by Barbara Gee
“Sorry,” I said, flustered. “My mind was wandering.”
He paused a beat before asking the obvious. “Where to?”
I tried to cover. “Um, furniture placement. Do you think that little table with the family photos would look better between the windows, instead of where I have it there on the other wall?”
His low chuckle told me he wasn’t buying it. “No, Ava, I think the table looks just fine where you have it.”
I grinned. “Do you really think so? Because the placement has me really, really distracted.”
“You’re sure it’s the table?”
“Pretty sure.” I cleared my throat and gave myself a hard mental shake, because I didn’t want him to think I was hinting around for something. Even though I totally was. “Okay. So. Back to the matter at hand. What was the question?”
He grunted. “I don’t remember. I got distracted….by the table.”
I giggled and reluctantly pushed away from him, moving to the edge of the couch. “I think maybe we’d better continue the discussion about the doors at a later date. I’m too tired to make a good decision tonight.”
“What are your plans for tomorrow?” he asked. “More unpacking and furniture arranging?”
“Maybe later on, but I’ll be at Hidden Creek United Methodist Church in the morning. Grandma’s friends know I’m in town, and they’ll come to check on me if I don’t show up.”
“Methodist, huh? I go to New Horizons. It’s a nondenominational church just east of town.”
I was thrilled to hear he attended church, and I’d heard good things about New Horizons from Grandma. Which was saying a lot, because in her opinion, few churches could even come close to measuring up to her own beloved congregation.
“Did you go there before you moved in with Chase?”
“Yeah, I’ve been there for almost two years. It’s worth the drive from Mountain View.” He pushed to his feet. “What time does your church let out?”
“Eleven-thirty.” I hoped he was asking because he wanted to coordinate something. With me. Together.
“Same for Horizons. How about I pick you up here at noon and we head to Mountain View? I’ll take you to lunch, then up to my cabin, if you’re interested in seeing it. The hardwood floor started going in yesterday and I’d like to check it out.” He gave me his signature slow smile. “I wouldn’t mind the company, if you think you’ll be recovered by then.”
I didn’t even try to stop my own smile. “I’d love to see your place, Jude. I’ll be ready at noon.”
“Great.” He gave my knee a pat, then stood. “I’ll get out of here so you can go to bed.”
“Can’t I just sleep here?” I mumbled, fighting another yawn.
“No. You’ll sleep better in your bed.”
He held out a hand and wiggled his fingers. I sighed dramatically and let him pull me up, groaning softly when my muscles protested.
“I’ll let myself out and lock the door,” he said. “You go straight to bed, okay?”
I rolled my shoulders slowly. “I might take a hot bath first, now that I’m up anyway. But then I’ll go to bed. No more work for me today.”
He nodded approvingly. “Sleep well, Ava.”
“I will. Thanks so much for feeding me. I’ll see you tomorrow at noon.”
“I’ll be here,” he promised.
I watched him go, then thanked the good Lord above, right then and there, for bringing me to 5201 Apple Tree Drive, Hidden Creek, Tennessee.
Chapter 9
Sunday morning started out slow and relaxing. I got up early, did twenty minutes of yoga stretches to combat my soreness from all the furniture moving, then took a long, hot shower to further loosen up. Refreshed and dressed in a comfy robe, I took my coffee and muffin out to the deck, enjoying the light breeze and birdsong while I ate.
I lingered out there a little too long, then had to rush getting dressed. Thankfully church was less than five minutes away, and I made it with eight minutes to spare. I intended to make my way through the vestibule and straight to Grandma’s pew, but as soon as I got inside, I found myself facing seven expectant senior citizen ladies who appeared to have been lying in wait.
The group moved toward me as soon as I cleared the doors, a mass of bobbing white heads and colorful Sunday outfits. Naturally, Priscilla was in the lead, clad in purple knit pants and matching purple pumps—and in spite of the commotion, I couldn’t help but wonder, where in the world did a person buy purple pumps?
The thought barely had time to form before she was clutching my arm.
“Ava dear, I knew you’d be here. Such a good girl to honor Gwen’s memory by coming to the church she loved so dearly.”
Sarah Beth elbowed her way between us. “Of course you came here, Ava Ann. Where else would you go? This has always been your church when you come to Hidden Creek.”
Donna and Rosie snuck up from behind, startling me when their heads poked past my shoulders.
“Welcome back to Hidden Creek United Methodist,” Donna said robustly, patting my arm.
“We’re so glad you’re here to stay, Ava Ann,” Rosie added in her whispery soft voice. “Next week you should come for Sunday School. The young people’s class has coffee and donuts. Arabella Sky makes the donuts, and they’re to die for.”
“We’ve kept Gwen’s end of the pew open for you, but if you want to sit closer to the rest of the young people, feel free,” Priscilla said.
“Pastor Dan’s son always sits with the young folk.” I recognized Evvie Turner’s squeaky voice and spotted her peering out from behind two other heads, only her glasses visible. “His name’s Devon and he’s a right handsome young man.”
Priscilla frowned and tutted. “Oh for goodness sake, Evvie. Give the girl a chance to get settled.”
Several of the others also shushed poor Evvie, and her glasses disappeared from my view as she dipped her head in shame.
I didn’t know Evvie well, but I remembered from other visits that she always seemed to exist on the fringe of the group of ladies. Tolerated, but not necessarily accepted wholeheartedly.
I wasn’t sure why the ladies had given me this moment in the spotlight, but I decided to make the most of it. I slipped through the other women to get closer to Evvie.
“My goodness, Evvie,” I said, gazing at her admiringly. “What a perfectly lovely dress. That periwinkle blue is definitely your color.”
Her head came up, eyes wide with wonder. Suddenly I remembered Grandma telling me that Evvie’s husband had left her many years ago for a younger woman and Evvie still worked part-time at the dime store to make ends meet. Hardly the life of leisure enjoyed by her peers, and probably the reason she wasn’t a full-fledged member of the group.
“It sets off your eyes so beautifully,” I continued, aware of the other ladies tittering behind me. “I might have to take you shopping with me sometime. I could use some fashion advice.”
Her throat bobbed on a hard swallow. “Oh, well, my goodness, I haven’t been on a shopping trip in years. I ordered this dress from the Blair catalog.” Evvie smoothed her skirt and stood a bit taller. “It was on sale a couple months ago.”
“It was a great choice,” I said, looking at it wistfully. “I’m definitely going to be on the lookout for something that color for myself.” I made a show of checking the clock on the wall. “I’d better get to my seat. Ladies, so good to see you all this morning. We’ll talk again soon.”
I turned and made my way quickly to the sanctuary before they could head me off again. I found my spot on Grandma’s pew, third row from the front, and did my best to concentrate on the service. There were a few times I caught myself daydreaming about lunch with Jude, but I got the gist of the message about listening to the still, small voice of God, and I was glad for the timely message.
After the benediction, a lot of people came over to welcome me to Hidden Creek, this time as a resident instead of a visitor. It was nice to chat with them all, and I was fe
eling a warm glow as I moved with the crowd back toward the vestibule.
“Hey, Ava, mind if I give you a quick heads-up?”
I turned my head toward the voice and saw it was Marlene Dawson, a girl close to my own age whom I’d already had a nice conversation with.
“Of course you can,” I said.
She smiled furtively as she leaned in toward me, her voice low. “Don’t look now, but Priscilla is directly ahead of us—you can’t miss the purple—and you’re about two minutes away from being introduced to Pastor Dan’s son, Devon.”
I winced. “Oh, right, someone mentioned him earlier.”
Marlene glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then spoke quickly. “My advice—steer way clear of that. Devon’s only been in town for six months, but most people already know he’s a real slimy guy. He’s good-looking and smooth, and he’s managed to charm the old lady’s group into thinking he’s a total catch, but trust me, he’s a narcissistic jerk outside these walls. He’s already been through most of the single gals in Hidden Creek, so he’s on the lookout for new blood.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Eww. You think he’ll see me as new blood?”
Marlene nodded. “Word has it he saw you at the hardware store this week and started asking around. He found out you attend church here when you’re in town, so he enlisted the old ladies to set the two of you up. Trust me, you don’t want to go there.”
I giggled. “Ah, so that’s why I was the number one attraction this morning. The ladies have been plotting.”
“Yeah. Like I said, Devon has them fooled.” Marlene craned her neck to get another look. “Priscilla is practically foaming at the mouth. She’s determined to be the one who introduces you, and Devon is standing there looking like the cat who swallowed the canary. He thinks he’s so irresistible, it makes my skin crawl. He’s such a creep. He asked my cousin out soon after he moved here, then came on way too strong, and when she refused a second date, he started awful rumors about her—like he’s still in high school or something.”
I shuddered. “Yuck. But poor Pastor Dan and Alicia—it must be hard for them to know their son is treating people like that.”
“I honestly don’t think Dan and Alicia realize what Devon’s like,” Marlene informed me. “His dark side is well-hidden. Until it’s not.”
I saw a flash of purple up ahead and tensed. Pretty soon the crowd in front of us would make it past the pews, and after that it would disperse quickly. Which would leave me out in the open, right at the spot where Priscilla lay in wait.
“What’s the best way to get to the side door?” I asked urgently. “Cut through that empty pew?”
“It’s the only way.” Marlene looked over at the side aisle. “There’s no one coming over there, so you’re clear. You need to go now, otherwise Priscilla will have time to cut you off.”
“Okay, I’m outta here,” I said. “Thanks, Marlene. I owe you one.”
“Yeah, you do,” she said with a chuckle. “See ya, Ava.”
I said a quick "excuse me" to the people to my left, then darted in front of them into the only empty pew. I sidestepped my way all the way to the other end, having the presence of mind to lift my phone to my ear, as if I was getting an urgent call and had to hurry outside to hear better, away from the loud buzz of conversations taking place all through the church.
I was reaching for the bar on the door when I heard Priscilla calling my name, her voice almost a shriek. I slammed my free palm against the bar, the phone still at my ear, and rushed out into the sunshine. As soon as the door closed behind me I broke into a sprint toward my SUV, glad I’d worn flat sandals instead of heels.
I was already reversing out of my parking spot when Priscilla shot through the same door I’d just exited, with a man in tow. Marlene had described him as good-looking, and from a distance he looked okay…..medium build, dark blond hair, regular features….but my new standard of comparison was Jude, and no one could compare to that. No one.
Priscilla tried to wave me down, but I pretended not to see. I drove straight out of the lot, watching carefully for any kids who might have escaped their parents’ watchful eyes to play among the cars. I pulled onto Main Street and let out a relieved breath. No more purple in my rear view mirror, and no meeting Devon the pastor’s son today.
***
Thirty minutes later I was sitting on the top step of my front porch waiting for Jude, looking much more presentable than I had the previous evening. I was wearing a fun, summery teal dress with white polka dots, the hem hitting a few inches above my knees, and nice white espadrille sandals of medium height. The outfit was totally comfortable, but also dressy enough for lunch out at any restaurant.
Most importantly, I was free of dust and sweat, and my hair was clean and loose, a far cry from that awful, scraggly bun. While I appreciated the fact that Jude hadn’t appeared to judge and find me wanting last night, I felt much more confident in my current, more put-together, state.
I also felt like a sixteen-year-old going to prom with the quarterback. That’s the only way to describe how excited I was about spending the afternoon with Jude. I tried to remember a time I’d looked forward to something so much, but came up with nothing. Jude Keller was in a class of his own.
I peered down the road. I didn’t know for sure which vehicle Jude drove, but it had to be one of the pickups I’d seen parked in front of the Owens’ house in the evenings. Either the big black one or the equally big blue one. I was guessing black.
While I waited, I answered a text from Myla. She’d called last night when I was wearily crawling into bed to tell me she was going TDY today, which meant she was going on a temporary duty assignment somewhere away from her base. She couldn’t say where, and since I knew she worked in military intelligence, I’d learned not to ask too many questions.
She’d gone TDY several times before, but this particular one was unexpected. Someone had gotten sick and there was an empty spot, so they’d offered it to her at the last minute. Myla loved traveling to new places, so I wasn’t surprised to hear she’d jumped at the chance to go.
The downside? She’d most likely be entirely cut off from the outside world for the next eight weeks. There was a slight chance she’d be granted phone privileges on occasion, but she said not to count on it.
I could tell she felt bad about the whole thing, mostly because she wouldn’t be able to check up on me while I got settled here in Hidden Creek. I could also tell she was really excited about the opportunity.
The timing definitely sucked for me, but I did the unselfish thing and assured her I’d be fine and the next two months would fly by. I hoped it turned out to be true.
I hadn’t told her about Jude yet. I’d almost called her the morning after the Battleship game, but it seemed premature to get her all excited when I’d only spent one evening with him. Plus, I was afraid I’d jinx things if I talked about it too soon.
Now that she was going away, telling her wasn’t an option. It would be cruel to drop the bomb that I’d finally met someone, then make her go eight weeks with no updates.
Myla was at the airfield at this very moment, sending a round of goodbye texts while she waited to board some kind of military jet that she said was big on space, light on comfort. I wished her safe travels, then reminded her of her promise to give some thought to coming to visit me.
To my surprise, she agreed to request leave when she got back to her base. That commitment made me extremely happy, not only because I couldn’t wait to see her again, but because it was a sign that she might finally be ready to face her heartbreak, and hopefully put it behind her. It had been a loooooong time coming.
I’d just shoved my phone back into my purse when I saw a truck coming down the street. It was the black one, and its turn signal came on just before my driveway. The now-familiar butterflies started dancing around in my midsection as I anticipated the sight of the man who would soon be getting out of that big truck.
It pu
lled into my drive and I stood and started down the short sidewalk. The door swung open…...and Jude swung out. I stopped and just looked at him, my heart missing a beat before restarting at a much faster clip.
He walked up to me slowly, coming so close I had to raise my chin way up to meet his twinkling blue eyes.
“Ava?” he asked softly.
“Yes?”
“I’m pretty sure you’re the most beautiful girl to ever inhabit the earth.” His voice was a low murmur, and in spite of the heat of the day, a shiver made its way along my spine.
I forced out a laugh. “Just because I cleaned up a little since last night.”
He shook his head and smiled. “You were just as beautiful then.”
I gave him a skeptical look. “Whatever, Jude. But I guarantee I smell a lot better now.”
“Oh yeah?” He lowered his head until his nose was touching my hair, inhaling slowly and deeply. “Mmm. You do smell good.”
My eyes slid closed and it was all I could do to keep from slipping my arms around his lean waist. I just wanted to hold on to him. Tightly and for a long time.
When he raised his head and stepped back I sighed quietly, wishing he’d stepped closer instead. But that was okay. It was probably still too soon.
“You hungry?” he wondered.
I nodded emphatically, hooking the strap of my purse over my shoulder. “Yes. Very.”
He put a hand on my back and urged me toward the truck. “What sounds good?”
“Um, well, I could probably do some damage to a big ole plate of barbecue. Or maybe a steak. Anything but seafood, really.”
He chuckled. “We could always join the church folk at the all-you-can-eat buffet.”
I had to laugh at that. “Ah, yes, the good ole Country Goodness Family Restaurant. I’ll pass this time, but believe me, I’ve paid my dues there. Grandma never missed a Sunday.”
He opened my door and stepped back so I could climb in. “No worries. I have a place in mind.”
I smiled at him, admiring how good he looked in the blue button-down shirt he wore tucked into dark jeans. It made the blue of his eyes even more vivid than usual, and emphasized the golden tan of his skin.
