Read Online Endless Chain by Emilie Richards - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Emilie Richards
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George inside an old truck with Leon at the wheel.
“You’ll be okay?” he heard Elisa ask Leon. “You can drive this home?”
“I drive all the time.”
“And you can get him to bed?”
“I’ve done it before.”
“Watch for signs of concussion. Wake him up a few times through the night to be sure. But I think he’s going to be fine.”
She stepped back and slapped the passenger door in signal. Leon gunned the engine, and in a moment, the pickup was gone.
She was still staring at the road when Sam came to stand beside her. “You seem to know how to defuse every situation,” he said.
She faced him. “What is it about this church that there are so many situations to defuse?”
She said it with good humor. He smiled at her, not quite sure how to thank her, not quite sure exactly what he was feeling at that moment.
He didn’t have time to worry about either. Early and the others approached and congratulated them both on their handling of the incident. Sam was sure he would hear more about this—and not necessarily congratulations—in the weeks to come.
“Sam?” Christine joined the growing group at the front of the church.
“You’re okay?” he asked Elisa, before he faced Christine.
“I’m fine. Now I’ll go find Marvin and see what else a good sexton has to do.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
She nodded.
As Sam whisked Christine off to the side, the others were already embellishing the story beyond recognition.
Christine spoke first. “You punched somebody?”
He wasn’t sure if she was pleased or embarrassed. He suspected she was just sad she had missed the excitement.
“I didn’t punch anybody. I dodged a punch.”
“And Miss Mexican Working Girl helped you?”
He told the story quickly. “Elisa managed to convince him to go home. It’s not as exciting as it sounds.” He changed the subject. “What are you doing out here?”
“I decided to go back to the inn. I’m tired.”
“I need to stay around for a while.”
“By yourself, I’m afraid. I’ve done all the good I can here.”
He was sorry she wasn’t enjoying herself, but what exactly had he expected? That she would fall in love with these people tonight when she hadn’t fallen in love with them in the years of his ministry here? That she would fall in love with the valley and the green hills of Virginia when he wasn’t certain he had?
“Would you like me to go with you to make sure you get back all right?” he asked.
“I’ll be fine.” She touched his cheek, and her eyes sparkled. “After tonight, you’re definitely going to hire that woman, aren’t you?”
“Apparently she can handle anything we throw at her.”
“I guess she’ll be another of your do-gooder projects.” She gave an intimate laugh. “That’s one of those things I love about you. The way you take little wounded birds under your wing and make them all better.”
“Elisa is nobody’s wounded bird.”
“Of course you look for the best in every person and situation. I love that about you, too.”
Sam had known for a long time that Christine did not look for the best. She looked for the most comfortable, the most familiar, the most expedient. Most of the time he was glad of it. She was practical. She kept him on track when he lost his focus.
Still, he knew his intended well. Tonight she was also pointing him along the highway she intended them to travel together and warning against detours into the unfamiliar forests of the soul.
Christine might not see herself as ideal minister’s wife material, but she was reminding Sam that someone like Elisa Martinez was even less so.
C HAPTER Five
S am did not believe in putting on a show on Sunday mornings, nor did he believe boredom was conducive to spiritual growth. His worship services were high-energy affairs that made use of the arts to emphasize the simple message that God asked us to love our neighbors and treat them the way we
“You’ll be okay?” he heard Elisa ask Leon. “You can drive this home?”
“I drive all the time.”
“And you can get him to bed?”
“I’ve done it before.”
“Watch for signs of concussion. Wake him up a few times through the night to be sure. But I think he’s going to be fine.”
She stepped back and slapped the passenger door in signal. Leon gunned the engine, and in a moment, the pickup was gone.
She was still staring at the road when Sam came to stand beside her. “You seem to know how to defuse every situation,” he said.
She faced him. “What is it about this church that there are so many situations to defuse?”
She said it with good humor. He smiled at her, not quite sure how to thank her, not quite sure exactly what he was feeling at that moment.
He didn’t have time to worry about either. Early and the others approached and congratulated them both on their handling of the incident. Sam was sure he would hear more about this—and not necessarily congratulations—in the weeks to come.
“Sam?” Christine joined the growing group at the front of the church.
“You’re okay?” he asked Elisa, before he faced Christine.
“I’m fine. Now I’ll go find Marvin and see what else a good sexton has to do.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
She nodded.
As Sam whisked Christine off to the side, the others were already embellishing the story beyond recognition.
Christine spoke first. “You punched somebody?”
He wasn’t sure if she was pleased or embarrassed. He suspected she was just sad she had missed the excitement.
“I didn’t punch anybody. I dodged a punch.”
“And Miss Mexican Working Girl helped you?”
He told the story quickly. “Elisa managed to convince him to go home. It’s not as exciting as it sounds.” He changed the subject. “What are you doing out here?”
“I decided to go back to the inn. I’m tired.”
“I need to stay around for a while.”
“By yourself, I’m afraid. I’ve done all the good I can here.”
He was sorry she wasn’t enjoying herself, but what exactly had he expected? That she would fall in love with these people tonight when she hadn’t fallen in love with them in the years of his ministry here? That she would fall in love with the valley and the green hills of Virginia when he wasn’t certain he had?
“Would you like me to go with you to make sure you get back all right?” he asked.
“I’ll be fine.” She touched his cheek, and her eyes sparkled. “After tonight, you’re definitely going to hire that woman, aren’t you?”
“Apparently she can handle anything we throw at her.”
“I guess she’ll be another of your do-gooder projects.” She gave an intimate laugh. “That’s one of those things I love about you. The way you take little wounded birds under your wing and make them all better.”
“Elisa is nobody’s wounded bird.”
“Of course you look for the best in every person and situation. I love that about you, too.”
Sam had known for a long time that Christine did not look for the best. She looked for the most comfortable, the most familiar, the most expedient. Most of the time he was glad of it. She was practical. She kept him on track when he lost his focus.
Still, he knew his intended well. Tonight she was also pointing him along the highway she intended them to travel together and warning against detours into the unfamiliar forests of the soul.
Christine might not see herself as ideal minister’s wife material, but she was reminding Sam that someone like Elisa Martinez was even less so.
C HAPTER Five
S am did not believe in putting on a show on Sunday mornings, nor did he believe boredom was conducive to spiritual growth. His worship services were high-energy affairs that made use of the arts to emphasize the simple message that God asked us to love our neighbors and treat them the way we
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