Page 71 of Not Until I Found You

“Maxinne, this is Pastor Will,” Ashton says. “Will, this is my little sister.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Will says, extending his hand.

I shake it. “You too.”

His smile widens. “Anyone who can put up with Ashton earns my respect right away.”

A laugh escapes me. “Well, I’ve been putting up with him my whole life.”

“Hey now,” Ashton grumbles.

Will chuckles and lowers his voice slightly. “Don’t let him fool you. He likes to think he keeps us in line.”

“I do keep you in line,” Ashton shoots back, stepping closer now. Zane is a few steps behind him, amusement written all over his face.

“Mm,” Will hums. “That must be why I’ve gained a few gray hairs since you’ve started coming here.”

Zane snorts quietly beside him. The way they joke comes off as respect wrapped in humor. Although I expected the joking, especially from Zane and Ashton, I’m still shocked by it all.

Will turns back to me, his expression softening. “So, how long has it been since you’ve been to church?”

I hesitate, wanting to brush it off and keep things light. But something about this place, about him, makes that feel unnecessary.

“I’m not really sure,” I admit. “It’s been a while.”

His gaze doesn’t shift or harden. He gives me an understanding nod. I swallow, glancing briefly at Ashton before looking back at Will.

“I don’t know how much Ashton has told you, but after my parents divorced, church didn’t really feel like a place for us anymore.”

The words come out quieter than I intend, and I find myself staring down at my hands instead of looking at him.

“There were a lot of opinions. Not many of them were kind,” I add.

“I’m sorry that was your experience,” Will says gently. “You’re definitely not the only one who’s been treated poorly by the church. Even Jesus was too. At the end of the day, we’re all humans who make mistakes. No one here has it all together, including me, and we don’t expect anyone else to either.”

Before he can say more, Ashton claps his hands once. “Alright, before Pastor starts preaching in the hallway, we’re starting to break off into groups.”

Zane glances at me, bumping his shoulder into mine. “You ready?”

I nod, even though my heart feels like it’s beating in my throat.

“Yeah,” I say. “I think so.”

The room we step into is smaller. A few mismatched chairs form a loose circle, a small wooden table in the center has a Bible resting on top. A lamp in the corner casts a soft glow, making it feel cozy in here.

“Hey, y’all made it.” A woman with a gentle presence about her stands to greet us.

“You must be Maxinne. I’m Penny.”

“Will’s better half,” Ashton adds.

“The better everything,” she corrects without missing a beat.

A few laughs ripple through the room.

Introductions follow quickly after that. There’s Edna, who I find out is Olivia’s next-door neighbor. Grayson, the owner of The Groovy Bean coffee shop. Jessee, who claims to be everyone’s favorite waitress at MJ’s Diner. And Cindy and Ethan, who announce that they’re engaged.

As we settle into our seats, I take the chair in between Zane and Ashton.