All That Glitters

At age thirty-eight, private investigator Evin Doogan thinks she's finally found the man of her dreams. A handsome and talented Christian singer and songwriter she met at church, he's also in line to inherit a fortune. She should be thrilled, but what if all that glitters is not gold?

Excerpt From:

All That Glitters

She had just stepped out and wrapped a towel around her when the phone rang.

“Why didn’t you answer my text message?” asked an annoyed Cade Ellsworth III.

“Sorry, I was swamped and didn’t get a chance to respond.”

“So are we on for tonight or not?”

His clipped tone instantly put her on the defensive.

“Well, if I have a choice, I guess I’d rather not. I’m really wasted.”

“You do have a choice, so fine. Forget it.” The sudden crash of the phone caused her to wince.

Still wrapped in a towel, with her hair dripping wet, she sank into an overstuffed bedroom chair in deep thought. These days, she was doing a lot of stewing about her relationship--if you could even call it a relationship--with twenty-eight-year old Cade Ellsworth. The thing was, he was the answer to a prayer, or so she had thought when she met him. Now she wasn’t so sure.

Stunning at six-feet-two, with thick, wavy blond hair, green eyes and a California surfer body, he was a dream. Barbie’s Ken in the flesh.

The truth was, as a single woman, Evin had really hoped to find Mr. Right by now. But even after many dates with potential mates, he had yet to materialize. So when Cade Ellsworth III had turned up as if by magic one night at a church dinner, she thought she had hit the jackpot.

 Attentive, well-read, clever, and a gifted Christian singer and song-writer, he was also independently wealthy, the heir of an insurance company magnate, who would leave it all to his only son at his death.

 So what was not to like?

As much as she hated to admit it, the answers were becoming hard to ignore. In the five weeks since they met, he had frequently displayed qualities of a spoiled only child. Without realizing it, he condescended to those who were beneath him in social standing, and hated to be kept waiting, no matter how briefly, for even the most inconsequential things.

His stunning good looks were proving a detriment as well. For instance, when he took her to a high-end steakhouse for their first date, Evin had watched him, not so subtly slip his number to the cute waitress who served them, after flirting shamelessly with her the whole evening.

Evin knew he had been showing off to impress her, and his actions probably meant nothing, but she wondered how she would feel saddled with someone who behaved the way he did.

On the other hand, she had to wonder if she was meant to remain single forever. She had committed her way to the Lord and prayed about the issue for a long time, knowing that desperation frequently caused committed Christians to abandon the narrow way and make really stupid choices.

Understanding this, she had been careful to protect and nurture her relationship with Christ, worshiping Him in spirit and truth, and relying on Him for wisdom in all her ways just the way the scripture said. But waiting for a mate was still tough.

Oz certainly had no use for Cade; that much was clearly evident. Cade’s condescending attitude toward Oz the first time they met at work had made even Evin furious. Apparently, Cade had nothing but disdain for entrepreneurial endeavors. Old money evidently trumped new every time in his book.

 She shook her head and got up, towel drying her hair. As she slipped into sweats, she decided there were no easy answers to her questions. Sliding her cold feet into slippers against the chilly April air, she headed downstairs to scare up something to eat.

Over a bowl of warmed up canned chili, she opened her Bible to Psalm 37, where she read: Fret not yourself because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass, and fade like the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

She blinked away tears as she prayed. “Listen, Lord, I know I’m asking a lot here, but could You fill me with Your peace and satisfy me with just being Your Bride, at least until You come up with a better alternative?”