Arizona Pastor (15 page)

Kristy bit back a chuckle. She wondered what Wade would think if she asked him to take a selfie. Pushing the silly thought away, she fixed the flowers, grabbed her purse and then followed him out the door. Like a true gentleman, he opened her car door and waited until she'd slipped inside before walking around to the driver's side.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Does a steak house sound all right?”

She patted her stomach. “Sounds delicious. I'm ready to eat again.”

He chuckled but didn't respond. He seemed as nervous as she felt. She racked her brain for something to say. She liked him. Really liked him. But she didn't know how to date. She could count on two hands, maybe even one hand, how many dates she'd been on since Mel was born.

Once at the restaurant and seated, she picked up the menu and tried to peruse her choices. Wade pulled his smartphone out of his pocket and looked at something. She chewed the inside of her cheek. What if he hadn't really wanted to ask her out? Carrie was always hinting and teasing. Maybe she'd said something to him while Kristy was sick to make him feel as though he should. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered once more.

“Shaky, uptight, jittery, uneasy, apprehensive, overwrought.” He looked up from his phone. “I was looking for a big, impressive word to express how nervous I am right now, but my phone isn't listing any.”

Kristy smiled.
“Nervous
explains my feelings quite accurately.”

“It sounds as though we're both being a little silly. We've been together many times before.”

“Never on a date.”

“True.” His gaze penetrated hers as his expression softened. “But I'm really glad we're on one now.”

Before Kristy could respond, the waitress arrived and took their orders. To be extracautious, she ordered a lemon-lime soda instead of a caffeinated soft drink. They passed the waitress the menus, then Wade clasped his hands and rested them on the table. “Tell me about yourself, Kristy.”

She laughed again. “I think you know a lot about me already.”

“Not
your
hopes and dreams. I'm wondering about what
you
want, not what you want for Mel.”

She pursed her lips. Mel had been her hopes and dreams for so long she wasn't sure what she wanted. What God wanted for her. A sudden feeling of freedom overwhelmed her. She wasn't tied down to her expectations and goals for Mel. She didn't have to live her life through her daughter. “I'd always thought I wanted to be a prestigious English professor at a major university, but I really enjoy my position at the community college. I don't make a lot of money, but it's been enough to support me and Mel. Plus I'm able to help out at church a lot.”

Wade nodded. “I know I appreciate your levelheadedness in our committee meetings. What about the future?”

“We heard the baby's heartbeat at Mel's last doctor's appointment.” A sudden excitement swelled in her chest. “Her pregnancy might not be the ideal start, but babies are always blessings, and I find I'm already excited to meet the little guy or girl.”

“What about you? Not Mel. Not the baby. Not even the church. You.”

Kristy tilted her head. “Anyone ever tell you that you have tunnel vision?”

“Maybe.”

She furrowed her brows as her mind raced for an answer. “You know what? I don't know. Whatever God has for me, I suppose.”

* * *

Wade had asked Kristy to go to dinner and a movie with him, but then he'd had another idea after he'd asked for the check. Apprehension swelled in his gut as he drove closer to the destination. Part of him feared she'd think him too forward. Acting more like her committed boyfriend or husband instead of her date. But this was more than a
date. They'd spent time together already, and he wanted to give her something. Do something just for her.

He parked in front of a dress shop. Kristy looked to her left, then her right. “Why are we here?”

“I'm assuming you need a mother-of-the-bride dress.”

“What?” Kristy leaned back in the passenger's seat and pressed her hand against her chest.

He cringed. “I probably should have asked if you'd bought one already. I didn't even think of that.”

“I haven't purchased anything.” Kristy shook her head. “But I don't understand. I thought we were going to a movie.”

“We can if you want to, but...” He shrugged, searching for the right words to say. Since his run-in with Wilma on the Waddell Trail at White Tank Mountains and his full surrender to forgive himself for Zella's death, God had been speaking to his heart in an almost shouting voice. Scripture had come alive. His desire to love and serve and help had never been so strong. He no longer operated on his own strength, but had given every aspect of his life to the Lord. He cleared his throat. “I'd like to buy your dress for you.”

Kristy frowned. “Why?”

“The wedding and pregnancy have been such a surprise, and I'm impressed with how you've handled yourself with Mel and Leah and Joel. Just everyone. I respect you, and I've grown to care about you.”
Finally allowed myself to fall in love with you.
He withheld the last thought. “I just want to do this for you.”

“I don't think that's appropriate, Wade.”

“Why not?”

She lifted her hands. “Oh, I don't know. We're not married. You're my pastor. Do I need more reasons?”

“We're not living in the Stone Age, Kristy. I hardly think my buying you a dress is inappropriate.”

She cocked her head. “For a smart guy, you are really naive when it comes to boy-girl relationships.”

“I'm just trying to help. Isn't that the Christian thing to do?”

“So you're buying the dress because I'm a struggling single mom?”

Wade shrugged. “I suppose.”

“So you're gonna buy Eustace's dress? She's a single woman on a fixed budget.”

Wade's face and neck warmed. “Well, no. It's just...”

“Just what, Wade?”

“I want to do this.” He tapped the top of the steering wheel. “I need to help you somehow.”

“Why?”

“I care about you, Kristy.”

She cocked her head and studied him for what seemed an eternity. He'd have loved to know what she was thinking. Finally, she whispered, “I've been saving money for this already, but if I go overbudget, you can help. Okay.”

They walked into the shop and perused the dresses. She turned to him with a playful look. “What would you think a fancy dress costs these days?”

He hadn't thought of that. What did a mother-of-the-bride dress cost? He hoped not more than a hundred. He glanced at the nearest price tag and held back a gasp. No. Obviously, they could cost a great deal more than that.

Seeming to read his thoughts, Kristy's lips curled into a teasing smile. “The last time I was in a dress shop, Leah told Mel her limit was seven
thousand
.”

Wade coughed, and Kristy laughed out loud. She grabbed his hand, and electricity shot up his arm when her fingers wrapped around his. “Let's head to the back, where they have sales. If we can't find anything, we'll hit the mall.”

The dresses in the back were much more reasonably priced, and Wade sighed with relief. “Does the color matter?”

“Her wedding colors are hot pink and purple. Since the bridesmaids are wearing both colors, I thought I'd get a pastel version of either one.”

Though he felt a little weird and completely out of his element, he pulled a light pinkish dress off the rack. “This looks pretty.”

Kristy lifted her brows. “That dress is way too small for me.”

“What size do you wear?”

She blew out a breath. “As if I'm going to tell you that.” She pointed to a padded bench to the side. “You just have a seat right there. I'll go through the dresses.”

After what seemed like hours, Kristy turned back to him with a ridiculous amount of satin and lacy clothing draped over her arm. She tilted her head. “Are you sure you want to sit here while I try on all these dresses?”

He smacked his hands against his thighs. “I wanna see every one of'em, too.”

“Okay.” Kristy winked. “But you're asking for it.”

An hour passed. He had looked at every shape and style of dress ever created. Who'd have thought there could be so many pinks and purples in the world? Every dress was either too short or too long. Too young or too old. Too loose or too stiff. He had no idea a person could feel so many things and experience so many concerns when trying to purchase a single item of clothing.

He understood why men didn't shop with women. Why comedians wrote jokes about the experience. He was being tortured. Plain and simple. He'd even suggested it. Scratching his jaw, he realized he'd seen many women in the store.
Young and old. But not a single man. Every other male on the planet had more sense than he did.

She opened the door to the fitting room. Like almost every other gown she'd tried on, she looked amazing. “What do you think?”

He clasped his hands. “You look terrific. I think we could get you a potato sack and you'd look great.”

She narrowed her gaze, then grinned. “That sounded a tad sarcastic. Is someone getting a little tired of looking at dresses?”

“No,” he lied, then thought of his last sermon and how he'd encouraged the church to speak the truth in love. He shook his head back and forth. “Okay, maybe I'm a little bit tired.”

Kristy feigned a hurt expression, but the twinkle in her eyes proved her teasing. She turned back to the mirror and then flipped the piece of ruffled fabric at the top. “I don't like the lace here.” She looked at him. “Let me try on just one more.”

“I told you I'm fine.”

While she changed again, he scrolled through the apps on his phone. He'd used up all his lives in every silly game he'd downloaded to the electronic device. Clicking it off, he shoved the phone in his pocket, then tapped his fingers on the top of the bench.

“How about this one?”

She wore a light pink dress that touched the top of her knees. The shoulder straps were probably two inches wide and the neck dropped down in a V shape. A pretty glittery silver belt-like design wrapped around her small waist. But it wasn't a belt. It was more like a decoration. Whatever it was, she looked beautiful. “It's perfect.”

“I think this is the one.”

“But it seems as if I already saw it.”

“It's the first one I tried on.”

Wade dipped his chin and glared at her. “Are you kidding me?”

“Nope.” She chuckled. “Are you ever going shopping with me again?”

“Probably not.”

She pouted. “So you wish you'd never offered?”

Wade stood and shoved his hands into his pockets. He knew she was teasing, but her expression sent his senses into overdrive. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and press his lips against her pouty ones. He nodded to the door. “You just go change back into your clothes. We'll get the dress, then head for some ice cream.”

She disappeared back into the dressing room.

And if he could muster the courage, he might sneak in a good-night kiss.

H
e still hadn't kissed her. Kristy shoved her laptop in the briefcase and zipped it up. She'd been sure Wade would kiss her when he'd taken her home from their date on Saturday. For the second time, she'd even leaned in a bit when he'd walked her to the front door so that he'd know she was willing. Instead, he'd yanked his keys out of his front pocket and walked to his car.

She'd had trouble focusing on his sermon the next morning and, when they'd talked a few moments after church, had needed to squash the never-leaving butterflies in her stomach. He hadn't called or texted since then. Sure, it wasn't even quite Monday afternoon, but they'd had a good time on Saturday night.

At least, she'd had a good time. The hour in the dress shop might have been a bit much for him. Again, she chuckled, remembering his expression when he'd seen the original price tags of the dresses in the front of the store.

He'd tried to act excited about each dress, but she'd caught him more than once playing a game on his smartphone.

She walked out the front double doors of the community college. The hot July air actually felt nice after leaving the frigid classroom. She'd almost reached her car door when someone grabbed her arm, and she made a fist with her other hand.

“You're being kidnapped.”

Kristy blew out her breath and flexed her fingers. “Wade. You just gave me a heart attack. You're lucky I didn't punch you.”

“I'm glad you didn't.” He lifted up a red tote bag she recognized as her own. “Come on. You're going with me.”

“And just where are we going?”

“Fishing. Surprise Lake.”

Kristy snorted. “I haven't fished since I was a kid. I don't have a fishing license, and—”

Wade placed his finger on her lips, and she sucked in her breath. “We're going to get your license right now. I have a picnic lunch ready for us, and Mel packed some casual clothes for you.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Aren't you prepared for everything.”

“I told you. I'm kidnapping you.” He gently tugged her arm. “Now go get in my car.”

Feigning frustration, she traipsed to his vehicle. He opened her door, and she slid into the passenger's seat. He got in behind the wheel. They drove to a local store, and he purchased her license while she changed in the public restroom. She grimaced as she shimmied and twisted in an effort not to touch the stall walls or place her bare feet on the concrete floor. Wade was the only person who'd be able to convince her to do this, as she used public facilities
only when absolutely necessary. And changing clothes in a store bathroom should
never
be necessary.