AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’d like to,” she said slowly. Mrs. Reilly was being looked after by a respite carer, which had freed Lexi from her duties today. She’d been looking forward to spending time with her parents, but also wanted to spend time with some of the other younger people Ellie had mentioned.
“But you have made other plans?” her mother guessed. “If you have, that’s perfectly okay. I just wanted to spend some time with you.”
There it was again, the tug of familial obligation. “I’ll be there.”
“You sure? I don’t want to interrupt your plans.”
“They weren’t set in concrete.” She shrugged. “Ellie mentioned going to the diner with some of the others, and—”
“She can come too. And your young man.”
“He’s not my young man, Mum.”
Her mother’s gaze halted, then lifted to somewhere above Lexi’s shoulder. Awesome. One guess who that was.
“Good morning, Mrs. Franklin.” Jackson’s drawl made every hair stand up. Or perhaps that was his nearness. She could feel the heat of his presence as he moved beside her.
“Jackson.” Her mother’s face and tone held friendliness, but Lexi could still see the tension in her eyes. “How is your mother?”
“Doing a lot better since your daughter came on the scene.”
Her mother shot Lexi a proud smile. “She’s always been so compassionate.”
“And patient. And merciful.”
Her heart clenched as she got the sense he was now referring to how she’d treated him. She glanced up at him. He was looking down at her, and the tweak of his lips suggested he liked what he saw.
“Ahem.” Her mother’s cleared throat snapped her gaze away. “Lexi, if you would like to invite some friends to join us for lunch, please know that they are very welcome.”
“Thanks.” No time like the present. “Would you like to come, Jackson?”
“Uh, sure.” He shot her mother a look. “I can see if Ellie is free.”
“If you can get her away from Jasper.” Lexi studied the pair, who were talking near the church steps.
He frowned. “Those two have always been thick as thieves.”
“He can come as well. The more the merrier, they always say.” Mum nodded to Jackson with a smile that held a little more genuineness than Lexi had expected. She patted Lexi on the shoulder, then moved to talk to some other congregation members.
“Is that okay?” Lexi asked. “I know you probably had other plans.”
“I wouldn’t have said yes if I hadn’t meant it,” he said.
Honestly, a girl could drown in the liquid chocolate depths of his eyes. She straightened, aiming for cool. “Look at me, the wild and crazy gal who has lunch with her parents.”
“I’m glad for the chance to get to know them,” he said, sincerity in his voice. Of course. He had no dad and his mother wasn’t well, so a family lunch might be something he viewed as a privilege, not a chore. Remorse kneaded at how she’d regarded the invitation.
“I’ll go ask Ellie,” Jackson said, offering her a smile before turning on his booted heel.
The service began not long after, and Lexi couldn’t help but be aware of eyes looking their way. Of course, that might have been because Jackson had chosen to sit next to her and his height and breadth of shoulders meant he wasn’t easy to miss. And while she hoped the attention stemmed from her experience with Jordan—who was back in church again—she couldn’t help but think there was another reason for why so many people were watching her today. She touched the scarf. It was still in place. Jackson looked at her, and the knowledge that he’d seen what she had tried to hide for so long again brought back the same shimmery feeling of vulnerability as that first night. A rawness. Something that tipped her insides up then down, mingling with the strangest feeling of relief.
Jackson shifted, his right hand wrapping around the edge of the wooden pew, mere millimeters from hers.
She barely heard Pastor Ladan’s talk, conscious of Jackson’s hand so close to hers. Did he feel as though sparks arced between them? But what could be the point of pursuing a relationship with him, especially if she returned to Australia? Anyway, he’d told his brothers he didn’t feel that way about her. She couldn’t let him mess with her heart. She closed her eyes, not willing to shift a muscle.
Lord, I don’t know what this is, but please protect my heart. I don’t want to lose it to a handsome cowboy who will lead me astray.
“You okay?” he whispered.
