“Longer than you thought, apparently.” His lips shook, and she knew he held back laughter.
Smiling, she tossed a pillow at him. “Like you’ve never fallen asleep for longer than you meant to.”
He cast a mischievous wink. “I’ll never tell.”
“Did you have plans for dinner?”
“I hadn’t thought that far. Why?”
“My church’s youth group is having a barbecue fundraiser tonight to raise the last of the funds for summer camp. I’d like to support them, if you don’t mind stopping on the way home from Roxie’s appointment.”
“Sure.” The tensing of his features told a different story.
“We don’t have to. I can give them money directly.”
“It’s not that. I’ll never turn down barbecue,” he answered with false cheerfulness.
“Then what is it?” She slid beside him on the floor.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, probably to the point of overdoing it and making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“About?”
“Church. It’s an important part of both of our lives, but we attend separate churches.” He frowned and stared at Roxie. “I’ve never been in a relationship serious enough to consider attending church together, but it’s different with you. I know couples who attend their own church, but I don’t want that. I want to worship alongside of you.”
She hadn’t considered that. He had a valid point. Her future was with Aaron—she believed that to the core of her being—and she agreed with him. Attending services together and worshipping beside each other would strengthen their relationship. “I love my church, but I have a confession.”
His gaze whipped to her. “What about?”
“I’ve never officially joined.”
“Really?” He tilted his head, looking at her with surprise. “How come?”
“It took me a year of attending churches to find one I liked, then I let it slide for a long time. When I was convicted to make a commitment, I started praying, but I never had peace about changing my membership from my church in California.” She shrugged. “I never understood why, and I even signed up for the new members’ class several times, but each Sunday they had one, something came up and I had to be at the shelter.”
He enveloped her hands with his palms. “Would you be willing to attend mine this Sunday, and see what happens?”
“Yes.” Peace settled over her. She’d miss her church, if God’s answer was to join Aaron’s, but she believed with all her heart that she’d find a home and family there to replace what she’d give up at hers.
The muscles on his face relaxed, and she realized how much he’d stressed about it. Asking anything of anybody didn’t come easy to him—he’d much prefer to be the person helping. She’d learned that about him right away.
He squeezed her hand. “If you don’t like it there, we’ll try somewhere else, until we find where God wants us.”
“I’m not worried.” She met his gaze, and prayed he saw her heart. “We’re strong enough in our faith to figure this out. Together.”
“Maybe I better give a big donation tonight, so they don’t get mad at me for taking you away.”
She smiled, relieved to see his humor return. “I’m sure they wouldn’t turn it down.”
“On that note, shouldn’t we leave for Roxie’s appointment?”
“Yes.” She jumped to her feet. “No more cone for her!”
His forehead creased and he eyed her suspiciously as he stood. “She hasn’t hardly worn the cone.”
“But now I don’t have to worry she’ll mess with her stitches and get me fussed at by Dr. Scott.”
“Are we celebrating afterward with her own barbecue plate?”
