Zenith in Love (Zenith Series #5) - Leanne Davis Page 0,9
job.
One glance at her pale, waxy face told Jim she was in shock and she looked as if she might pass out. Dazed and in raw horror, she blinked as if that could make it all disappear. Holding the hem of the robe firmly on the leg wound, Jim glanced around.
His church.
This changed it forever. A pool of blood continued to spread under Eric. The first responders rushed around with purposeful teamwork. Paramedics burst through the church doors toward Eric’s still body. Only after someone took over Jim’s hands to administer pressure on the wound did Jim withdraw from Eric to let them work.
Eric became the subject of a beautifully choreographed symphony. They worked together with synchronicity like a magical crew, leaving Jim stunned and in awe. Moments later, they managed to lift the giant body of Eric James, which was quite a feat since he was nearly six-foot-six and all muscle, before they drove away with him in the ambulance.
The congregation was all gone now. Only the staff and a few volunteers and church elders were still visible in the vestibule. They were all huddled together, nearly silent. Staring in shock and as wide-eyed as every other person who’d witnessed it, they were also victims of the senseless slaughter. As their leader, Jim felt he should do something. He had to get up, take charge, and be their source of comfort and advice.
He knew how to do that. Jim was a natural spiritual advisor and born leader. He visited families in need at hospitals or even in their homes. He prayed with them and for them. He guided many of them through terrible situations, including terminal cases, unexpected illnesses, accidents and death. He prayed with a family who learned their son was a child molester, convicted to prison. Their horror and distress occupied many of his evenings, and he generously advised them with counsel and prayer.
But this time, when so many seemed to need him the most, especially his fiancée who appeared too stunned to move, Jim was speechless. No words came to him.
He was physically fine. But not otherwise. The overwhelming need to hold someone and feel a human connection obsessed him. Warmth. Life. It was so rare for him to have the desire to hug another.
A paramedic was speaking to Kathy, and Jim went closer to hear the woman ask to check her out. Kathy was still in shock and she instantly refused. Jim begged her to take their recommendation by promising to do the same.
He thought of the lost souls gathered on the fringe of the church, instead of being in the worship room. He looked at those conducting the investigation, and the subsequent cleanup. He winced. They would have to hire someone to clean.
What to do now? He should be taking the lead. But instead, he just followed Kathy into an SUV with black-tinted windows that Rob Williams used for security reasons. They drove to the hospital and awaited Eric’s initial diagnosis. Jim thought about leaning over and taking Kathy’s hand to reassure her that he was sure Eric’s injuries weren’t life-threatening. Kathy stared out the window, her body almost frigid as she seemed to recoil into herself. She never looked around, or at Jim, and never said a word. He sighed and waited it out. He quit trying to know what to do and just be. Doing what he wanted. It was too much for him to follow the usual social norms.
Finally, they pulled into the hospital parking lot and were directed to the waiting room for any news of Eric. Rob’s security entered in front and behind him. They were extra tight, and for once, Jim was relieved for that.
Dating the stepdaughter of a rock star was hard. It might have been pleasant for others, but not for him. There were constant interruptions. Sometimes Kathy got recognized and strangers would stop and bother them at dinner. That triggered her various bodyguards to react. Always a bodyguard. Jim resented them and found them intrusive and bothersome. But being with Kathy meant being surrounded by her security. It was a deal-breaker, and there was no Kathy without them. Rob’s lifestyle drew too much attention to his family, and the what-ifs kept Rob and Rebecca paranoid about constantly tightening the security.
Look how right he was. Jim was ashamed he failed to realize it until a bullet flew straight at him. And Kathy’s bodyguard leapt in front of the bullet to protect him. Jim never felt worse