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The boy was immediately hushed by his laughing uncle.
Cadence sat down two pews behind them in the nearest opening, avoiding eye contact. She didn’t want anyone to tell her to leave. Her neighbor next to her handed her a hymnal. It was open to the song that everyone was singing.
Smiling at the helpful stranger, she tried to follow the words. “‘Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee, How great Thou art. How great Thou art.’”
Her eyes kept drifting to the family with the two boys ahead of her. She noticed that the pregnant lady didn’t have her husband with her, unless one of the two men at the end belonged to her. They were both so cute with the boys. The one named “Cole” shoved a hymnal in the smallest child’s hands to keep him quiet. The other one helped the older one with his tie. He had a nice chiseled jaw. He turned towards the podium before she could get a better look at his profile.
Now these were the kind of men worth getting to know someday, not that horrible Porter.
The sight of a close family like this was both touching and inspired a strange kind of jealousy that ripped out her heart. Would her child ever have such good and healthy male attention? It wasn’t as if she couldn’t bring mentors into his life… somehow.
The pastor came to the podium at the front. He was a middle-aged man with traces of white near his temples. He smiled with good humor, his cheek catching the sun. The stained glass windows let in an abundance of light through the high domed ceiling.
“Good morning, brothers and sisters. I’m sure glad you found your way to church on this perfect June day. We’re blessed by your presence. The park cleanup committee wanted to make sure that you knew how much they appreciated your help last week. We were especially impressed with the younger kids in the group. Your little fingers found weeds that were hard for us grownups to get to.” His eyes went to the younger ones in the congregation, who sat up a little straighter.
This pastor sure knew how to get their attention, though hers drifted as he went on to tell them about how Sister Doe had lost her keys. The poor lady was beside herself, but she was sure grateful for Stu’s quick eyes for finding them in the wood pile.
“Thank you, Stu! There’s nothing that a little hard work and prayer can’t achieve, brothers and sisters!” Someone clapped a young boy on the shoulder to the side of her. The kid grinned brightly. That must be Stu. “The park looks beautiful, everyone. Now let’s enjoy the fruits of our labors next Monday. Bring your appetites and your best chili and desserts to our Fourth of July Barbecue. Let’s celebrate our liberty to its fullest!” He clasped the podium to emphasize the importance of what he was saying. “Also, be sure to pack your favorite sides of meat to grill. Talk to the Slades if you’re lacking in some good beef. As we all know, they’re our master grillers.” His eyes alighted on the motley group in the front.
Cadence straightened in alarm.
The Slades!
She studied the family with nervous interest, even as one of the small boys knocked his brother in the head with a hymnal. A man to the side of the child wrestled him back. She recognized his strong profile this time.
She stiffened. She should’ve known those broad shoulders. Porter’s thick, dirty blond hair curled against his strong neck. It was just the length that she liked it.Perfect for running her fingers through.
And where had that insane thought come from?
Porter wasn’t going to solve her problems. How many times did she have to tell herself that? For goodness’ sake! Because why else was she so fascinated with him? He managed to snatch the hymnal from the precocious child. “I wasn’t doing nothing, Porter!” the boy cried out.
A ripple of laughter erupted around their area.
“Hmm, looks like your nephew is a chip off the old block,” the pastor mused. “Hey, do us a favor this year, Porter, and leave the fireworks at home.”
The laughter took over the whole congregation.
She groaned. He smirked, and she noticed a deep dimple drill into the side of his scruffy cheek.
Oh! Why did he have to be so adorable? What was a horrible partier from Nashville doing here living such a normal life anyway? “Sorry Pastor Brown,” he said. “I was just trying to distract Deputy Morningstar from giving out tickets. It worked, didn’t it?”
The man with his arm around the redhead let her go to nudge Porter hard. That must be a brother. He had the same strong build.
“Hmm.” The pastor seemed to enjoy the exchange. He was a master at building connections. Lacy would be jealous. “Well, if you don’t mind, save your energy for defending your championship title against the new water fight challengers. I happen to know a few ten-year-olds who’ve been practicing their skills down at the waterhole. I think they’re taking you down this year, Porter.”
“I’ve got them.” Porter’s eyes strayed to Stu… and then got caught on her. He jerked to attention. A slow grin danced over his lips.
Fear drowned her, even as Pastor Brown changed the subject to ask for volunteers’ help with fixing the irrigation pipes at Brother Spencer’s tulip farm, since he was feeling poorly with his arthritis.
Porter’s brow rose at her.
Cadence broke the eye contact first, looking down at the hardwood floor. Porter knew her deepest, darkest secrets. Nothing in her past would come off as innocent as setting off a few fireworks and getting involved in a water fight. Her life didn’t look good, especially from an outsider’s perspective. Porter knew her as a horrible, loose woman. He’d said as much when he’d talked about all of Lacy’s conquests. And in reality? That was all she was.
A fallen woman—conquered and discarded.
The last thing that she needed was her tale told around church.
Porter’s gaze was still on her.
