Him: But you are hurting me.
Me: That’s not my intention.
He sent me a crying emoji, and I left it at that. No need to respond further. He was attempting to pull at my heartstrings, but I wasn’t taking the bait this time. I hoped Detective Marlow was on his game because this was getting harder and harder. I needed closure soon.
Later that day, I got a call from Sheryl Allen asking me to come in for a second interview to be the host of Country Star. She said they were able to get additional funding and wanted to move filming up to next month.
“To confirm, are you available during that time?” she asked.
I hesitated. What if everything was still up in the air a month from now? Being in the limelight might be a bad idea. But on the other hand, if I took the job, I’d have the money to pay for bodyguard services, and this was a once in a lifetime chance I couldn’t turn down. It would open up so many doors for me.
“Yes, I’m available, and I’m very interested in this opportunity.”
“Excellent. Mark and I would like to meet with you tomorrow at ten in the morning.”
“I’ll be there.”
***
The next day Troy called me on my drive back to Los Angeles, and I spoke to him on the Bluetooth in my vehicle. “I have a good feeling about this. When I spoke to Sheryl Allen yesterday, she sounded really positive.”
“I’m praying you get it,” Troy said. “You’ve been through so much in the last few years. It’s time for some positive things to come your way.”
“There are plenty of positives in my life. In fact, I can think of one right now.” I smiled and knew he was probably smiling on the other end. “Finding love again is better than any job offer. Just saying...” We hadn’t said we loved each other yet, but “finding love” just kind of slipped out before I had a chance to think it through.
“Oh, so you love me, do you?” There was amusement in his tone, but I could tell he was serious at the same time.
“Is that a problem, Mr. Littman?”
“Why go all formal on me? What happened to calling me Troy?”
“Are you going to answer every question with a question, Troy?”
He was silent for several moments, and when he spoke again, there wasn’t a trace of amusement in his voice this time. “I love you too. I wanted to be the one to tell you first, but I guess it doesn’t matter who says it first, as long as we both feel the same way.”
“I’m sorry, did I steal your big moment?” I chuckled, knowing he wouldn’t mind a little teasing.
“The only thing you stole is my heart.”
He said it so earnestly that warmth filled me and my insides melted. He was quickly becoming one of the most important people in my life, and if things continued this way, I wouldn’t be surprised if we headed towards marriage. Not that I wanted to get ahead of myself, but Troy was amazing and I could see a future with him.
I would continue to pursue my goal of being a country star, but in the end, finding love and having a family meant more to me than anything else, besides my relationship with God, of course. I moistened my lips and smiled again. “You stole my heart as well.”
“We’ll definitely talk more about this subject,” he said, “but I have to get back to work. Will is calling me.”
“Okay, I’ll let you go.”
“Contact me after the interview.”
“I will.”
I ended the call, feeling higher than I had in a long time. Even with all the stress in my life, I had to cherish a moment like this. It was an unexpected blessing, and I was truly thankful. I was reminded of Romans 8:28. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
In the midst of all the bad, the Lord brought Troy into my life, and I was starting to see how He was working it out for good. I had no idea what the future held. Whether I would get the job hosting Country Star or not. Whether Troy and I would make it to the finish line and say “I do.”
And I didn’t know if I’d ever find out who attacked me both times…and who killed Daniel. God knew it all, and it was up to Him to reveal that information or not.
But I prayed as I did every day. Lord, please bring me justice. Please make the wicked accountable for what they’ve done—whoever they are—so they can’t hurt anyone else.
I had a slight headache and didn’t have any Tylenol, so I made a quick stop at a grocery store to pick some up, along with a bottle of water. The headache wasn’t horrible, but I didn’t want it to get worse during the interview. As I was walking back to my car, I heard someone call my name. I turned around and Leo, the guy who’d wanted a second date with me, stood a good distance away, but there was no doubt in my mind that it was him. A chill raced down my spine, and, for a moment, I shuddered and allowed my mind to wander. What if he’d been behind
