ever be interested in someone as unconventional as her. What she did know was he had given her a gift beyond measure in pushing her to fill in tonight. He'd reminded her about her love for music and made her realize it was time to make some changes in her life to get that feeling back.
After mass, parishioners mingled and munched on the goodies everyone brought in the gathering room behind the church. Faith piled a plate high with cookies, a brownie, and a small hunk of decadent dark chocolate cake.
A number of the churchgoers stopped to thank her for filling in for the music director and to tell her how much they enjoyed her playing. She had a few animated discussions about the merits of one kind of music over another, and several people told her how bringing "real" music into the service–Michael's idea apparently–had brought them back to church.
Warmth filled Faith as she took in this community. Everyone she met welcomed her and made her feel at home. She wondered if other churches were like this or if Michael had worked his magic, making everyone feel like they'd found a place they belonged.
That thought stopped her dead in her tracks. Maybe that's all he'd been doing with her. Maybe what she’d seen as flirtation and attraction had just been Michael's normal behavior. The way he drew people in and made them feel immediately at home. Had she misjudged what was happening between them?
Before she could get too deep into introspection, she caught sight of Michael across the room. When their eyes met, his polite smile warmed, becoming something slightly more intimate just for her. She couldn't be wrong, could she? He must feel the attraction, too.
He held her gaze as he made his way across the room. He reached her and took one of her hands into one of his larger ones. "You were amazing tonight. I knew you were talented from the little bit you played yesterday, but tonight...I was blown away."
"Thanks. It was more fun than I thought it'd be."
"What did you think it would be?" Michael’s gaze swept her face.
Her heart picked up speed and the way he looked at her made her feel like they were the only two in the room. It was like something out of a fairy tale. Their eyes meeting across the room, making their way to one another. Could this man really be interested in her? Everything in her screamed yes, except for one niggling thought teasing at the back of her mind. The thought that said she wasn't good enough for someone as kindhearted as Michael. He was better suited to someone else. Someone who could whip up meals for the soup kitchen, offer support to the members of his congregation, someone who could set an example of how to live. Someone like...her sister.
She looked down for a moment, only to be startled by the feel of Michael's hand on her chin. He lifted her face up until their eyes met.
"Hey, where did you go just then?"
"Sorry." Faith shook her head. "I was just thinking about performing tonight. It's been a while since I've felt that kind of spark when I played. Thank you."
"No, thank you. You're incredibly talented. It was a gift to all of us to get to hear you."
Faith's eyes searched his, looking for some answers. She needed to know if he was simply grateful for her help this weekend or if he felt as amazed at finding her as she was at finding him.
"Father Michael." The voice that broke into their staring match was familiar. Of course Maddie had to come break things up.
"Maddie." Michael waited a moment, holding onto Faith's stare, before glancing over his shoulder at her sister. "What did you think of the service? Wasn't Faith great?"
Maddie's mouth formed a perfect O for a second as she obviously searched for the appropriate response. "We've always enjoyed Faith’s little hobby."
Faith bit her lip to hold in the snotty comeback she wanted to throw at Maddie. But as much as part of her wanted to snipe at her sister, the other part of her
After mass, parishioners mingled and munched on the goodies everyone brought in the gathering room behind the church. Faith piled a plate high with cookies, a brownie, and a small hunk of decadent dark chocolate cake.
A number of the churchgoers stopped to thank her for filling in for the music director and to tell her how much they enjoyed her playing. She had a few animated discussions about the merits of one kind of music over another, and several people told her how bringing "real" music into the service–Michael's idea apparently–had brought them back to church.
Warmth filled Faith as she took in this community. Everyone she met welcomed her and made her feel at home. She wondered if other churches were like this or if Michael had worked his magic, making everyone feel like they'd found a place they belonged.
That thought stopped her dead in her tracks. Maybe that's all he'd been doing with her. Maybe what she’d seen as flirtation and attraction had just been Michael's normal behavior. The way he drew people in and made them feel immediately at home. Had she misjudged what was happening between them?
Before she could get too deep into introspection, she caught sight of Michael across the room. When their eyes met, his polite smile warmed, becoming something slightly more intimate just for her. She couldn't be wrong, could she? He must feel the attraction, too.
He held her gaze as he made his way across the room. He reached her and took one of her hands into one of his larger ones. "You were amazing tonight. I knew you were talented from the little bit you played yesterday, but tonight...I was blown away."
"Thanks. It was more fun than I thought it'd be."
"What did you think it would be?" Michael’s gaze swept her face.
Her heart picked up speed and the way he looked at her made her feel like they were the only two in the room. It was like something out of a fairy tale. Their eyes meeting across the room, making their way to one another. Could this man really be interested in her? Everything in her screamed yes, except for one niggling thought teasing at the back of her mind. The thought that said she wasn't good enough for someone as kindhearted as Michael. He was better suited to someone else. Someone who could whip up meals for the soup kitchen, offer support to the members of his congregation, someone who could set an example of how to live. Someone like...her sister.
She looked down for a moment, only to be startled by the feel of Michael's hand on her chin. He lifted her face up until their eyes met.
"Hey, where did you go just then?"
"Sorry." Faith shook her head. "I was just thinking about performing tonight. It's been a while since I've felt that kind of spark when I played. Thank you."
"No, thank you. You're incredibly talented. It was a gift to all of us to get to hear you."
Faith's eyes searched his, looking for some answers. She needed to know if he was simply grateful for her help this weekend or if he felt as amazed at finding her as she was at finding him.
"Father Michael." The voice that broke into their staring match was familiar. Of course Maddie had to come break things up.
"Maddie." Michael waited a moment, holding onto Faith's stare, before glancing over his shoulder at her sister. "What did you think of the service? Wasn't Faith great?"
Maddie's mouth formed a perfect O for a second as she obviously searched for the appropriate response. "We've always enjoyed Faith’s little hobby."
Faith bit her lip to hold in the snotty comeback she wanted to throw at Maddie. But as much as part of her wanted to snipe at her sister, the other part of her
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