it was a pleasant sound. He was genuine.
"That all, Pastor?"
"Yes, ma'am, though I'll be honest and say you can bring me a box because likely a huge portion of this pie will come home with me."
"How about you, dear?"
"Yes, to a box for me as well, please."
"So, tell me, LuAnn, how are things at Forget Me Nots?"
She easily chatted about Forget Me Nots and how much she enjoyed working in the dirt and with the plants every day. She told him it brought her peace, and she went to bed each night tired but satisfied that she'd done good.
"This morning I was given the opportunity to create a custom bouquet for a lady who needed something quick to apologize to her friend for something silly she'd done. Her smile when I brought it out to her was the best payment I'd ever been given."
"There is something Godly about making people happy."
That felt like a sucker punch to her gut. It was the opposite of what she used to be like. In the past she'd been all about making herself feel better about things, not other people. That was likely her biggest mistake in all she'd done. But, how would she ever get them to realize that?
12
The air was warm as it blew around them. LuAnn's arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, her voluptuous breasts, soft, yet firm, pressed into his back, and it felt like...heaven. They were headed nowhere in particular, but nowhere felt right at this moment in time. No commitments, no restraints, no promises, just no. His heart and stomach had felt weighted down this afternoon after his conversation with Dog. He knew he had to broach the subject with her when they stopped. He knew just the spot.
Turning left and maneuvering to the road that led them along the river, he tried looking over as the sun, now lower in the sky, reflected orange across the water. The waves looked like orange diamonds floating along behind the million-dollar homes nestled among trees along some of the most prized real estate in Green Bay. The reflection of the setting sun on the water and then dancing off the windows of these immense estates added a whole new effect to the perfection of the night. Each time he thought about how he was about to mar its beauty, he quickly changed his thoughts to LuAnn behind him, holding him in a different way than she had in the past. Now it was more a feeling that she wanted to be this close to him, Chase, not that she needed to be with someone to prove how special she was. He didn't know if that was the correct way to describe it, but that's the best he could think of.
Slowing to turn into the small park on the east side of the river, he pulled in and was grateful the parking lot was semi full. If things went bad and the old LuAnn emerged from where she'd been hiding, and pitched a royal fit, there would be witnesses and someone to help out; in the alternative, she'd curb her swearing and bitching with so many people around. Either way, it suited him fine.
Finding a parking spot close to a picnic table, he pulled up to it, turned the bike so it faced the parking lot and was easier to pull out; he waited while LuAnn hopped off, dropped his kickstand, then dismounted himself.
"Want to sit here and watch the sunset?"
She turned and looked into his eyes, hers were clear, blue like a summer sky and gorgeous. Her dark hair had been pulled into a ponytail at her nape to keep it from snarling, the perfect fitting jeans were, well...perfect. The tank top she wore was white, nothing printed on it, and hugged her body in the most tantalizing way, but covered up her breasts, leaving only a hint of cleavage showing. It was enough to drive him wild.
"Sure." She smiled at him, then walked the few steps to the picnic table, climbed up on the bench and sat on the table facing the water. Her elbows rested on her knees; her body slightly bent forward with her hands clasped together as if in prayer.
"How was your meeting with Greg today? And, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. You know you never have to discuss your meetings with him."
He climbed up to sit beside her, close enough that their knees touched, but nothing more. They