Bride Wanted. Renee Andrews

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СКАЧАТЬ church members take an unhidden interest in the woman situating herself on the pew beside Troy. Most noticeable were his mother and grandmother, sitting together as usual in the second row. No, they shouldn’t have turned around and gawked at Troy when he came in, but that was their nature. And it took his grandfather and father tapping their shoulders before they turned around. Of course, his grandfather and father also stared at the pretty girl by his side.

      Troy sent his dad a subtle shake of his head to make sure he’d get the hint that this wasn’t anything more than him sitting with the newcomer. Hopefully his dad would fill his mother and grandparents in before church ended and they were stuck to Ms. Porter like white on rice.

      As was typical with the Wednesday night service, Brother Henry moved around the room and offered each member in attendance a chance to read the next passage in their class material or the next Bible verse. Troy noticed Destiny having a difficult time locating Philippians, and when it neared her time to read, he leaned over and touched her Bible.

      “Want me to help you find it?”

      Her cheeks blushed pink, and he was afraid he’d embarrassed her.

      “I noticed you’re using a new Bible, so I’m sure you’re probably still learning where everything’s located in that one. Amazing how a different font or a translation can do that, huh?” He kept his voice as low as possible so as not to disturb the other class members and also so he wouldn’t point out the fact that she was having a hard time.

      Her look of embarrassment all but disappeared. “Yes, thanks.”

      “You want to take the next one, Troy?” Brother Henry’s voice took their attention off each other and back to the study.

      Troy read the verse. As soon as he finished, he flipped to the next verse in Destiny’s Bible, so she was ready when Brother Henry asked if she’d like to read.

      When the class ended, Troy wasn’t surprised to see his mother and grandmother making a beeline for his pew. He knew better than to try to leave; they’d just chase him down in the parking lot.

      “Mom, Grandma, this is Destiny. She’s visiting from Atlanta.”

      “Really? You don’t say.” His mother’s ambitious nod and smile went overboard. Troy knew she was ready for him to find the right one, but she could stand to tone down the look of hope at him merely standing beside the visiting lady.

      But his mother’s look had nothing on his grandmother’s. Jolaine Bowers’s blue eyes were so wide, her smile so bright, that Troy wouldn’t be at all surprised if she didn’t start clapping and tell him that it was high time he gave her some great-grandchildren, and that she thought Destiny perfect for the job. Then her head tilted, and she looked confused. “Destiny? I thought your name was Haley. Haley Calhoun.”

      “Haley didn’t make it tonight,” Troy said.

      Her brows shot up with such force they nearly disappeared beneath her bangs. “I thought our talk today helped you.” She attempted to whisper, but people in the lobby probably heard.

      “Destiny is visiting town to write a story, and I offered to help. She also asked where to attend a midweek Bible study, so I told her, and she came.” Troy picked up his Bible from the pew and waited for the interrogation to continue.

      His grandmother didn’t disappoint. “So you’re still going out with Haley on Friday?” She looked to Destiny. “I’m sorry, dear, but we’re working on the fact that my grandson has been labeled a player.”

      “Mother, really.” Troy’s mom shook her head. “Forgive my mom,” she said to Destiny, “I’m afraid she’s long since lost her filter for what information to share and what she should keep to herself.”

      “The whole town knows it,” his grandmother said. “Just go to the beauty shop and ask them. Or the quilting group. Or our online loop.”

      Troy could tell Destiny didn’t know how to respond, and he grinned. “My grandmother’s definition of a player and the one you’re thinking of probably don’t coincide, but for now, I won’t try to explain.” He edged toward his grandmother, hugged her and lowered his voice. “I appreciate you attempting to help me out, but I think I’ve got this. I’m still going out with Haley on Friday, but I believe I can help Ms. Porter write her story on small-town living, too.”

      She huffed out a breath. “If you say so.” But then she seemed to focus on the positive aspect of Destiny’s occupation. “Wait, you’re a writer? You write for newspapers, magazines? Or do you write books?” Her look of admiration grew along with the size of the publications she listed. “Are you a bestseller or something like that?” Her head bobbed and she appeared a bit starstruck. “Have you written anything that we might find at A Likely Story?”

      “A Likely Story?” Destiny asked, handling this grilling fairly well, in Troy’s opinion. He’d have to apologize profusely later, if he ever got her away from his mother and grandmother.

      “A Likely Story is our local bookstore, on the town square,” his mother explained. “It’s been here since I was a little girl, and it’s adorable. You have to visit the store while you’re in town.”

      “Oh, yes, you must visit,” his grandmother continued. “Maybe we could set up a book signing for you there. Do you have any recent releases? I’ll make sure to ask David Presley, the store owner, to order plenty of your books.”

      “No relation,” Troy’s mother said.

      “Relation?” Destiny asked.

      “To Elvis, of course,” his grandmother explained, and Troy began to think that he probably owed this woman more than an apology, maybe a cup of coffee or even dinner, for what his mother and grandmother were putting her through right now. But that’d qualify as a date, and he’d already asked out Haley Calhoun. No need to feed his player reputation by asking the writer out, too. But if his grandmother didn’t back down, she might ditch her story on small-town living. Or title it “The Twilight Zone” and sell it to a sci-fi mag. “And we can put it in the church bulletin announcements. When would you like to have your signing, dear?”

      He could tell Destiny didn’t know how to answer his eccentric family’s questions, so he decided to help her out. “She said she’s writing a story about small towns,” he explained. “I’m pretty sure that means she’s writing for a newspaper or maybe a magazine. Probably not a novelist, are you, Destiny?”

      Her cheeks lifted with her smile and made her eyes appear a more brilliant blue within the long, dark lashes. “That’s right, I’m not.” And then, at his grandmother’s obvious look of disappointment, she added, “But I’ve always dreamed about writing a book. Maybe I’ll try it one day.”

      Grandma’s grin reclaimed her face. “Well, that sounds wonderful, just wonderful. You should write one about Claremont, definitely. It’s a small town, but plenty goes on in a small town, let me tell you.”

      Troy feared that she might start telling her all about the plenty going on, courtesy of her time today at the beauty shop. “Grandma, I’m going to walk Destiny out to her car.” He knew if he left without Destiny, the questioning would continue, and he could only imagine what they’d ask if he wasn’t standing nearby. “I’ll see you at the fishing hole on Saturday.”

      “Would you like to come to the fishing hole, too, Destiny?” his grandmother СКАЧАТЬ