Page 123 of Sheltering You

He pressed the button to raise the seat, leaned forward, and dropped his head into his hands. Is that true, Lord? Have I made all of this about me?

The emotion he’d worked so hard to keep at bay leaked from his eyes now. He was too tired for these deep thoughts and deep feelings.

God didn’t respond. Derrick had expected a little condemnation, a little Duh, you finally figured it out, you moron.

But that wouldn’t be God’s voice.

All Derrick felt was a gentle Presence and overwhelming love.

I’m sorry. Forgive me.

And He did. Of course. Always.

Derrick rested in that for a few minutes.

Not that he was over his anger toward Bryan. He’d try, though. He needed to get there.

He would, eventually.

But Jasmine… Lord, what do I do?

He hated the answer.

She was married. He disagreed with her decision to stay married, but what kind of man would he be if he pressured her to divorce? Pressured her to do something she felt in her heart was sin?

That was not the kind of man he was.

Where did that leave him?

How do I please You in this, Lord?

He closed his eyes and waited for the answer. When it came, he accepted it. He didn’t like it, but he didn’t argue.

It wasn’t about him. If he loved Jasmine—and he did, with all his heart—he needed to do what was best for her.

Which meant letting her go.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Jasmine stared out the window at the blue sky above and the green world so far below. It was lovely now, but in the distance to the west, thick clouds stretched to the horizon. She didn’t need to check a weather app to know the obvious—a storm was coming.

She tried not to be offended that Derrick had hardly spoken to her. He was angry with his brother. She hadn’t needed to hear what he was saying to know that. She had no idea why, though.

At least Bryan had tried to be kind when he’d stepped onto the plane earlier, giving her a tight smile before turning to the cockpit.

They’d been in the air for half an hour when Derrick came forward and nodded to the seat facing hers. “Mind if I sit?”

“Please.” He did and opened his mouth, but she spoke first. “Can I say one thing? And then I will never bring it up again.”

“You can say anything to me.” His words were kind, and his smile, though slight, seemed genuine. Perhaps he’d left his anger at the airport, or maybe in the clouds behind them.

“I have not had much experience with these things.” She thought back to the question Sophie had asked her at the bridal shop on Sunday. “I have never had a man who was interested in me.”

“Romantically?”

“Okay, yes.” Or in any way, but she didn’t say so.

“Obviously, Iraqi men are all blind and dumb.” Derrick’s lips ticked up at the corners, amusement in his eyes.