Carrie Daws Read Free Book Online Page B

me. I’m just a stranger passing through town, no one of any importance that you need concern yourself with.”
    The speed of her words betrayed her emotions. Peter sensed a tight control she struggled to maintain.
    He watched her spin on her heel and take off toward his parents’ home. Her tears would not be missed by his mother’s sharp eyes and he knew she would offer comfort.
    Peter ran his hand through his hair. If only we knew what was going on!
    Then the Holy Spirit whispered, “Trust.”
    “Who, Father? Her, or me?”
    Silence.
    “I’ll take that to mean both of us,” muttered Peter.

Chapter 8
    AMBER PEERED INTO THE RESTAURANT mirror before heading back to the lunch table. The week had been quiet after her quick retreat from Peter on Monday, but Faye had taken Friday off to go to Portland to get some Christmas shopping done. She’d encouraged Amber to go with her and, with more fresh snow on the ground, Peter insisted on driving them in his Jeep.
    The shopping extravaganza had started at Portland’s largest mall then moved on to the upscale mall in downtown. Now they were meeting Brittney for lunch at Romano’s Macaroni Grill before moving on to their final stop of the day.
    Despite the crowds, shopping with Faye had actually been fun. She had roamed from store to store with purpose, knowing what kinds of gifts she was looking to buy for each person. They had laughed together at one sweater overloaded with sequins and glitter and tested the patience of the chocolatier as they tried multiple samples before choosing which to purchase for Frank.
    Peter had dropped them off at doors and called Faye’s cell phone periodically to grab packages from them to deposit in the Jeep while intermittently disappearing to do his own shopping.
    Now keep it together, girl, Amber chided herself. You’ve not had any emotional scenes in four days. Let’s keep it that way! She sighed as she opened the bathroom door and headed back to the table, taking her seat beside Faye. Brittney was suppressing a giggle, eyeing her brother.
    “Wherever could it have come from?” She batted her eyelashes at Peter, trying to play innocent, but the gleam in her eyes proved she knew exactly from where “it” had come.
    “Stuff it, Britt.” Peter couldn’t keep his own grin from appearing. “You know full well where the green dye in my shampoo came from.”
    Amber couldn’t hide her shock. Green dye? In his shampoo?
    “If I hadn’t seen it before I put it in my hair, I’d have looked like a pickle for a week.”
    Brittney couldn’t hold her laughter.
    “As it was, I had to explain the very elfish-looking tint to my left hand for three days.”
    Faye giggled. “You two. I cannot imagine where you get it.”
    “Mother!” Peter and Brittney said in unison. The three burst out laughing, looking from one to the other.
    “Well, isn’t this quite a scene.”
    All four heads turned to see who was talking.
    “Stephanie. It’s good to see you,” said Peter.
    “Yes, Stephanie,” said Faye. “How nice to see you. Are you doing some shopping today?”
    Amber took in the fashionably dressed woman from the top of her perfectly combed hair to the tips of her heeled pumps.
    “Yes, Faye, I am. The Christmas benefit for Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is next week and I need a dress. Will I see you there, Brittney?”
    “Oh, I doubt it.”
    “Oh, goodness. We’re being rude!” said Faye. “Amber, this is Stephanie.”
    “Amber’s helping out in the office,” said Peter.
    “Well, we are a bit far from there, aren’t we,” said Stephanie.
    “Yes, but Amber is proving herself quite capable in a number of areas,” said Faye. “This morning would have been stressful without her. I’m very thankful she allowed me to drag her along.”
    Amber felt the tension rising. Faye’s quiet demeanor whenever Stephanie’s name came up at home made sense now that she was meeting the woman. Amber didn’t return the shrewd looks coming