I can’t contain the amusement seeping out of me as I continue to read her text. This woman texts me at eight o’clock at night about not only reading the U.S. Constitution, but about an amendment regarding the salary of congress. Lorelei is a precious soul I will cherish and love and protect for all of my existence.
Now to get the woman to actually agree to dating me. Does she even realize she already is, even if it’s not official? Over the past week and a half, we've hung out in the evenings, cooked dinners for one another, and sat in delightful silence as she worked on her big case that's tomorrow and I drowned in state paperwork. Her companionship is comfortable and inviting. And she must feel the same way about me because she keeps coming back for more.
Chapter Sixteen
Lorelei
The elder members of Juniper Grove Church’s congregation are bright eyed and bushy tailed while the younger members yawn and slouch in their fold out metal chairs. The air is hot and sticky for six-thirty in the morning, and I notice that many of the ladies don dressy hats today.
That was a no for me, so of course, my hair is tied back in its usual low ponytail, even if it’s Easter Sunday.
“You are magnificent to behold in a flowy skirt. Be careful, Leilei, you may take down kingdoms looking like that.” Finley sits down on the chair to my right, a dazzling white smile highlighting his sparkly blue eyes. His blond hair is styled back, and paired with his dark gray slacks, sage green dress shirt, and the sharpest of jawlines, the man looks ready to take down kingdoms himself.
But of course I’m not brave enough to say those words out loud. Not yet.
Instead, I tune into my girly nature and preen under his praise. I wiggle my shoulders and tilt my head with a soft smile. “I’m feeling rather exuberant after Thursday’s big court win.”
“As you should.” He folds his hands together in his lap as he stares straight into my soul.
At least that’s what it seems like he’s doing.
He continues when I remain silent, startled by his intense expression. “I know I said it Friday evening at our celebratory dinner with our friends, but I truly am proud of you. You worked so hard on that case, put so much of your heart into it. And it paid off. You’re quite amazing, Lorelei Raine.”
The spring heat has nothing on the flush burning through my face at the moment. “Thank you,” I state, turning away from his attention and trying to find my twin somewhere in the small crowd that’s gathered for the sunrise service. I finally spot her in her pink floral dress that sits right above her knees, her white heels sinking into the damp morning grass. She’s chatting with Hadley, Braxton, and Pastor Rawls, and she’s wearing a plastic smile that only I can tell is falsified. Lucy’s been down for about a week, and when I ask her about her melancholy, she only replies that she’s PMSing.
Though I have doubts because I’m fairly certain she menstruated a week and a half ago, but I could be wrong.
“Hello, future love birds.” Karoline Wright stands on the outside of our row in a pretty sunset orange dress. Mason Kane stands next to her, his arm looped around her waist, tugging her close.
“Future? There’s no time like the present.” Mason sticks out a hand to Finley, who stands and gives it a shake before pulling him into one of those hugs all men do, complete with a few hearty patson the back. Karoline waves at me from around the embracing men, and then she scoots past them to sit to my left where I was hoping Lucy would be.
“Hey, Lorelei. Having a good morning?” Karoline’s yawn breaks off the last word so she sounds like she’s saying “mawnin.” She shakes her head. “Oops. Sorry about that. It’s a wee bit early.”
I smile at her as if I understand, though I’m wired and awake like the elderly folks of the congregation. “My morning has been typical. Went for my run, drank my smoothie. Made a fruit dish for our breakfast this morning.”
Her eyes glaze over as I talk. “You are a different type of human species, my friend.” And as she nears the end of the sentence, she yawns again.
Mason excuses himself as he walks in front of me to sit on the other side of Karoline, then I finally catch Lucy’s eye. Her smile falls as her face softens; she makes her way to sit in the chair in front of me, Hadley and Braxton in tow.
We all exchange greetings as Pastor Rawls goes to stand on the long utility trailer where the sound system has been set up and the pulpit stand with a cross embedded on it now resides. “Good morning, Juniper Grove Church. And welcome to our sunrise service. What a blessing it is to wake up, gather together, and offer praise and worship to our resurrected savior, Jesus Christ.”
Music begins to play through the sound system, and I find I miss the gentle tones of the piano that we usually sing to. Grandma Netty arrives during the second song we sing and shuffles through the row in front of me to sit to the left of Lucy. She turns around,bounces her eyes between me and Finley, then nods her head once as if approving something.
“I think your grandmother likes me,” Finley, leaning down, whispers into my ear.
“She likes everyone,” I whisper back. But Finley must not hear me because when I glance up at him, his brows are knitted and he mouths “what?”
I stand on my tiptoes to get closer to his ear as he leans to meet me, but as I cup my hands around his ear, my balance wavers. Falling into his chest is like colliding with a rock, and when his arms hook around my waist to steady me, I’m fairly certain this is what standing in the middle of a bonfire would equate to.
“Careful, Leilei,” Finley whispers against my ear again, except this time, my head is pressed firmly against his chest alongside one hand that is perfectly splayed over a pectoral. My other hand is clutching his shirt in a fist.
I gasp in flustered shock and jump backwards, slamming into Karoline, causing her to fall backwards into Mason, who, judging by the fact I’m still standing, is the sturdy domino that doesn’t collapse. Though, Mason and I are making a Karoline Sandwich.
Finley wraps his large hands around my elbows and assists me to a straight position just as the music comes to an end.
But the melodies playing and the voices lifting didn’t seem to stop the entirety of the church rubbernecking to see what the commotion was towards the back of the rows of metal chairs.
“You all good back there? Don’t make me split y’all up,” Pastor Rawls says into the microphone in what I am taking to be a joking manner.
