like to have brothers. She grinned.
The grassy area in front of the stage was filled with people on lawn chairs and blankets, already staking their claims for a choice spot. It was obvious that the town showed up in force to celebrate the coming of summer. Jessie loved it.
Standing at the park’s entrance, she glanced back and forth through the gathering crowd, looking for Katie. Jessie spied her in a perfect spot, not too far from the stage with her blanket spread and picnic basket beside her. As she made her way toward Katie, Molly stopped her.
“Hey, Jessie, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Kenny.” Molly’s eyes lit up as she introduced him.
“Hi, Kenny, it’s nice to meet you.” Jessie extended her hand and smiled.
“Molly told me you’re the new secretary at the church where the young pastor was murdered.” He grabbed her hand in his, pumping it, his blue eyes lighting up his face. “How do you like working there?
“I’m enjoying it so far.” She shifted her weight to the other leg. Jessie liked him instantly, punk hair and all. She could tell by the way he looked at Molly that he was in love with her.
“Molly told me it gives her the creeps just thinking about it. She could never work there.” He smiled showing off two big dimples.
“Gina used to come into Joe’s almost every day. She was such a sweet lady.” She gave Kenny a playful push. “I was so sad when they found her murdered, that’s the real reason I couldn’t ever work there. Plus, I’ve heard stories about people seeing her around the church and cemetery. I think that’s a little creepy, although I’ve never seen her. Have you?”
“I actually like working there. The people are nice. The writer in me likes the strange and unusual that comes with a good story.” She evaded the question and before they could ask her more, she added, “I need to find Katie. It was great seeing you, Molly. Enjoy the concert.” She waved as she walked away.
She had thought Molly had a lot of ink and piercings, but Kenny might actually have more. In some weird way they made a cute couple.
Winding her way through the crowd, she heard someone calling her name. She traced the sound to Reba who was waving Jessie over in her direction. Sitting on her lawn chair, dressed in a floral sundress, she looked like a queen holding court. Next to her was her prince, a very handsome, distinguished man with a head of salt and pepper hair. He had a kind face, smiling eyes that never stopped watching Reba as she spoke to Jessie.
“Hi, Jessie, dear, this lovely man is Lawrence. He’s been the man in my life since I was fifteen.” She patted his hand and smiled at him.
He stood to meet Jessie. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thomas.”
“Lawrence, please, and the pleasure is all mine. My wife has told me so much about you, and you’re just as she described. You have nothing to fret about, young lady, for she told me only good things about you.” He smiled at her.
“I told him you reminded me of myself when I was younger. I was ahead of my time you know. I was a strong, independent woman, working my way in a man’s world and having to fight every step of the way.”
Jessie thought Reba sounded just like her Grandma Sadie.
“She’s always been one feisty woman, which has kept me at her side for all these years.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
“We won’t keep you, Jessie, but I wanted you to meet Lawrence, and I wanted him to see our famous Jessie who lights up a room and showers everyone with kindness.”
“The rumor is you can walk on water.” Lawrence winked at her as he sat back down in his chair.
Jessie laughed and continued to smile as she walked toward Katie.
“What’s got you smiling?” Katie asked as she patted the ground beside her for Jessie to sit down.
“I spent a few minutes with Reba and Lawrence Thomas. She always cheers me up.”
“Don’t you think she’s a little weird? It’s like she knows what
The grassy area in front of the stage was filled with people on lawn chairs and blankets, already staking their claims for a choice spot. It was obvious that the town showed up in force to celebrate the coming of summer. Jessie loved it.
Standing at the park’s entrance, she glanced back and forth through the gathering crowd, looking for Katie. Jessie spied her in a perfect spot, not too far from the stage with her blanket spread and picnic basket beside her. As she made her way toward Katie, Molly stopped her.
“Hey, Jessie, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Kenny.” Molly’s eyes lit up as she introduced him.
“Hi, Kenny, it’s nice to meet you.” Jessie extended her hand and smiled.
“Molly told me you’re the new secretary at the church where the young pastor was murdered.” He grabbed her hand in his, pumping it, his blue eyes lighting up his face. “How do you like working there?
“I’m enjoying it so far.” She shifted her weight to the other leg. Jessie liked him instantly, punk hair and all. She could tell by the way he looked at Molly that he was in love with her.
“Molly told me it gives her the creeps just thinking about it. She could never work there.” He smiled showing off two big dimples.
“Gina used to come into Joe’s almost every day. She was such a sweet lady.” She gave Kenny a playful push. “I was so sad when they found her murdered, that’s the real reason I couldn’t ever work there. Plus, I’ve heard stories about people seeing her around the church and cemetery. I think that’s a little creepy, although I’ve never seen her. Have you?”
“I actually like working there. The people are nice. The writer in me likes the strange and unusual that comes with a good story.” She evaded the question and before they could ask her more, she added, “I need to find Katie. It was great seeing you, Molly. Enjoy the concert.” She waved as she walked away.
She had thought Molly had a lot of ink and piercings, but Kenny might actually have more. In some weird way they made a cute couple.
Winding her way through the crowd, she heard someone calling her name. She traced the sound to Reba who was waving Jessie over in her direction. Sitting on her lawn chair, dressed in a floral sundress, she looked like a queen holding court. Next to her was her prince, a very handsome, distinguished man with a head of salt and pepper hair. He had a kind face, smiling eyes that never stopped watching Reba as she spoke to Jessie.
“Hi, Jessie, dear, this lovely man is Lawrence. He’s been the man in my life since I was fifteen.” She patted his hand and smiled at him.
He stood to meet Jessie. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thomas.”
“Lawrence, please, and the pleasure is all mine. My wife has told me so much about you, and you’re just as she described. You have nothing to fret about, young lady, for she told me only good things about you.” He smiled at her.
“I told him you reminded me of myself when I was younger. I was ahead of my time you know. I was a strong, independent woman, working my way in a man’s world and having to fight every step of the way.”
Jessie thought Reba sounded just like her Grandma Sadie.
“She’s always been one feisty woman, which has kept me at her side for all these years.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
“We won’t keep you, Jessie, but I wanted you to meet Lawrence, and I wanted him to see our famous Jessie who lights up a room and showers everyone with kindness.”
“The rumor is you can walk on water.” Lawrence winked at her as he sat back down in his chair.
Jessie laughed and continued to smile as she walked toward Katie.
“What’s got you smiling?” Katie asked as she patted the ground beside her for Jessie to sit down.
“I spent a few minutes with Reba and Lawrence Thomas. She always cheers me up.”
“Don’t you think she’s a little weird? It’s like she knows what
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