Authors: Kristin Wallace
Finally, Sarah picked up.
“It's about time,” Julia snapped. “Why didn't you answer the phone?”
A snuffling sound emerged, followed by a shaky, half-sob. “Hi, Julia.”
Alarm bells clanged in Julia's head. “Sarah? What's going on? Is something wrong withâ”
“His mother is in jail!”
“Huh?”
“She was only trying to protect her baby after they all made fun of his ears, and then they put her in jail, and now she can't see her baby,” Sarah wailed. “And that song!”
Awareness dawned as Julia pulled into a spot in front of Marry Me. “Wait a minute. Are you crying over a movie?”
“
Yes
! Someone gave me a whole DVD set for the baby, and I got bored, so I put one in. It's horrible! Poor baby.”
With her panic subsiding, Julia released a shaky breath of her own. “Sounds rough,” she said, staring at the window display of the angry mob chasing the bride.
Another sob. “Oh, my goodness! What if my baby has huge ears, too? Then I'll go berserk and get put in jail, and I'll never see my baby again!”
Julia wondered if she hadn't gone a bit too far with the bride in peril. “Do me a favor, Sarah. Find a comedy and watch that instead.”
“Okay,” Sarah said, though her voice still sounded frail and weepy. “Sorry. I think I'm going stir crazy. It's so good to hear your voice.”
“Wait till you find out why I called.”
“Why?”
“What on earth possessed you to tell Amy Vining I needed help? Don't you think I have enough on my plate without foisting her on me?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You told Amy Vining how overwhelmed I was, so she volunteered to help at Marry Me.”
“I only told her how hard you've been working,” Sarah said. “Are you saying she showed up and offered her services?”
“Yes. She was sitting at my desk when I got back with Mrs. Manning, and wouldn't you know the Dragon Lady adores her? Now, I'm stuck with Miss Perky Perkiness.”
“I had no idea she'd show up there.”
“I think she wants to spy on me. Make sure I'm not doing anything unsavory with Seth.”
“Have you been doing anything unsavory with Seth?” Sarah asked, in a teasing voice.
“No.”
“Well, why not?”
Julia was in no mood to be prodded about Seth. “Didn't I tell you to stop matchmaking?” she asked. “Besides, I've got a serious problem here. I'm being invaded. I half expect Amy's mother will show up and offer to help, too. Mrs. Vining has already warned me off.”
“When?”
“A couple days ago. Not that there's anything she needs to worry about,” Julia was quick to point out. “There's nothing going on between Seth and me.”
“Well, except for the kiss.”
Julia glared at her phone. “Remind me never to tell you anything important ever again.”
“Are you sure nothing else has happened?” Sarah asked, like a dog refusing to give up a juicy bone. “Amy must be suspicious if she showed up and volunteered.”
“Well, she might have gotten the wrong idea at the wedding last week. One of the guests got a little tipsy so Seth and I helped him get a cab home. We were talking in the courtyard, and Amy found us.”
“Just talking?”
“Pretty much,” Julia said, through gritted teeth.
Sarah giggled. “You kissed again.”
“No. Then Seth showed up last night because he was upset about red soap dishes and a Session meeting to oust Meredith Vining.”
“Who wants to get rid of Meredith?” Sarah asked on an outraged gasp. “And why didn't anyone tell me?”
“Because it just happened, and because you shouldn't be worrying about church politics right now.”
“So, you're saying Seth came to you for advice and comfort?”
Julia squirmed at the notion of being any kind of confidante to Seth, which implied a deeper connection than she wanted to admit. “Don't go making a big deal out of one conversation. I think he likes talking to me because I can offer a different perspective.”
“I think you protest too much,” Sarah said, clucking her tongue.
“I'm hanging up now.”
“Oh, don't go yet,” Sarah said. “I am going crazy.”
“I'll come by later. Right now I've got to go meet my new employee.”
Sarah made a little sound, and Julia didn't need to see her stepsister to know she was pouting. “Okay.”
“And no more sad movies.”
“They're officially off limits,” Sarah said. “You do me a favor, too.”
“What?”
“The next time you're in a courtyard or an office alone with Seth, take advantage of it.”
The little manipulator hung up before Julia could protest.
Still fuming, she got out of the car and trudged up to the shop. Amy had ensconced herself at the desk again, and her head popped up at the sound of the bell. Her smile was brighter than the sun reflecting off the water, and Julia felt the sudden need to put her sunglasses back on.
“What are you doing?” Julia asked.
Amy leapt up from the desk. “Hi. I hope you don't mind, but I saw your to-do list and started making calls. I've already called Karen Collier to set up the final dress fitting for the Morrison wedding. You also had a note about looking for a tent for the Creek wedding. Stewart's Outdoor Venues always supplies tents for the annual Covington Falls Carnival, so I called them. Got a great deal on a tent that accommodates one hundred people.”
Julia couldn't help but be impressed. Amy could teach the military a thing or two. “Aren't you the busy bee? Where's Betsy?”
“She has class this morning.”
“She's going to school?”
“Mm hmm. She's getting her GED.”
That stopped Julia in her tracks. “Betsy never finished high school?”
Amy's blond waves bounced as she shook her head. “Her mother got sick when she was fourteen. Betsy stayed home a lot to take care of her, so she didn't have the credits to graduate.”
“Why didn't I know that?”
Amy gave a graceful lift of her shoulders. Everything the younger woman did seemed graceful, which was so annoying.
“I guess she's a little embarrassed about it,” Amy said.
“She could have told me.”
“You're new in town. She might not have known how you'd react.”
Another reminder of her outsider status. Even with Betsy. The knowledge stung.
“It looks like you don't even need me here,” Julia said.
“I went too far, didn't I?” Amy's smile faded. “I'm sorry. I should have waited for you to get here.”
Julia didn't know what to say. She hadn't expected her new assistant to be so contrite andâ¦
nice
.
“I'm always doing that,” Amy said, working her way up to tears. “I push too much.”
Great.
“No, it's all right,” Julia said, feeling as though she'd kicked a puppy. “I'm sure you're much more efficient than I am. I'm just jealous.”
“Then we're even,” Amy said, in a conspiratorial tone. “I've been insane with jealousy of you.”
“Why?”
“Because you live so close to Seth, and you get to see him everyday. I couldn't help noticing you two seem closer.”
Oh, man, what had Amy seen at the wedding? Did she know about Seth dropping by Marry Me last night? “We get along, but there's nothing romantic between us.”
“Are you sure?” Amy asked, biting her lip. “When I saw you at Angela Jerome's wedding, you looked pretty cozy.”
“We're friends,” Julia insisted. “That's all.”
Amy sighed in relief.
Julia decided to probe. “You've got a thing for him, right?”
A lovely flush of color stained Amy's cheeks. “Is it that obvious?”
“A little bit.”
The blush deepened. “I'm such a fool. I've always been a complete idiot where he's concerned. It's justâ”
“Just what?”
“I love him. I always have.”
“Always?”
“It seems like it anyway.”
Julia leaned against the corner of the desk. “I remember him being a nerd.”
“Oh, no! He was so sweet and shy. And kind.”
“He's a bit older than you.”
“That was the problem. I was too young for him to notice me. Then he went away to school, and I grew up. I had these grand dreams that he'd come home one day, take one look at me, and fall instantly in love.”
“Instead he brought someone else home.”
Amy's pretty, sky-blue eyes misted. “Right. So, I stuffed all those dreams down and tried to get over him. When Beth got sick, I prayed for her like everyone else. I hated the thought of Seth suffering.”
“You really love him?” Julia asked. “It's not a leftover schoolgirl crush?”
“I wish. Don't you think I'd rather be married with kids of my own, than pining for a man who's never even looked at me?” Amy asked, eyes wide-eyed and innocent. “That's why I got worried when I heard you were going to be living at Grace's house. Then when I saw you at that wedding, I thought my worst fears were realized.”
“What fears?”
“That Seth would finally come out of mourning, only to fall in love with someone else.”
A shiver ran up Julia's spine like an icy finger. “I don't think you have to worry about that.”
“Oh, I realize how silly I was being now,” Amy said, with a dismissive laugh. “You two are so different.”
That hurt. It was nothing more than Julia had said to herself over and over again, but having the truth confirmed was not pleasant. “Right.”
“In any case, maybe now we can be friends,” Amy said.
Friends with Amy Vining? Oh, yeah, it was a banner day for sure.
****
Amy turned out to be something of a miracle worker. Her resources were endless. Someone needed an ice sculpture? She knew who made them. Needed two dozen, one-hundred-foot-long velvet sashes to drape down an aisle? She could find them. Or make them. Oh, yeah, she made the sashes. In under forty-eight hours.
Plus, everyone loved her. Women, men, even little kids lit up when they saw her, like she was some fairy princess come to life. It was enough to make a person feel like the proverbial redheaded stepchild. If Amy wasn't so nice all the time, Julia could have easily hated her. There hadn't been evidence of the earlier hostility, either. In fact, ever since Amy had made the big confession about Seth, she'd acted like they were best friends.
In any case, Amy's competence came in handy as Julia and the crew made the final preparations for their next wedding on Saturday. Amy and Betsy were dispatched to the florist while Julia headed to Seth's church to meet with the wedding coordinator. The rehearsal was tomorrow, and there were a million details to go over. At least it seemed that way.
By the time Julia finished with the meeting, her brain was fried. Leaving the cramped broom closet that passed for the wedding coordinator's office, she made her way through the silent hallways. Seth's voice caught her attention near the open doors of the sanctuary. She stopped and looked inside, watching the figure on the stage for a moment before slipping into a pew in the back.
He was mesmerizing. Almost like a different man. He was practicing his sermon, and from what she could tell, Seth was not the type of preacher who liked to stand in one place and orate. He paced and then paused for dramatic effect. He used his arms to punctuate an important point. He was forceful and passionate, and there was a power in him that was absolutely transfixing.
And sexy as all get out.
Which had to be the most un-pure thought to be having while sitting in a church. She shouldn't be thinking about how all that passion could be transferred to other things.
To keep the lightning bolt from striking her where she sat, Julia tried to focus on the words.
“It's a simple story. I know most of you have heard it a thousand times, but some of you have forgotten or refused to listen,” Seth said. “God created man, and he gave them everything they could ever want, but like greedy children they wanted more. They chose sin. But instead of turning his back, he embarked on the greatest rescue mission ever devised. A mission to rescue
you
.
“He sent a Son. His only Son. To be tortured and killed for you. He sent in the cavalry, by sending his Son to the Cross. For God so loved the world. For God so loved
you
, and all you have to do is accept that love. You don't have to do anything. Be anything. Just believe.”
The tears that seemed to come much more freely in the last few weeks threatened to erupt again. Julia was filled with awe that the kid she once knew had grown into a man who could paint such a beautiful picture and touch hearts with a gesture. A look. A word. No matter how frustrated he got with certain members of his church, he'd clearly been born to preach.
As if sensing a presence, Seth turned toward her. “Juliaâ”
Her skin heated at his regard. “Please don't stop on my account.”
After a moment's hesitation, he shook his head, almost as if he was coming out of a trance, and started walking down the aisle. “What are you doing here?”
“I had to meet with your wedding coordinator. I heard you, so I came in.”
“How long have you been here?” he asked, leaning back against the pew in front of her.
“Long enough to know you've got an amazing gift. It's a beautiful sermon.”
A smile touched his lips. “Thank you.”
“I've never heard you preach before,” Julia said, wishing she had the words to express her admiration. “You're a different person. It's like something powerful is pouring out from inside you.”
“It is in a way, but it doesn't come from me. I only speak the words. God puts them in the hearts of those who need to hear them the most.”
“I think God would be proud of the words you speak.”
“I think that's the nicest compliment anyone has ever given me,” he said, his voice rough with emotion.
The corner of her mouth kicked up. “You don't get compliments too often?”
“Remember the red soap dishes?” he asked, with a shake of his head. “And my music director? No, it's always easy to complain.”
“Of course it is.”
“Actually, I have you to thank for my sermon,” he said, stuffing his hands in the pocket of his jeans.
She blinked in astonishment. “Me?”
“I imagined what I would say to get you to see.”
“See what?”
A brief hesitation followed as he searched her face. “Just see.”
Julia's finger traced the edge of the pew. “What if I can't see what you do?”
The unspoken question hung in the charged air. How could they ever have a relationship if she couldn't believe what he did?
“I don't know,” he said, sounding wistful.
There had to be some way to back away from the cliff they were approaching. Maybe shock would work.
“What you do is incredible,” she said. “It blows my mind, and frankly, it gets me hot.”
The breath left his body so fast he nearly choked.
Mission accomplished. “I know, it's pretty twisted, let me tell you.” She grinned at his stunned expression.
It took a few more attempts before he could speak clearly. “Who knew preaching was an aphrodisiac?”
“It is when you do it,” she said, bending down to kiss his cheek.
He turned his head at the last second, and their lips met. It was soft. Not like the more frantic kiss on the balcony, but somehow every bit as devastating.
Julia jolted back, as if stung by a live wire. “Okay, that wasâ”
“Yeah.”
“I have to go,” she said, shaking her head to clear the fog. “I've got to wrap boutonnières.”
“Huh?”
“You take the flower and this green fern-like stuff and wrap the stems with green tape. Then you stick a pin through it and attach it to the men's tuxedos. It's a delicate procedure, but Amy Vining seems to be an expert at it, so we're doing it. It'll save the client a lot of money by not having the florist do it.”
“Amy Vining is working for you?”
“Yes, and she's been a godsend, too. She's amazing. She could probably host her own show on one of those home decorating networks.”
“I'm glad you have some extra help.”
“Yeah, if only she wasn't so perky,” Julia grumbled. “Between Amy and Betsy I feel like a clumsy, redheaded giant.”
He looped a red curl around his finger. “You've got quite a complex about petite blondes.”
“Try not being one in this town.”
“I thought we'd established you're drop-dead gorgeous.”
Oh, man a little heart pitter-pat. She almost fluttered her lashes like one of those cartoon characters when they spotted the handsome boy. “Did we establish that?”
“I did anyway.”
There it is again.
Step away from the preacher, Julia!
“I have to go,” she said again, taking a step back. “I hope you knock âem dead with that sermon. It's beautiful.”
“Thank you. You should come hear the whole thing in person.”
“We'll see.”
A brow lifted as determination lit his features. “One of these days I'll get you here.”
“One can always dream,” she said, before hurrying away from temptation.