Forty and Free: A Sweet Romance Series Bundle - Books 5 - 8

by Blake, Lillianna

  She sensed that Chase might be experiencing that same feeling and wondered if there might be a way she could help him with that.

  If she was honest with herself, her desire to go to church that morning had shifted from embracing the community to finding out all she could about Chase’s issue with Pastor Reed. Maybe it would be better to ask Chase herself, but he wasn’t very forthcoming on the topic.

  After she checked in on Toby, she drove into town.

  To her surprise, the church parking lot was packed. She’d expected the service to be popular, but it seemed to her that the entire town was there. She found a spot at the back of the parking lot and walked toward the church. She passed by a family that urged their young children to leave pebbles and curiosities behind as they tugged them toward the church.

  It occurred to her that she might be late. She straightened the collar of her blouse and hurried toward the front door. Inside, it was just as busy, with most of the seats already occupied. A pit formed in her stomach as she realized she didn’t recognize anyone. Where would she sit? Maybe attending church that morning had been a bad idea.

  She turned back toward the door to duck out before anyone noticed and walked right into Chase, who was just about to step in.

  “Chase, what are you doing here?”

  “Where are you going?” He smiled and caught her elbow in his grasp. “I can’t be that late.”

  “I didn’t think you were going to come.”

  “I wasn’t. But then I realized I’d be missing out on a chance to see you, and that seemed absolutely ridiculous. So, here I am.” He slid his hand down from her elbow to her hand. “Unless you’d rather be somewhere else.”

  “No, I just realized I didn’t know anyone and it’s so crowded.” She sighed. “I guess I wasn’t sure if I would fit in.”

  “Well, trust me, if you’re with me, we’re going to stand out no matter what. Or, like I mentioned before, we could go somewhere else.” He gave her hand a light tug.

  “After you sacrificed so much to come here?” She raised an eyebrow. “I think we should stay.”

  “Of course you do.” He looked past her into the church. “I guess it will have to happen sometime. But promise me one thing.” He looked into her eyes.

  “What’s that?”

  “You won’t leave my side.”

  Her heart skipped. She knew that he meant while they were in the church, but something about his tone made it sound as if he meant forever.

  “I promise.” She gave his hand a tug in return and he followed her into the church.

  As they settled into seats at the back, she noticed the way he kept his eyes to the seat in front of him.

  “Are you sure that you’re okay with this?”

  “I’m sure that I want to be anywhere you are.” He drew her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.

  A ripple of whispers filled the row in front of them. Hope tried not to think that the whispers were about them but she guessed that they probably were. A few minutes later a hush fell over the entire crowd as Pastor Reed walked up to the podium.

  Throughout the sermon Hope clutched Chase’s hand. She sensed the tension in it, then the way his muscles relaxed.

  As the service came to an end, Chase stood up with her hand still grasped in his. “Now can we go somewhere else?” He smiled at her.

  “Don’t you want to mingle with your friends and neighbors?”

  “I think they’d prefer if we left, so that they could gossip without risk of being caught.”

  “Maybe you’re right.” She laughed. “I suppose we could sneak out and find a quiet place to spend some time together.”

  “Now that sounds like a perfect idea.” He pulled her toward the door of the church.

  As they walked through the crowd of people Hope caught snippets of conversation.

  “That’s her? She’s too pretty to own a ranch.”

  “What is he doing now?”

  “Who is that with Chase?”

  “I wonder if Karen knows.”

  Hope cringed as she realized that she really had invited Chase to the middle of a hornet’s nest. No wonder he wanted to avoid the service, what with everyone there in on his personal business. It impressed her that even though he knew what he’d be walking into, he’d still shown up—just to spend time with her.

  She caught his eye as they passed a group of women who did their best to cover their laughter.

  “Welcome to the neighborhood.” He winked at her.

  “I don’t mind being the talk of the town. But maybe we should give them something to talk about?” She held his gaze.

  “Oh? What did you have in mind?” He turned to face her.

  “Nothing too wild.” She leaned close and left a lingering kiss on his cheek, then gazed into his eyes.

  It was a chaste exchange; however, it was enough to inspire another round of whispers, laughter, and open stares. Hope was so distracted by the reaction of those around them that she didn’t notice the pastor until he was right in front of her.

  “Oh, Pastor Reed, I’m sorry—I didn’t see you there.”

  If the pastor heard her, he didn’t respond. His gaze was fixated on Chase, who seemed to be doing his very best to look anywhere but at him.

  Hope took a step back and tightened her grip on Chase’s hand. No matter what happened next, she was determined to remain by his side.

  Chapter 20

  “It’s so good to see you, Chase.” Pastor Reed held out his hand

  Chase felt the weight of Hope’s eyes on him. He knew that in that moment she would make a decision about him, about whether he was a good man or not. With reluctance, he released her hand and clasped the hand of a man who he’d once considered his best friend.

  “Pastor.” He pulled his hand back after a brief shake and still did his best to avoid his eyes.

  “Chase, I know that things have been hard lately. I was hoping to have a chance to talk to you.

  “You know that?” He stared into his eyes. “I’m fine, really.”

  “I hope that’s the case. You know my door is always open to you.”

  “I appreciate that, but I doubt that I will be taking advantage of it.”

  “I just want you to remember it.”

  “I do.” He brushed a hand along his palm and glanced toward the ground.

  When he felt the pastor’s hand pat his shoulder he closed his eyes. The grudge he held was baseless, he was aware of that. But he couldn’t let it go.

  “Glad to see you again as well, Hope. Did you enjoy the service?”

  “Yes, I did—very much. Thanks, Pastor Reed.”

  “Please, call me Joe. I was Joe long before I was Pastor Reed, wasn’t I, Chase?”

  Chase looked up in time to meet his eyes. “Yes, you were.” His mind flooded with memories of growing up with his friend Joe. There was so much history between them. It was ridiculous for him to hold his heartbreak against one of his oldest friends, and yet he couldn’t convince himself otherwise.

  “You and Hope should come by the house after service. I have some things I’d like to talk to you about, Chase. And Hope, I have something that I think you’ll like.”

  “Is that a bribe?” Chase chuckled and then shook his head. “We have plans.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry—I didn’t realize. Well, when you can, then. Hope, I’m glad you were able to attend.”

  As the pastor walked away, Chase glanced over at Hope. He noticed the strain in her expression.

  “I’m sorry, this is why I shouldn’t have come.”

  “No, it’s fine. But I do wonder what happened between you two. I’d like to know.”

  “I understand that.” He led her out of the church toward the parking lot. “You’ll think it’s silly when I tell you.”

  “No I won’t.” She looked into his eyes. “It obviously matters to you, so it matters to me.”

  “As you might have been able to guess, my ex and I dated for some time a
nd the entire town was familiar with our relationship.”

  “Yes, I noticed.” She frowned. “That must be difficult for you to deal with.”

  “Not so much, any more.” He smiled at her. “But Pastor Reed and I grew up together. You know, he wasn’t really my pastor, he was my best friend.”

  “What happened to change that?” Her eyes widened. “That’s a big friendship to lose.”

  “I can’t say that it’s entirely lost. I don’t think it ever will be. We’re more like brothers than friends. But I just can’t seem to get past this issue between us.”

  “What’s the issue?” She held his gaze.

  “Chase. Chase, over here!” A tall woman in a lacy dress waved a sun hat through the air as she rushed toward him. She looked to be in her sixties and toted a very large purse at her side.

  “Mrs. Malin.” Chase nodded to her and smiled. “It’s a pleasure to see you.”

  “Oh, you poor thing, you poor sad thing.” She patted his cheek. “What that woman did to you was horrible, just horrible. Who could do something like that to such a sweet boy?”

  He rolled his eyes at her description of him as a boy. “It’s fine. Really, Mrs. Malin. These things happen.”

  “Well they shouldn’t, not to a good man like you.” She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Hope. “And who is this?”

  “This is Hope Taylor. She’s new to town.”

  “Hm. Just moved in and moving in on Chase already?” She huffed and placed her hands on her hips. “I didn’t even get a chance to introduce him to my niece yet. Chase, she’s a beautiful young woman. I’m sure you would like her.”

  Chase glanced awkwardly at Hope. “I’m sure I would, Mrs. Malin, but I as you can see, I am spoken for.”

  “I see.” She pursed her lips. “But when this one breaks your heart, call me. I’ll introduce you to Shelby. She’s a gymnast.” She scowled at Hope, then turned and walked away.

  “Oh my, looks like I ruined your chances with Shelby.” Hope grinned at him.

  “Thank goodness. Please don’t mind her, she doesn’t represent the whole town.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t expect anyone to accept me right off the bat. Though I do have to say that Pastor Reed has been the kindest, aside from you, of course.”

  “That’s clever how you do that.” He leaned against his car and locked his eyes to hers.

  “Do what?” She widened her eyes.

  “Steer the topic right back to what you want to talk about.”

  She rested her hands on his chest and leaned closer to him. “Oh, you noticed that, did you?”

  “Yes.” He continued to search her eyes as he closed his hands over hers. “If you really want to know, I’ll tell you.”

  “I really want to know.” She sighed and drew her hands out from under his. “When you’re ready to tell me. Are you still coming over for lunch?”

  He stared at her for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, if you want me to.”

  “Of course I do.” She grinned and planted a heavy kiss on his cheek. “After all, you’re spoken for. We wouldn’t want Shelby to get the wrong idea.”

  “No, we certainly wouldn’t.” He pulled her close and tilted his head to the side to catch her lips in a quick kiss. “I’ll be there in about an hour if that’s okay. There are some things I need to check on at the clinic.”

  “No problem. See you then.”

  He watched her walk toward her car and waited until she was safely out of the parking lot before he got in his. As he started to pull away from the church he caught sight of Joe with his arm around a young mother who held an infant close. He really did need to fix things between them.

  Chapter 21

  As Hope drove away from the church, she considered what Chase had said. It was clear to her that whatever he considered to be a silly grudge between himself and Pastor Reed was a bit more serious than he let on. Chase didn’t strike her as the type to be upset by small things.

  She bit into her bottom lip and wondered if she should have pressed him more about the topic. She wanted him to know that he could go at his own pace with her, including what he confided in her and what he didn’t. She didn’t want to pressure him.

  Instead, she decided to swing by Pastor Reed’s house.

  She made a stop at the store to pick up the things she would need for lunch. While she was in the store she heard a few comments from other shoppers. And most avoided her. The chatter, which was too vague for her to really be certain it was about her, still made her feel uneasy. Was she ever going to be accepted in such a small town? She picked up some fresh tomatoes to slice for sandwiches.

  “I don’t mean to be rude, but may I introduce myself?”

  She looked up and directly into the eyes of a young woman. She looked to be in her twenties.

  “Sure.” She smiled a little. “I’m Hope.”

  “I’m Shay. I’ve been waiting for the right time to meet you, and I figured this was as good a time as any.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Shay.”

  “I help Dr. Andrews out sometimes in the clinic. I’m going to school to be a vet.”

  “That’s wonderful. I’m sure you’ll do fantastic.”

  “I’m not so sure.” She shook her head. “That’s the reason I wanted to meet you. Chase told me about how responsive Toby is to you. I’ve seen him a few times when the owner was still lucid enough to call us out for checkups. I’ve never gotten that horse to stand still or to respond to me at all. Have you worked with animals for a long time?”

  “Oh no, not since I was a kid, and then it was really just when I spent the summer on a family member’s farm.”

  “Really?” She sighed. “I wish I had your natural ability with animals. What’s your secret?”

  “No secret.” Hope shrugged. “I think animals have the same emotions we do and suffer the same heartbreak and pain that we do. Toby isn’t just sick, he’s lonely. He loved the man who cared for him and maybe he was afraid that he would be taken from him. I’m not sure. But I can see the sadness in his eyes.”

  “Interesting. I never really thought about it that way, but you’re right. We once treated a depressed poodle, so it makes sense.”

  “They don’t have any control over their lives either, at least not the domestic ones. Not having the freedom to make their own choices is a hard way to live.”

  “You have a special talent for understanding animals. That’s amazing.”

  “I’ve never really thought about having a special skill with animals.”

  “Well, you do. It shouldn’t be wasted.”

  “Toby certainly seems to like me.”

  “I’m sure he wouldn’t be the only one. In fact, I’d love to come observe the way that you interact with him some time, if that would be okay with you.”

  “Sure. You can come with Chase if you want. He’s down to checking on Toby a few times a week.”

  “Absolutely. I’ll let him know that you said it was okay. Thanks, Hope.” She started to turn away but Hope caught her shoulder before she could.

  “Wait, what do you think of Chase?”

  “I think he’s fantastic. Well, just about everyone does.” She smiled. “Why?”

  “I’m just curious. Does he seem to like his work?”

  “Not exactly.” She frowned.

  “Why not? I thought he loved animals.”

  “He does. That’s the problem. More times than not I see him frustrated about an animal he can’t help or find a shelter for. He loves doing what he does, but he can’t stand it when he can’t help an animal that needs it.”

  “That makes sense.” Hope nodded. “Thanks for the insight.”

  “No problem. I’ve also noticed that ever since he met you, he’s happy again.”

  “Again? He wasn’t before?”

  “Not since Karen.”

  “Ah.” She tilted her head to the side and studied the woman. She knew that she was about to enter dangerous territory, but she
was too curious not to ask. “Did you know Karen?”

  “Sure. She was a local. I mean, she was born and raised here. Most of us are. Anyway, she was my cheerleading coach for a little while. Very sweet woman.”

  “Thanks.” Hope turned back to her tomatoes and wondered if her cheeks might be the same shade. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to hear, but it wasn’t that Karen was a wonderful sweet woman. What kind of woman would break up with Chase? Was there a darker side to him that she didn’t know about?

  She frowned and pushed her cart toward the front of the grocery store. As she grabbed the last of the items she needed, her mind swirled. A part of her wanted to go to Pastor Reed and demand to know the truth—or corner Chase when he came to lunch to demand some answers.

  But that wasn’t her. She wasn’t the demanding type, and she knew that Chase had a right to his privacy. But she also had a right not to give her heart to a man who was still in love with someone else. Chase warned her that he wasn’t ready for a new relationship. Was it foolish of her to pursue him anyway?

  She left the grocery store and drove straight to Pastor Reed’s house. She couldn’t resist finding out at least what it was that he wanted to show her. When she arrived, she found him sitting out on the front porch in a rocking chair. She smiled and waved as she approached him.

  “Hope, I’m glad you stopped by.” He stood up to greet her.

  “I hope you don’t mind me just dropping in. I can’t stay long.”

  “No, I don’t mind at all. Come inside, I think you’re going to love what I have to show you.”

  Hope followed him into the small house. Everything about it was quaint, from the tiny figurines on the mantle, to the wicker furniture. He led her into a small study filled with bookshelves.

  “Wow, you have quite a collection.”

  “Thanks. I’m a bit fascinated with historical information, the human mind, and of course crime novels.” He chuckled. “A little bit of everything, I suppose. Anyway, in some of my digging, I came across this old photograph of your ranch. I thought that you might like to have it to hang in your new home.” He held out a black and white photograph.

  “When is this from?” Her eyes widened as she gazed down into the eager smile of a woman dressed in a skirt far too warm and long to wear on a ranch.