Kristy brushed her finger across the top of the picture frame and then curled her lip. Not even a speck of dirt. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, noting the stress blemish that had formed on her chin. “I hate her,” she whispered. “God, I know I’m not supposed to hate people. I’m supposed to love and pray for my enemies...” She closed her eyes. “But I really, truly, one hundred percent can’t stand her.”
She washed her hands using deliciously scented lemon soap, then dried them on the soft, fluffy gold-trimmed hand towel, which boasted a large gold A. “She has everything I wanted.”
Adding guilt for her mean thoughts to her already wounded ego, she headed back to the dining room.
“Leah and I came up with an idea,” said Mel.
Leah passed Kristy a stack of envelopes and a notebook. “You write down addresses while we finish invitations.”
Kristy nodded. She liked that idea much better than trying to figure out how to line up those two pieces of paper and punch the holes just right.
“Mom, I haven’t talked with you much since our last counseling sessions,” said Mel.
“How are those going?” asked Leah. She leaned forward and placed her hand on Mel’s arm. “I know the pastor requires them, but are you finding them helpful?”
Kristy bit her tongue. Of course a little counseling would be helpful. She and Joel were practically babies themselves.
“We really like it,” said Mel. She grinned at her mom. “I guess you figured out I don’t want to postpone the wedding like Aunt Carrie suggested.”
“Postpone?” Leah furrowed her brows. “Goodness, no. We already have a caterer. We’ve ordered the cakes.”
Mel’s expression begged Kristy not to respond. With great effort, Kristy pinched her lips together and gripped the pen tighter in her hand.
“We’re not postponing, Leah. Joel and I are still getting married in twenty-four days.”
Kristy pressed the calendar on her smartphone. Was the date really that soon? It didn’t seem possible, but Mel was right. Only three and a half weeks.
Mel lifted her finger. “There is one change of plans I think you’ll be happy about, Mom.”
“We can’t change the date.” Leah shuffled in her seat like a chicken that had got her feathers ruffled. “We’re working on invitations as we speak.”
“I promise the date is the same,” assured Mel. She looked at Kristy with a twinkle in her eye. “But we have decided I’m going to attend the community college this fall.”
Kristy’s heart leaped in her chest. She opened her mouth, but Leah clicked her tongue. “Do you really think it’s safe to put so much stress on your body while you’re pregnant? Especially with the bleeding.”
“I haven’t had any more trouble. I’m going to rest like the doctor said, but I should be fine when the fall semester starts,” said Mel.
“Of course she’ll be fine, and my Mel can handle whatever stress comes her way.” Kristy fought to keep her voice low and her pitch even. “She’s one of the strongest young ladies I know.”
Mel beamed at her mom’s praise, and Kristy realized she genuinely meant what she’d said. Mel was smart, and she was strong. Since finding out about the pregnancy, she’d determined to give her mistakes over to God. Like Timothy in the New Testament, Mel had a lot of wisdom, and Kristy praised God she was going to college.
* * *
Wade melted butter in a large pot and then added diced carrots, onion and celery, along with some salt and thyme. He stirred while the vegetables softened in the pot. The last thing he’d planned to do on the Fourth of July was make chicken noodle soup. And yet here he was.
He’d called Kristy earlier to see if she’d like to go to the rookie league baseball game at the Surprise Recreation Campus, but she’d been up the whole night before with a stomach bug. She’d sounded so groggy and weak that he’d headed straight to the store for the ingredients for the soup his grandma had always fixed to make him feel better when he was a kid.
Adding broth to the vegetables and seasoning, he turned up the heat until the soup boiled. He added egg noodles and set the timer for five minutes. Once the pasta was tender, he added cooked chicken and some cayenne and salt and pepper. Turning the heat to simmer, he cleaned up the kitchen and then took Bo for a walk around the neighborhood.
Once back at the house, he scratched Bo behind the ears. “We’ll go to the dog park tomorrow.”
He grabbed a couple sleeves of saltine crackers and the warm soup and headed to the car. When he reached Kristy’s home, his heartbeat sped up. Today would be the first time he’d seen her since he’d admitted his true feelings to himself. He hadn’t said them aloud, but what if they were somehow written into his expression? What if she didn’t feel the same way?
Rolling his eyes at his own insecurity, he knocked on the front door. He wasn’t some high school student with a teenage crush. He was a forty-year-old man. Kristy’s minister. The one who guided her and the rest of the church members to a closer relationship with God.
His stomach flipped with new anxiety. If she didn’t feel the same way and he shared his feelings, his admission would make things very challenging for both of them. She might not want to attend a church where the minister had fallen head over heels in love with her.
What am I thinking, Lord? He started to turn around, but his conscience kept his feet planted. He couldn’t run away now. He’d already knocked. Already heard shuffling inside the house. Get yourself together. You’ll just give her the soup as a concerned brother in Christ. Then you’ll hightail it out of here.
The door opened to a pale, puffy-eyed Kristy, with brown hair sticking out at odd angles around her head. “Wade?” she mumbled as she trailed her fingers through her wild mane. “What are you doing here?”
He held the pot higher, and the bag holding the crackers swayed back and forth from his wrist. “Brought you some soup.”
A low groan seeped from her lips. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”
“What? You look great.”
Kristy’s eyes widened, and she grabbed her stomach and ran away from the door. Wade pursed his lips. What should he do now? The poor woman was obviously making a mad dash for the bathroom. With a shrug, he decided he couldn’t leave the soup on the porch, so he let himself into the house. He took the pot and crackers to the kitchen. Moments later, Kristy appeared in the doorway, wearing a pink robe and an Arizona Razorbacks ball cap.
He chuckled as he pointed to her head. “A hat?”
She snarled, “My hair’s a wreck. What’s a girl supposed to do when her good-looking, single pastor comes to visit and she’s been retching all night?”
His insides warmed that she found him attractive and that she wanted to look good for him. Maybe she shared his feelings after all. At least to some degree. He glanced around the kitchen. “Do you need anything? Some lemon-lime soda or an energy drink?”
She scrunched her nose. “I hate to ask you.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
“I’m dying for something bland and fizzy to settle down this queasiness.”
Wade lifted his keys. “You got it. I’ll be back in five minutes.”
Making a straight dash to the convenience store a few blocks away, he picked up a twelve-pack of soda and a few different flavors of sports beverages, then drove back to Kristy’s house. He knocked on the door again. This time, Carrie answered. A full smile covered her face. “Come on in, Pastor Wade.” She opened the door wide. “I couldn’t believe it when I walked in and smelled the delicious scent of homemade chicken noodle soup.” She lifted her eyebrows. “Only someone who truly cares about a person makes homemade.”
A nervous chuckle escaped his lips. He had nowhere to hide, and no one who would walk up and interrupt any questions Carrie might have. “Where’s Kristy?”
“She’s trying to clean up a bit.” She pointed to a sack of groceries sitting on the coffee table. “I came over to warm up a couple
cans of soup. Make sure my sister was comfortable. Never expected someone would beat me to it.”
Wade shuffled his feet. He’d placed himself in an unfamiliar, awkward position. He’d always loved his church family and worked hard to encourage and teach them to follow the Lord, but he’d also kept any potential girlfriends at arm’s length. Until Kristy.
Carrie intertwined her fingers and rocked back on her heels. “All teasing aside, I’m glad you care about her.”
Before Wade could respond, Kristy called for her sister from the other room. He waited until Carrie came back to the living room. “She’s still feeling pretty sick. I’m going to make her a bowl of your soup and take it to her bedroom.”
“I can stay and help.”
“She doesn’t want you to see her like this.”
“But—”
“Pastor Wade.” Carrie pushed him toward the door. “Let me spell it out for you. When you first start really caring about someone, you don’t want them to see you barfing all over the place. Do you understand?”
Excitement stirred within him. She did like him. He nodded as he turned to the door. “I’ll just call her later.”
“Perfect.”
With the entire holiday open, Wade took Bo to the dog park, grilled hamburgers for one on his back deck and then watched fireworks from the backyard. Having thought and prayed for Kristy all day, he called her when the fireworks ended.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Much better.” She still sounded weak but nowhere near as groggy. “Your soup was wonderful.”
“Thanks.” Just spit it out. You’re too old to spend your days and nights thinking about her but never doing anything about it. “I wondered if you’d be willing to go to dinner and a movie with me. When you feel better, of course.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter 16
Kristy studied her reflection in the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door. She wore a denim-colored plain cotton sundress with a square-cut neckline. Though she’d had the dress for several years, she’d added a large yellow flower clip to one corner at the top and a thin white belt around her waist. The yellow-and-white wedges she’d bought at a clearance sale at one of her favorite shoe stores matched perfectly.
After trailing her fingertips through her short waves of hair, she pinched her cheeks. She might need to add a bit more blush. Though she felt better after spending a day vegging out in front of the television after her awful bout with the stomach bug, her complexion was still pale.
Carrie had called more times than Kristy could count since her big sister had shared the news of a first, official date. Thankfully, Mel had left the house early to spend the day with a few of her bridesmaids. She had no idea of her mother’s plans for the evening.
The doorbell rang, and after one last glance at the mirror and a long exhale, she headed for the door. It’s okay. First date you’ve gone on in more years than you’d like to think about, but you can do this. It’s just your pastor.
The thought made her want to race back to her bedroom and slam the door. She shook her head and willed the fluttering butterflies to flit out of her stomach. Too late for that.
She opened the door. Wade looked handsome in a navy blue polo shirt and khaki pants. A full smile spread across his newly shaved face. She bit her bottom lip when she saw the bouquet of red, orange and yellow roses in his hands.
“You look beautiful, Kristy,” he said, and then his face flushed like a young teen going on his first date. He handed her the flowers.
“These are lovely.” She motioned him inside. “Come in. I’ll put them in a vase, then we’ll be on our way.”
A memory of one of the first times Mel and Joel had gone out raced through her mind. He’d brought her a bouquet of wildflowers, which Kristy had deemed very sweet. Mel had giggled and then pulled her phone out of her purse. “Come on,” she’d said. “We’ll take a selfie with them, and I’ll post it online.”
Kristy bit back a chuckle. She wondered what Wade would think if she asked him to take a selfie. Pushing the silly thought away, she fixed the flowers, grabbed her purse and then followed him out the door. Like a true gentleman, he opened her car door and waited until she’d slipped inside before walking around to the driver’s side.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Does a steak house sound all right?”
She patted her stomach. “Sounds delicious. I’m ready to eat again.”
He chuckled but didn’t respond. He seemed as nervous as she felt. She racked her brain for something to say. She liked him. Really liked him. But she didn’t know how to date. She could count on two hands, maybe even one hand, how many dates she’d been on since Mel was born.
Once at the restaurant and seated, she picked up the menu and tried to peruse her choices. Wade pulled his smartphone out of his pocket and looked at something. She chewed the inside of her cheek. What if he hadn’t really wanted to ask her out? Carrie was always hinting and teasing. Maybe she’d said something to him while Kristy was sick to make him feel as though he should. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered once more.
“Shaky, uptight, jittery, uneasy, apprehensive, overwrought.” He looked up from his phone. “I was looking for a big, impressive word to express how nervous I am right now, but my phone isn’t listing any.”
Kristy smiled. “Nervous explains my feelings quite accurately.”
“It sounds as though we’re both being a little silly. We’ve been together many times before.”
“Never on a date.”
“True.” His gaze penetrated hers as his expression softened. “But I’m really glad we’re on one now.”
Before Kristy could respond, the waitress arrived and took their orders. To be extracautious, she ordered a lemon-lime soda instead of a caffeinated soft drink. They passed the waitress the menus, then Wade clasped his hands and rested them on the table. “Tell me about yourself, Kristy.”
She laughed again. “I think you know a lot about me already.”
“Not your hopes and dreams. I’m wondering about what you want, not what you want for Mel.”
She pursed her lips. Mel had been her hopes and dreams for so long she wasn’t sure what she wanted. What God wanted for her. A sudden feeling of freedom overwhelmed her. She wasn’t tied down to her expectations and goals for Mel. She didn’t have to live her life through her daughter. “I’d always thought I wanted to be a prestigious English professor at a major university, but I really enjoy my position at the community college. I don’t make a lot of money, but it’s been enough to support me and Mel. Plus I’m able to help out at church a lot.”
Wade nodded. “I know I appreciate your levelheadedness in our committee meetings. What about the future?”
“We heard the baby’s heartbeat at Mel’s last doctor’s appointment.” A sudden excitement swelled in her chest. “Her pregnancy might not be the ideal start, but babies are always blessings, and I find I’m already excited to meet the little guy or girl.”
“What about you? Not Mel. Not the baby. Not even the church. You.”
Kristy tilted her head. “Anyone ever tell you that you have tunnel vision?”
“Maybe.”
She furrowed her brows as her mind raced for an answer. “You know what? I don’t know. Whatever God has for me, I suppose.”
* * *
Wade had asked Kristy to go to dinner and a movie with him, but then he’d had another idea after he’d asked for the check. Apprehension swelled in his gut as he drove closer to the destination. Part of him feared she’d think him too forward. Acting more like her committed boyfriend or husband instead of her date. But this was more than a date. They’d spent time together already, and he wanted to give her something. Do something just for her.
He parked in front of a dress shop. Kristy looked to her left, then her right. “Why are we here?”
“I’m assuming you need a mother-of-the-bride
dress.”
“What?” Kristy leaned back in the passenger’s seat and pressed her hand against her chest.
He cringed. “I probably should have asked if you’d bought one already. I didn’t even think of that.”
“I haven’t purchased anything.” Kristy shook her head. “But I don’t understand. I thought we were going to a movie.”
“We can if you want to, but...” He shrugged, searching for the right words to say. Since his run-in with Wilma on the Waddell Trail at White Tank Mountains and his full surrender to forgive himself for Zella’s death, God had been speaking to his heart in an almost shouting voice. Scripture had come alive. His desire to love and serve and help had never been so strong. He no longer operated on his own strength, but had given every aspect of his life to the Lord. He cleared his throat. “I’d like to buy your dress for you.”
Kristy frowned. “Why?”
“The wedding and pregnancy have been such a surprise, and I’m impressed with how you’ve handled yourself with Mel and Leah and Joel. Just everyone. I respect you, and I’ve grown to care about you.” Finally allowed myself to fall in love with you. He withheld the last thought. “I just want to do this for you.”
“I don’t think that’s appropriate, Wade.”
“Why not?”
She lifted her hands. “Oh, I don’t know. We’re not married. You’re my pastor. Do I need more reasons?”
“We’re not living in the Stone Age, Kristy. I hardly think my buying you a dress is inappropriate.”
She cocked her head. “For a smart guy, you are really naive when it comes to boy-girl relationships.”
“I’m just trying to help. Isn’t that the Christian thing to do?”
“So you’re buying the dress because I’m a struggling single mom?”
Wade shrugged. “I suppose.”
“So you’re gonna buy Eustace’s dress? She’s a single woman on a fixed budget.”
Wade’s face and neck warmed. “Well, no. It’s just...”
“Just what, Wade?”
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