couldn’t look away from Susannah’s moss-green eyes.
Chapter 6
As far as Susannah was concerned, Annabelle was a little miracle worker. She’d watched her soon-to-be niece work her magic on her brother’s tough-guy friends, Rye Crenshaw and Clayton Chandler.
But her heart had swelled fit to burst when Annabelle climbed onto Jake’s lap during Mama’s sermon and whispered that he needed to listen to her grandmamma… Even though they’d given each other plenty of room in the pew, Susannah had felt him go rigid beside her. The urge to reach out to him had been so great, but she’d suppressed it.
People were watching, after all, and it wasn’t appropriate.
Now, he was joking with her brother and the rest of his friends in the church hall. His hand brandished a glazed donut dripping with sugar, and while his smile seemed full, it was forced. She knew his smiles now, she realized, and her heart pounded harder in her chest with that knowledge.
“He became pretty upset during my sermon,” her mama whispered to her.
Reverend Louisa had finished greeting the members of her congregation after church before joining Susannah.
“I know. It might have touched home.”
“It might have just,” her mama simply said, looking over at the men standing in the corner. “I’m glad no one has asked for his autograph. We want him to feel welcome here even though my sermon might have made him want to head for the hills.”
Indeed it did , she thought, but refrained from saying it. “You were pretty clever to scoot Sadie and Shelby along so you could talk to me about this. Asking them to pick up more donuts indeed.”
“I’m also keeping people from overtly asking you if you’re dating Jake,” her mama said with a knowing look. “You recall the older women pestering you about getting married.”
Yes, she did. For a Southern woman, being unmarried at thirty was akin to becoming a spinster. She’d stopped attending fellowship after services because of it. But her brother had talked her into coming back by promising to keep the well-intentioned old biddies at bay. So far, he’d done a good job.
“Are the men keeping people from bothering Jake about coming here with me?” she asked.
“What do you think, honey?” her mama replied.
A soft sigh floated out. It was kinda sweet of them.
“Let’s go chat with the men before Sadie and Shelby return,” Mama said. “They know they’re on a fool’s errand, but they won’t complain.”
“Much,” Susannah said, which made them both laugh.
Her mama took her hand and led her over to the area where J.P., Rye, and Clayton stood huddled around Jake. It was pretty interesting, watching the men protect one of their own. She and her sisters sometimes did that sort of thing at a bar when they went out to listen to music in Nashville.
“Well now,” her mama began as the circle opened to welcome them. “How’s everyone doing this morning?”
“Good,” everyone answered, almost speaking in tandem.
Well, everyone but Jake. His shoulders had turned to stone again.
“We’re mighty happy to have you here, Jake,” her mama said, eyeing the man with that compassionate gaze for which she was rightly famous. It held a person. Most people melted. Jake’s eyes only narrowed at the corners.
“Thank you, Reverend,” he said easily—a bit too easily. “Susannah was kind to invite me.”
“We’d love for you to join us at Sunday dinner this afternoon,” her mama said, bold as brass. “And I won’t take no for an answer.”
Whoa. Mama definitely had something on her mind. Susannah had to force herself not to intercede and give Jake an out. J.P. met her eyes and shook his head only once. He knew Mama’s ways too. She was not a woman to be reckoned with when she had a notion in her head.
“I wouldn’t want to intrude on a family affair, ma’am,” Jake replied, clearing his throat.
“It’s no intrusion.” Mama patted his forearm. “We’ll see you
Chapter 6
As far as Susannah was concerned, Annabelle was a little miracle worker. She’d watched her soon-to-be niece work her magic on her brother’s tough-guy friends, Rye Crenshaw and Clayton Chandler.
But her heart had swelled fit to burst when Annabelle climbed onto Jake’s lap during Mama’s sermon and whispered that he needed to listen to her grandmamma… Even though they’d given each other plenty of room in the pew, Susannah had felt him go rigid beside her. The urge to reach out to him had been so great, but she’d suppressed it.
People were watching, after all, and it wasn’t appropriate.
Now, he was joking with her brother and the rest of his friends in the church hall. His hand brandished a glazed donut dripping with sugar, and while his smile seemed full, it was forced. She knew his smiles now, she realized, and her heart pounded harder in her chest with that knowledge.
“He became pretty upset during my sermon,” her mama whispered to her.
Reverend Louisa had finished greeting the members of her congregation after church before joining Susannah.
“I know. It might have touched home.”
“It might have just,” her mama simply said, looking over at the men standing in the corner. “I’m glad no one has asked for his autograph. We want him to feel welcome here even though my sermon might have made him want to head for the hills.”
Indeed it did , she thought, but refrained from saying it. “You were pretty clever to scoot Sadie and Shelby along so you could talk to me about this. Asking them to pick up more donuts indeed.”
“I’m also keeping people from overtly asking you if you’re dating Jake,” her mama said with a knowing look. “You recall the older women pestering you about getting married.”
Yes, she did. For a Southern woman, being unmarried at thirty was akin to becoming a spinster. She’d stopped attending fellowship after services because of it. But her brother had talked her into coming back by promising to keep the well-intentioned old biddies at bay. So far, he’d done a good job.
“Are the men keeping people from bothering Jake about coming here with me?” she asked.
“What do you think, honey?” her mama replied.
A soft sigh floated out. It was kinda sweet of them.
“Let’s go chat with the men before Sadie and Shelby return,” Mama said. “They know they’re on a fool’s errand, but they won’t complain.”
“Much,” Susannah said, which made them both laugh.
Her mama took her hand and led her over to the area where J.P., Rye, and Clayton stood huddled around Jake. It was pretty interesting, watching the men protect one of their own. She and her sisters sometimes did that sort of thing at a bar when they went out to listen to music in Nashville.
“Well now,” her mama began as the circle opened to welcome them. “How’s everyone doing this morning?”
“Good,” everyone answered, almost speaking in tandem.
Well, everyone but Jake. His shoulders had turned to stone again.
“We’re mighty happy to have you here, Jake,” her mama said, eyeing the man with that compassionate gaze for which she was rightly famous. It held a person. Most people melted. Jake’s eyes only narrowed at the corners.
“Thank you, Reverend,” he said easily—a bit too easily. “Susannah was kind to invite me.”
“We’d love for you to join us at Sunday dinner this afternoon,” her mama said, bold as brass. “And I won’t take no for an answer.”
Whoa. Mama definitely had something on her mind. Susannah had to force herself not to intercede and give Jake an out. J.P. met her eyes and shook his head only once. He knew Mama’s ways too. She was not a woman to be reckoned with when she had a notion in her head.
“I wouldn’t want to intrude on a family affair, ma’am,” Jake replied, clearing his throat.
“It’s no intrusion.” Mama patted his forearm. “We’ll see you
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