“I won’t know unless I try,” Ben said.
“Where are we going?” Luca asked when Ben didn’t turn the SUV in the direction of the estate.
“I need to pick up a couple of things from the store. We need to be back at the church by five, so we can’t take too long.”
When they reached the store, Ben didn’t bother with a cart. What he needed didn’t require one.
In the candy aisle, he stood looking at the selection, searching for one brand in particular. Amelia hadn’t eaten much candy when she’d been training. But when she had, it had always been the same thing. Chocolate with almonds.
When he spotted what he wanted, he grabbed the bag of individually wrapped small bars of chocolate with almonds in them. He hoped she still liked them.
While he was there, he grabbed a bag of the candy he’d eaten as a teen, then looked at Luca. “You want anything?”
Luca gave a smirk. “Sure. Why not?”
After he’d made his selection, they headed for the cash registers. Ben chose to go through the self-checkout, then they went back out to the vehicle.
It was a little before five when they got back to the church, so they sat in the car to wait.
“How have you been finding the clinic?” Ben asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Is it boring for you?”
“Not at all,” Luca said. “I’m actually enjoying it. Though watching the other men who are helping, I’m clearly not on their level.”
“I’m just glad the kids seem to be enjoying themselves,” Ben said. “And that they’re willing to listen to the brief message that Cole gives each day.”
He’d been surprised by that, actually. But Cole had an engaging way about him that made the kids willing to listen. Ben knew that Cole would count it all a success if even just one teen gave their life to God.
Some of the kids were from the church, so Ben assumed they had already heard the message of salvation. Hopefully, any teens who expressed an interest in knowing more about God would be taken under the wing by those who were already Christians.
“Let’s go,” Ben said when he saw on the clock’s digital display that it was five o’clock.
The late afternoon was bright and warm as they walked across the parking lot to the front doors of the church. Inside, Ben headed down the wide hallway that led to the administrative offices.
When he got there, Amelia was standing beside her desk, and she looked up as they walked in.
“Ready to go?” Ben asked, bracing himself for her to have changed her mind.
She hesitated, her gaze holding his for a long moment before she nodded and picked up her purse and phone. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Do you have to lock up?” Ben asked.
“Yes. The pastor left early for an appointment. I have to lock the front doors, then we can leave by the side entrance.”
“You don’t worry about your safety when you’re here alone?” Ben asked.
“Not really. I’m not usually here alone for long periods of time.”
“I can go back and lock the front doors,” Luca offered. “Is it just the main set?”
“Yes,” Amelia said.
“I’ll be right back.”
Alone with Amelia, Ben said, “Do you mind if we just get takeout from the diner and go to the park?”
