Picket Fence Pursuit by Jennifer Johnson

kissed his cheek. Tyler continued, “Well, God had other plans.”
    Kylie’s heart sped up. “No.”
    “He blessed me to love again.” He gazed at Robin. “I’m humbled and honored to share with you that Robin has agreed to be my wife.”
    Kylie smacked her fork on the table, stood, and started to walk away.
    “Kylie.” Ryan tried to grab her hand.
    “No, Ryan.” She pivoted and gawked at him. “She does things on a whim. She never thinks things through. She needs”—she smacked her hip for emphasis—“to finish school.” She peered at the ceiling, nearly hidden by red and blue helium balloons. “Am I the only person on the planet who believes in being sensible?”
    She turned and walked to the rest room. The words of Ryan’s prayer flooded her mind. Everything about Robin exuded joy and contentment. She’d practically floated on clouds each time she was with Tyler.
    Kylie made her way to the mirror in the ladies’ room and peered at her reflection. “Everything’s going wrong, Lord.”
    ❧
    Ryan waited at the end of the line of people that had formed to congratulate the newly engaged couple. Two weeks he’d spent away from Kylie. He’d purposefully tried to get the woman out of his mind, out of his heart. Time away would squelch his feelings. Seeing her with Brad and again tonight proved his plan hadn’t worked. When his turn came, Ryan hugged Robin and shook Tyler’s hand.
    “Where’s Kylie?” Robin leaned close and asked.
    “In the rest room.”
    Robin turned toward her fiancé. “Tyler, I’ll be right back.” She yanked Ryan away from the crowd. “Let’s talk.”
    “What is it?”
    “Kylie.”
    “I think she feels you’ve moved too fast.”
    Robin bit her lip. “Look. I love Kylie. We’ve been the best of friends for as long as I can remember, but she has issues.”
    “Issues?” Ryan frowned. He knew she wanted a good job and a steady husband and that being financially secure seemed to be the most important pursuit of her life.
    “Not like that. She just can’t loosen up. Can’t trust. Can’t let herself—she’s just so worried about having the perfect life she can’t see when God’s best is right in front of her.”
    “What are you saying?”
    Robin huffed. “You.” She poked his shoulder. “You, Richie Cunningham, are perfect for her. She’s so consumed with her perfect husband, perfect kids, perfect dog running along her perfect white picket fence, that she’s blind to what God has provided that is actually perfect for her.”
    “Aren’t you being a bit dramatic?”
    “No, I’m not.” She stomped her foot then giggled at her reaction. “I’m always dramatic, but that doesn’t change what’s going on with Kylie. Being poor as a girl and now with her dad fighting black lung, she needs to feel safe.” Robin cocked her head and stared at him. “What do you do for income?”
    Ryan’s collar tightened around his neck as Robin’s scrutinizing gaze peered into him. “I work at Holiday World.”
    “And that’s all?”
    “I’m a Santa at the mall in Evansville at Christmastime.”
    Robin raised her eyebrows.
    Ryan cleared his throat. “That’s all the work I do that comes with a paycheck.”
    “Hmm. I think there’s more to it than you lead on.” She pointed her finger at him. “Look, I don’t want you to give up on her.”
    “What about Brad Dickson?”
    “Brad?”
    Ryan rolled his eyes. “The guy she’s going to work with. The one who took her on a business dinner a few days ago. Mr. Clean-Cut, Nose-in-the-Air—”
    “Wow. I think the green-eyed monster’s been paying Mr. Watkins a visit.”
    “Humph.”
    “He sounds cute, though.” She laughed and punched Ryan’s shoulder again. “I’m just teasing. I haven’t met this Brad Dickson.”
    “You haven’t?”
    “Nope, and she never talks about him.”
    “Do you talk to her much now that your schedule is full with Tyler and Bransom?”
    “You got me there.” Robin bit her lip