Page 18 of Evan
“Pardon?”
“We have been together for half an hour, and you have not once mentioned the word ‘God’ and the need to be saved.”
“I must be slipping.” She stood by the bench and to his surprise, slipped out of her boots. “I love to be comfortable.” Her smile came again, and he had the urge to fold her into his arms and never let go. It startled him enough to have him step away from her.
You love flowers.”
“I am fascinated by every living thing. I compare the growth of a plant by how the Lord’s power is so complex and yet so tangible.”She reached out to touch a plant hanging from the nearby branches of an oak tree. “Have you ever stopped to consider how created He is?”
“I am afraid not.” Shoving his hands into his pockets, he forced himself to look away from her. She had a very expressive face and whenever she spoke on a subject, whatever she did, it was done with such enthusiasm and a zest for life. She was the most alive person he had ever known.
Her singing entranced him to the point that he could listen to her forever, and he found that even now, he did not want to leave. He knew she couldn’t invite him in to have a drink, but being here with her was more than satisfactory. It was downright wonderful.
He wanted to keep on talking to her, but he wanted so much more than that and it frightened him. He should leave before he did or said something he would regret. “You seem close to the pastor.” He supposed the topic was innocent and neutral enough and ignored the fact that he wanted to know the nature of the relationship.
He had seen the man with his wife and the woman, even though she had been smiling, had a distinct hint of sadness surrounding her. He had read that they lost their son some years ago, which could account for the grief.
“They took me in when I lost my mother. My dad died when I was ten.” There was a wistful expression on her lovely face. “Mama couldn’t deal with the loneliness, and she married someone who could not cope with having a child who was not his.”
“Then he should not have made the commitment.” His voice was steely, his face harsh. “What happened to them?”
“They died when I was ten.”
His eyes wandered over her face, and he felt the inexorable pull, only this time was much stronger. He was going to have to leave and soon.
“And you still believe in God?” He asked scoffingly. “He took away your parents, your only support, people who were supposed to take care of you and you did what? Tell him that it was, okay? That you understand perfectly what he is about?”
She studied his face for such a long time, he was tempted to fidget and apologize.
“I cried out to him. I was raised in the church – this very chapel. Mama oversaw the soup kitchen. She and my dad were married here, and I was baptized when I was seven years old.”
She shook her head. “I doubt I even knew the significance of doing so, but I knew that I wanted Jesus to save me from going to hell. Then everything started going bad and I asked God why.”
“Did he answer?” The cynical amusement on his handsome face did not offend her. Far from it.
“He didn’t. Or if he did, I never heard, or I wasn’t listening. Pastor William and his wife took me in without complaining.Like it was the most natural thing in the world for them to do. They had children of their own, but they took care of me.”
Her gaze shifted to something beyond his left shoulder, and he saw when her expression changed slightly. He was becoming attuned to her moods, and it was unlike her to be sober.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.” Lifting her head, she smiled at him. “I love the Lord with all my heart, and I am not privy to everything he has planned for me. I just know that he promised to take care of me, and he will.”
Evan wanted to point out that her blind devotion was disturbing and impractical. He wanted to tell her that she was living in a fairytale world and was dangerously close to becoming unhinged.
But there was such a peaceful look about her, a conviction so strong and unshakable, it made him wonder what it must feel like to be so completely devoted and committed to a cause.
“I think you are amazing,” he said softly. Her eyes flew to his face and they both stood there staring at each other.
Cassandra’s hand went to her throat, dark brown eyes drowning in the silver of his gaze. The air was still around them, even the squirrels who had been scurrying around, looking for food had disappeared.
Birds had been chirping before had found somewhere else to call out to each other as if by tacit agreement they had decided to give the couple their privacy.
The minute the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to take them back. This was madness. He was not supposed to be involved and when the offer had been made to view her garden, he should have beaten a path to his vehicle.
He had things to do. His aunt had made him promise to stop by for supper. Some contracts were on his desk that demanded his attention.
The company was taking over a publishing house as well as a software company and those were major acquisitions that needed his personal attention. He did not have time to be paying attention to some churchgoing female, no matter how exquisite she was.