Love's Prayer (The First Street Church Romances Book 1)

by Melissa Storm

  As he gnashed the fleshy vegetable with his teeth, an unexpected symphony of flavors played out on his tongue.

  “Do you like it?” Summer asked, looking from him to Susan and back again.

  He nodded and smiled at Summer to let her know how much he enjoyed it without being so uncouth as to talk with his mouth open, and immediately took another bite.

  His mother, who very rarely found herself in the company of anyone but Ben, didn’t take such precautions. “Yummo!” she said enthusiastically. “Where’d you learn to cook like this?”

  “Well, I have an app that walked me through everything. Looks like it deserves a five-star rating. I’ll shoot you the link later, so you can try it out too.”

  Ben and his mother couldn’t afford smart phones; he silently prayed Susan wouldn't mention that. He also knew what the organic vegetables cost and wasn’t sure they could fit them into their budget. Luckily, Susan said none of this and returned to focusing on the food in front of her.

  They ate in silence for a while as Ben wondered how he could better break the ice with Summer—beyond the constant nodding and declaring everything she did “awesome.” He also wondered what she would surprise him with next and what other wonderful things were just outside his front door simply waiting to be discovered.

  Okay, yes, Summer wanted to talk with Ben, but somehow it was easier to focus on Susan, the food—anything but her undeniable attraction to the quiet loner of Sweet Grove. Besides, she didn’t want to mess up and accidentally flirt with him right there in front of his mom. Man, it was like they were in high school again—the butterflies, the stolen glances, the chaperone.

  But as much as Summer wanted to get to know Ben better, she also liked Susan and wanted to help. There was no way she would mess up and accidentally fall in love with Susan, after all.

  The three of them chewed in silence for a while and Summer searched her brain for an appropriate topic of conversation. Somehow their bites had become synchronized like some sort of strange kitchen dance. Ah-ha, music!

  “So I already know you love Carrie Underwood,” she said to Susan, laying her fork down. “What other types of music do you enjoy?”

  “Sorry again for that outburst. I honestly can’t even remember much of that night.” Susan laughed at herself, but the glint in her eye betrayed a deeper, hidden pain.

  “It’s okay. It brought us all together, right?” She caught Ben staring at her and heat rose to her cheeks. Was he staring at her because of the awkwardness or because he liked looking at her? Did that mean he had a bit of a crush on her too? Gaah, they really were in high school again.

  Susan smiled and took another bite of couscous, leaving Summer’s question unanswered.

  Ben jumped in to keep the conversation from getting off track. “Mom used to sing in the church choir. She was the lead soprano actually, before…” He grimaced and quickly changed the topic. “I mean, she likes all kinds of music. Country, oldies, pop, everything except maybe rap.”

  “Why do you say I don’t like rap?” Susan asked between bites.

  “Okay, so all kinds of music then.” Ben laughed. “No exceptions.”

  Summer waited for him to ask about her interests, but he didn’t. So she tried a new line of conversation.

  “I already know Ben works at Maisie’s market. What do you do for work, Susan?”

  “Nothing. I got fired.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. Was this recent?”

  “About three years ago. Said I drink too much.”

  Oh, no. She was asking all the wrong questions. Her attempts at being nice were actually making the whole evening even more uncomfortable for everyone, especially poor Susan who now kept her eyes glued firmly on her nearly empty plate.

  Ben wiped his lips with a paper napkin, then again answered in Susan’s place. “She, um, used to be a fourth grade teacher. The kids really loved her too.”

  Susan sighed. “Ahh, memories. The whole reason I drink to begin with. If you two don’t mind, I think I’ll just head to bed now.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

  “It’s not your fault, Summer. Thank you for bringing dinner. It was great. Right, Mom?”

  “Yes, thank you and goodnight.”

  They both watched Susan pad out of the kitchen. Neither spoke until the bedroom door clicked shut behind her.

  “I’m willing to bet she has a stash in there that we didn’t find the other night,” Ben said at last.

  “Oh, I hope I didn’t…”

  “You were awesome, Summer. I can’t remember the last time we sat down for a meal together or had company for that matter. I know you want to help and you are helping. It’s just that… Well, her problems require more than one nice evening if they’re ever going to get solved. Know what I mean?”

  “I do, but thanks for saying that.” She nodded and gave him a playful jab on the arm. Okay, he’d told her she was awesome at least a dozen times that day, did that mean he liked her every bit as much as she liked him? Or did that just mean he didn’t have many other words to express himself? No, Ben seemed like a smart guy, which meant…

  “Again, really awesome of you. Thank you,” Ben said and then shook his head. “I mean, it was nice, good, any other word. Though it was pretty awesome too.”

  “I know what you mean,” she said, and she did. Their attraction was definitely mutual. She wrapped her arms around her torso in a self-hug and bit back a yawn. “Man, it’s getting late. Would you mind walking me home?”

  He quirked an eyebrow at her, drawing attention to his gorgeous emerald gaze. “Didn’t you drive?”

  “Yeah, but it’s not far, and I could really use a bit of fresh air to clear my head. Is it okay if I come back for the car later?”

  That way I’ll be sure to see you again, she added in her head.

  “Let’s do it,” he answered. “But first…” He went to the coat closet and grabbed a worn zip-up hoodie. “It gets kind of cold out there after the sun sets for the night, so you’d better put this on.”

  Summer looped an arm through each sleeve, enveloping herself in the piney, clean scent of the boy she now totally admitted she was crazy about. “Thanks. This is awesome.”

  Chapter 9

  Of course, more time with Summer away from his mother’s watchful eye suited Ben just fine. He still wasn’t entirely sure why she even wanted to give his drunk, ill-mannered mom any of her precious time, but he was certainly glad she continued to come around. As much as Ben liked all the time he was now getting with the girl of his dreams, he also felt guilty that it took an outsider to finally help Susan out of her alcoholic stupor.

  The changes were slight, but still progress had been made. Now as he walked with Summer beneath a sky full of shining stars, he wanted to make sure she knew this. “You’re really amazing, you know.”

  “What? Not awesome?” She scrunched her nose up playfully, fixing her gaze on him rather than the sidewalk ahead. Would she stumble and give him the chance to catch her? He kind of hoped so.

  “Haha, very funny. But, yes. You’re both amazing and awesome, and so many other things in between.” If he reached out to grab her hand, would she let him? He decided not to push his luck in that department just yet, given how thick he was already laying on the flattery.

  “My mom,” he continued. “It’s amazing that you are so set on helping her. She’s really perked up since meeting you.” And so have I, he added internally, but did not say aloud. She already knew he was damaged, but it was probably too soon for her to find out just how broken he was on the inside.

  “I hope so. I mean, I really do want to help. I kind of wish I’d majored in psychology or something like that instead of communications. Do you think I would be a good therapist? Maybe I should go back to school.”

  “You would be great. I mean you already are… awesome.”

  “Yeah, I think you’ve mentioned that.” She laughed but didn’t give him any more of a hard time about it.


  “I like psychology too,” he said when her laughter abated. “In fact, I was studying up on it when you found me in the library this afternoon.”

  “Oh? I didn’t realize. Is that what you go to school for? Are you only back home for the summer?”

  “No, I’m here for the… well, always. No school, even though I’d really liked to have gone. I had to stay here to take care of Mom.”

  “You’re a good son,” she said.

  “I wish that were true. Most days I find myself resenting her, resenting my brother.”

  “Were you two close before he…?”

  “No,” he said through clenched teeth. He needed to get this conversation back on track and fast, but he also owed it to Summer to be honest with her. He couldn’t be sure given the dark sky, but Ben thought he saw Summer frown.

  “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

  “No, you deserve to know. It will help you understand us a bit better.” He took a slow, deep breath. “I remember finding out about the accident—that’s what they called it ‘an accident’. Nobody wanted to admit that Stephen had intentionally shot himself in the face. I was in my junior year of high school. They called me to the office midday, and I actually worried that I was in trouble. But then my mom was there to get me and told me everything. That may have been the last time I saw her sober, actually. My dad gave her space for a few months, but after a while he would start to fight whenever she reached for another drink. And awhile after that, he just up and left. I haven’t seen the deadbeat since.”

  Summer drifted closer to him, as if his sorrow had its own gravitational pull. “That's awful. It must have been so hard on her.”

  He nodded and thought again about reaching for her hand, but, no, he didn’t want her to feel obligated to be kind to him. He wanted this to be real, because so little else in his life actually was. “Hard on us all. She lost her job shortly after that, and the drinking got even worse. Luckily, by then I was close to graduation and was able to transition to working full time at the market. It was only ever supposed to be an after-school job. I had a full ride to UT in Austin. It would have covered room and board as well as tuition, but it wouldn’t have paid the mortgage on our house. It wouldn’t have taken care of my mom. So I turned it down and stayed here. Just until she gets better, I told myself. But she hasn’t gotten better yet, and I hate to say it, but I’d kind of given up trying until…”

  Oh, to heck with it. Ben reached for Summer’s hand and laced his fingers between hers. She gave his hand a soft squeeze, but didn't let go.

  “Until you,” he said bravely at the exact same time Summer said, “This is me.”

  What timing!

  She let go of his hand as they walked up onto the porch of a quirky little ranch house with a whole army of garden gnomes placed around the front lawn.

  “Thanks again for everything,” he said.

  “I had a good time tonight,” she said, and then, “Ben?”

  “Yes?”

  “Would you like to come inside and have some tea with me?”

  Why did you invite him in for tea? Summer asked herself. Is this what you call not getting involved? You are going to hurt him if you’re not careful. So be careful already! Behave!

  “So what kind of tea do you have?” Ben asked, taking the bait she’d tossed his way.

  “Umm, actually, I don’t know. Let me check the cupboards.” She strode into the kitchen and hoped she’d find all the fixings she needed to make a nice cup of tea. Aunt Iris was forever drinking herbal this and English breakfast that. Summer herself had always been more of a coffee person, but Ben didn’t need to know that. If he found out the tea was just an excuse for continuing their conversation, for getting him to stay a bit longer than he otherwise might have…

  “Ah-ha! I knew Aunt Iris wouldn’t let me down. Earl Grey okay?”

  He shook his head, “Yeah, I mean, I’m not much of a tea drinker, but I’m sure it will be delicious.”

  She found the kettle and filled it up then put it over the electric cooktop. She thought about what she might like to ask Ben and whether maybe—just maybe—it could be okay to flirt a little bit in the process.

  Then it hit her. “Oh, shoot!”

  “What? What’s wrong?” Ben shot to his feet and glanced around the tiny house’s open floor plan.

  “There’s this thing tomorrow, and I wanted to invite your mom, but I forgot.”

  “What kind of thing?”

  “A concert at the church. Do you think she’d want to come? Elise invited me, and it sounds like a lot of fun.” She watched for a reaction at the mention of his ex-girlfriend, but there wasn’t one.

  “She used to love singing at the church. I’m sure she’d come along if you asked her. She doesn’t usually leave the house unless someone invites her to go somewhere, and as the years pass, fewer and fewer people do. I think that’s why she’s enjoyed meeting you so much. You look at her with fresh eyes.”

  “I’d like you to come too. If that’s all right.”

  “Yeah. I mean, yeah.”

  Just then the tea kettle whistled. Summer grabbed it off the hot stove and moved it onto a tiny parrot-shaped trivet as she searched around for a pair of mugs.

  “Do you mind if I ask you a kind of personal question?” She put a tea bag in each mug and poured hot water in after.

  “Shoot.”

  “How come you ran away from me the other day at the market? I thought we had… I thought we had a good time at the flower shop, but then the very next day you were avoiding me like I was some kind of leper.”

  Ben sighed and looked away. “That’s a good question. Unfortunately, I don’t have a very good answer. I was scared, I guess.”

  “Of me?”

  “No, of what I felt when you were around.”

  She frowned. “I don’t get it.”

  He stood up and walked over to her. Just inches away from her now, he looked down at her from his position about a half foot taller. And like the stars that had just guided her home, they sparkled. The guy’s eyes sparkled. Was that the look of love?

  “I like you, Summer. A lot,” he whispered.

  She smiled and handed him a mug of tea. “I like you too, Ben.”

  “Can I ask you a personal question?”

  “Of course.” But not while we’re standing this close, it’s too risky, she thought as she bounced back over to the table, doing her best to look happy-go-lucky about it all.

  “Why?” Ben cleared his throat, then asked again, “Why do you like me?”

  Well, now there’s the million-dollar question. She’d been so focused on the fact she liked him, she hadn’t even asked herself why. “I don’t know. I just do,” she said.

  He laughed and took a sip of tea. Had she hurt his feelings by not saying more?

  “I really do, Ben. I do.” She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek to make sure he understood that.

  “Good.”

  “Good.”

  And they continued to drink their tea in comfortable silence.

  Chapter 10

  Ben couldn’t stop smiling as he shaved that morning. Last night with Summer had been so freeing. To be able to open up to someone like that and to still feel accepted when the truth had come out—magic. Most of his fears had been laid to rest. Now he just wanted every second of Summer he could soak up while she was in Sweet Grove for the next few months. In fact, he planned to ask her on an official date once the concert was through.

  And if the sweet, simple kiss on the cheek she’d given him the night before was any indicator, she would definitely say yes.

  Love. Was it too soon to feel his heart fill with tenderness for the woman he’d hardly known a week? If not in love, then at least he was happy—and that was something he’d truly never expected to feel again. Now look at him, going to church—church!—of all places.

  Although his mother had sung in the choir for years, his fathe
r had actively and loudly disapproved. He didn’t believe in God, and he didn’t approve of his mother trying to force their boys into believing either. That’s why he’d always had the choice as to whether or not to attend services. When faced with the option of spending a couple hours sitting quietly or a fun day at the cider mill with his dad and brother, he always chose the latter.

  Perhaps if their father had tried a little harder, Stephen could have found comfort in faith, and perhaps that would have saved him in the end. Perhaps, too, Susan wouldn’t have given up on her own faith so easily. Perhaps all their lives would be different.

  Ben briefly allowed himself to picture an alternate reality where Stephen was alive, his parents were still happily married, and he was the proud holder of a college degree. But that reality didn’t include Summer, a thought which made him feel a deep sense of loss. Normally he’d give anything to change the past, to create that different present, but now? The thought of a life without Summer made him feel empty, devoid of any further hope.

  In college, there would have undoubtedly been other girls, but would any of them have been the right girl? For that matter, was Summer the right girl, or did she just happen to be the first girl to smile and claim to like him? He didn’t know, but now he wanted more than anything to find out.

  “Are you ready to go?” he asked with a firm rap on his mother’s bedroom door.

  When she didn’t answer, panic began to set in. Had she drunk herself into a stupor? Was she still sleeping it off? What would Summer think if Ben showed up to the concert all alone?

  “Mom?” He twisted the doorknob, but found it locked. He knocked again—louder, harder.

  “Hold your horses, hold your horses,” Susan answered from within, and then flung the door open.