Read Online The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society by Beth Pattillo - Free Book Online

locking up. Eugenie appreciated his presence. She preferred not to be in the building alone. Generally she preferred not to be in a church at all, but Esther had arranged for the meeting space when they’d first started the society. Eugenie might have gainsaid a lot of people, but Esther Jackson wasn’t one of them.
    “Evening, Napoleon,” Eugenie called out before she could see him. She dropped the knitting detritus in the trash can and turned toward the classroom door. Only the figure who appeared in the doorway wasn’t the custodian at all.
    Panic and shock slammed into her. The man framed by the doorway bore no resemblance to the pale, wizened Napoleon. No, this man was tall, a little older than Eugenie, and his face was frighteningly familiar even after all these years.
    “Finishing up?” the man asked in polite tones, which meant he hadn’t recognized her. Yet. But what on earth was he doing here in the Sweetgum Christian Church on a Friday night? Her blood thrummed in her ears as if her head might explode.
    “Yes. Yes, we were just finishing up.” She couldn’t think of anything to say, could only parrot his words back to him.Her eyes were glued to his face, just as her feet seemed to be frozen to the floor.
    The man stepped forward and extended his hand. “I’m Paul Carson. I’m here interviewing to be the new minister.”
    Eugenie’s knees threatened to give way. She gripped the back of the nearest folding chair for support. Sixty-five-year-old women should never be shocked like this.
    “Are you all right?” He stepped forward, which only made Eugenie’s suddenly dry throat more of a desert.
    “Hmm. Hmm. Yes.” She drew a deep breath, released the chair, and straightened up. “Sorry. You startled me. I was expecting Napoleon.”
    “He left early. Something about his granddaughter’s science project being due tomorrow and he was needed to help. I wanted to look around the building. He said just to make sure I turned out all the lights and that the door locked behind me on the way out. I apologize if I frightened you.”
    Eugenie forced herself to breathe slowly, in and out, and relax her knees. He hadn’t changed, not really, but evidently she’d changed so much that he failed to recognize her even when he was standing less than six feet away.
    “You’re the new pastor?” She knew she sounded inane, like a feeble-minded old person, but for all her legendary self-discipline, she couldn’t make her tongue form the words easily.
    “Possibly. My conversations seem to be going well with the search committee.” Eugenie vaguely remembered thatEsther’s husband was chair of the group charged with calling a new minister.
    “I didn’t realize the church was so close to hiring someone.” She’d given up on religion years ago, right after he …
    “You look familiar.” His hair was white now, but not unattractive. No, not unattractive in the least. Behind the wire-framed glasses, his familiar blue eyes were as clear as they’d ever been. She’d forgotten how tall he was, how standing next to him always made her feel small but not in a good way. He’d been larger than life, and she … well, she’d been a silly young woman who knew nothing about anything.
    “Familiar?” she croaked. How could he not recognize her? True, she had the wrinkles, liver spots, and graying hair of anyone her age, but had she changed so much as to be completely unrecognizable?
    “Well, if you didn’t know I was interviewing, then you’re definitely not a parishioner. I may need to suggest that the congregation change their name to Grapevine Christian Church.” He smiled. “I’m sorry. Speaking of names, I didn’t catch yours.”
    Eugenie clamped her lips together because surely her mouth was opening and closing helplessly, like a fish out of water. “My name?”
    His laugh hadn’t changed any more than his eyes had. It burned through Eugenie like an open flame. “I really have startled you, haven’t