Patience Graham hummed her favorite hymn from church to herself as she walked toward the storeroom in her parents’ restaurant. Graham’s Grub wasn’t the only restaurant in town, but it was quickly becoming a favorite among the locals. Despite her family’s success, Patience was having some trouble adjusting to her new life in Creede, Colorado. For one thing, she was rather lonely—she had left her closest friends behind when the family had moved their business out west. For another, she was bored. Ever since a recent string of kidnappings, her parents had stricter rules for where she could and could not go by herself. It didn’t seem fair, because the women who were kidnapped had been found, but her parents didn’t feel right allowing her outside in a town where dangers lurked. There had been a few new kidnapping attempts, but they’d all been foiled. Surely people knew what to watch for by now!

Patience pushed open the heavy door and waited until her eyes had adjusted to the dim light streaming from the sole window in the room. She wrinkled her nose as she took in the damp, dusty scent of the storeroom. The door fell shut behind her with a heavy thud. Once she could see clearly, she surveyed the small storage area until her eyes landed on what she was looking for—strawberry preserves. Patience had planned a special dessert for that evening’s dinner menu, and she needed the preserves for it to turn out perfectly.

Patience gathered the jars and went back toward the door. She leaned back as she grabbed the handle of the old wooden door to pull it open, but it wouldn’t budge. Patience stopped humming and frowned. She set the jars down on one of the nearby shelves and used both hands to pull the door open. The door remained closed.

Patience took a deep breath and tried again, this time propelling all of her body weight against the door. She was a small woman, but she was also quite strong when it came right down to it. Still, the door refused to budge even an inch.

A panicky feeling settled in her chest. She began knocking on the door and crying out.

“Please help! Can anyone hear me?” Patience screamed as loudly as she could. She knew her mother and father were likely in the kitchen, and although the Grahams employed a few men and women, they did not usually have cause to be in the vicinity of the storeroom.

This had never happened to her before, and she wasn’t sure what to do. She had light from the tiny window, but that would fade in a few short hours. She wouldn’t go hungry. The storeroom shelves were filled with plenty of food and water, but she would certainly go mad if she were locked in the storeroom any longer than she had to be. She hadn’t told anyone where she was going, so they wouldn’t even know where to look for her. Patience looked around the small space, trying to figure out if she’d be able to climb the storeroom walls and shimmy out the small window.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You’ll fall and hurt yourself.” A voice seemingly out of nowhere startled Patience so much that she nearly fell over. She looked behind her, where the sound had come from.

A woman with flowing, wavy dark hair was standing right next to her.

Patience blinked rapidly. “How did you get in here? The door’s stuck.”

“Don’t worry about how I got in here. What matters is that I’m here now, and I have something to tell you, Patience.” The woman beamed, and a peaceful sensation flowed over Patience.

Patience found it difficult to understand. “How do you know my name? Who are you?”

“You may not know me, Patience, but I know you very well. Please, hear me out.” The woman’s expression turned serious, and Patience knew she had better pay attention.

“Fine. Go ahead.” Perhaps she had already gone mad from being in the dark storeroom too long. She was seeing things! Patience tried to ignore this thought so she could concentrate on the woman’s words.

The woman spoke quickly but confidently. Patience believed every word she said. “Very soon, you will be tested, Patience. You’re going to meet a man who is in dire need of acceptance. It’s important that you open your heart to him.”

Although Patience trusted the mysterious stranger, she wondered how that could possibly be true. “I’m never allowed to meet anyone new.”

“Trust me, Patience. It’s going to happen sooner than you may think. And if you don’t open your heart . . . I’m afraid there will be grave consequences.” The woman hung her head sadly, and Patience felt like reaching out to comfort her.

“What kind of consequences?” Patience asked out loud. Before she could get an answer, the woman had vanished, just as quickly as she had appeared. Patience looked all over the small room. How was that possible? A mysterious woman she had never met had somehow managed to find a way into and out of a storeroom with a locked door, and Patience hadn’t even seen her coming or going. It didn’t make any sense. She wondered if she’d accidentally hit her head or dreamed up the strange woman.

Before she could puzzle over this for too long, Patience’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

“Is anyone in there? It’s the strangest thing . . .” a deep, male voice asked.

“Y-yes!” Patience stammered. Was she being rescued? Or was this another trick of her imagination?

“Hold on a second! I’ve got to get my tools.” Patience heard footsteps walk away. Her heart fell as she waited for them to return. What if he never came back? Would anyone have any idea where she was? And how long would it take before her parents panicked and sent out a search party?

Fortunately, the footsteps soon returned, and within a few minutes and several squeaking noises, the storeroom door swung open.

“Thank you!” Patience cried, rushing out into the narrow corridor. “Oh, I feel like I can breathe again. The air in there is so musty!”

“Patience! How long were you in there?” the deep voice continued, and Patience looked up into the eyes of her rescuer. It was none other than John Jackson, one of the most handsome young men in town. Patience and John had spoken to one another when the Grahams first arrived in town, but they hadn’t exchanged more than a few words since then. Once, she had hoped he’d ask permission to court her, but she had given up that notion when he seemed to completely ignore her at church or when he made his deliveries to Graham’s Grub.

John Jackson felt a thrill at seeing Patience Graham again. She was even prettier up close, even if she was a little dusty. He was used to seeing her at a distance in church, where he admired her lovely singing voice and pretty dresses. This was much better. He wondered what she’d look like without her bouncy skirt, and then he adjusted his eyes to meet her gaze, scolding himself for his improper thoughts. Patience Graham was a good woman, and a scoundrel like him didn’t deserve her.

True, he’d been working hard the past few months to stay away from drink. He had given up his vice of choice after his widowed father had remarried Toria. His stepmother was so energetic and full of love and life that she had inspired him to live a clean, wholesome life. He wanted to be the type of man who was deserving of Patience’s affections, but he didn’t know if he was there yet.

“John! You saved me. How did you know I was here?” Patience gushed. She was grateful for the opportunity to have a conversation with someone outside her family or the people who worked at Graham’s Grub. It was a rare occurrence.

“I was about to make a delivery—I’ve got the wagon outside—and it was the weirdest thing. I heard a voice that seemed like it was in my ear. It said, ‘Go to the storeroom. You’ll find what you’re looking for,’” John explained, a bewildered expression on his face.

Patience felt chills run down her spine. She felt like she and John had both had very strange encounters in the past few minutes. She didn’t feel comfortable enough to tell him about it. She was worried he’d think she was crazy. “That is strange! But I’m so glad that happened because you found me.”

“I’m glad about that, too.” John grinned down at her, and Patience felt her heart skip a beat as his amused eyes met her own.

Patience knew she didn’t have long before John would have to continue on his delivery route. She decided to be blunt. “I haven’t seen you very much lately. That disappoints me greatly.”

John’s face fell. He had never imagined that she would be upset not seeing him. He knew how he felt about her, but he thought there was no way a woman like her would want to spend time with a man like him. Then again, John thought, she was probably just saying that because she wanted to make sure he was making good decisions and staying on the right path. That was the only possible explanation. “I’ve been busy with work, I suppose.”

John worked for his father, Mortimer Jackson, at the Creede mercantile. He made deliveries with his assistant, a young boy named Willie who had lost his father in a terrible accident. Willie and John were both hard workers, and they were a great team. Between working long days making deliveries all over the town of Creede, going to church, and nightly dinners with his father and stepmother, John really didn’t have much time to socialize.

“Well, that’s a shame. I wish I were able to see more of you. Still, I know the work that you do is important. It’s the only way we’re able to get the supplies we need to stay in business.” Patience really was grateful for John’s family business. She wasn’t saying these things to flatter him. It was true. In a booming town like Creede, the Grahams needed to stay competitive with the other restaurants, and they did so by ordering ingredients from far-off places that only the mercantile could locate and deliver.

“I think you stay in business because of your mother’s lemon chiffon cake. With all due respect,” John said, tipping his hat.

“You haven’t had my strawberry pie yet.” Patience smiled. She just knew John would fall in love with her strawberry pie.

“Are you offering me a slice? Going through my route does make me tired and hungry.” John patted his trim stomach.

“If you can come back here this evening, after the rest of your deliveries, I’ll save you a slice. On account of you saving me and all,” Patience promised.

“Really? I wouldn’t want to trouble you.” John looked hopeful, like he wanted the pie badly, but he was afraid to say so.

“I insist. Now, I think we both need to get back to work.” Patience grinned as she walked away from the storeroom and toward the restaurant’s kitchen.

John watched Patience walk away and knew that he had to find a way to convince her to be with him. Other men his age in town were getting married and starting families, and he hadn’t given it much thought since his mother had died. Though he knew it’s what she would have wanted for him, he’d had a tough time after her death. All he wanted to do was drink and spend time in the saloon with his friends.

He had been in a very bad way, but Toria Jackson had turned him around. She had truly been a blessing, sent from God into his and his father’s lives to make them happy and whole again. He had worked hard to avoid alcohol and saloons, and now maybe it was time to start thinking about settling down. One thing was certain—Patience Graham was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and she was kind and thoughtful, too. If he were going to settle down with anyone, she was the perfect woman to settle down with.

* * *

That evening, John all but inhaled his dinner at the Jackson house.

“Slow down, you’ll get hiccups!” Toria Jackson laughed. She was secretly pleased that he enjoyed her food so much. “And remember, I have cookies and lemon bars for dessert.”

“You truly are a wonder.” Mortimer’s eyes gleamed with pride and love as he looked at his wife.

Toria waved him off. “You know I can’t stay idle. And I happen to enjoy keeping you men from being hungry.”

“Thank you very much, Toria. I won’t be staying for dessert, though.” John explained, wiping his mouth with his handkerchief.

Toria and Mortimer exchanged a look. “Why not?” Toria asked.

“I need to meet someone and get something that was promised to me.” John didn’t want to go into too much detail. He knew his parents would make more of a fuss than was necessary.

“At this hour?” Toria raised an eyebrow.

Mortimer thought back to the days when John visited the saloon nearly every night. He had thought those days were over.

John sighed. “Fine. If you must know, I’m meeting Patience Graham. She promised me a slice of her strawberry pie because I helped her get out of a storeroom she was locked inside earlier today.”

Toria tried to hide her smile. She had prayed for John to find a good woman in town, and Patience was certainly one of them. Though Toria didn’t know the Grahams very well, she was impressed by the modest, kind way Patience presented herself at church. She would be thrilled to have Patience as a daughter-in-law one day.

“I’m sorry I have to leave early.” John blushed a little as he stood up.

“It’s all right. Patience is lucky to have a friend like you, John,” Toria said, beaming with pride. Although she hadn’t raised John, she felt proud of the work he’d done over the past several months to avoid alcohol and live an honest life.

Hopefully, soon she’ll be more than a friend. He didn’t dare say this out loud in front of his parents. They were both very old-fashioned and wouldn’t approve of improper thoughts about a single young woman.

John smiled and thought of Patience’s lovely figure as he walked out of the front entrance to the house. He unhitched his horses from their post, nuzzling their heads and slipping them pieces of one of Toria’s famous cookies he had snuck into his pocket as a snack. He climbed into his delivery wagon and set off for the other side of town.

When he arrived at Graham’s Grub, there were several other wagons parked outside, and a crowd of people had gathered outside of the building, talking and laughing. He parked in the usual spot he used for his deliveries because he knew no one would need it at this time of night.

The crowd began to break up; men and women walked back to their wagons or set off on foot for their homes. John tied his horses to a post and strode into the restaurant. It was dark inside, but there were candles lit on each table, and there was a blazing fireplace in the corner of the great room.

Mrs. Graham, who John recognized from church, walked up to him. “Hello, John. Are you dining alone this evening, or will anyone be joining you?”

“Dining alone, ma’am.” John tipped his hat to Mrs. Graham to demonstrate respect. He wasn’t sure why, but he wanted to make a good impression on her. “And I’ve already eaten a meal. I’m just here for dessert.”

“That’s just fine, dear. Let me find you a table.” Mrs. Graham led John toward the back of the room, a seat right next to the fireplace. She smiled at him. “Someone will be right with you.”

John enjoyed the heat from the roaring fire. Some tables were occupied, but most people seemed to be near the end of their meal.

After a few minutes, Patience rushed over to John’s table, her cheeks flushed pink. “Hello, John.”

“Hello, Patience. I’m glad to see you haven’t gotten yourself stuck in another storeroom.” John grinned. She was cute when she blushed. Heck, she was cute all of the time.

“Yes, I’ve managed to keep myself out of trouble this afternoon. I have to admit, though, it wasn’t so bad because it meant I got to see you.” Patience blushed an even deeper shade of pink. She didn’t know why she had said that. She tried to change the subject. “Are you ready for that pie?”

“Absolutely. I’ve been looking forward to it—but more importantly, seeing you—all day.” John admitted. He knew he wasn’t going to impress Patience with how open he was being, but he couldn’t help himself.

“I’ll be right back!” Patience scurried away before she could embarrass herself further. John was a smooth talker, but she surely couldn’t trust a word he said. He had a reputation for being a drinker, and though he went to church each Sunday, Patience had a feeling that the drinking part wouldn’t go over too well with her parents.

The Grahams had long taught Patience, their only child, that she needed to be selective and picky when it came to men. They believed she would have her choice of men when the time came due to her beauty, intellect, and grace. Patience was trying to live up to her namesake and not rush into any romantic entanglements.

Patience walked into the kitchen and found the slice of strawberry pie she had tucked away earlier for John. The cakes and pies often sold out, and she had wanted to make sure she could fulfill her promise to him. It was the least she could do after he had saved her from being trapped in the storeroom for hours.

As Patience thought about her time in the storeroom, she remembered the strange woman she had seen there. It seemed completely impossible for the woman to have been there with her, but she had seen the woman, plain as day. Patience sighed and shook her head, trying to clear her mind. She put the slice of pie on a small white plate and carried it out to John.

“Here you go.” Patience set the plate in front of him.

John could feel his mouth start watering. “Thank you kindly.”

“It’s my pleasure. Is there anything else you need?” Patience fidgeted, clasping her hands in front of her.

“I don’t need anything, but I’d like for you to stay here while I take my first bite.” John smiled, and Patience saw a mischievous gleam in his eye.

Patience looked around. Her mother and father were in the kitchen. She hoped no one would see her lingering at John’s table and accuse her of neglecting responsibility. “Fine. But you’d better hurry!”

“I’ll try. But if it’s really good, I plan to take my time with it and savor it.” John hoped he wasn’t being too forward. He picked up his fork from the table and stuck it into the pie. He put the fork into his mouth and chewed slowly, enjoying the sweet tang of strawberry on his tongue. The pie was a perfect blend of savory and sweet. The crust was soft and buttery, and the strawberry was light and tart. “Mmm.” John sighed.

Patience’s heart rate quickened as she saw how much John enjoyed her pie.

“Patience Graham, I swear to you, I could eat that pie every day for the rest of my life.” John looked into her eyes, and Patience knew he was telling the truth.

“Patience! They’re waiting for you at the table in the front! You know we don’t have enough staff to cover every table, and we need you to help out!” Patience’s father, Robert Graham, approached the table and looked at Patience sternly. He turned his gaze to John. “How are you enjoying your dessert, young man?”

“It’s positively heavenly, Mr. Graham. You know, we sure do appreciate having your restaurant in Creede. Ever since you’ve come here, Graham’s Grub has become my favorite restaurant in the entire town.” John hoped his words would not come off as insincere. He meant every bit of what he said. The Grahams made amazing food, and it was clear that Patience had inherited the family skill.

Mr. Graham looked back and forth between John and his daughter. He knew John’s father, and Mortimer Jackson was a good, fair, and honest man. But all he knew about John was that he favored alcohol. He knew his daughter had enough sense not to flirt with a man of disrepute, but he saw the way John had admired his daughter, and he was more than a little concerned. He tried to brush aside his worry. “Patience, you go now to the table in the front. I’ll take care of Mr. Jackson.”

Patience looked disappointed but did what her father asked of her. “Have a good night,” she whispered to John as she walked toward the table in the front of the restaurant.

John tipped his hat to her as she walked away. He admired how gracefully she carried herself and how sure and confident her movements were. He ate more forkfuls of the pie, wishing she had saved him another slice. He had meant exactly what he said about eating that same pie each day for the rest of his life. Both John and his father had a soft spot for sweets, and Toria kept them well-stocked in the Jackson household. But Patience’s strawberry pie was unlike anything John had tasted before.

As he polished off his last piece of pie, John noticed that Mr. Graham was still staring at him anxiously. He looked up at Mr. Graham, and the older man looked guilty, like John had caught him doing something wrong.

“Do you need anything else?” Mr. Graham asked in a rush.

“No, thank you. I have everything I need.” John wiped his mouth with the linen napkin from the table.

“Fine. I’ll mark this in the ledger, and you can settle up next time you come and make one of your deliveries.” Mr. Graham told him.

Just then, Patience flew in from the other side of the room. “Oh, that won’t be necessary, Father. I invited Mr. Jackson here to try my dessert because he helped me earlier today.”

A look of concern flashed across Mr. Graham’s face. “He did?”

“Yes. I got locked in the storeroom. Did you know the door sticks? And John found me and found a way to open it.” Patience looked at John with gratitude.

Mr. Graham frowned. “You should have told me. I’ll take a look at that door. You have my thanks, young man.”

John didn’t think Mr. Graham’s expression looked very thankful, but he would take what he could get. He hoped that, in time, he could prove to the Graham family that he was a responsible, hard-working young man.