“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush.”
Logan looked elsewhere, trying his best to pay them no mind, but his face was the shade of tomatoes.
“Okay, Logan, we’ll leave you alone,” Miss Hattie said. “But one question first, and I’m serious. What’s with the women at your church? Are they mostly old like me or married? Not a lot of singles?”
“Miss Hattie,” Stephanie said, “there are at least two hundred single women at our church who’d marry him next Saturday if he asked.”
Miss Hattie slugged Logan on the arm. “Well, son, why haven’t you picked one?”
“Whoa! You’ve got some muscle,” Logan said with a laugh. “Miss Hattie, I’m only thirty-one. And to be honest, I’m not really interested in marriage right now. My time is filled with the same thing most everyone else here’s time is filled with—music. I guess you could say that’s what I’m married to.” He smiled. “But maybe one day, way down the road.”
“All right, young man,” she said, giving him the eye. “But don’t forget to give me your e-mail so I can connect you with my granddaughter.”
Kelli snickered when she caught Logan peeking at Stephanie, mouthing, All your fault. Seconds later her phone vibrated. She’d thought it funny that so many of them had set their phones on the table, tweeting or updating their Facebook statuses. She brought her phone close to see who was calling.
Miles. She’d avoided his calls all day while they were traveling and checking in, but she couldn’t delay much longer. She answered as she ducked out of the ballroom. “Hi.”
“She lives.”
“I’m sorry. It’s been a busy day.”
“Been on the job hunt?”
“Um . . .” Could she call it that? “Yeah. Taking different paths, trying to see which doors will open.”
Several people had gathered outside the ballroom. Kelli moved farther away so he wouldn’t ask where she was. “How’d your presentation go?”
“Way better than I expected. You were right. Preparation was key. I studied the material backward and forward and was able to answer all their questions. The team left excited about the kind of software we could develop for mobile access and management. And of course, my immediate supervisor was glad I made him look good.”
“I had no doubt you’d knock it out of the park. You need to do something special to celebrate.”
“I would, if you were here. As it is, my ‘celebration’ consists of a fund-raising dinner my parents are hosting for renovations of the children’s museum. And by the way, I can’t wait for them to meet you. I know they’ll love you.”
“I look forward to meeting them,” she said, though she wondered what they’d think of her. From what she had gleaned, Miles’s people were old money—or at least “older” than anything she’d ever glimpsed—and big into community prestige.
“I’d better get going,” he said. “What are you doing tonight? Anything special?”
Kelli saw the lights dim in the ballroom. She hated being secretive, but there was no way she could explain the conference without delving into aspects of her life she’d left untapped thus far with him. Maybe one day. But not right now. “Spending some time with my sisters-in-law. Kind of a girls’ night out.”
“Have fun,” he said. “I’ll talk to you later this weekend.”
As Kelli worked her way back to the table, a familiar up-tempo beat fired up. Rita’s voice boomed above the chart-topping song. “She needs no introduction here, does she?”
“No! Woo!” sounded from the crowd as people rose to their feet. Kelli stood between Cyd and Stephanie, her eyes on the stage.
“The incomparable, the electric, the young woman who’ll set your heart on fire for God—Monica Styles!”
The special effects lighting went wild and Monica’s voice filled the air before anyone could see her, moving many in the crowd to their tiptoes. A laser spotlight flashed various spots around the room, then landed on Monica as she took the stage. She had an infectious exuberance, bouncing with her dancers across the stage with lively moves that got the rest of them going.
Kelli rocked side to side and sang along, shaking her head as Stephanie mimicked Monica’s raise-the-roof dance. Stephanie looked back at Logan and gestured for him to join in, but he stuck with a cool head bop, like Cyd.
“Hallelujah!” Monica said, the song fading beneath her voice. “Are y’all having a good time?”
Hoots and calls sounded all around. A concert vibe had replaced the conference vibe in the space of four minutes. Probably wasn’t hard to do in a music-loving crowd.
“I’m so