Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Gathe was smiling as he took a sip of his water. “This is the trees all over again,” he said.
Why hadn’t I realized that everyone remembered that? Had it been that impressive?
“I hope it has a bigger impact than the trees. Although, now that I’ve been reminded of them, I am going to start that back up this year.”
His eyes widened. “Please, can I just give you money? Don’t make me go.”
The waitress arrived at our table. “Can I get you anything other than water to drink?”
“Sweet tea,” Gathe told her.
“Water is fine, thank you.”
“Are you ready to order?”
Gathe looked at me, and I nodded.
“Baked ziti, mushroom risotto, and Sicilian sausage spaghetti,” he informed her, handing her his menu. “Bring two plates. We share.”
She nodded and glanced at me to take my menu, then realized I’d been watching her eye-fuck Gathe. The blush was immediate, and she hurried away. I snickered and shook my head. The surfer-boy look reeled them in every time.
“Don’t hate,” he said, smirking.
I rolled my eyes. He was so full of himself. He always had been.
“All right, back to your plan to turn the clothes pantry into a boutique.”
“It’s a closet, not a pantry,” I corrected him, then paused.
Did we have a pantry in town? I hadn’t seen one when I was doing my search. There was a shelter and a soup kitchen in Jackson. Actually, there were three locations there. But what about here?
“What have you thought of now?” he asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I reached for my water. “That if there is room, maybe we could add a food pantry. A one-stop shop. They come in, get the clothes they need, pick up some staples, and then maybe, on specific days, we even offer a hot soup that they can take to go.”
Gathe chuckled. “Glad I could help.”
I started to say more when my gaze caught sight of a familiar head of dark hair outside, walking toward the entrance. I turned in the booth to look back as Father Jude walked into Vapiano. I mean, the church was right across the road. And Threads of Love and Hope was in the first row of businesses to the left of the church. I had just been trying not to think about it.
His gaze swung this way, as if he could feel someone staring him down. I’d been caught, so I smiled and lifted a hand to wave before turning back around. Gathe’s eyes were watching me curiously.
“You just waved at a priest.”
I nodded.
“Wait, is he the priest at”—Gathe paused and looked out the window to read the sign outside the church—“Holy Rosary?”
I hesitated. “Yes.” No point in lying since he could google it on his phone.
Gathe’s gaze lifted over my head. “Looks like the priest is coming to say hello. Let me guess; he is the one who holds those group meetings.”
The accusation in his tone pissed me off. Gathe Bowen did not know everything. He was assuming stuff.
“Shut up,” I hissed, trying to look relaxed before Father Jude got to us.
“Hello.”
I’d forgotten the effect his Texas drawl seemed to have on me.
“Saylor.” He said my name, and I smiled up at him.
He wasn’t all smooth and clean-shaven today. And in his jeans and short-sleeved black shirt, he was rather…well, mouthwatering.
Damn him.
“Father Jude,” I replied. “It’s nice to see you again.”
His gaze held mine briefly before he turned his attention to Gathe.
“Oh, Father Jude, this is my friend, Gathe Bowen. We grew up together. Gathe, Father Jude is the priest at Holy Rosary,” I spouted as if he hadn’t already known that. If he said as much, I would stab him in the hand with my fork.
Gathe’s eyes flickered to me, as if he might just give away that I’d been talking about him. Shooting warning daggers at him was difficult with someone else right there, watching the entire interaction.
Gathe turned his eyes back to Father Jude. “It’s nice to meet you. I was unaware Saylor knew anyone remotely associated with the church or God.”
Thanks, dickhead.
Jude’s deep chuckle sent a swarm of tingles through my body. When his eyes swung back to me, my breath stuttered.
“I haven’t seen you since Palm Sunday. I hope we didn’t scare you off,” he said.
I had to bite my tongue to keep from replying, Oh, I didn’t know you’d noticed me. That would have been rude and petty.
I’d had time to think it through, and entertaining ideas like that about a priest was pointless. He wasn’t going to see me in that way. He didn’t do sex.
“No. It was very interesting. I’ve just been busy,” I replied.
“You were missed on Saturday night,” he told me.
Had I been though?
I decided to make light of it. “I’m sure there wasn’t much time to dwell on my absence with Sibby there to entertain everyone with all her words.”