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President.”
    â€œHow’d you know about me taking over Lambert’s Furniture?”
    â€œDad. Who else?” She picked at the fuzz balls on her sweatpants. “Do you like it?”
    He grinned. “I do. Bobby oversees sales. Ethan is over production.”
    â€œGuess you got what you wanted.”
    He sensed her gazing at him. “I guess so.”
    â€œYou told me you wanted to run the family business the night of Bobby and Elle’s wedding, remember?”
    He remembered. The night he let her go. “When we were at the covered bridge.”
    â€œYes.”
    Will slowed the truck as he turned into the Hansons’ driveway. Taylor opened her door before he came to a complete stop.
    â€œThanks.” She hopped out. “Taylor, I—”
    Taylor looked back at him. “I know, Will. Look, it’s been a long time. Forgotten, forgiven … a distant memory.”
    â€œI’m sorry for the way it ended.”
    â€œYeah, me, too.” She shoved the door shut and disappeared in the darkness.

    As the jet taxied off the runway in Charlotte, Taylor settled in her seat, breathing a sigh of relief. She’d had an exceptional day. She loved the staff of Conrad & Associates. They were talented, enthusiastic, and reaching for the stars.
    Taylor’s interview with her potential boss, Katie Myers, Conrad’s partner over investments and accounting, went exceptionally well.
    Leaning her head against the side of the plane, she peered out the window. “Lord, this felt so right.”
    But was it right? Taylor drew a deep breath, twisted in her seat, and fought off a pang of anxiety. She needed this job. She needed to get her career back on track or fall by the wayside. Taylor exhaled, trying not to obsess.
    As she tipped her head back against her seat, she thought of home. Her mother’s cooking, her father’s colorful tales from the workday, her brother Tim and his wife, Dana … Their children Claire, Jarred, and Quentin …
    She’d missed a lot of family time over the years while chasing a corporate CPA career. She’d also missed a lot of time talking to Jesus. How easily the issues of life, busyness, and work overshadowed her desire to know Him more.
    Suddenly, an image of Will bounced into her thoughts. She grinned, eyes still closed, remembering their basketball game.
That was fun
.
    Jerky, faded images from her past rolled across her mind like an old-time picture show. A collage of all her times with Will, one scene playing after another until she wondered if she’d ever had a life without him.
    She opened her eyes with a start and sat forward, shaking the images loose, pressing the palm of her hand against her forehead.

four
    On Friday morning Will sat with Bobby and Ethan in the main conference room with their laptops and the third quarter financial reports, discussing plans for next year’s revenue.
    Ethan sighed and slumped down in his chair. “I don’t know. What’s the initial investment, Will? For the new business system?”
    â€œEth, we’ve got to do this. Invest money to earn money,” Bobby said, getting up for a cold soda. “Streamline our inventory and accounting.”
    â€œWould you grab me one, too?” Will said, holding out his hand. Across from him, Ethan stared at the ceiling. “What’s your hesitation, Ethan?”
    Ethan motioned to all the data on the table. “I convinced you guys to spend thousands of dollars to retool half the shop last year, and we still haven’t gotten a return on that investment.” He flicked at one of the reports. “At least not according to these records.”
    Bobby handed Will a cold soda. “The summer was slower than usual. But, Ethan, we’ve got to grow the business office or we can’t launch our e-business. When I met with Web Warehouse last week to approve the new site they are designing, I was convinced we made the