Read Online A Stranger's Wish by Gayle Roper - Free Book Online Page B

Or whether Jon Clarke noticed I wasn’t blood spattered today. When the congregation stood for the benediction and the pastor said amen, I couldn’t remember a word he’d said.
    I stood frozen in place as the congregation began to move toward the exits, afraid Todd would turn to me, afraid Jon Clarke wouldn’t.
    Just turn around and smile sweetly. Say something deep and significant like, “Nice service.” No need to be as tongue-tied as a junior-high girl. Besides, you can’t stand here like a pillar of salt forever.
    I slanted my eyes for a quick peek at Todd and was relieved to see him greeting a couple on the other side of the aisle. I took a deep breath and turned self-consciously to pick up my things from the pew. I found Jon Clarke looking directly at me as if he’d been waiting for me to turn.
    “How’s your cheek today?” His eyes under their improbably dark brows smiled.
    My hand went to my bandage. “It’s fine. I forget about it most of the time. Except when I smile. Then I feel a tug.”
    “Then you mustn’t smile.” And he grinned so disarmingly that I automatically smiled back. I winced.
    “Jon Clarke!” a voice called.
    Jon Clarke raised his hand in salute to a man several pews in front of us, and then he turned back to me. “Are you free to get dinner with me somewhere?”
    “Dinner?” I said intelligently, surprised and pleased.
    “Or are you already busy?” He glanced at Todd.
    I glanced at Todd too, still talking with his far neighbors. He was probably assuming we were going somewhere to eat because we usually did. But his comments and attitude last night still rankled, and his assumption wasn’t good enough. Besides, an invitation in the hand…
    I turned to Jon Clarke. “No, I’m not busy. Not busy at all. I’d enjoy having dinner with you.”
    He nodded. “I may be a few minutes,” he said as the man who’d hailed him a moment before approached us.
    “No problem,” I assured him.
    As he slowly made his way through the crowd, shaking hands as he went, I slid out of my pew at the end away from Todd. I was almost in the narthex when I felt a tap on my shoulder.
    “Where do you think you’re going in such a hurry?” Todd asked, but with a smile to show he meant nothing I could interpret as criticism. “I expected you to wait for me.”
    I shrugged.
    “Well, where shall we eat?” he asked. “What are you hungry for?”
    “I can’t go with you today,” I said with surprising ease.
    He blinked. “Why not?”
    I smiled sweetly, feeling again a slight pull in my cheek.
    When it became obvious I wasn’t going to tell him, he cleared his throat. “Look, you’re not still mad at me about last night, are you?”
    “It wasn’t one of your finer moments,” I said. “Or one of mine, for that matter. And no, I’m not mad.”
    “Good,” he said, relief evident in his face. “Then let’s go.” He put his hand in the small of my back to guide me to the door.
    “I just said I can’t, Todd. I wasn’t playing games. I really do have other plans.”
    He stared, obviously startled that I’d made plans that didn’t include him. “But, Kristie—”
    “If you’ll excuse me?” And with that I walked to the ladies’ room. I hung around in there for ten minutes, and when I finally peeked out, I was relieved to see that Todd had gone and Jon Clarke was still talking to people. I sat on a bench in the narthex and waited.
    Finally Jon Clarke joined me.
    “I’m sorry.” He took my elbow as we walked. “As I told you yesterday, I’ve been away for several years, and there are so many people to see.”
    “So this is your home church?”
    “As close to a home church as I’ve ever had. I’ve come here off and on since I was a kid. My aunt and uncle brought me along whenever I visited—which included my junior and senior years of high school. I lived with them while my folks were in Brazil on an engineering job.”
    “You were away from your parents for two whole