ARKANSAS WEDDINGS: THREE-IN-ONE COLLECTION

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

  After the closing prayer at the end of the service, Mark whispered, “Will you come stand with me as people leave? I’m kind of nervous.”

  Adrea’s mouth went dry. One hundred forty-eight strangers.

  She linked her arm through his. “People will think we’re married.”

  “That was weird, huh?” Mark escorted her toward the back of the sanctuary. “So is Grace attached?”

  “We’re about to greet people and you’re worried about getting a girlfriend.”

  He shot her a crooked grin.

  The congregation began to scatter, and several people came to shake their hands as Pastor Grayson made introductions. While trying in vain to memorize names and faces, Adrea watched for Helen, hoping to get the chance to speak with her friend.

  Ah, someone she knew. Jack Phillips. The mechanic/deacon wore permanent grease under his nails and taught the adult lesson this morning. Though Jack was a great teacher, Grayson’s presence in the class distracted her. Jack introduced his family and the first group moved on. A break in the crowd lengthened.

  “So is she?” Mark interrupted her thoughts.

  Adrea had been too engrossed in memorizing to remember their discussion.

  “Is who what?”

  “Is Grace attached?”

  “I don’t think so. Seems like Helen told me awhile back that Grace moved in with Grayson and Dayne after Sara’s death.” I mean, Pastor Grayson.

  “If Grace will agree to lunch, will you come with us?”

  “Yes, now perform your duties before you get dismissed on your first day.”

  Soon Mark was in his element and Adrea knew he didn’t need her hovering over him. She strolled outside to stand in the warm sunshine.

  A few minutes later, Grace joined her. “So you plan to join us for lunch?”

  “Yes, where are we going?”

  “The guys said it’s up to you and Mark.”

  “The guys?” The tiny butterflies in her stomach turned into luna moths.

  “Dayne and Grayson are coming along.”

  Before Adrea could respond, Dayne stood at her elbow, bubbling with excitement. “We’re going to Dexter’s!”

  Mark joined them. “The new pizza place in Searcy?”

  “No, Dayne.” Grayson shook his head. “We agreed that Mark and Adrea could pick.”

  “Why not Dexter’s?” Mark asked. “I love that place.”

  Grace shielded her eyes from the sun. “They always have a dozen birthday parties happening all at once.”

  “It’s loud.” Grayson grimaced. “And not a good place for adult conversation.”

  “Who needs adult conversation?” At a kid-centered place, she could avoid Pastor Grayson. “I love their pizza.”

  “Pizza is my favorite.” Mark’s childlike glee melted Adrea’s uneasiness into a smile.

  Grace raised elegant fingertips to her temple. “It’s the noisiest place on earth and gets on most adults’ nerves.”

  Despite her no-frills look, with minimal makeup and straight, long hair, Grace’s nails modeled a flawless French manicure.

  “Who said we’re adults?” Mark grinned at Grace.

  Adrea could tell he was smitten from his dopey gaze.

  “Can they ride with us?” Dayne asked.

  “Let’s take my car, so we can all fit.” Grace motioned toward a white sedan. “That is if you don’t mind Dayne’s booster seat.”

  “Adrea, hello.”

  She turned to see Helen, with red-rimmed eyes and perfectly coiffed hair to match her slate dress. “I looked for you all morning.”

  “I’m so glad you and Mark will be here.” Always free with hugs, she embraced Adrea.

  “Me, too.”

  “Pastor, could I speak with you and the new associate?” a young man asked.

  Grayson and Mark stepped away.

  “Come on, Dayne.” Grace took the boy’s hand. “We’ll wait in the car.”

  Adrea touched the older woman’s arm. “Are you okay?”

  “The usual. Half the time Wade doesn’t answer when I call.” Helen’s chin trembled. “He should have stayed in Missouri. Away from that girl.”

  Adrea patted her hand. “Maybe we can check on him this week.”

  “You’re such a dear. So, you’re going to lunch with Pastor Grayson?”

  “He and Grace invited both Mark and me.”

  “You and Mark will fit in perfectly here.” She glanced over Adrea’s shoulder. “I think the pastor’s ready.”

  The two women hugged again, and Adrea turned to see Grayson waiting a few yards away. He matched his stride to hers as everyone else headed for their cars.

  “Adrea, sit in the back with me.” Dayne patted the seat.

  Mark was already up front with Grace, while Grayson, Dayne, and Adrea sat in the back. Just like a family.

  The usual commotion of Dexter’s dispelled Adrea’s niggling discomfort. She counted eight birthday parties in progress. Laughter, excited voices, and numerous festive horns echoed around them.

  Dayne dragged Adrea from one video game to the next, soundly beating her at each until their order arrived, served by a clown on Rollerblades.

  Mark blessed the food.

  Though the gleeful squeals of delight surrounding the group forced them to speak loudly, the adults managed to carry on a conversation. Pastor Grayson and Mark discussed the month trial period and then a membership vote.

  “It’s really my decision, but I like the congregation to have their say in such an important step.” Grayson served Dayne a second piece of pizza. “After all, Palisade has never had an associate before.”

  “I can’t hear half of what you’re saying.” Grace leaned closer. “This really isn’t a good place for discussion.”

  “Why don’t you all join us for lunch next Sunday?” Mark sipped his water-turned-lemonade. “At our place. After Adrea graduated high school and we got the apartment together, she was a horrible cook. That’s partly why I decided to go to seminary.”

  Adrea’s breath caught. Not another lunch with Pastor Grayson. She elbowed her brother in the ribs.

  “Ow! You didn’t let me finish. Much to my relief, her culinary skills have greatly improved.”

  “That’s nice of you to ask.” Grayson shot a well-mannered look toward Adrea. “But maybe you should check with your sister on this. She may not want to cook for five people.”

  “I don’t mind at all.” Didn’t sound very convincing. She pasted a smile on her face. “I just didn’t like Mark advertising my once dismal cooking. Please come.”

  Grace folded her napkin. “Can I bring something?”

  “Just yourself. Oh my. One of my invited lunch guests is the best caterer in town. Now, I’m nervous.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Anything you fix will be great.”

  “You know”—Mark grinned—“I was just kidding about the decision to go to seminary.”

  Adrea jabbed him again.

  “Ow!”

  After the meal, the men disagreed over who would pay the ticket. The restaurant had cleared of the after-church crowd and only the birthday par-tiers remained, with children on a giddy sugar high. Seeking peacefulness, Adrea stepped outside to wait.

  “Yo, Adrea.” Mark slung his arm around her shoulders. “I guess I should have asked you first, but I got caught up in the moment. Want me to cancel?”

  “Of course not. It’s fine.”

  “We could have it catered. Hey! We could get Grace to cater our lunch.”

  “That would be great. ‘Would you join us for lunch and can you bring the food, too?’ ” Adrea laughed. “Don’t worry, I really don’t mind. It’ll be fun.”

  Fun? An afternoon spent trying not to eyeball the great-looking preacher with even more emotional baggage than me.

  Since Helen’s visit, Grayson had tried to catch up with Wade, but Adrea’s distress call surprised him.

  He pulled into the lot of the run-down motel-turned-apartment-complex.
Mildewed concrete blocks with peeling white paint trimmed in a neon lime color. Adrea’s silver G5 sat next to Wade’s Escalade.

  How much longer could Wade afford his fancy ride? Helen said he hadn’t worked since he’d come to town.

  Grayson’s deacon, Jack Phillips, parked beside him, and they headed toward the building.

  “Nice place,” Jack deadpanned.

  “Yeah. Look, I’m not sure what we’ll find here. Wade is an alcoholic. Adrea brought Helen to check on him. He’s drunk and she’s upset.”

  “I’m prepared. My uncle was a drunk.”

  They climbed the rusty iron steps to the second level and Grayson knocked on the door. “Wade.”

  The door opened.

  Adrea greeted them with worry-filled eyes, holding a trash bag. “I shouldn’t have brought her here. I didn’t know who else to call.” She gestured to a doorway.

  Dreading what he might find, he crossed the living room, followed by Jack. The smell of garbage greeted them. Grayson’s stomach turned.

  Helen sat by the bed. Splayed across the sheetless mattress, in a grungy T-shirt and shorts, Wade looked dead. His oily hair matted to his head, and dark circles under his eyes told the tale—along with the whiskey bottle on the floor. He looked familiar. The drunk from the florist shop. This was Wade Fenwick?

  Empty fast-food containers lined every available surface, and flies buzzed from one rotting morsel to the next. Wadded clothes, remote controls, and beer cans strewn across the floor created an obstacle course. Grayson traversed the refuse.

  “Helen?”

  The older woman whirled around. “Oh, Pastor Grayson. Jack.” Her face crumpled. “What do we do now?”

  Grayson put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We could try to convince him to go back into rehab.”

  “He’s been too many times to count.” Her watery voice wobbled.

  “What about Mission 3:16?”

  “You know, I don’t think he’s ever been in a Christian facility.” Helen wrung her hands.

  Wade stirred and slowly opened his eyes. “Adrea? Don’t leave me,” he muttered.

  Chapter 4

  G rayson frowned. “Hello, Wade. I’m your mother’s pastor, Grayson Sterling.”

  Unfocused eyes widened. “No. It can’t be. I’m dreaming again? How did you find out?”

  “Just calm down, Wade,” Grayson spoke slowly, as if to a simpleton. “Your mom is here, and this is Deacon Jack Phillips.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

  The distraught man lost consciousness again.

  “What’s he talking about?” Jack whispered.

  “He must be hallucinating. I’ll call the mission and see if they can help.” He turned toward Adrea, who was still picking up trash in the living room. “Take Helen home. Jack and I will handle things from here.”

  Adrea nodded. The haunted look in her eyes reflected the depths of her soul.

  She’d worked for Helen and he could see the two women were close, but why would Wade call out for Adrea in his drunken stupor?

  That morning at the shop, he’d hoped Wade was just a drunk wandering the streets, harassing anyone who left their doors open. Could Adrea be in a relationship with Wade?

  Feeling shaky, Adrea climbed the stairs to the private balcony of her apartment.

  What would Grayson think of her if he knew she’d caused Wade, an alcoholic, to go back to drinking? Had Wade said anything incriminating today?

  Mark sat with his feet propped on the coffee table, reading his Bible. So serene. Nothing like the day she’d had.

  She unlocked the sliding glass door, threw her keys on the cheap melamine counter, and walked around to plop beside him, striving for casual.

  He frowned. “Yo, Adrea. You okay?”

  “Just peachy.” Her stomach knotted tighter.

  “How’s Helen?”

  “Worried about Wade.”

  “You’re not getting involved, are you?”

  “I’m just trying to support her. She called before I left the shop. She put Wade in a Christian rehab center today.”

  “Grayson told me about it. He said you took Helen to Wade’s apartment.”

  “I didn’t want her to go alone. I’m involved for Helen’s sake. Not Wade’s.”

  “Poor Helen.” Mark shook his head, satisfied with her explanation. “I get the feeling you’re uncomfortable around Grayson.”

  “Why would I be?”

  “You tell me.”

  Mark knew her so well.

  Adrea took a deep breath, debating on how much to tell him. No matter how hard she tried to relegate Grayson to the back of her mind, he remained at the forefront. She replayed each conversation they had, each time she saw him, again and again in her mind. Like a teenager.

  “You’ll think I’m silly.”

  “Just tell me, Adrea. I’ve never thought you were silly a day in your life, even when you were probably really silly. You’ve got a crush on him.”

  She shrugged. “Guess so. Now you think I’m silly, don’t you?”

  “Absolutely not, because I have a crush on his sister. Apparently the Sterlings are irresistible to the Welches.”

  “The thing is, Grace is available and she seems to like you, too.”

  “So Grayson likes you. What’s the problem?”

  “He’s still in love with his wife.” She propped her feet next to his. “It’s only been two years.”

  “Two years is a long time. Maybe he’s ready to move on.”

  “Trust me, he’s not. Whenever he mentions her, fresh pain snuffs out the sparkle in his eyes.”

  “Ooh.” Mark winced. “You’ve got it bad. I hadn’t noticed a sparkle in his eyes.”

  Adrea’s face warmed. She elbowed him. “Two years is a long time, but not when a couple shared a love like he and Sara apparently did. Just trust me, Grayson Sterling is not available. And the last thing I need is another troubled man on my hands.”

  “He does have his share of baggage.” Mark frowned. “Should my interim become permanent, we’ll have to socialize with him. Would you rather I back out of this church and try somewhere else?”

  “Don’t you dare! You let God make the call. So, the church may make Grayson an indelible fixture in our lives. I’ll just have to get used to his presence.”

  Saturday afternoon, Adrea borrowed Haylee for a walk in the park. Daffodils nodded in the gentle breeze. A few families dotted the landscape with children and various-sized dogs scurrying about.

  Haylee ran ahead, with ginger pigtails flying and long, coltish legs flailing. So similar to her mother at that age. Bright sunshine made it warmer than she’d expected, and Adrea wished she’d packed a lunch.

  “So you’re not coming to Mountain Grove again tomorrow?” Haylee asked as Adrea caught up.

  “Mark really needs me to support him.” Adrea tugged a pigtail. “It’s like when you have to read a book report in front of the class; it helps to see a friendly face or two in the crowd.”

  “So he’s preaching the morning service, but couldn’t you come to nighttime church with us?”

  “It would seem weird if I only went when he preaches.”

  As they walked across the crisp grass, something large crashed into the back of Adrea’s legs, knocking her off kilter. She screamed.

  Strong hands on each shoulder helped to restore her balance.

  “Sorry about that,” a familiar voice apologized. “I guess Cocoa remembers you.”

  She turned to see Grayson and Dayne, with Cocoa straining at his leash.

  What did Wade say in his sometime conscious state? Does he know about Wade and me?

  “With my bum knee, I can’t hold him back when he goes full throttle.” Grayson didn’t act any differently toward her.

  Adrea stroked Cocoa’s chocolate fur and turned to Haylee. “This is Cocoa and Pastor Grayson’s son, Dayne.”

  The calmness of her own voice surprised her. For some reason her
heart was about to beat out of her chest. Must be adrenaline.

  “Hey.” Dayne waved.

  “Hello.” Haylee responded with a shy grin.

  “It’s nice to see you again, Haylee.” Grayson winked.

  “Daddy, I’m hungry.” Dayne kicked a pebble off the sidewalk. “Can Haylee and Adrea come on our picnic?”

  “It’s nice of you to invite us, but your father probably only packed for two.” Adrea wrapped her arms around Cocoa’s neck. “You go and we’ll keep Cocoa company, if you don’t mind. I promise not to let go of his leash.”

  “I can’t let him drag you across the park.” Grayson smiled, devastatingly unaware of his own attractiveness. “Grace packed enough for an army. Unless you have plans?”

  Lunch with the drop-dead gorgeous preacher. Might as well get to know my brother’s earthly boss. Maybe put in a good word for Mark.

  “Actually, we’re on our own today. I left Mark at home to do his Bible study in peace.”

  “I knew I liked him. He’s studying while I hang out in the park.”

  Bingo. “Mark was so worried when his interview got off to such a confusing start.”

  Grayson laughed. “As I told Mark, our initial meeting convinced me he was the perfect candidate for associate pastor. I wanted a human being, not some stuffed shirt. His down-to-earth personality, much prayer, and the recommendation from Dr. Cummings made the decision for me. I’m anxious to hear his sermon.”

  “Me, too.” A dog barked, followed by the excited shout of a child. Cocoa’s ears perked up.

  “In the meantime, you ladies can help us pick a spot for our meal, since Dayne and I can never agree.”

  “On the way here, I wished we’d packed a lunch.” Adrea looked across the park. “How about that big sycamore over there by the swings?”

  “That’s where I picked.” Dayne jumped up and down. “Two against one, let’s go!”

  She expected the excited boy to run ahead, but he remained close by his father’s side. Apparently, Grayson’s warnings, after Cocoa chased the squirrel, had worked.

  As Adrea helped spread the blanket, Haylee stayed close by and Dayne dug through the wicker basket.

  “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a real red-and-white-checkered picnic blanket.” Adrea sat with her ankles crisscrossed and ran her hands over the soft fabric. “It’s beautiful.”