Dreams Come True

By William McNulty

God blessed Joe Mallory with the ability to run at speeds that defied human capabilities. He used his gift of speed to represent the USA in the next Olympic games. While vacationing in Hawaii, a freelance reporter named Samantha Mitchell made Joe world-famous with her front-page Sports Illustrated story about his life and achievements. He soon received death threats with only two days left of the three-week Hawaiian vacation that made him wonder how he would get off the island alive to see his dreams come true.Cindy was injured, knocked unconscious, and hospitalized from a head-on car accident. Before she passed out, she observed the face of the other driver and saw a very peculiar look in his eyes that troubled her. She and her dad were later sued for millions of dollars. The other driver was reportedly in a coma with life-threatening injuries and wheeled into the courtroom confined to a modified wheelchair specifically designed for him. His injuries made no sense to her. Cindy noticed his medical team, periodically giving him injections. If he was in a coma, why would he be getting injections, she wondered. On one occasion, when she looked over at him lying sideways facing her, he opened only the closest eye to the wheelchair and looked at her to mouth the words "Help me." She nodded her head and watched him nod his before he closed his eye. His medical team was now holding a long needle, getting ready to give him another injection. The jury was ready to return with their verdict, which meant she was running out of time. She had to do something impulsive. She prayed as she rose from her chair and ran across the courtroom not realizing at the time God was about to make her dreams come true.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098064266

Book preview

Chapter 1

Bill Mack Meets Debbie

Bill Mack was packed and ready to spend three weeks vacationing in beautiful Hawaii when his relationship with Susan suddenly went off the rails without a foreseeable way to save it. Hindsight always did have a vision of twenty-twenty, but for the life of him, he couldn’t clearly see the path to this decision. He was both mystified and saddened but subsequently agreed with her decision that ended their marriage. Susan did earn the right to take the reins of their lives to make most of their decisions, but Bill had reservations and resisted allowing this to happen, and he now thought this was a major mistake on his part. Susan would have made a tremendous favorable difference in their lives if he had. Once she made her decision to end their marriage, she never looked back. Her decision was final and not reversible.

Bill was surprised and brokenhearted over this development, and he needed time by himself to allow his heart to mend. He postponed his three-week trip to Hawaii to mentally come to grips with his new life. His heart was telling him to go away by himself to avoid distractions and to allow his heart to heal. He was accustomed to finding peace around a lake or beach, so he decided to spend his next few days or weekends on the coast of North Carolina near two of his very special friends, Jimmie and Doug, who owned a beautiful seafood restaurant called The Tavern at Jack’s Neck in Belhaven, North Carolina.

Jimmie stands five feet, four inches in height, 115 pounds with curves in all the right places. She has brown, sandy-colored hair, blue-colored eyes, and a beautiful face with a magnetic smile consistent with her compassionate heart. She is a people person and one of his very special friends.

Doug is a soft-spoken, very likable handsome man who stands six feet in height in a 175-pound athletic body, blue-colored eyes with sandy, brown-colored hair that blends in nicely with his manicured mustache and neatly trimmed beard. These are two of the nicest people on the planet.

Jimmie and Doug understood his need to be alone for him to come to grips with issues in his mind about Susan. They knew he needed something to rekindle his love for life and put his life with Susan in the past and move on to make a new life. They prayed for that day to come, as they watched and waited.

Over the last sixteen weekends, Bill stood in his favorite spot on a dock behind The Tavern at Jack’s Neck, seemingly mesmerized by the beautiful-colored boats securely tied in their boat slips, dipping up and down and swaying side to side on the beautiful, emerald-green-blue water. He is drawn to this place like a duck is drawn to water. Over the last sixteen weekends or forty-eight days, he finally found peace and serenity beyond even his understanding. His mind and body felt rejuvenated enough to leave his baggage right here on the dock where he stood daily, leaning against a railing while sipping a cup of freshly brewed hot coffee and admiring the gorgeous boats, yachts, and the beautiful, green-blue emerald water that splashed against their sides. The serenity and peaceful feeling he now felt was still too hard for him to put into words.

God always occupied the center of Bill’s life through good and bad times. This last four months were depressingly bad times. He closed his eyes and whispered, Lord, thank you for everything you do for me. You have blessed me beyond what I deserve. I am asking for you to forgive the mistakes I made in my failed relationships. If you feel I am worthy of one more woman to love, please send her to me and guide everything I say and do with her. Please hear and answer this prayer I ask of you in Jesus’s name.

After he swallowed his last sip of coffee, he set the cup on the corner of the railing. He stood up and while closing his eyes, he refilled his lungs with another a big breath of fresh air. The light breeze felt good blowing against his face. Suddenly he had a strong desire to walk closer to the gorgeous boats and yacht located only a few feet from him. With his eyes focused on the beautiful boats and his right hand holding the railing, he dropped his left hand down by his side and simultaneously took one step out to his left toward the boats when he heard a female voice yell, Hey. Their bodies collided, which caused him to instinctively wrap his arms around her and hold her in his arms for a very long minute.

Whoa. I am so sorry. He leaned back to get a look at her face and that made him gasp out loud.

Wow, she is breathtakingly gorgeous, he thought to himself. Could she be a fast answer to my prayer? he wondered as he sized her up to be about five feet, five inches tall, about 120 pounds, blue eyes, sandy-brown color hair that she wore down to the top of her shoulders with cute bangs that stylishly extended down half of her forehead. Her teeth were perfectly shaped and white as the driven snow to accentuate her sun-tanned beautiful skin. She worked hard to maintain her hourglass figure with eye-catching curves in the right places. Bill was deep in thought and slightly rocked just thinking about the possibilities of this woman being God’s quick answer to his recent prayer.

I have never had a man use this approach to get my name and phone number before. She laughed only inches from his face.

Do your beautiful eyes come with a name?

Ah. Here come the questions. Name? You want to know my name? Right?

Right. Bill couldn’t resist showing her a partial smile before he simultaneously burst into laughter. This is not what it appears to be.

Really? Honest.

Really. I didn’t see you coming when I stepped into your path.

You are telling me that this was an accident?

Yes. Honest.

Honest? Is it also an accident that you still have me wrapped tightly in your arms? Honestly?

Busted. I will never apologize today or in the future for holding you in my arms.

You say this like there will be another time you expect to hold me in your arms?

I will pray and hope for that to happen. He opened his arms and watched her step back from him.

You don’t know a thing about me, so why would you pray for such a thing to happen?

Did it feel right being in my arms?

Maybe I will answer your question someday, but not today.

You say that like you expect for us to talk again in the future? Bill’s eyes smiled at her. It only took a couple of seconds before her eyes smiled back at him.

Touché, she said with a giggle.

Bill took a few seconds to allow his eyes to sweep over her body from head to toe.

She caught his eyes sweeping over her body and loved the approval look he had in his eyes.

If God created a more beautiful woman, stunning I must add, she must be in heaven. I could get addicted to holding you.

Get addicted? You mean you aren’t already? she asked and raised her eyebrows looking at him.

Until I met you, I never believed in the possibility of love at first sight.

Do you believe it now?

To even think about that saying, makes me wonder about that possibility. You are beautiful.

Speaking honestly, I look forward to a friendship with you and this is so unlike me. If you go slow with me, I could envision the possibility of our friendship turning into a close relationship? If you put an unauthorized fast move on me, our relationship ends. Our fate is in your hands.

How slow?

If you have to ask that question, I better walk away now.

I am just trying to get a feel for your ground rules.

That is exactly what I want to avoid, you getting a fast-cheap feel.

Poor choice of words. Sorry.

I want to slowly enjoy each experience like I was riding on a slow pony instead of taking the fast train into a collision that neither of us want? A relationship could work, if you can go slow with me?

I would love to try.

Please, don’t just try. Do it. Take it slow. Don’t make any fast, inappropriate moves on me. I have a heart, a mind and feelings to feel the things you feel when the time is right. Okay?

My heart does feel close to you and I don’t even know your name, Bill said honestly.

"Ah! That word honest again. I hope we always speak honestly with each other. I am impressed to find a man who is willing to talk honestly about the feelings of his heart. I believe this might be a first for me to find a man able to talk honestly from his heart to my heart?"

I love what I am hearing you say right now, Bill admitted.

My heart reacted favorably when we met, she also answered honestly.

Hearing what you just said means a lot to me, Bill admitted.

I am glad this means a lot to you. So far, everything feels right to me.

May I ask you for your name?

My name is Debbie.

It is my pleasure to meet you, Debbie.

I hope it stays a pleasure. May I ask your name?

My name is Bill Mack.

The same Bill Mack who is president of the Georgia Olympic Headquarters?

Yes.

I have read about the tragedies in your family. I wish I had missed the stories about your fiancée.

Bill looked at her with a blank expression on his face. Felix jumped into his mouth and bit his tongue.

Debbie lowered her head and rubbed her forehead with her left hand before she looked up at Bill with tears in her eyes. Her eyes narrowed as she pressed her lips together in her attempt to suppress her hurtful feelings. She blew out a long breath of air as she shook her head in disgust before she turned around and walked away from Bill.

Debbie. Please hear me out. Don’t shut the door on us before you know all the facts. What happened to you wanting to find a man who talks honestly from his heart to your heart? You said this yourself.

Debbie spun around to face him, showing her tear-filled eyes and a hurtful expression on her beautiful face. Did you think you could sneak up here from Georgia and have an affair? I have never trusted a man so quickly in my life before I met you. How could you look me in the eye and lie to me?

I didn’t. I would never lie to you.

I read all the newspaper articles about you, Bill. Did the newspaper print all lies about you?

No.

See. Based on your own admission, I am out of here.

Ask me your question about the newspaper one more time. This is important. Please ask me.

Okay. I will play your silly game. Did the newspaper tell any lies about you, Bill?

No. But the newspapers never covered the break up between Susan and me.

When did you break up?

A few months ago. She wanted a different life than the life I had planned for her. When she makes up her mind to do something, it is always a final decision. We are over. I am not playing with your heart. My heart wants me to explore the possibilities of having a beautiful life with you. When you walked away, I could honestly feel my heart hurting. Please don’t walk out of my life.

Debbie walked straight back into his open arms and allowed him to hold her close. She pushed back slightly to look into his eyes and it only took a split second before their lips met. The look in her eyes after that kiss confirmed to Bill that she felt that kiss just as much as he did.

Bill leaned in for a follow-up kiss when she gently placed her hand over his lips. Whoa, Tiger. Take it slow with me. My heart spoke to me as I was walking away from you too. It wants a chance to be with your heart, but I need to crawl slowly one knee at a time to ensure that we are building a relationship that is solid and built on truth, respect, and honestly. Do you understand?

Yes. I won’t keep any secrets from you. I will tell you everything. Maybe we can sit down each night before we go to sleep and discuss the events of our day? Discuss anything that might be bothering either of us, so we never start to build any walls between us. I want to know your favorite color, favorite flower, birth date, things you love to do and things in your life you might want me to know. And you will have your own agenda to find out these things about me that you want to know. Is this what you had in mind?

Exactly.

Bill suddenly thought about something that brought a smile to his face, making him turn away from her. She took one step to her left and leaned down to look up into his face. Out with it, mister.

Bill continued to be amused with his prior thought as he looked at her without speaking.

The truth, she requested without a smile.

Okay! I was thinking it would be okay with me if you wanted to kiss me anytime like you just did.

Her eyes smiled at him as she pressed her lips together while shaking her head slowly from side to side. He studied her eyes without speaking. Slowly she started to nod her head up and down, You are going to be a handful for me to love, aren’t you, Bill?

Me?

Men? Something tells me, you are going to be my biggest challenge. I am hoping this challenge will not include my biggest heartache.

Spend the day with me. Let me buy your lunch right here at The Tavern at Jack’s Neck. I want you to meet two very special friends of mine. Okay?

Okay.

Debbie hooked her arm inside his and walked inside the restaurant and stood at the hostess desk to wait a few minutes for a table or a booth.

Do you have a preference between a booth or table? Bill asked.

No. Do you?

Yes. I prefer a table when I am trying to get to know a potential love of my life.

May I ask why?

A booth has a table top between us. The distance between us is too far away from you.

I never thought about that before. A table gives us an opportunity to sit closer to each other, but not as close together, if we sat next to each other in one of those cozy-looking nooks in the window.

I love that idea, if it doesn’t violate your wish for me to take our relationship slow?

Please sit next to me.

You are unpredictably amazing, my dear. The cozy nook in the window it is.

Hi. Would you like a table or a cozy nook in the window?

Perfect timing. We just decided that very question. May we have a cozy nook, please, ma’am?

You may. Please follow me.

Put her on the inside, so she can’t get away, Bill said, making the three of them burst into laughter.

Let me in on what is so funny? Jimmie asked as she approached their table with a smile.

Jimmie, Bill said excitedly as he gave her a hug. I would love for you to meet the new love of my life, Debbie. Bill looked at Debbie. Debbie, please meet a very dear and special friend of mine, Jimmie, who owns this beautiful restaurant with her husband, Doug.

Jimmie and Debbie shook hands and smiled at each other.

You couldn’t find any other stray guys outside, you had to settle on this one? Jimmie teased Debbie without telling her she witnessed everything that happened when they met outside her restaurant window.

He looked so homeless, I couldn’t just leave him outside. Her comment caused laughter to erupt from nearby tables as well as from the four of them.

It is always a pleasure to see you, Bill. Nice to meet you, Debbie. Please don’t be a stranger.

It is my pleasure to meet you, Jimmie. Maybe Bill will bring me back again real soon.

Do you live or work close to Bill?

Yes.

You do? Bill asked with a surprise tone to his voice.

Yes. I am a freelance court reporter in Atlanta.

Well, you two have some catching up to do and I will let you get to it. Jimmie turned toward the hostess. You got this?

Yes, ma’am.

Thank you for taking care of our new guest and my ole friend, Bill, Jimmie said as she turned to walk toward the kitchen.

A menu was given to both Bill and Debbie. Your server will be right with you. If I can get you anything, please let me know. Welcome! Our local customers call us ‘The Tavern’ or ‘Jacks.’ Please enjoy your meal in our home atmosphere.

Thank you very much, Bill and Debbie answered at the same time.

I have something I want to pledge to you.

Okay, my curiosity is stirred. Have you ever pledged the information you now want to pledge to me with any other woman before? Truthfully. If I find out you have made this same pledge to another woman before me, knowing now your previous relationships didn’t last, no matter how happy we may be at the time I find out you have lied to me, especially when I am asking you now to be very careful before you tell me about this pledge, it will be a relationship and even a marriage deal breaker to me. I want this pledge to be truthful and unique to me. No lies. No hidden agenda. Honesty is the best policy now and in the future between us. I will reluctantly take my broken heart and walk away from you, Bill.

Wow! You will be my biggest relationship challenge. I accept both your conditions and I accept the consequences. I have never made this pledge to another woman before you.

Okay. I believe you. I am honored that you want to pledge something to me that means a lot to you.

I pledge my loyalty and devotion to you. I pledge to tell you everything no matter how big or small.

I have never had any man pledge this to me. How committed are you to this pledge?

I will make it my daily mission to put you first. I want to learn everything about you and show you daily how important you are in my life. You will be able to judge me daily, because I will be trying daily to show you how much having you in my life means to me.

I swore off men and firmly believed, until I met you, that I was both jinxed and cursed, because of my bad luck with men. It became exhausting for me to search every male face to see if he might be the man to take me out of the human dating rat race. Every time I met a man who seemed like he was kind, considerate, honest, and loveable, he would eventually do something mean or say something hateful or cruel to break my heart. Please don’t be that guy to break my heart, Bill.

I will make it my daily and life’s mission to never do it. If I ever say anything remotely hurtful to you, please tell me immediately so we don’t start building any walls between us. Okay?

Okay. I will be honest with you. Please tell me if I ever hurt your feelings, too. Okay?

Bill saw a romantic look in her eyes. He leaned close to her and kissed her lips. The kiss was longer than he anticipated, which prompted him to wrap his arms around her to hold her close to him. Slowly he withdrew his lips from her to sit up. He kept his eyes on her eyes waiting for her to speak.

I may need to reassess my opinion and my instructions on impromptu kisses with you.

I am sorry. I just—

Oh, no, no. Don’t apologize for kissing me when your heart makes that kind of connection with my heart. I felt it too. I have never experienced this kind of unique closeness to a man or this kind of unique spontaneous kissing. I am in unchartered water with you, and to my surprise, this kind of spontaneity feels right, and since I love kissing you, I am withdrawing my condition on kissing. Try to be mindful of taking everything beyond kissing, slow with me. Okay?

Okay. Thank you for your flexibility. You don’t have to draw me a map or explain anything about your wishes beyond kissing. It may shock you to learn that I believe those things are meant to take time if our relationship is meant to last. I know where my hands belong. You can relax around me.

Debbie extended her arms toward Bill and lightly placed her fingers from both of her hands over his lips and looked into his eyes. She held her fingers over his lips to prevent her from giving him the most passionate kiss she ever felt like giving to a man. She liked how their chemistry connected so quickly and loved the closeness she felt with him.

Bill had no idea what she was thinking, but he loved every second he got to look into her beautiful eyes and loved watching the expressions on her face. A penny for your thoughts.

Lord, thank you for bringing Bill into my life. She refused to look away from him. Her eyes got misty and slowly filled with tears. One tear spilled over her eyelid and slid down her face. She made no attempt to wipe it away. Please let this be real and last through my lifetime. She pulled her hands back from his lips and used the napkin from the table to dry her eye. She looked up at Bill. Please say something?

You were sent to me by God who motivated me to step into your path to meet you. I was—

I am sorry to interrupt you. How do you know this to be true?

I just finished talking to God before I stepped into your path.

Do you mind telling me what you said?

I said I am asking for You to forgive the mistakes I made in my failed relationships and if You feel I am worthy of one more woman to love, please send her to me. I ask this in Jesus’s name.

So we are a match made in heaven. Thank you for telling me about your talk with God.

I love how you speak from the heart and I thank God for bringing you into my life, Bill confessed.

The waitress came to the table to take their order. I really hate to interrupt but it is my job to bring your food to you. May I take your order now or would you like for me to give you a few more minutes?

Bill looked at Debbie before he spoke.

Thank you so much for allowing us the extra time to talk. You are very kind.

Thank you very much for that comment, sir. Have you had time to look over the menu and know what you want to eat?

Their daily features change daily, and they are hard to beat. Bill looked at Debbie. Do you want to try their daily feature or order something else?

If you recommend it, I would love to try it. Please bring me the daily Feature, Debbie said with a smile as she handed her menu back to the waitress.

The conversation between Bill and Debbie was meaningful and the meal was scrupulously delicious. Debbie shared a past sensitive personal history about her only failed three-year marriage to a verbally and physically abusive man. And they both learned each other’s birthdays, favorite color, favorite flower, favorite place they visited, places they want to visit, food they didn’t like, foods they loved, athletic interest and hobbies. The things they learned about each other would govern the gifts they would buy each other through their future years together.

Bill and Debbie both felt good about their lunch conversation and believed that this was the beginning of a very strong relationship between two people joined together by God.

I heard you were eating with us and you were with a beautiful woman. Doug looked at Debbie. The beautiful woman comment doesn’t begin to do her justice.

Hello, Bill.

Hi, Doug. Please meet and say hello to the new love of my life, Debbie.

Debbie. It is my pleasure to meet you.

I have heard a lot of good things about you, Doug. It is my pleasure to meet you. Thank you very much for your kind comments about me. I thought the days of my blushing were behind me.

The red cheeks add to your beauty. When I heard Bill was with a beautiful woman, I started to come out and tease you by asking where you hid your red-tip cane and seeing-eye-dog. Everyone within earshot of this comment burst into laughter, including Bill and Debbie.

Good one, Doug, ole buddy. Bill, Debbie, and Doug laughed again at this exchange.

Let me change gears on you both by asking you to tell me how the food and service was today?

Both were an easy 10. Your Feature is to die for. Debbie looked at Bill and watched him nod his head in agreement, before she continued. Is your feature the same every day or do you change the feature each day? Debbie asked.

We change it daily. People love variety.

If you have the same feature every Monday, people who love that particular meal will be sure to come back on Mondays. A special meal for each special day of the week. Clever idea.

I take no credit. Jimmie is the creative one.

Give her a thumbs-up for me, Debbie said with a smile.

Does this mean we will be seeing more of you, Debbie?

I hope so. Next time Bill drives or flies up, I may be asked to accompany him?

Jimmie informed Doug what she witnessed between Bill and Debbie through their restaurant window, so Doug knew he was safe to say, Bill has used our dock with the beautiful view of the boats and water over the last few months as his quiet place to think and pray for peace and happiness to find him again. My observation tells me you are the angel sent to him by God. Doug looked at Bill for confirmation.

I couldn’t have worded it any better, Doug. Thank you.

You guys just want to see me cry and it is about to work. Debbie started fanning her face with a folded brochure she saw lying on the table. I am touched by everything that happened in my life today. I was not looking to have the man of my dreams literally walk right into my arms. They say love finds us when we are not looking for it. I literally was not looking when Bill stepped right into my path and into my heart. This is one of the best days of my life. God has made me a believer, once again, in love.

Yes. He answered my prayer literally within seconds of my request for Him to send me someone to love, if I am to have a next love of my life. Today is one of the best days of my life too."

Bill slid out of the booth and helped Debbie to her feet.

Doug extended his hand toward Bill and they shook hands. Good to see you again, Bill. Have a safe trip back to Atlanta.

Debbie extended her hand toward Doug who accepted it as she said, Nice to meet you, Doug. You have a very beautiful restaurant and the food is scrumptiously delicious in a very cozy home atmosphere with friendly employees who make people feel right at home. Please tell Jimmie I look forward to seeing her during my next trip up here to North Carolina.

Thank you very much for your kind comments. I will be sure to tell Jimmie. Bye, Debbie.

Bye, Doug.

Bill put his arm around Debbie as they walked out the door and disappeared.

Bill stopped walking after a few steps and turned to face Debbie. May I ask you something?

Yes. Anything. What is it?

Before we met, I planned a three-week vacation for my office staff, Cheryl, Cindy, and my future son-in-law Joe Mallory. I put everything on hold because of my break up with Susan. Meeting you inspires me to take them to Hawaii, but I don’t want to be away from you for three weeks. If I pay for your room, transportation, food, and all entertainment expenses. Will you go with us?

That is a very generous offer for any woman you just met a few hours ago. My gut reaction for all offers like this from men is no. I will give this trip offer serious thought because it comes from you. This would be a first time in my life to accept such an offer. Why should I go?

I need to take my staff and my family on this vacation and that means not seeing you for three long weeks. I want to enjoy the sights of Hawaii with you. The telephone is not an adequate substitute. This will be a good time for us to spend quality time together and have fun in a beautiful place like Hawaii.

Take some time to think about what you are asking and be sure you really want to ask me. Okay?

I don’t need time. I need for you to say, yes. I want you with me. Will you go with me?

My heart is screaming for me to say yes. I have never been that far away from home, and I have never allowed myself to be that isolated or vulnerable. She saw comfort in his eyes.

You will have your own airline ticket in your possession at all times. Telephone calls, food ordered from your room, and items purchased from the gift shop are charged to your room and paid by me. You also have access to a daily spending allowance for anything else you need such as tipping. Say yes.

Why do I feel so comfortable and so trusting of you, Bill?

Because God put us together. Trust me and say, yes.

Okay. I will trust you and my heart and go with you.

You will be ecstatically happy. I will be eternally grateful.

I really hope so.

They had the same idea at the same time when they sealed it with a memorable kiss.

Chapter 2

J

oe Visits Maui, Hawaii

Joe Mallory tossed and turned until a ray of light filtered through the long thin sheer drapes that covered his hotel window. Sleeping was now the furthest thought on his mind. Winning the gold medal in the Olympic games took center stage. Notwithstanding what the owner of the hotel said about his not having to pay for any expenses he signed for if he was unable to compete in the games or if he failed to win a medal was not a consolation to him. He didn’t know how to lose or how to feel comfortable about owing money to anyone.

He remained in his bed for another hour before he stood in front of his hotel window to observe people seven floors below swimming, diving, and sun bathing around an Olympic-size swimming pool. He looked up at a clear, light-blue sky, without a cloud in sight and shook his head in disbelief of how fast God blessed and changed his life. He thought over the many conversations he had with his dad about keeping his word, if he gives it to someone. His dad believed keeping your word defines your character and lets people know they can trust and rely on you. He promised his dad that he would always keep his word.

He thought of how much he missed his mother and how proud she would be that he listened to the voice within his head to become gainfully employed modeling clothes to pay all his living expenses. And because she always