Her mom’s first husband, this youthful person named Russell, had been murdered by a serial killer.
A tidal wave of shock submerged her.
Ready to check out?” the cashier at The Bookery asked Sam that afternoon.
“Yes, thanks.” He did his best to quash his embarrassment as he setBearer of a Woman’s Soulby Genevieve Woodward on the counter near the cash register.
The book’s cover was unnecessarily girly. Lots of pink flowers.
He forced himself to meet the cashier’s eyes without flinching.
Real men could buy women’s Bible studies. He’d like to see her try to tell him otherwise.
She scanned the book. “Did you know there’s a DVD series that goes along with this study?” She had a friendly, plump face.
“No.”
She arched back as if a strong wind had hit her. “Oh my goodness! The DVD lessons Genevieve recorded for this study aren’t to be missed. They’re excellent. Not to be missed! You need to tell the woman you’re buying this for about them. I guarantee she’ll get goose bumps watching them.”
He sincerely doubted the person he was buying this for would get goose bumps. “Do you sell the, uh...”
“DVD series? We do. It’s one hundred and twenty dollars for the set.”
He blinked at her.What on earth?He could buy a top-of-the-line cordless drill for that price.
“Would you like for me to grab them for you?” she asked.
“No thanks. Just the book please.” After his discussion with Eli about Gen, he’d decided to buy one of her books, read it, and see for himself what all the fuss was about. He wasn’t willing to trade a new drill for a set of DVDs, however.
“That’ll be seventeen dollars and ninety-five cents,” she said.
He handed over a twenty.
“Just be sure to tell the woman you’re buying this for that she can purchase and watch each teaching session individually online.”Her forehead wrinkled. “What do they call that, when you can watch things automatically online?”
“Streaming?”
“Exactly! Streaming. Please tell her that she can stream each of the recordings online. She’s going to want to watch those sessions!”
“I’ll tell her.”
Sam worked in the orchard until night fell, then made a quick meat marinara over spaghetti squash. He ate it at his dining room table while reading the newspaper. After cleaning up, he settled at his desk in the front downstairs room he’d converted into a home office. In addition to the desk, the room held a chair, two bookcases, and one large piece of framed photography. An artist had given him the photograph after Sam had given him permission to take black-and-white photos of the farm.
He clicked on the desk light and openedBearer of a Woman’s Soul. The table of contents was impressive. Ten weeks of study—each with five assignments? Eleven recorded teaching sessions.
Sam scratched the back of his neck. He hadn’t realized there was a demand among women for ten-week-long Bible studies. He flipped through the book. Lots of blank spaces and questions. Not only did this study last ten weeks, it came with homework.
He wasn’t afraid to rebel against the assigned order and skip the first teaching session, which was supposed to come before the first assignment. Except his curiosity was stirring.
Gen ... teaching a lesson?
He powered up his computer, went to the site noted in the book, and paid for the first recording.
High-quality graphics. Music. Then Genevieve came into focus on screen, sitting on a dock at a lake.
She wore the same type of fashionable clothing she always wore. Her hair and makeup were even more done up for the recording than they were in real life. She communicated relaxed warmth as she made introductory remarks.
More graphics and music. Then the picture showed Genevieve walking onto the stage at a sleek, modern church. She set her Bible on the podium. Women packed pews that swept away from her in a semicircle. And she began to ... preach. Teach? It seemed like a combination of the two.
