Page 2 of Lucky Haven

Doubtful, I think to myself.

As if he heard my thought, Jeb turns and looks at me, raising his eyebrows.

I blush and stand up, busying myself with putting chairs away. When I finish, everyone else is gone.

It’s only Jeb Martin and myself left.

“Your uncle is just down the hall,” he says, smiling. It reaches his eyes, making the skin there crinkle. Even across the room, I can feel something different in his gaze. It’s warmer now, more personal. “Can I walk you to his office?”

“Thank you.” I grab my Bible, feeling his gaze on me as I cross the room.

“Tonight went well, don’t you think?” He moves to the light control panel, hovering his hand over the switch, waiting for me to make my way to the door.

I nod.

He turns out the lights just before I get to the doorway, and I jump.

“Sorry,” he murmurs, following me into the better lit hallway.

“It’s okay.” I laugh to show I’m not scared. But I was a little, and it was silly, so I keep talking, offering an explanation he probably doesn’t care about. “I don’t like the dark.”

“Ah.” He’s closer now, behind me. I spin around and he’s right there. He searches my face. “I’ll remember that.”

An unexpected shiver races over my skin.

It’s…there’s something… And for a painful second, it’s hard to breathe.

But then he grins. The moment softens, the tension gone.

He falls into step beside me. “So are you a senior, then?”

“Not yet. Next year.”

“Really? You seem more mature than some of the other kids.” He pulls open the door to the office.

Uncle Fred is just inside, holding the church registry, the guest book that visitors and parishioners alike sign their names. Sometimes people write requests for prayers in it, and he likes to review it often.

I hope Cash didn’t write anything inappropriate.

He frowns at me when he sees that I’m with Jeb.

The younger man gives my uncle the same easy, faint smile he gave Cash. “Haven stacked all the chairs while I said goodbye to the kids who came out tonight.”

A cold jolt of surprise stiffens the back of my neck at the casual, easy lie. Is it a lie, though? Both of those things happened, I guess, but not at the same time.

I keep my mouth shut, though. My uncle doesn’t like me being alone with men, but he doesn’t like me correcting my elders, either.

And even though Jeb isn’t that much older than me, he is a leader in this church. I’m one of his flock, and I know better than to speak out of turn.

“There’s a lot of work to be done with some of the kids,” he continues. “But I was just saying to Haven that she’s a good example. Mature and responsible.” He touches my elbow, so briefly that I don’t think my uncle saw, and shifts my attention back to him. He wants me to look at him, I think with a start.

Hot, confused tension wraps around the base of my neck.

He smiles. “See you next week, Haven.”

Chapter One

Cash