The Perfect Couple

By Kim Gramling and Lisa Shelton

Perfect life, perfect job, perfect dog, perfect husband. What happens when your soul mate walks into your life?

Sara Taylor has a good life in Bay Shore, Michigan, with her lawyer and sailor husband, Jeff, who has given Sara everything he thinks a woman could want; except for children. Aftern a decade of marriage, Sara fills th

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aspire Publishing Hub, LLC
• Release date: Jul 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9781960758453

Book preview

The Perfect Couple

Copyright © 2023 by Kim Gramling and Lisa Shelton

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN

978-1-960758-44-6 (Paperback)

978-1-960758-45-3 (eBook)

Prologue

The sound of the waves crashing on the rocks wasn’t even close to drowning out the conflict I had going on in my heart and in my mind. I stared out the windows of the Coast Guard Station, anxiously awaiting news of my husband and his friends. Jeff had been on his annual sailing trip with his college buddies, Ray and Scott. They were all experienced sailors, but this storm snuck up on them; according to the duty officer at the Coast Guard station, they had set off the emergency beacon on their boat. As I stared at the waves, seeing none of the sights in front of me, I whispered a quiet prayer in my heart… Please keep them safe. Even though I don’t feel for Jeff what I once did, Lord, please don’t let him, Ray, or Scott be hurt.

As I stared blankly out the window, my thoughts drifted back over the past several months when I met the man who had finally awakened my heart. But then I shook my thoughts back to Jeff. I felt quite abashed at myself for thinking of those stunning blue eyes while waiting to hear if my husband was still alive. A shivering tingle went down my spine at the mental image of the hand- some man in his house by the lake as I thought of God’s plan and what exactly he was trying to say to me by giving me a man to love and eventually marry, only to bring another man into my life and make me question everything I had ever known.

Mrs. Taylor? asked the duty officer. We’ve located your husband’s boat. It was capsized, but thankfully, all three men were wearing their life jackets.

Are they alright? I asked as a wave of relief almost made me lightheaded. The duty officer cleared his throat and looked down at his desk. The helicopter search and rescue team picked up Mr. Taylor and his friends and is taking them to Westfield Hospital in Muskegon. One of them was not conscious when they got him out of the water, and we’re not sure of his condition. The other two men appear to have a few broken bones, but nothing too serious as far as we know at this time, he reported.

His words rang in my ears over the sound of the pounding rain as I drove to the hospital. My car glided over the roads as though they were black satin ribbons. I was grateful I knew the roads well as I sped through the sleepy towns toward Muskegon, trying to concentrate on driving since the road conditions were slippery but not having much luck. The only thing I knew about the condition of Jeff and his friends was that they were alive and that one of them was unconscious. While I was thankful for at least that much information, my nerves sang with tension over not knowing how badly Jeff was injured and knowing what I needed – no, yearned – to tell him.

I called Scott’s wife, Rachel, and Ray’s girlfriend, Jennifer, to let them know about the accident. Rachel was arranging for someone to watch their children and then she and Jennifer would be on their way. Scott and Rachel had four young children, and she didn’t want to alarm them by bringing them along with her to the hospital, especially in the middle of the night. I promised to call them with updates as soon as I got to the emergency room.

When I finally arrived at the emergency room entrance, a pleasant receptionist asked me to sit in the waiting room while Jeff and his friends were being examined. I sat stiffly in one of the blue plastic chairs across from the doors leading to the exam rooms and waited. Several people came and went during that time with various injuries and illnesses, but I barely noticed them.

Half an hour later, I approached the receptionist and asked about the condition of Jeff, Scott, and Ray. I’m sorry, ma’am, but I can only give you information about your husband, the receptionist explained. Mr. Taylor is having a CT scan right now as he had a blow to his head. That is all we know of his condition at the moment, but I’m sure we will have an update soon. I was returning to my seat when Rachel and Jennifer walked through the sliding doors.

We hugged tensely and I shared what little information I had about the accident. Rachel and Jennifer were allowed back into the examining rooms to sit with Scott and Ray and promised to come out soon to update me on how they were doing. I returned yet again to my seat off to the side of several families waiting to be seen for less urgent matters.

After staring blankly for the next two hours at the beige metal doors in front of me, a doctor walked out and, after speaking quietly with the receptionist, walked over to me. He asked if I would go with him to an empty alcove. As I followed him, my feet felt heavy, like I was thudding along to an unknown fate.

Over the next few minutes, the blood roared in my ears as I tried to listen to the doctor. Once he said the words injured spinal cord, concussion, and critical condition, everything else seemed lost. I felt as though I couldn’t breathe and was falling into a deep well. The doctor kindly offered me some water and a seat over in the surgery waiting room as Jeff was in an operating room with a neurosurgeon who had come from a hospital in Grand Rapids.

I sat in the waiting room feeling very alone while the room spun around me. I was trying to remember everything the doctor said, not sure at all what any of it meant. One thing I did know is that this would change things. I thought about the emotional roller coaster I had ridden in the past twenty-four hours and was nearly lightheaded. It seemed so surreal that this was happening, especially after the life-changing decision I had made earlier in the evening that affected more than just my life. I prayed for Jeff to be okay, not only because I wanted for him to be okay, but because I had so much I needed to tell him, not just about last night, but about the past few months.

I gave an involuntary shudder as another thought passed through my mind… Now that this has happened, could I tell him?

Chapter 1

It was Sunday, my favorite day of the week. As I stretched in the early morning sunlight, I thought about Sundays as a child in East Lansing, Michigan. Sunday meant spending time with friends and having family dinners before starting a new week. I was always excited to go to church where I would see my friends outside of school and so I could learn more about the Lord. When I was eleven, I felt Jesus’s whisper in my heart to follow Him, and my desire to learn even more about Him grew greatly. Unfortunately, that desire met with challenges as I faced the normal issues of life as a teenager, and I ended up becoming less involved in the church I had grown up in. I never stopped believing in God though, and for years, I felt as though I was searching for a place to belong. That is why I was so thankful to find a church where I felt at home from the moment I stepped through its doors.

It was seemingly by happenstance that I discovered Bay Shore Community Church. I found this quaint little church by accident one day a couple of years after my husband, Jeff, and I had moved to Bay Shore. I had been walking down the sidewalk along Main Street in sort of a daze, lost in thought about many things that I didn’t really know how to handle on my own. It was right after my dearest friend, Rachel, had told me about her second pregnancy, and I was feeling melancholy, thinking about how my life hadn’t gone down the path I had imagined it would back when I was planning my wedding. My parents were no longer nearby as my mother had recently passed away from cancer, so my father moved to Myrtle Beach to take care of his father, my grandfather, who was widowed not long after my dad was. Plus, I wasn’t pregnant yet, and Jeff didn’t seem to be too interested in helping to rectify that particular matter. And I’d had an odd feeling that Rachel and I were drifting apart. I guess you could say that I was feeling restless about my life in general.

I was fairly comfortable with my job as a Realtor, and I had even worked on a few interior design projects for some of my clients. I love to work in my garden, and in the colder months especially, I love to bake. I had plenty to keep my days fairly packed with activities, but there was still an emptiness that even flowers and cupcakes couldn’t fill. My thoughts had shifted into silent prayers for an answer when I suddenly became aware of a large open space in my peripheral vision. I had passed all of the little retail shops and even the gas station and barbecue joint marking the end of the downtown businesses.

I looked up, disoriented, and turned around to see where I was. When I realized with a jolt that I had crossed two streets without even looking, I hoped I hadn’t walked in front of any cars. I turned back around to see where I had ended up and there it was: a charming little wood building that was probably older than my grandparents. It was painted a soft yellow with white trim, and though it needed a little sprucing up, the flowers around the perimeter and the vines climbing the outside walls gave it a cheery appearance. The white sign above the door read: Bay Shore Community Church.

Well, well, well, I said to the old building, if you’re not a sign from God, I don’t know what is!

I was slightly amused to hear my old Sunday school teacher’s voice in my head. When you have a problem, give it to God, she had often advised her students. I didn’t really understand that at the time, but it was becoming very clear – crystal clear, in fact – what she had meant by that statement. That had been a bright, sunny Thursday, and I remember it so vividly because that was the day I promised myself that I would come back on Sunday for the service. I ended up having a great time at that little church, meeting people I had seen in the shops and restaurants around town but whose names I didn’t know. There wasn’t a huge congregation, but it was perfect for me, so I kept coming back each week just like I had when I was a kid.

Little did I know that this Sunday would be special.

****

I walked through the double doors of Bay Shore Community Church fifteen minutes before the service was set to start and was greeted by the Andersons. Theda and John Anderson are the eldest couple in the congregation, even though they are only in their mid-sixties, and they reminded me of my Aunt Rose and Uncle Thomas. They are a treasure to our church and community with their unending love of serving others.

Good morning, Sara. How are you today? asked John, handing me the weekly bulletin as he shook my hand. Where is that husband of yours?

I’m very well, thank you, I replied. Jeff is working on a case that’s going to trial on Wednesday, and it’s been taking up all of his time for weeks now. I smiled weakly at Mr. Anderson. Even though I was telling the truth, it still felt like I was always making excuses for Jeff’s absence.

Well, tell him I said hello, and we need to have dinner again soon, John said.

I sure will. I had introduced Jeff to the couple one evening when we were out at a little Italian bistro in town. They were seated next to us, and they hit it off immediately. We were all talking and laughing, and the Andersons eventually joined us at our table for coffee after we had finished eating. It was surprising to see Jeff so animated with people he had just met. He later told me that Mr. Anderson had reminded him of his grandfather – at least what he recalled of his grandfather. Grandpa Joe had passed away just after Jeff graduated from high school, so I never got to know him.

Speaking of Wednesday, Theda chimed in, bringing me back to the present, we hope to see you at our new women’s Bible study. This week is the first class of a new session, and we are starting a study on Fruits of the Spirit.

The church offers Bible study classes and workshops on Wednesday evenings, and I attend most of the time since Jeff is always working. The classes are eight to ten weeks long and typically have some kind of focus for a specific group, like men or women or couples and such. It’s been awhile since I went to an organized class, and this session on Fruits of the Spirit sounded like something I could be interested in. I usually end up going to the Fellowship Boost they have each week, which is not an organized class but rather a gathering of sorts at the church’s tiny café where we share snacks or desserts and get to know each other better in a very casual setting.

I promised Mrs. Anderson that I would see her at the new class on Wednesday and headed down the aisle to claim my usual seat, fifth row from the back, on the end opposite the wall. However, when I turned to walk down the row, I stopped in my tracks; someone was in my seat.

Shoot, I muttered under my breath, I wonder who that is.

I decided the people sitting on that side of the row must be new to the church because everyone knows I sit there. I know it’s just a chair, but I like the comfort and normalcy of sitting in the same chair each Sunday.

I kept walking toward my usual chair and sat in the row in front of the new family, trying to catch a quick glimpse of them without being too obvious. I actually recognized the woman – Amy, I think – and I was a little surprised to see a man and children with her. I hadn’t realized she was married and had a family. I sat down in front of them, contemplating whether to turn around and introduce myself when a couple who had recently joined the church sat down next to me and said hello.

After answering some of their questions about the upcoming church picnic, I busied myself with the weekly bulletin and wondered what Amy did to convince her husband to come to church with her. I made a mental note to ask Amy her secret as my thoughts drifted to Jeff’s reasons for never coming with me. We don’t share the same views of God and religion. He is a self-described cynic and views the world as black and white. More than once he’s said, You need to focus on yourself, Sara. If more people would just take responsibility for themselves and their own happiness, the world would be a better place. We actually even argued once because I had taken time away from work to help with a big fundraiser for a mission trip to Honduras. He thinks my involvement with the church is a waste of time and doesn’t understand why I feel compelled to help people I don’t even know.

Fortunately, just as these thoughts were beginning to sour my mood, the worship band took the stage and began playing. The worship leader welcomed us, asked us to stand, and led us in singing the songs she had chosen for this week’s service. I knew most of the songs, and I sang along with my eyes closed, taking in the words and their meaning. The third song was a new one to me so I followed along with the words on the big screen that hung on the wall behind the stage. Singing and focusing on worshipping God always helps ease the unsettling feelings I get when I think about Jeff’s refusal to devote time to church or the needs of other people.

After the fourth song, the band took a short break to change their instruments, so the worship leader suggested we all greet one another. I turned to say hello to Amy and to meet her family. I reached out to shake her hand and she smiled at me, saying hello back. Then, she directed my attention to the man sitting on the other side of the two children between them, introducing him as Eric. I reached to shake Eric’s hand and looked up into the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.

Whoa.

I was momentarily frozen in time. My gaze locked with his, and I couldn’t move. Or speak. Or think, for that matter. We stood there for what seemed like hours until Amy’s voice jolted me back to reality.

This is my nephew, Mason, and my niece, Ella. Eric and the kids are thinking of moving to Bay Shore and decided to visit this week.

Did she just say Eric was her brother? I hadn’t heard her say that when she was introducing him. Perhaps that is because I was so taken back by his, well, beauty. There simply was no other word for it! I opened my mouth to speak, not really knowing what I was going to say, but the band began to play again, so I just smiled and turned back to the stage.

Only I didn’t sing the songs this time.

****

This situation had me perplexed. I’m usually a rather levelheaded person, but I had never been so flustered at just meeting someone before. All I did was look at that man, and suddenly, I couldn’t even think straight. I realized I was even blushing! Seriously, Sara, I told myself, you’re not some hormonal teenager. Pull it together!

It was probably because he had the most amazing eyes I had ever seen. And the fact that those eyes were set in a ruggedly gorgeous face worthy of Hollywood didn’t help matters either.

No, it doesn’t matter that he’s gorgeous. What matters is that you are a married woman and you are at church. Period. End of discussion, I thought sternly. What was wrong with me?

I did not enjoy the argument that I was having with myself in my head, and I’m sure I looked quite ridiculous to the unknowing eye. I pushed that internal good versus evil conversation aside and wondered about Eric’s wife and why she wasn’t here with them. This was confusing, yet intriguing, all at the same time. But then, I had to ask myself why that even mattered.

He’s just a good-looking guy. What is going on here? I asked myself.

During the break between the worship set and the day’s sermon, while the kids were heading off to their classes and the adults were visiting with one another, I walked over to the little café area, weaving around people who were grabbing a doughnut or a cup of coffee to get them through the service. I was stirring my favorite chai tea, a little lost in thought, when I heard a voice behind me.

You are the reason I’m here today.

What? I whirled around to see Eric standing behind me. I tried to keep my composure and not drop my mug because he had startled me so badly.

Oh! H-hello, I stammered as I tried to smile and sound nonchalant. Wait – did he really just say I was the reason he was here? He chuckled quietly.

I’m sorry if I startled you. I just wanted to grab a minute of your time. You see, my kids and I are living in an apartment in Muskegon, and while I love them, they need their space, and frankly, so do I, Eric explained.

I see, I managed to say, even though I didn’t see where he was going with this at all. His eyes truly had me in a trance.

Breathe, I had to remind myself.

Amy and I were looking at houses for sale in this area yesterday, and I saw a bungalow that’s right on the lake that I would love to see the inside of. You’re the listing agent on the house. Do you know which one I’m talking about? Eric asked. He was speaking very quickly, and I found that I was having trouble keeping up when I realized he was asking about the Perkins’s house.

Sure, I said. This is silly, I thought. This man has me tongue-tied! But well, why wouldn’t he? He’s six feet tall and has dirty-blond hair that probably shows red highlights in the right light, and eyes as blue as the sky over the Pacific Ocean on a sunny day. He has broad shoulders, and even though he was wearing a long-sleeved button-down shirt that, incidentally, matched his eyes, I could tell he had muscular arms. I was trying very hard to keep myself from giving him an obvious once-over when I realized he was saying something.

Do you think I could look at the house tomorrow? he asked, smiling at me. He had a great smile, too, of course.

Oh, uh, yes! Absolutely! I stammered again, feeling awkward. I tried to cover my embarrassment by reaching into my bag for one of my business cards. I smiled as I handed it to him, hoping my cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.

Eric looked at the card. Sara Taylor, he read aloud. I’m Eric Williams. It’s very nice to meet you. He took my hand in his and said he would call me the next morning before turning to walk back to his seat just as the pastor stepped up to the pulpit.

I have no idea what the sermon was about that day. I tried to focus and take my usual notes but found that all I could think about was how completely foolish I had felt while talking to Eric. The electric tingles that went up my arm and turned my legs to jelly when he took my hand didn’t help matters either. When the sermon was over, Eric and Amy stood to go retrieve Mason and Ella from their Sunday school class. He put his hand lightly on my shoulder and told me again that he’d be in touch.

All I could do was smile, nod, and wave.

Chapter 2

The next morning, the alarm buzzed as the morning sun peeked into the bedroom window. I hit the snooze button and stretched lazily, wishing I could go back to sleep for a couple of hours. I laid there thinking about the night before and the reason I needed more sleep. The alarm buzzed again, bringing me back to reality, so I switched it off and started to head downstairs toward the source of the wonderful aroma of coffee that filled the house.

I walked past the bathroom and heard the shower running. Jeff’s internal alarm always wakes him up at six o’clock no matter what time he goes to sleep. He’s a morning person – a sharp contrast to my night owl tendencies – and has usually chugged half a pot of coffee and read the whole newspaper by the time I roll out of bed.

I called for Lily, my three-year-old yellow Lab, to follow me. She climbed off her big dog pillow at the foot of the bed and stretched, looking like she wanted to sleep in, too. She shook from nose to tail as only dogs can do, making the heart-shaped tags on her collar sing like wind chimes on a breezy day. I smiled to myself as Lily walked over to me, and I ruffled the short fur on her head. She truly was my best friend. We padded downstairs together to the back door where I let her out into the yard. I poured myself a cup of coffee, added hazelnut flavored creamer and some raw sugar, and sat down at the table.

As I watched Lily sniff around, checking for new and exciting scents from whatever had made it into our yard overnight, I thought about how nice it would be to sit on the patio and read while I soaked up the warm sunshine, but I knew I had to get my day started. I drank my coffee and tried to wake up a little as I reflected on the events that had transpired in the last twenty- four hours.

I had come home yesterday afternoon to find Jeff there, which was odd because he had left for his office when I was on my way out to church. I was wondering why he was back so soon, and when I walked into the house, I found him sitting in his recliner watching one of the many sports channels we paid for. I set my purse and Bible on the sofa table and sat down on the leather sofa next to the recliner.

Hi, Honey. What happened? I asked.

Hey, he said absentmindedly. What do you mean?

I looked at him, puzzled. I thought you were going into the office.

Oh. Well, I got halfway there and realized I left some documents I needed, so I came back for them and then decided to work here today. He looked back at the rerun of some long forgotten sailboat race and said, I figured you would be home soon, so I stopped at the deli and got us sandwiches for lunch. Will you make lasagna for dinner tonight? I drove past Italianni’s on the way back here and got a craving for your delicious lasagna.

Speaking of Italianni’s, John Anderson says hello and that we need to have dinner again soon, I commented.

How’s John doing? Jeff asked.

He’s good. Same as every week.

I hadn’t really thought of any plans for dinner since I didn’t think Jeff would be there but was glad I had all of the ingredients for lasagna and didn’t have to go to the market. I sat at the breakfast bar and ate the sandwich Jeff had brought me from the deli, marveling over the fact that he had actually thought to bring me lunch. I realized that I couldn’t remember the last time he had done that.

We spent the rest of the day doing our own things, which was pretty normal for us. I made my lasagna for dinner, and surprisingly, Jeff was quite attentive that evening. He kept me company while I chopped vegetables for the salad, and we chatted all through dinner about our jobs, his boat, and the weekend sailing trips he was planning on taking this summer.

Jeff and Scott, along with their friend Ray, always take a week-long sailing trip around Memorial Day to start off the summer. While they go on short jaunts around Lake Michigan from time to time, they aren’t always able to coordinate their schedules for short trips; however, they always seem to find the time for this longer one. This year’s long trip had to be scheduled for late June because of Jeff ’s caseload, and he was eager to be setting out across the lake in a couple of weeks. He had been planning this particular trip since February; he likes to start planning early and have a couple of different routes in mind in case they come across some bad weather.

After dinner, Jeff surprised me by taking Lily out for a quick walk and then he helped with the dishes. As I was loading the last of the dishes in the dishwasher, he surprised me even further by coming up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, and kissing my neck. It had been awhile since we had been intimate, and I found myself quickly doing the math in my head to see where I was in my cycle. Not far enough. Oh, well, I reasoned to myself, I don’t have to be ovulating to make love with my husband.

We’d had a great evening talking and enjoying each other’s company. It was the first time in a long time that I can remember feeling like we were actually connecting. And then that all came crashing down because just as Jeff was undressing me, Eric’s face popped into my head.

That was the reason for the sleepless night and the cobwebs I was now trying to clear from my brain. I got up to let Lily back inside and refilled my coffee cup while I contemplated the reasons why I having thoughts about another man that I had no business thinking. I could feel my face flush with mortification as I relocated my seat to the breakfast bar and straightened the newspaper Jeff had left there. I was feeling very conflicted with my feelings when Jeff walked into the kitchen.

Good morning, he said as he took a travel mug out of the cabinet above the coffeepot and poured the remainder of the coffee into it. How did you sleep? he asked as he set the