Jase’s gaze and smiled, but the smile quickly faded to a confused frown. “Are you all right?”
Jase cleared his throat and shook his head slightly, trying to clear the odd sensation he’d experienced. While less acute, it lingered. He touched his hair. Dry. He must have imagined it. Whatever it was. “Yeah. I think so.”
The jovial man’s smile returned. “Still nervous?” He clapped Jase on the shoulder. “I think you’ll forget all about it—”
Would he also forget the strange feeling of wetness?
“—once you get to the fellowship hall and start meeting people. We’re a pretty friendly bunch here. None of us have ever bitten a newcomer.” His blue eyes sparkled with mischief. “Yet.”
Jase gave the expected laugh. “Well, let’s hope I don’t give anyone reason to make me the first.” He opened the door for Brother Kraft, then followed him down the wooden stairs to the grassy yard that hadn’t yet turned green. The fellowship hall portion of the church was closest to the pastor’s house, its door propped open with a rock the size of a loaf of bread. Happy noises met Jase’s ears before he and Brother Kraft reached the square concrete stoop. Was everyone here already? Nervousness knotted his belly.
Jase paused and allowed Brother Kraft to enter first, then trailed on his heels, scanning the room as he went. Someone had put up a volleyball net, and four teens, apparently boys against the girls, whacked a ball back and forth while shouting playful insults at one another. In the far corner, four girls sat at a round table, laughing and talking. A pair of older boys slouched against the wall not far from the girls. One wore his ball cap with the bill angled over his right ear. Jase dubbed him Cool Dude—or maybe Cool Dude Wannabe. The kid reminded him of himself at that age. He probably gave bunny ears to the person standing next to him in a group photo, just to be a pill. The other boy, with thick glasses and uncombed hair, didn’t fit with the first one, in Jase’s opinion, but the two seemed to be joking with each other.
He did a quick tally of teenagers. According to the membership list he’d been given, they were two girls short of the total count. He searched the room for them, but the others present appeared to be parents or maybe adults helping with the gathering. The clock hanging above the kitchen’s serving window showed five till seven, so it wasn’t quite time to start. The other girls would probably arrive soon. Given how many were already there, though, he should have made an effort to come earlier. He hoped none of the parents would think ill of him for waiting until closer to the start time.
Brother Kraft put his hand on Jase’s shoulder and guided him in the direction of the circle of people Jase had presumed were parents. The group ceased talking and turned toward them, their attention shifting to Jase. He pasted on a smile and searched their faces, noting friendliness in all expressions. The tight knot in his gut loosened a smidgen.
“Everyone, meet our new youth minister, Jase Edgar.” Brother Kraft beamed at Jase the way he imagined a proud father would look upon his son who’d hit the tie-breaking home run. “Jase, I forgot to ask how you’d like to be addressed. Brother Jase? Pastor Jase? What do you prefer?”
Pastor felt entirely too stuffy and beyond his abilities. “Brother Jase is fine, thanks.”
By turn, the gathered adults shook Jase’s hand and introduced themselves. Thank goodness they wore stick-on name tags on their shirts. He’d never remember them all, even though it wasn’t a huge crowd. He smiled and thanked each for their kind welcome.
Brother Kraft folded his arms over his chest. “We’re waiting for the Greens. You met Ronnie on Thursday, remember?”
Jase still couldn’t believe the deal he’d gotten on his car. Even though the car was fifteen years old, the former owner had taken good care of it. Ronnie had teasingly claimed it’d only been driven on Sundays, below the speed limit. A standard car salesman joke. But clearly the vehicle had never been left out in the elements. The dove-gray interior complemented the shiny exterior and, given its pristine state, had probably never had greasy fries dumped on its seats or floors. Jase would make sure it never did.
He nodded. “Yes. I’ll have to thank him again. I hadn’t expected to find something so nice