Ariel rolled her eyes. “You’re no fun anymore. Fine, I’ll get it for both of us. It will look great with my outfit for the party tonight. You are still coming, aren’t you?”
Brie hesitated. She did want to go out after a long week of work, but she didn’t want to be out too late since she was attending church with Jesse. The last thing she needed was to show up with dark circles under her eyes.
“You can’t skip the party. It’s like the biggest event since… since…”
“Since the last event?” Brie supplied with a smile. The party was going to be big, but not the event Ariel was making it out to be.
“Kade will be there.” A mischievous smile crossed Ariel’s face.
Conflicting emotions battled inside Brie. She did want to see Kade again, didn’t she? “I’m coming. I just can’t stay all night because I’m seeing Jesse in the morning.”
“On Sunday? Where could you possibly be going on Sunday morning?” Her eyes widened as the only logical conclusion came to mind. “You’re going to church with him?”
Brie shrugged.
“Why? You called the bet off. It’s not like you have to keep trying to impress him.”
“I’d already agreed to go. It would be rude not to.”
Ariel shook her head. “Who are you? And what did you do with my friend?”
Brie knew Ariel was teasing, but she was beginning to wonder the same thing. Ever since she had gone to the children’s hospital with Jesse, she couldn’t get those kids out of her head. She wanted to do something for them. Something like Jesse did. She’d have to discuss ideas with her father. He didn’t want her spending money frivolously, but surely, he wouldn’t be against a donation to the hospital.
“I’m still here.” Brie glanced at her watch. She still needed to shower after her shift this morning. She had met Ariel right after she got off. “Shouldn’t we get ready for that party now?”
“Fine, let me check out, and then we can swing by your place. I’m assuming you want to get cleaned up first.”
Brie did not miss the disdain in her friend’s voice, and it irritated her. Just because Ariel didn’t have to work didn’t mean she needed to make fun of Brie for it. It wasn’t like it had been her idea although she did get some satisfaction out of it. Even though being a barista wasn’t her dream, she had felt good the first time she got someone’s drink order right and the first day she made every drink right.
“Of course. I hadn’t planned on going without a shower.”
“Good, because no offense, but you smell like sweat and vanilla syrup.” Arms laden, Ariel made her way to the register and Brie shook her head as she followed. Why did people say no offense when they clearly meant it to be offensive? Had she been like that?
A few minutes later, shopping bags in hand, Ariel led the way to her father’s limo and the girls climbed inside.
After a quick stop at Brie’s for her to shower and change, the girls were back on the road and headed to the upper east side for the party. The driver pulled up to the club and the girls got out. Music carried out onto the streets and the line to get in wrapped around the building.
Brie checked her watch again. It was almost ten and she wanted to be home by midnight at the very latest. But with this line, they might not even make it inside by midnight. “Ariel, are you sure you want to go to this? We might not even get in.”
“Oh, we’ll get in. Watch me.” Ariel strode purposefully to the front of the line, her long legs pumping underneath her mini skirt.
“Hey, there’s a line,” a guy called from the line as Ariel reached the front.
“Not for me.” She smiled sweetly at the man and then turned to the very muscular bouncer. “I’m Ariel Sinclair. Kade Sinclair’s sister. He should have my friend Brie and me as his guests.”
The bouncer scanned the list, and after looking at their IDs, he let them in.
“Did you tell Kade I was coming with you?” Brie asked as they entered.
“No, but he knows we're always together. You do still want Kade, don't you?”
“I…” Brie had no answer for that. Did she still want him or did she just like the idea of him? Kade had never paid attention to her, but Jesse opened doors for her and cooked for her. However, Jesse didn’t have the money she was used to, nor did he have any connections. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give Kade one more shot.
They found him upstairs in a corner booth surrounded by women. Brie sighed as she looked over the competition. All of them wore skin tight clothing and had many more assets than Brie did. She glanced down at her own dress. It was a designer dress, but Brie had never gone for the ultra-skin-tight clothing.
“Hey Kade, thanks for the add,” Ariel said.
“Sure.” He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture before placing it around the shoulders of one of the women and pulling her in for a kiss.
Brie’s stomach turned, and she wondered what she had been thinking wanting to date him. She didn’t want to just be a trophy on someone’s arm, and that’s exactly what these women looked like. “Let’s go dance,” she said to Ariel.
Ariel nodded, and the girls headed back downstairs. The dance floor was crowded, and they had a hard time finding a place to call their own. When they finally did, Brie tried to relax, but the club was so loud, and the flashing lights bothered her eyes. What was wrong with her? She used to love going dancing, hadn’t she? But as she thought back, she realized dancing had always been Ariel’s idea. Brie had gone along because she felt like she needed to. That’s what you did when you were rich. You made appearances at the hippest clubs, so you could be seen.
But suddenly she didn’t feel the need to be seen. “Hey, I’m going to head home,” Brie hollered to Ariel. The music was so loud that she couldn’t barely hear her own thoughts.
“What?”
“I’m heading home. I’ll talk to you later.”
“We just got here.”
Brie shrugged. “I’m just not feeling it tonight.”
“Your loss,” Ariel said as a handsome man tapped her on the shoulder. With a smile, she turned her attention to him, and Brie was no longer a thought on her mind.
Brie shook her head and walked toward the exit. Maybe it was being forced to get a job, or meeting Jesse and the kids, but she was beginning to wonder what she was doing. She pulled her phone out of her purse and called her father’s limo service. Brie wasn’t sure she would be able to find a cab, and there was no way she was walking the streets in an unfamiliar area at night.
9
Jesse pulled up in front of Brie’s building the next morning excited and a little nervous. Today would be a defining day though Brie had no idea. If she liked his church and saw herself continuing to come with him, he was prepared to start dating her, but if she couldn’t, he would end it now before his feelings grew anymore.
He parked the truck, whispered a quick prayer, and headed inside. “Can you ring Brie Carter and tell her Jesse Calhoun is here?” he asked the man behind the front desk this morning. He still found it odd he couldn’t just go up to her apartment, but he supposed with her money and family name, she needed to be extra careful.
The man nodded and picked up a phone. “Ms. Carter, there is a Jesse Calhoun here for you. Yes, ma’am.” He placed the phone down and regarded Jesse again. “You may go up. I assume you know the floor.”
“Yes, thank you.” Jesse flashed a smile and headed for the elevator. A moment later, he stood in front of Brie’s door. He took a moment to scan his shirt and pants for any loose dog hair before ringing the bell. Bugsy didn’t shed much, but occasionally, he would find stray hairs on his clothing, and he wanted to make sure he had none today.
The door swung open and Brie smiled at him from the other side. Her blond hair was curled and hung loose around her shoulders, and she wore a pale pink dress that brought out the sparkle in her eyes.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
A soft pink color flooded her face, and she looked
away. “Are you sure? I wasn’t sure what to wear to church. It’s been so long since I was in one.”
“Well, God doesn’t care what you wear to church, but yes, you look amazing.” Though his church was laid back and many women wore pants and even jeans, Jesse always admired the women who dressed more femininely and wore skirts and dresses. Maybe it was old fashioned, but he appreciated the differences between men and women. “You might want to grab a coat though. It was snowing on the way over here, and I’m not sure how much we’re supposed to get.”
“Right, thank you.” Brie ducked inside and moments later returned with an expensive looking designer coat. Though Jesse would never be able to afford one like it, he had to admit it hugged her in all the right places.
As they walked back to the elevator, he couldn’t help wondering if her money and his lack of it would come between them. He made decent money on SWAT, but nowhere near what she was used to. If they did date, would she expect elaborate outings and expensive jewelry? And what if she invited him into her world? Would he fit in with her rich friends? He pushed the insecurities aside as he pushed the elevator button. They could wait. First, he had to see how church went.
The falling snow made the drive a little slower, but half an hour later, they arrived. Jesse attended a smaller Nazarene church on the outskirts of the city. He liked that it wasn’t in the city traffic, and he didn’t have to worry about parking.
The building sat on about an acre, a large rectangular building with three crosses on top, but it had a playground for the kids, a small field, and a parking lot. More than any church in the city had.
Jesse parked the truck and hurried to Brie’s side to open the door. He wished he had brought an umbrella as the snow was coming down harder now. “Want to make a run for it?”
Brie shook her head, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. “I love the snow. Let’s just enjoy it.”
Jesse tilted his head at her. He had not expected that at all. Had he been wrong about Brie originally or was she changing in front of his eyes? “All right, come on.” He held out his hand, and she placed hers in his palm. Warmth traveled up his arm and he shifted his hand, so their fingers were intertwined. She winked at him, and hand-in-hand, they walked into the church.
Greeters stood under the awning holding umbrellas, and one hurried their way as he noticed them, but Jesse waved him off. “We’re enjoying the snow but thank you.” Beside him, Brie giggled and tilted her face to the sky, letting the snow fall on her face.
A moment later they were in the church brushing off the snow and laughing. Brie’s nose was a bright pink beneath her sparkling eyes. Jesse took their coats and hung them in the small room off the main hallway, and then they found a seat in the sanctuary.
He preferred to sit near the front, but he knew it made a lot of people uncomfortable, so he chose a seat near the middle. Jesse let Brie slide in first, and he sat on the end. He wanted to be a buffer for her from the people he knew would come and greet them. Jesse loved that he attended a friendly church, but he also remembered his first day and how uncomfortable he felt with everyone coming up to him and introducing themselves.
Sure enough, as soon as they sat down, the people began arriving. With each one, Jesse shook hands first before introducing Brie. If anyone knew that she was Brie Carter, daughter of the billionaire, they kept it to themselves for which Jesse was glad. He was sure the last thing she wanted was more attention drawn to her.
When the people stopped coming and the music started, he felt Brie relax next to him.
Brie was glad when the music started, and the people stopped coming by. Her nerves were already on edge and meeting a ton of new people just frazzled them more. When the songs ended, the pastor took the stage. Brie wasn’t sure what she expected, but she hadn’t pictured the thin man with a receding hairline. He wasn’t dressed in a suit and tie but a simple button-down shirt and slacks.
When he opened his mouth, his voice was calm and even though he spoke on a tough topic, he kept an even keel throughout. Brie was transfixed by the sermon as the pastor spoke on loving the people of the world but not being a part of it.
“We are in tough times right now. The world is telling us one thing while the Bible tells us another, and unfortunately some who have spoken out in hate have given Christians a bad name. Neither God nor Jesus told us to hate. In fact, the Bible says we are not to judge. That is God’s place. We are to hold other believers accountable if we know they are sinning to help them see the error of their ways, so they can come back to Jesus. Even then, we are to do it with love. If they repent and come back, we are to forgive them as Jesus forgives them. None of us are perfect and we all need forgiveness.
“As for the world, and by this, I mean those who do not profess to follow Jesus, we are to love the people, so they see the light of Jesus within us and ask why we are different. Does this mean we enable and endorse things we know are against what God would want? Not at all but remember that God does not weigh sin. God says we are to be in the world but not of the world. So, instead of focusing on others’ sins, focus instead on being the light of Jesus. And instead of spouting hateful words, use your mouths to pray. This is not only what God commands us, but it will present an example for the world they cannot attack.”
Brie was not one for politics, but she was not ignorant to the vitriol in the world. She had never heard someone speak on simply showing love and praying. Nor had she really understood what acting like Jesus meant. Was that why Jesse seemed so different to her?
She posed that very question to him on the way back to her apartment. “Are you so different because of Jesus?”
Jesse glanced over at her briefly before returning his attention to the road. “What do you mean different?”
Brie bit her lip as she thought. “I don’t know. You’re unlike everyone I’ve known. You don’t seem to care about the latest trends or getting into the hottest parties.”
Jesse smiled. “Well, that’s probably a lot of regular people who aren’t billionaires. We don’t get invited to those parties often.”
“Okay, but there’s also the thing with the kids at the hospital. I know a lot of people who have the money to do what you do, and they don’t.”
“I do try to live the way Jesus would want me to live. As the pastor said, I am not perfect, but I try to be an example for others. And when I mess up, I know that God is faithful and just and will forgive my sins if I confess them and repent. I also try to admit when I’m wrong. For example, I thought when I first met you that you were just a spoiled rich girl like a lot of other wealthy people I’ve known. I judged you before knowing you, and that was wrong. I’m sorry.”
Brie bit back a smile and shook her head. “No, you were right. I was a spoiled rich girl, but this week, I’ve started to see things differently. I even went to a party last night and left early. I didn’t know why but just felt like I didn’t belong.”
“I think you could do amazing things if you put your energy toward helping others. With your money and influence, you could really make a difference.”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that. I’m going to ask my father if he’ll help if I go back to school. I never knew what I wanted to do, but after losing my mom and seeing those kids, I think I want to look into nutrition. I’ve heard that some foods can help with diseases, and I really want to help those kids.”
Jesse flashed her another grin, one that lit his face up from ear to ear and displayed a tiny dimple in his cheek she hadn’t noticed before. He was no Kade Sinclair, but he was handsome in his own way. “I believe you would be a wonderful nutritionist or dietician.”
His words warmed Brie’s heart in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time. When they pulled up to her apartment, she waited for him to open her door before stepping out of the truck. There was just something about him opening her door that made her feel special.
“I’m really glad you came to church with me this morning,” he said when t
hey reached her door.
“I’m glad I came too. It was a nice place, and if you’re open to it, I’d like to go again.”
“I’d love it if you would come again.” He grabbed her hands, sending a funny sensation up her arms, and folded them against his heart. “I’m glad Brendan asked me to give you a chance.”
“Me too.” Her voice was quiet as she looked up at him. Was he going to kiss her this time? His eyes held her gaze and then dropped to her lips. Ever so slowly his face lowered to hers, and his lips touched hers. They were soft and sweet but sent a heat pulsing through her body. All too quickly, he pulled back, and she opened her eyes.
“Would you like to go ice skating tomorrow?”
Brie blinked at him. She hadn’t been expecting that question, but she would not pass up any time with Jesse. “I’d love to.”
“Wonderful,” he tucked a strand of hair behind her ears, sending another jolt of electricity down her spine, “as long as nothing catastrophic happens tomorrow, I should be off by six pm.”
“I should be off by four, so that will work out perfectly.”
He held her gaze another moment before planting another quick kiss and then walking away. On cloud nine, Brie walked into her apartment. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt like this.
She dropped her purse and hung up her coat before dialing her father’s number. Now that she had told Jesse of her plan, she just needed to inform her father. “Hey, Dad, when you get a chance can I come see you or can you stop by my apartment? I have a proposition I want to discuss with you.”
“How about we meet for dinner tonight?” her father suggested. “I have a meeting to finish here, but I could meet you at five.”
“It’s a date.” Brie smiled as she hung up. She just hoped her father would be as excited about this as she was.
Lawfully Pursued (Christian Opposites Attract Romance): A SWAT Lawkeeper Romance Page 6
