Pastor's Assignment by Kim O'Brien Page A

peach-colored polo shirt. “I’m sure all these misunderstandings between you and Rock can be worked out.”
    Laney looked down at her ring, the symbol of Rock’s love for her. “Me, too.” She remembered how funny it had felt the first days of wearing the diamond and how she wondered if it had been a mistake to accept Rock’s proposal.
    She was not blind to Rock’s faults. He valued outward appearances more than she did. He loved his clothing and his convertible ad nauseam. When he did his eyebrow thing, only extreme self-control kept her from crossing her eyes back at him. Perhaps worst of all, he came with a mother who had every promise in the world of making her life miserable.
    Yet it was because of these things, not despite them, that Laney had accepted Rock’s proposal. His imperfections gave her the right to be equally imperfect. She’d seen them as two people moving through life in a clumsy sort of manner. Rock was chronically overgroomed. She viewed herself as the family clown, always trying to gain respectability but never quite achieving it.
    She’d thought that together they might find a certain grace both currently lacked. And if great passion was missing between them, Laney felt their devotion to each other and a shared love of God would more than make up for it.
    Pastor Bruce peered curiously at the plate of sandwiches and the picnic basket. Absently Laney handed him one. Tonight she’d fix Rock a special dinner. They would talk about everything. After tonight they would have no secrets between them, no subject too sensitive to discuss. She would reach for a level of emotional closeness that most couples only dreamed of achieving. She’d even tell him about finding the crumpled note in the church and her failed attempt to help Ty Steele.
    â€œHow’s the sandwich?” Laney realized Pastor Bruce had been silent for a while. She loved this about him—his absolute faith in the power of reflection.
    â€œDelicious,” Pastor Bruce responded. “Although I must admit, cucumber and peanut butter is a most unusual combination.”
    â€œIt isn’t peanut butter,” Laney said with satisfaction. “It’s hummus. Much healthier.”
    Pastor Bruce’s forehead creased in concern. “Isn’t hummus a type of fertilizer?”
    Laney laughed. “Not humus . Hummus. You think I fed you fertilizer?”
    Pastor Bruce smiled but placed the remainder of the sandwich on the desk. “Of course not,” he managed, then added, “not on purpose anyway.”
    â€œI don’t find that hummurous ,” Laney said, deliberately mispronouncing the word.
    Pastor Bruce tilted his head to the sky and released a blast of laughter. “You make people laugh, Laney. It’s a gift.” He grasped her forearm with surprising strength. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise or try to change you.”
    I just hope Rock feels the same way, Laney thought. If not, she had a sick feeling that all the jokes in the world weren’t going to make him think failing a premarital exam was humorous in the least.

Ten
    The doorbell rang near the end of Laney’s shower. She didn’t hear the bell but couldn’t miss Angel’s howls.
    Grabbing a towel, she quickly dried herself off and dressed in her favorite denim skirt and a pumpkin-colored T-shirt.
    â€œRock’s early,” she told the dog who darted between her feet. Angel growled. “You better get used to hearing that name,” Laney warned the dog, “because we’re getting married.”
    The dog reached the front door and began to wag his tail. Laney slid back the deadbolt. “Good boy, Angel. That’s a much better attitude.”
    When she opened the front door, however, Laney stared straight up into the piercing brown eyes of Detective Ty Steele.
    Laney blinked in shock. “Ty?”
    â€œHello, Laney.”
    Laney watched