preacher stepped up behind the old oak lectern, cleared his throat, and started his sermon by reading the passage from Acts, the one about Ananias and Sapphira, a couple who were struck dead for lying.
“Did he not already speak on this a week or two ago?” she muttered under her breath.
Pax nodded and then shook his head.
That gesture meant that he agreed, but that he didn’t feel like they were lying, or maybe he thought the preacher was talking to someone else in the congregation and not them. Alana wasn’t so sure about that. She felt like the man was staring right at her. She made up her mind right then and there that she would tell her dad the truth after tomorrow. If she was pregnant, that might ease the blow of her having lied to him. If she had cancer, then they’d have more to worry about than canceling a wedding.
That decision made and knowing that she only had to live with the uncertainty and the guilt for another twenty-four hours brought peace to her heart. She was able to ignore the rest of the sermon and focus on Pax. The scent of his woodsy shaving lotion wafted over to her every time he moved and sent her thoughts back toward the tack room when she had awakened to find her naked body snuggled up to him on the futon.
The preacher jerked her back from the past when he asked her father to deliver the benediction. She’d been so lost in reliving those sexy moments with Pax that she had not heard the end of the sermon or any announcements.
“Amen,” her father said, and everyone in the church said it right after him.
Then folks began to stand up, and the quietness was replaced with the hum of dozens of conversations all going on at the same time. Alana followed Pax to the end of the pew, and when she stepped out into the center aisle, she came face-to-face with Danielle Barlow. Richie was crowded in right behind her, and their son, Keeton, was holding on to his mother’s arm, his hurt finger pointing straight up.
“How’s he doin’?” Alana asked.
“Whinin’, but then it was a deep cut,” Danielle said. “I still don’t know how he got into his father’s gun safe and got his hands on that pocketknife.”
“He probably watched me punch in the combination,” Richie said. “I already changed it, and I’ll be more careful where he is when I open that safe from now on.”
Alana imagined a child of hers and Pax’s being as precocious. Neither of them had ever been afraid of anything—well, almost anything. They had both run from each other for a long time.
“So how’s your arm?” Danielle asked.
Alana was sweating bullets, hoping the woman wouldn’t mention seeing her at the doctor’s office. “It’s healin’ up good. Nothing but a big ugly bruise. It’ll probably be gone by the day of the wedding.”
“Well, honey, if it’s not, you call me. I’ve got some fantastic makeup that will cover it right up,” Danielle said with a wink. “Richie’s mama is expectin’ us for dinner”—she lowered her voice—“so we’re going to sneak out the side door. I’m sure she’s going to blame me for her grandson gettin’ hurt.”
“Of course she will,” Richie teased. “I’m the precious baby of the family that never does anything wrong.”
Alana glanced over at Pax with a knowing look. He was the baby son, and Iris probably thought he didn’t do anything wrong either, but Alana could educate her pretty quick on that issue.
The Barlow family headed toward the side door, but what Richie had said stayed with Alana. Even if she and Pax were to really get married, she wouldn’t have a mother-in-law to have to deal with, and he’d have no in-laws at all. Tears welled up in her eyes again—Lord have mercy! She’d cried more over that weekend than she had her whole life, and a lot of those tears had been brought on by the thought that her baby would not have grandparents, aunts and uncles, or even cousins. She thought about Pax’s family and all his extended friends out in Sunset who were like kinfolk. On that side, her child would have lots of relatives, so maybe she shouldn’t throw away the idea of staying married to him. It would sure simplify things all around for her, but he might resent her for trapping him that way.
Besides, she was going to put a stop to the whole