The Billionaire and His Intern (A Christian Romance)

Chapter 26: Man in Black

Alexander sat on the wraparound porch with a glass of water and his Bible in his hand. He would occasionally raise his gaze at the sound of rustling bushes or the various colorful birds that flew past him.

He seemed to never notice their beauty before, but ever since his first encounter with the Lord, how quickly it was that he began to see beauty in His creation.

Admittedly, after a day or two of being at the cabin, it took a little while to adjust to the consistent silence. Even though he yearned for a slower pace, he had gotten accustomed to a fast-paced life. Yet by day four of being at the cabin, he had grown used to the silence.

The limited distractions helped ease his mind and expose the thoughts running rampant. The many thoughts that he learned needed to be grasped and taken into captivity as so perfectly explained in scripture.

After the first day at the cabin, he decided he would pair his seeking with a fast. The first two weeks would be without food and entertainment, while the last two weeks would simply be without entertainment.

A rustling of a bush toward the east of the house grabbed his attention and he found himself looking toward it. Within a few moments, a squirrel emerged, holding something small within its grasp.

Alexander chuckled and shook his head.

They were intriguing little creatures. They seemed rather skittish, but they were very sensitive to their surroundings and doing what was necessary for survival.

A flurry of wind found its way to him, causing him to have a mild shiver. The season was surely changing.

He pulled his flannel closer to him and soon decided that it was a good time to return inside. Without missing a beat, he grabbed his glass once more and kept his Bible steady in his hand, and began to make his way inside.

The warmth of the home was very pleasant to him. The sound of fire crackling in the fireplace brought a natural heat to the open living area. It suited the house to have such an open floor plan, only closing off for the three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Alexander grabbed a blanket and decided to bring his book over to the couch with him and enjoy the warmth of the fire.

Throughout the rest of the day, into the evening, he talked to God.

Old memories would flood his mind, as early as his toddler years. He realized there were some things he had not yet healed from, so for the rest of the evening, he spoke to God about those painful memories, and one by one, they were dealt with.

He knew that the first step was trusting God and being willing to forgive. Scripture told him just how important that was.

As the fire continued to crackle in the distance, Alexander snuggled further under the blanket and decided that he would retire for the night right there.

It had been ten days since Alexander arrived at the cabin. He stared in the bathroom mirror and he could easily see how gaunt he had become since he began his fast. Not even he realized just how quickly the combination of his metabolism and the lack of food would leave him looking malnourished, yet there he stood.

He swiped at his jaw and the beard that at least hid his narrowing face. He knew that he would likely look different even after resuming his diet. It would take a few days or even weeks of eating normally to return to his usual size.

He was grateful that the home was already stocked with food, likely Devin's doing after his near last-minute departure. Alexander hadn't thought that far.

He walked from the bathroom to the connected bedroom that he had been staying in.

For a moment, he felt weird. As if something had shifted where he was. Furrowing his brows, Alexander began to walk gingerly, keeping his focus geared at his peripheral vision.