Lakeside Sweetheart. Lenora Worth

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СКАЧАТЬ Vanessa looked over her shoulder. “That sunny, happy, goofy man served in the military?”

      “He sure did,” Marla replied. “And...he wasn’t always so sunny and happy and goofy.”

      Faith is the substance of things hoped for...

      Vanessa thought about that verse of scripture on the short ride back to Alec and Marla’s house. Why did that particular verse seem to move through her like the blue waters of the big oval lake centered in the middle of town?

      Maybe it wasn’t the verse so much as the preacher who’d read it. Rory Sanderson didn’t preach. He talked. In a quiet, friendly tone that made you think he really was talking to you and only you. Which irritated Vanessa. She didn’t want to like the man, but some of what he’d said made sense.

      She had listened, too. He’d pointed out how Jesus liked to hang out with the misfits and the outsiders. How a lot of those kinds of people were there during His Crucifixion.

      But she had to wonder if the misfits and losers had been allowed in the church today. Everyone at the service had seemed so fresh faced and full of joy. Were they all that happy, or had they been hiding their pain behind a pretty facade?

      Vanessa didn’t know and it really didn’t matter. She probably wouldn’t go back to Millbrook Lake Church. She hadn’t been to church in a long, long time. And she didn’t plan on staying in Millbrook for too long either.

      Clean out the house. Sell the house. Pocket the cash. Get on with her life. Whatever that life might be. Right now, she had a solid team looking out for her interests, and she had a boutique and online business waiting for her back in New Orleans. So she took a deep breath and decided she’d try to be grateful for being invited to share a nice meal with Marla’s family. She could deal with other people’s families, but she did not need one of her own.

      Pulling her small car up to the side drive next to Caldwell House, Vanessa got out and took in the scents of jasmine and wisteria, thankful that she didn’t have to spend this gorgeous day alone.

      But when she looked up and saw a man strolling up the sidewalk, she silently groaned.

      The preacher headed toward her. And she had the sinking feeling he would be at Sunday dinner, too.

      * * *

      Rory waved to the woman who emerged from the cute little blue vintage roadster. Vanessa Donovan, still wearing those shades. She’d taken them off during the service, but he had yet to see her eyes up close. He’d been too busy preaching it to a full house. Now he might be able to have some one-on-one time with the interesting woman who stood staring at him as if she wanted to get back in the car and haul herself far away from here.

      “How are you?” he asked, determined to make her take off those ridiculously big shades. He was pretty sure they were missing from the 1960s, too. And maybe even the dress.

      But she made all of these old-fashioned things fresh and new.

      “I’m good.” She held a straw purse embellished with a big white daisy that Mrs. Fitzpatrick would surely love and met him at the intricate gate to the back garden. “I...I enjoyed your sermon.”

      Polite but cool. “Thank you. I’m glad you made it to the service today. How do you know Marla?”

      She looked relieved to move away from the topic of church. “We were friends in high school briefly and then we ran into each other in Tallahassee before I moved to New Orleans. I’m so glad she’s found someone. She deserves to be happy.” Then she winced. “Oh, wow. That sounded so cliché.”

      Rory laughed and walked with her up the steps onto the back porch. Aunt Hattie and Marla had the porch decorated with white lace tablecloths and all kinds of fresh flowers. “But it’s true. Marla and Alec are meant for each other. They had their wedding reception right here in the garden, in December.”

      “So I heard. Sounds beautiful.”

      “And romantic,” he said with a grin. “One of the many perks of my job. I presided over their vows. Chilly weather but warm atmosphere.”

      She finally took off her shades and gave him a doubting stare with big hazel eyes that went from brown to green in a beautiful flash. But before Rory could counter her skeptical expression with something positive, the back door opened and little Gabby came running out, followed by two dogs.

      “Hello, Uncle Rory,” Gabby said, squealing in delight as both animals ran circles around Rory and Vanessa. “Angus, stop. Roxie, quit being so silly.”

      Rory squatted down and smiled at Gabby, careful not to get too close. The four-year-old had the little poodle Roxie for a reason, and Roxie sometimes wore a service vest for a reason. The tiny dog was trained to keep Gabby calm whenever she felt threatened or afraid. Which happened less and less these days, thankfully. The little girl had gone through a lot of trauma after being involved in a robbery that took her daddy’s life.

      “Hello, Gabby,” he said. “This is my new friend, Vanessa. Don’t you love her pretty dress?”

      Gabby grabbed Roxie and stood back to stare up at Vanessa with big brown eyes. Bobbing her head in agreement with Rory’s question, she asked, “Are you eating dinner with us?”

      “I am,” Vanessa said, clearly uncomfortable with the whole Sunday-dinner thing. Or maybe the child made her uncomfortable. “Is that okay?”

      Gabby showed a snaggletoothed grin. “Yes, ma’am. Are you hungry? We have ham and mashed potatoes and asp-per-gus. I don’t like that, though.”

      “I don’t either,” Rory said, grinning. “But I love me some mashed potatoes.”

      “And I like ham and asparagus,” Vanessa said. “I hear your mother made cupcakes and pies, too.”

      Gabby did a little back and forth sway, her print dress swishing. “Uh-huh. She made Easter cupcakes with bunnies and flowers and grass. I’m gonna eat two.”

      “And I’ll eat three at least,” Rory said, glad that Vanessa was warming up to the little girl. Gabby would sense it if Vanessa wasn’t comfortable.

      “Hello there.” Aunt Hattie came strolling out, her arms wide open and her cheeky smile warm. “Welcome, welcome. I’m so glad you’re both here and that you found each other out there.”

      “We did,” Rory said, shooting Vanessa an encouraging glance. “Ran into each other by the gate.”

      “Did that hurt?” Gabby asked, her eyes wide again.

      Aunt Hattie hooted with laughter. “Out of the mouths of babes.”

      “I don’t know yet,” Rory said, his gaze still on Vanessa. “It wasn’t too painful to me. How about you, Vanessa?”

      She smiled and shook her head. “We’re fine, Gabby.”

      Then she walked with Aunt Hattie into the house, leaving Rory to wonder if he’d ever be fine again.

      Of all the people he’d seen in church this morning, why did this woman have to be the one who’d come to dinner at the Caldwells’? And why did she have СКАЧАТЬ