Stepping outside, Adrea quietly closed the door behind her. “Why are you here?”
“We really didn’t get to talk the other day.”
“No, I mean here.” She pointed to the house.
“I wanted to see you. Mark said Mom—I mean.” He shook his head, as if to clear it. “Mom said Mark was celebrating something, so I figured you’d be here.”
He’d gotten his hair cut into his usual casually layered style, but dark, sunken circles still shadowed his ice-blue eyes. She’d once dreamed of their children with those eyes.
Without the bloodshot effect.
“Look.” Her voice shook. “We’re over. We have been for a long time.”
The door opened and a glaring Mark stepped out. The veins in his neck looked ready to erupt. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to speak with Adrea.” Wade’s watery eyes pleaded with her.
“Well, she doesn’t want to see you. Ever again. Do you understand?” Mark barked a derisive laugh. “I doubt it, you’re so drunk you can’t even slur straight.”
“This doesn’t concern you.” With effort, Wade enunciated each word slowly and clearly. “This is between her and me.”
Mark launched a fist.
“Mark! No!” Adrea grabbed for her brother’s arm—too late.
Wade stumbled back, cupping his mouth. Blood dripped from between his fingers.
“Just go. Please.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “We don’t have anything left to say.”
“What’s going on?” Daddy stood in the doorway. “Wade?”
“Hello, sir.” Wade tried to sound sober but failed. His voice wobbled and so did his stance. “I’d just like to talk to Adrea. Alone.”
“You want more?” Mark raised his clenched fist again, white knuckled.
Daddy stepped between the younger men. “It’s time for you to leave, Wade. Now.”
Wade wiped his bleeding lower lip with the back of his hand. With one more pleading look at Adrea, he slunk to his black Escalade.
She could see another man in the driver’s seat. Thankfully, Wade wasn’t driving.
Mark flexed his blood-speckled knuckles.
Adrea couldn’t tell if it was his or Wade’s.
“Go clean up, without alerting your mother.” Daddy pointed at Mark, using his best shame-on-you tone. “We’ll talk about that temper of yours later. You could lose the interim job we’re supposed to be celebrating over a stunt like that.”
Her brother hung his head and went inside.
“Listen, Daddy, I know you’re worried.” Adrea hugged herself. “But I’m not stupid.”
“Sweetheart, we don’t think you’re stupid.” He put his arm around her, and they settled on the porch swing. “But, you’re very sweet and softhearted. I just don’t want you to get reeled into his web again.”
“And I won’t. I can’t help Wade. The only one who can help him is God.”
The door opened and Mom stuck her head out. “Hey, what’s going on out here? The food’s getting cold and I can’t even seem to interest Mark in eating.”
Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful, but Adrea’s stomach flipped and flopped.
Mark drove past their church, in the middle of Romance, with its plain white block facade. Not known for its splendor, with out-of-date gold carpet and pews with no cushions, the church’s charm dwelled in the warmth of its congregation.
From the time she could remember, her family had attended the small church of fifty or so faithful. When Pastor Frank retired, fiery young Curt came to town and promptly married their sister.
“Look, you really like Mountain Grove.” Mark covered her hand with his. “Since I’ve been away, I got out of the habit of going to church with the folks. But you haven’t. You don’t have to do this.”
“I want to. You know Mom and Dad would come, too, if they didn’t teach classes.” Adrea flipped down the mirror on the back of the visor and dabbed on mauve lipstick.
Palisade was in Rose Bud, eight miles farther from the apartment and quite large. Helen said the congregation numbered 150. Approximately, 148 strangers. And one all-too-familiar pastor.
With Mark at Palisade, she’d be more deeply drawn into the lives of the equally irresistible pastor and his son. Maybe Mark won’t get the position permanently. She mentally kicked herself. Palisade will keep Mark close. And keep me from being so lonely.
As he pulled into the lot, the redbrick exterior looked big and imposing.
“It means a lot that you’re willing to support me.”
She managed a brave smile. “Let’s go.”
They entered the church. Adrea surveyed the high wood ceiling. Deep burgundy carpet cushioned each footstep. The pews shone, freshly polished, with padded seats in an exact shade to match the plush floor. Every window boasted stained glass.
Just as pretty as she remembered from the last wedding she’d done there. Prettier than Mountain Grove.
Until recently, she’d never thought of where Mark’s calling might lead—or realized she’d feel compelled to support him. And on top of everything else, there was her attraction to Grayson Sterling.
At the back of the sanctuary, Mark introduced Adrea to several people, with an impressive grasp of names and positions. With his powerful sermons and charming, boyish personality the congregation would love him.
As she met several welcoming members, Adrea began to feel comfortable. Until she saw Grayson and Dayne. Her breath hitched.
With them, she saw a fresh-faced woman who looked as if she could go horseback riding at a moment’s notice. Strong resemblance. Must be Grayson’s sister.
Dayne ran to greet them. The adults followed.
“Hi, Adrea, I’m so glad you came to church.” The boy grabbed her hand.
“Me, too. I hoped to see you this morning.”
“Are you gonna come here all the time?”
“We’ll just have to see.”
A deacon pulled Mark aside as the adults caught up with the excited child.
Grayson began making introductions. “This is Grace, my twin. This is Adrea, the florist over in Romance.”
“I’ve seen your lovely work at numerous weddings.”
“You have?”
“I’m a caterer. Delectable Entrees. Is this your first visit to Palisade?”
“It is. I’ve always attended Mountain Grove, but as long as Mark is here, so am I.”
As Mark rejoined the group, Grace turned to him. “Ah, the prospective associate pastor. My brother works entirely too hard. I hope you’ll permanently take the position, along with some of his load.” She extended her elegant hand.
“We’ll have to see what everyone else thinks of me and how well I fit in.”
“My sister, Grace,” Grayson said. “This is Mark Welch, Adrea’s husband.”
At Adrea’s sharp intake of breath, Mark tried to cover his laughter with a cough.
Grayson cleared his throat.
“Well, I assumed you’re married, since the two of you live together.” He knew of other churches lowering their standards to go along with the ways of the world, but not his church. He didn’t know what else to say.
Surely, he hadn’t contacted a young seminary graduate living with a woman out of wedlock. Surely, Dr. Cummings wouldn’t have recommended such a candidate as a potential assistant pastor.
“Mark is my brother.” Adrea blushed a pretty shade of pink.
“I apologize.” A sigh escaped Grayson. At least, I wasn’t attracted to another man’s wife. “That day at the apartment, I just assumed…Who is Haylee?”
“Our niece.”
“Well, I had a whole little family set up.”
“What class do you plan to attend?”
Grace to the rescue. She tucked her hand in his elbow.
“What are the choices?” Mark asked.
“We have an adult, men only, women only, and a new singles class. I go to the adult. We’re studying the writings of the apostle Paul.”
“Sounds good to me.” Mark grinned, looking ready to follow Grace anywhere.
“What about you, Adrea?” Don’t sound so anxious.
“The adult is fine.”
Her words made his heart beat faster. Though he tried not to look at her, she was even prettier in her yellow dress with high-heeled sandals and a matching ring just above the knuckle of the second toe of her left foot. Her nails were peach today.
The harpist began to trill a hymn.
Ready to flee Adrea’s suddenly available presence, Grayson turned toward the stage. “I better get up there.”
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.