Hailey's Heart (Young Adult Christian Fiction) (The Valley Meadows Series Book 1) Read online

  Hailey’s Heart

  By Cindy Adkins

  Copyright 2012

  http://cindyadkinswhimsicalmusings.blogspot.com

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1 Seventeen

  Chapter 2 Summer Days

  Chapter 3 A Man on a Mission

  Chapter 4 Mexico

  Chapter 5 On a Moment’s Notice

  Chapter 6 A Day Like No Other

  Chapter 7 Three Years Later

  Preview Nellie’s Gift

  Chapter 1

  Seventeen

  Hailey was glad that her best friend Rachel understood her so well. The two girls may have looked completely different, but they always thought so much alike. Hailey had straight brown hair that fell below her shoulders. When she was not wearing her cheerleading uniform to school, she loved donning baby doll style blouses with her jeans. By contrast, Rachel had natural blonde curls that framed her face. She had a penchant for vintage clothing with lots of lace and layers. Rachel adored wearing cowboy boots with every outfit in her wardrobe. Ever since the girls met in Mrs. Mathews’ fourth grade class, they had been inseparable. Had all that time gone by already?

  Their senior year at Kesler High School in Valley Meadows, Texas had begun only two short months before. Already there was a problem looming on the horizon. Hailey and Rachel always understood each other. “I sure am glad that you agree with me,” Hailey said to her after school one day. “Sometimes my dad can be so unfair. It’s not easy being a minister’s daughter.” She put her books into her locker while Rachel waited for her.

  “I know it isn’t,” Rachel sympathized. “I don’t know why your dad doesn’t want Josh coming around your house after school anymore.”

  “He insists that there are enough nice boys who go to our church,” Hailey went on. “He doesn’t want me to be dating a stranger. You would think that at seventeen, I would be able to decide for myself.”

  “Does your dad know that Josh is a good student?” Rachel inquired. She thought it might influence his attitude toward their classmate.

  “I tried to tell him that, but he doesn’t care,” Hailey lamented. She hoped that her father would change his mind. However, at that moment, she had a pressing commitment, so she would have to think of a solution later. “I better hurry and get to cheerleading practice. I’ll call you when I get home.”

  “Okay, I’ll talk to you later,” replied Rachel as she turned to walk down the hallway. “Are you sure that you don’t want me to come back and give you a ride?”

  “No, that’s all right,” Hailey assured her. “My brother will take me home. He has to stay after in chemistry class to help someone with an experiment.”

  “It’s a good thing you mentioned it,” said Rachel. “I forgot all about my project for class tomorrow. I don’t know how it could have slipped my mind. I will have to stop by the store and get some baking soda so that I can conduct the experiment. But, first I’m heading to McNillary’s. I saw a pair of sage boots there and I want to go buy them. I’ll call you later.”

  Hailey dashed off to cheerleading practice and tried to make it across the campus in a hurry. On her way, she ran into Josh outside of the school library and stopped for a brief moment. “Hey, do you want to go get a pizza tonight?” he asked smiling at her. “I thought that we would celebrate.”

  “Oh, I can’t,” answered Hailey. She did not have the nerve to tell Josh that her father would not allow her to date him. “I’m going to be late for cheerleading practice if I don’t hurry. Why don’t you call me around eight tonight and we can talk?”

  “Okay,” he replied. “I’ll call you later.”

  What was it about Josh Faircroft that made her melt every time she saw him? Was it his piercing blue eyes, wavy brown hair, or his clean-cut looks? She did not know, but whenever she spoke to him, she could not think straight. Hailey wished that she could go out with Josh for pizza that night. If only her father would change his mind about him, the beginning of her senior year would be so different. The one bright spot she could focus on was the numerous drama rehearsals she would have with Josh for the next couple of months. But, how she could remain calm and collected around him? Although the thought of it made her a bit nervous, she was still excited that they would be starring in the school play together. Since it was the annual senior theater production, there was nothing that her father could do about it.

  So many thoughts filled her head as she tried to make it to the gymnasium on time. She planned on talking to her father later and hoped to make him see things from her point of view. Hailey did not know if her efforts would be futile. But, she vowed that she would try to change his mind. Although she valued his opinion, in this instance, she thought that he was judging Josh too harshly. After all, he did not even know him.

  Cheerleading practice went well. When it finished, Hailey got a ride home from her twin brother, Brad. Later, she ate dinner in the kitchen with him and her mother. Then, she went upstairs to her room to work on some history homework. Hailey sat on top of her new pink comforter reading her textbook. She needed to be ready for a quiz in Miss Albers’ second period class the next day. Before she knew it, eight o’clock rolled around.

  Hailey did not even have time to rehearse what she wanted to tell Josh before the phone rang. They spoke for a few moments. As if she was not nervous enough about discussing her dilemma with him, Josh asked her to be his date for the Fall Formal. It was going to take place in three weeks. “Oh, I’d love to go with you,” Hailey assured him. “But, I’ve got to ask my parents first. Can I let you know in the morning?”

  “Sure,” he replied. “With the dance being held at the school, I’m sure that they won’t have a problem with it. But, you can let me know tomorrow in class.” They continued to talk for a while. However, Hailey did not have the heart to tell him that her father forbade her from dating him.

  When Hailey hung up the phone, she did not know how she was going to make her father see things from her perspective. But, she was determined to try. She walked down to the family room to join her parents. They were sitting next to each other on the brown leather sofa reading.

  Her father was a mild-mannered man in his late forties with silver hair that made him appear quite distinguished. He was loved by the community and known for being a man of vision and abiding faith. His wife, Cheryl, adored him. A dedicated family man; he only wanted the best for his children and was quite protective of his only daughter.

  “Hi, Daddy,” smiled Hailey flinging herself into the beige recliner in front of the television.

  “Hi, Punkin’,” replied her father putting down his newspaper. “How was school today?”

  “Oh, it was fine,” she answered. “Mom made noodles tonight. They’re your favorite.”

  “I know,” smiled her father. “She promised to heat some for me. I had a late lunch this afternoon, so I’m not hungry yet. I had that membership committee meeting at the church tonight and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to make it home in time for dinner.”

  “Aren’t you going to tell your father the big news, Hailey?” asked her mother as she put down her magazine.

  “What news?” inquired her father.

  “I was chosen to play the lead in our school play,” Hailey told him.

  “You were?” he asked excitedly. He took great pride in his da
ughter’s accomplishments. Then, he turned to look at his wife. “Cheryl, why didn’t you let me know about this earlier?”

  “I thought that Hailey would want to tell you herself. She was so thrilled.”

  Hailey’s father looked at his daughter. “I’m so proud of you,” he beamed.

  “Thanks, Daddy. I really wanted to get the part.”

  “Will you have time for rehearsals with your cheerleading schedule as busy as it is?” he asked.

  “Oh, I don’t think it will be a problem,” she assured him. “We will practice during drama class each day, anyway.”

  “Well, that’s good,” he said. “I don’t want it to affect your studies. You want to keep up that grade point average of yours.”

  “I know, Daddy. I’m sure I will,” she replied. “I memorize lines quickly, so it should be easy for me.”

  “What play is it?” he asked.

  “Romeo and Juliet.” Rather quietly she added, “Josh is playing the part of Romeo.”

  “Oh, he is, is he?” His demeanor changed instantly. Hailey could tell that he was not pleased, but she persisted, anyway. She thought it was best to get things out in the open.

  “Well, there’s one other issue too, Daddy,” added Hailey. “Josh asked me to go with him to the Fall Formal.”

  “What?” asked her father. “Didn’t you tell him that I do not want you dating him?”

  Right then, Hailey’s mother spoke up. “Oh, Curtis, how can these two be kept apart for the next couple of months if they are going to be in the school play together?”

  “I don’t know,” he answered. “But, I am not comfortable with the idea of Hailey being involved with him. I don’t know the first thing about that boy. He comes from out of nowhere and supposedly lives with an aunt.”

  Cheryl Evans was a petite woman in her mid-forties. She always had the ability to serve as a buffer between Hailey’s enthusiasm and her husband’s conservative attitude that were often at odds with each other. She was the kind of person that everyone was drawn to, not only for her impeccable taste, but also, her cheerful attitude. In fact, it was her happy demeanor that made Curtis Evans fall in love with her when they met over twenty years earlier outside of the university library. In all that time, she never changed. Even her auburn hair in a classic layered style was still the same after all those years. To him, she seemed to get more beautiful with each passing day.

  Cheryl knew that Hailey was not going to give up so easily. True, her husband was not comfortable with the idea of their daughter dating someone new in town. But, did he really know enough about Josh to draw such conclusions so quickly? Cheryl could not understand his sudden stance regarding the boy. She always valued her husband’s opinions and insights. However, in regard to this matter, she thought that he might be wrong. On the few occasions that Cheryl had met Josh, he was always respectful toward her.

  Cheryl recalled an incident that had transpired only a week before. She was out in the garage and had just finished repurposing a vintage stained glass lamp to take to her booth at the antique mall. She had worked on it for weeks. The garage door was up, so when Josh drove Hailey home from school, they came to see what Cheryl was doing. “The lamp is gorgeous,” Hailey told her mother.

  Josh agreed, but looking at it more closely he added, “That chord is frayed and it doesn’t look safe.”

  Cheryl explained, “I know it doesn’t, but I’m not sure how to change it.”

  “I’d be happy to go to the hardware store and pick up a new one for you,” he offered. “I can rewire it. My dad taught me how to do it and I can be finished in no time at all. Then, it will be as good a new and will probably be easier to sell, too.” Within an hour, Josh got what she needed and completely rewired it for her. Cheryl truly appreciated his help.

  The lamp sold on the first day that she displayed it in her booth. On that morning, a customer remarked that it was the best repurposing job that she had ever seen. “The chord even looks new,” the silver-haired woman commented.

  “That’s because it is,” Cheryl informed her with a smile.

  “Then please wrap it up because I would love to buy it and take it home with me,” said the lady.

  Cheryl knew that her husband was not happy about Josh. She did not share his same feelings in regard to the boy. But, that was because she saw how naturally Josh offered to be of help. She thought that was a very good quality in a person.

  Hailey was determined to affect a change regarding her father’s decision. But, the harder she tried to reason with him, the more resistant he became. The situation was beginning to feel hopeless. She was getting frustrated.

  “Would you like me to invite him over tomorrow night so you can interrogate him?” Hailey asked her father flippantly.

  “Don’t get smart with me, Missy,” he cautioned her. The pastor had raised both of his children to be respectful. He did not appreciate her sarcasm. “We live in a small town and people talk. How does it look for a minister’s daughter to be going out with someone who does not even go to church? For all I know, he lives in his car. No one knows a thing about him.”

  “We know one thing,” said Hailey. “He has a phone because he called me from it. Besides, even if he did live in his car, that would not make him a bad person.”

  “No, but it would make him someone that I do not want my daughter dating,” replied her father. He looked at Hailey seriously. “This is one of the most important times of your life.”

  Hailey changed her tone. “Since you have so many questions for him, Daddy, why don’t I invite him to dinner tomorrow night and you can ask him whatever you want?” urged Hailey. She felt that if her father got to know Josh better, it would allay his fears.

  “Curtis, I think it’s a good idea,” her mother tried to reason with him. “It will give us a chance to know him better.”

  “I don’t want to know him better.” He did not like the direction that their conversation was taking. He still had serious reservations about the boy.

  Just then, the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” announced Hailey jumping up from the recliner. She went to the front door. When Hailey opened it up, she was surprised to see Rachel standing there. She was holding two large plastic bags. “Hi, Rachel,” Hailey smiled. “I didn’t know that you were coming over. What’s in the bags?”

  “Science stuff. I tried to call you, but your phone kept going to voice mail.”

  “Oh, I left it upstairs on my bed,” Hailey explained.

  “I was wondering if your brother could help me with my chemistry project,” said Rachel. “It’s not working. I guess that my chemical reaction is not reacting.”

  “Come on in,” Hailey invited her. “I love your boots.” They headed to the family room.

  “Thanks,” replied Rachel. “These are the sage ones I was telling you about earlier. They went on sale today and I went over to pick them up.” Hailey’s parents were still seated on the sofa and waved to Rachel as she entered the room.

  “Hi, Pastor and Mrs. Evans.” Rachel smiled at them.

  “Hi, Rachel. What have you got there?” Hailey’s mother asked.

  “Bits and pieces of a science project that did not work out as planned,” Rachel explained. “I thought that Brad might be willing to help me with it.”

  “I’ll go get him,” offered Hailey. She went upstairs to her brother’s room and knocked on the door.

  Brad opened it. “What do you want?” he asked.

  “Hey, Genius,” smiled Hailey as Brad popped his head out of the door. He had the same straight brown hair that she did and wore it short. Even their eyes were the exact shade of blue, so there was no denying that they were twins. Brad was popular with girls, but spent most of his time studying. “Rachel’s here. She needs your expertise.”

  “What do you mean?” inquired Brad opening the door wider.

  “She has a science project to work on for school. She said something about a chemical reaction. I guess it didn’t go right.
Can you help her?”

  “Wow, can I help Rachel Meyer?” asked Brad with a wide smile. “I’d be glad to. What guy wouldn’t want to help the most beautiful girl in the whole school?”

  “The most beautiful girl in school?” asked Hailey. “I go to Kesler High, too, you know.”

  “I know. But, you’re my sister so you don’t count,” replied Brad in a teasing manner. “Tell her to come up and we’ll get started.”

  “Okay. I’ll go get her. Do you want me to help, too?” she asked.

  “No way. This is a man’s job,” Brad quipped. “I can handle it.”

  Hailey headed down the stairs. As she approached the family room, she overheard her best friend trying to be helpful in regard to Josh. “I don’t know, Pastor Evans. But, I do know that he is a smart boy and all the teachers really like him.”

  Hailey walked into the room and smiled at Rachel. “Brad agreed to come to your rescue. If you come upstairs with me, you two can get started.”

  “Oh, this is perfect. I appreciate being able to stop over,” she said following Hailey.

  “No problem,” Hailey assured her. “I’ll leave you in his capable hands because I’ve got to study my lines for the play, anyway.” The girls headed up the stairs together. “Besides,” whispered Hailey, “you saved me from my dad’s inquest.”

  “Oh, I’m glad I showed up, then,” said Rachel. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

  “Right,” answered Hailey. “I owe you.” When they got to the top of the stairway, Hailey yelled down to the family room, “So, Daddy, can I ask Josh over for dinner tomorrow night?”

  “Yes, Romeo can come,” said her father reluctantly. “But, don’t get the impression that I like it. I only want to talk to him.”

  * * * * * *

  The next evening, dinner was going to be served in the kitchen. Since it was Taco Tuesday at the Evans’ house, it was casual so everyone could enjoy the buffet-style meal. Brad invited Rachel to come over, too.

  Before Josh arrived, Rachel was upstairs curling Hailey’s hair. “It looks like you’ve got your mom’s gift for hairstyling,” said Hailey. “You are a life-saver.”