Dylan's Faith: A Contemporary Christian Romance (Love's Enduring Promise Book 4) Read online

  Dylan’s Faith

  By:

  T.K. Chapin

  www.tkchapin.com

  Copyright © 2015 T.K. Chapin All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with.

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  Version 2015.07.29

  ISBN: 1515083527

  ISBN-13: 978-1515083528

  Available Books

  By T.K. Chapin

  (Inspirational Christian Romances)

  Love’s Enduring Promise Series

  The Perfect Cast (Book 1) FREE

  Finding Love (Book 2)

  Claire’s Hope (Book 3)

  Dylan’s Faith (Book 4)

  Embers & Ashes Series

  Amongst The Flames

  Out of the Ashes

  Up in Smoke (Fall 2015)

  After the Fire (Winter 2015)

  Stand Alones

  Love Again

  Love Interrupted

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  Dedicated to my father, his faith by example has changed my life forever.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  Sneak Peek – Amongst The Flames

  Other Books

  Bonus

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  Life has a way of taking us down roads we never thought we’d travel. Sometimes we might be on a long stretch of freeway that never seems to end. Other times we can’t keep up with life’s turns, hills and construction zones. No matter what part of the journey we’re on, each road can lead to the unexpected. A little detour here, a wrong turn there, it’s all just part of the experience. When the love of my life showed up, there was no big billboard alongside the road letting me know it was the one. Thankfully, God was in my passenger seat when she came into my life, and if it wasn’t for Him, I might have passed her by. My faith has been a large part of my life, and God has helped through more struggles than I can count.

  This brittle and fragile body of mine is wearing out with every passing day, but I take comfort as I sit in the same rocking chair that my beloved rocked our children to sleep in. I take not only comfort in the chair, but the overwhelming peace that the Lord has given me. This chair I had crafted with my own two hands years ago and over the years it’s worn out much like my body. But my faith never ages, never ceases, and never grows weary. And while my body seems to have new aches and pains in areas I never knew existed, my God never weakens. He’s the same as He was yesterday as He is today and that He will be tomorrow.

  Glancing at the picture of my late wife between my cracking fingers, I smile and laugh a little to myself as I let my thumb cross over it. What I used to fear, death, I now look forward to. The day I pass onto glory will be the day when I finally get some rest for these old bones and see loved ones who have passed on. And best of all, I’ll meet Jesus. What a glorious and wonderful day that will be. I have no regrets for the life I have lived. I wasn’t perfect by any means, but I have lived a satisfying and full life. I have loved another with all my heart and have raised my family in the house of the Lord.

  My successes in life, both in business and in family, I contribute fully to my Savior Jesus Christ. It’s been through His grace, comfort and love that I’ve been able to live this blessed life. It hasn’t all been butterflies and roses by any means, but regardless, I have loved every moment of it. If it weren’t for God being by my side in times of struggle, my life would have turned out much differently, I’m sure of it.

  All my children have long left the home and have gone on to start their own families. I do hear from each one of them from time to time and see them on holidays, but I often reminisce of the days of their youth. Those years might be in the past, but the memories are what comforts me in my old age.

  Who am I? I’m Dylan Holden. You won’t find my face on the front page of a magazine and you won’t see my struggles on an episode of some reality television show. No, my story lives in the recesses of my memory. I’m an ordinary man who was able to rely on my faith in God to endure what felt like the impossible.

  As I sit here in the tranquility of my solitude, I reflect back on the days of when I first met the love of my life. That whole period of time I relied heavily on my faith. Without it, I would have never been able to live the life that I have now. Those days were so long ago, but when I close my eyes for long enough, I can transport back in time and it’s as if I were there in that transformational part of my life. I can feel my youth return to my bones and my strength to my body. I can even see my old house I shared with my brother Chris out in Chattaroy and my old shop around back. Oh yes, it all seems just like it happened yesterday. The winter of two thousand ten was when it all began.

  CHAPTER 1

  December 01, 2010

  It was one of the coldest winters in forty years for Chattaroy, Washington, but the space heater out in my shop kept the frostbite from setting in while I toiled away on the table I was crafting for Mr. Nortaggen, better known as Floyd around town. He was one of the farmers out here who I became good acquaintances with over the years. His son Levi and I knew each other through our youth, but became better friends after graduating High School.

  This particular table I was working on was not just one of the typical pieces of furniture I crafted to sell down at the local feed store; this one was a favor. Levi provided me with an old photograph that came from Floyd’s childhood, and in that photograph was a long and elegant triple-pedestal dining room table that had been in the family for over fifty years. I always admired its beauty the times I had been over there. A fire at Floyd’s house last year burned up the family heirloom, and just a few months ago is when Levi approached me about making a new table for the family. He said he wanted the table to be an anniversary gift to Floyd and Margret for thirty years of marriage. I gladly accepted the request, and I viewed it as a good challenge for myself.

  As I applied the primer to the tabletop that measured just a smidge over six feet, I was interrupted by my brother Chris. He came barreling through the shop door panting heavily. Chris was a couple years younger than me; just twenty three at the time, but his strength about matched my own.

  “Roy just called; he said they had another pack of coyotes come down from the hill last night and kill another sheep.”

  “You heading over there?” I asked.

  “Yeah, did you want to go?”r />
  Looking down at my table, I replied, “Let me finish up this coat of primer and then we’ll head over.”

  “Okay, I’ll go load the guns into the truck.”

  “Sounds like a plan, Brother.”

  Chris took off back through the shop door, shutting the door behind him. Turning my attention back to work, I continued my strokes of primer carefully, being sure not to leave any streaks behind.

  We were able to find the coyotes and take care of the problem. After we put our guns back in my truck’s cab, we ventured up the sidewalk to Roy’s farmhouse to tell him the issue had been resolved.

  Kicking our boots off on the porch and hanging up our coats, we came into the kitchen through the side door. Roy was sitting at the table, with his hands folded. Roy was a role model I looked up to for my own life. Strong in his faith with the Lord, he never wavered in his beliefs and stayed rooted in God.

  “You get them coyotes?” Roy asked, as we joined him at the kitchen table. Glancing out the window, I nodded. “We sure did. We had to high tail it up around the corner of the hill to catch the pack, but we got them all.”

  “Those coyotes had no chance with Dylan’s sharp eye and quick trigger finger,” Chris said, patting me on the back.

  Grinning, I shook my head. “You got a couple of them also, Chris; you can’t let me take all the credit.”

  “Regardless… you guys did a great job,” Roy said. “Thank you.”

  Jess came into the kitchen and fetched a glass from the cupboard. She was my friend Levi’s wife and Roy’s granddaughter. She was pregnant and due in just a few months. After pouring herself a glass of orange juice from the pitcher in the fridge, she took a seat at the table. “How are you guys?” She asked. “We haven’t seen you two around very often this winter.”

  “I’ve been working on that table,” I replied.

  “Oh yeah, Levi is excited about that. How’s it coming along?”

  “Pretty good, just working on the priming and staining now,” I replied. “Speaking of Levi, why’s he not back from Colville yet?”

  Jess shook her head. “He got snowed in up there. The roads are bad, and what sucks is he didn’t even buy any cattle on this trip.”

  “That’s a tremendous waste of time,” Chris said.

  “Exactly,” Jess replied with a sigh.

  “He should have gone to Quincy. They had an auction going on also--way better selection up there,” Roy said.

  “Oh well,” she replied, taking a sip of her juice. Jumping a little in her seat, she smiled, “One of them kicked!”

  “Them?” I asked.

  She covered her mouth. “Oops… we were keeping it a secret, but that’s out now! We’re having twins!”

  “Grats, bet Levi’s looking forward to that,” I replied.

  “Congratulations!” Chris said.

  “Thank you, we are excited. Few more months and they’ll be here!” Jess said, beaming with a smile.

  Glancing up at the clock, Chris cleared his throat. “We better get going, Dylan. I’m getting hungry.”

  Peering up at the clock above the sink, I nodded and rose to my feet. “Crazy how looking at the time can make you hungry, Brother,” I replied smiling. Looking over at Roy, I shook his hand and said, “Let us know if you have any more coyote problems and Levi isn’t around.”

  “Of course. Why don’t you stay and have a meal with us? It’s the least I can do,” Roy replied.

  Shaking my head, I said, “Thanks for the offer, but Chris here has been itching to see his little lady friend.”

  “Alright. That’s fine, just thought I’d offer,” Roy replied with a grin. “Take care of yourselves.”

  Arriving at the Wagon Wheel, we were greeted by Elly, Chris’s girlfriend. She was one of the servers there and had been ever since she graduated from high school and quit her job at the convenience store.

  “Heya, gorgeous,” Chris said, laying a kiss on Elly’s lips.

  Squirming, she laughed as she replied, “I’m working. You can’t do that.” She pushed him back gently.

  “Alright, it’s just hard to keep my hands off you,” he replied smiling.

  “Bar or dining area?” she asked, grabbing menus from the side of the podium.

  “Bar’s fine,” Chris replied.

  “Let’s do the dining area, Bro. It’s always loud in the bar with the TV’s and whatnot, I just want to relax.”

  “Alright, fine,” he replied.

  We followed Elly over into the dining area and she led us to a booth. Setting our menus down on the table as we took a seat, she asked, “Pitcher?”

  “Yep,” Chris replied.

  “I’ll let your server know. Should be the new girl Trisha. Be nice.” Elly took off back towards the front entrance. Chris’s eyes watched as she walked away.

  “How’s that possible promotion at work going?” I asked as I looked at my menu. Chris was up for a promotion at the Chattaroy Feed Store; it was between himself and another worker named Tyler. They had both been working at the store for almost two years and the assistant manager had plans to move to another state. Ever since he put his one-month notice in just a week ago, it’d been a fight between Tyler and Chris for the job.

  “It’s going… it’s so early, we have no idea who’s going to get it.”

  “Who’s better buds with Ken?” I asked.

  “Well Ken hangs out with Tyler a lot more outside of work, but I work a whole heck of a lot harder than he.”

  “Sounds like Tyler has the upper hand on this one.”

  “C’mon, Dylan. My hard work has to count for something!”

  “Maybe, but if I had to bet money, I’d say it is whoever is better buds with the manager; it’s all about who you know.”

  “We’ll see,” he replied.

  Looking at the menu, I mulled over in my mind what I wanted to eat. I had eaten there more times than I could count, but still needed to look at the menu to figure out what my meal would be. Then I spotted what sounded delicious, a home-style breakfast. Bacon, eggs, hash browns and a couple pieces of toast on the side. “I’m going with the House specialty breakfast,” I said, closing my menu.

  Chris set his menu down on the edge of the table.

  “What about you?” I asked.

  “Steak and potato.” Chris always ordered the same thing for dinner when we went there; not sure why he ever looked at the menu.

  Suddenly our server came over with the pitcher of beer and two ice cold glasses. She had beautiful flowing brown hair and piercing emerald green eyes. And then when she spoke, she revealed a gorgeous smile to complete the package. “How you boy’s doing tonight? My name is Trisha and I’ll be your server tonight.”

  “We’re good… so you’re new in town?” I replied.

  “Yes, I am.” She pulled out her order pad. “What can I get ya’ll to eat? Or did you need a little more time?”

  It took everything in me not to stare at her. She was pretty. “I’ll take a chicken salad,” I said.

  Chris looked at me funny, tilting his head. “You didn’t say you wanted that earlier…”

  “I changed my mind,” I replied. “Just go ahead and order, Chris…”

  Shaking his head, he said, “Alrighty, I’ll take the steak and potato.”

  “And how did you want that steak?”

  “Medium-rare, oh and load up the potato please, everything on it,” he replied.

  “Okay. And did you guys want anything to drink other than the beer? We have soda, ice tea, lemonade.”

  I replied, “I’ll take a water. Here, I don’t need a glass,” I said, handing her the beer glass back.

  “Alright, I’ll go ahead and get that order in for you two.” She grabbed the extra glass, menus, and left our table.

  Leaning across the table, Chris asked, “Dude, why’d you get a salad? Trying to impress the newbie?” He laughed.

  Shaking my head, I said, “I just changed my mind.” I looked up and spotted Trisha ac
ross the restaurant, taking another table’s order. I couldn’t help but keep looking over at her. She was drop-dead gorgeous. Chris looked over his shoulder to see what was keeping my attention.

  He turned back to me and smiled, “She’s hot, huh?”

  “She’s okay.” Wanting to change the subject, I asked, “What’s the temperature getting down to tonight?”

  “I don’t know… Why don’t you ask for her number, dude?” He leaned in closer. “I bet you can’t do it.”

  Shaking my head, I replied, “You’re right, I can’t.” I laughed. “I don’t want to hit on our server. That doesn’t seem right.” Chris grabbed the pitcher and poured himself a tall glass of cold beer. Bringing the glass to his lips, he proceeded to chug the entire thing.

  “Wow!” He replied with a loud clap. “This night’s going to be good! I can feel it in my bones!”

  “Take it easy,” I said, watching him pour another glass.

  “I know… just getting relaxed. Chill.” Chris had a drinking problem if you asked anyone around town—well, that’s with the exception of himself; he’d never admit it. Quite a few nights resulted in us both fistfighting with other guys at the Wagon Wheel. A few times even resulted in the cops showing up.

  Leaning across the table, I said, “Do you really want to end up in another fight?”

  “Why not?” Chris asked with his eyebrows raised. “It’s the only time I get a chance to see our father.”

  Shaking my head, I replied, “You just might be as sick as him, you know that?”

  “Oh please…” Chris said as he took a sip of his beer. “Save me the psychoanalysis. I was kidding. I fight because it’s in my nature to right the wrong in the world.”

  A group of burly looking guys who I hadn’t ever seen before sat at a table across the restaurant. Chris kept his eyes locked on them as they kept looking over at us. He downed three more glasses of beer before the food finally arrived.