The Strawberry Hearts Diner(35)

Shane and Jancy stole the show. She grabbed the skirt of her sundress and sashayed around like she’d been born to bluegrass clog dancing. If the folks in Pick hadn’t already accepted her into the flock and fold, they would now for sure.

When the music stopped, Woody held up his fiddle and pointed his bow to Shane and Jancy. “And that, folks, is the way to end a party here in our part of the world.”

Shane kept her hand in his as he led her across the lawn. “That was the best part of the whole afternoon. You are a great dance partner.”

Vicky walked up beside them. “You were both pretty amazing. So were y’all, Ryder and Emily.”

“So are we going to church?” Jancy asked, amazed after that fast dancing that she had breath left.

Vicky nodded. “We always close at six on Sunday so we can go to the night service.”

“Reckon I could pick you up at six thirty and take you?” Shane asked.

Jancy turned to Vicky. “Does he go to the same one y’all do?”

“Yes, I do,” Shane answered.

“Then I’ll be ready,” she told Shane.

A bright smile covered his face as he headed toward Woody to claim his fiddle.

“Who’d have ever guessed that you could clog,” Vicky said.

“Louisiana, remember?” She smiled. “I’m surprised that your new boyfriend didn’t jump up here on the stage with you.”

“Number one, he’s not my boyfriend. He’s courtin’ my recipe for tarts, not me. Number two, he’s a city guy. I doubt he knows how to dance like that.”

“With number two you might be right. But with number one, you couldn’t be more wrong. Look at him over there helping the old gals carry stuff to their cars. Men who are out for a recipe don’t do things like that. They act more like Mr. P-Nose.” Jancy looped her arm in Vicky’s. “I can’t believe I’m going to church with Shane.”

“Why?”

“Because he could have his pick of all the single girls in this part of Texas.”

“I don’t think he’s got eyes for anyone else,” said Vicky.





CHAPTER SEVEN

The last time Jancy had attended church was the week before her mother had died. Yet it wasn’t so different from the one where she and Shane sat on a back pew that hot Sunday evening. A center aisle separated the sturdy oak pews. The choir sat behind the pulpit in a small section reserved for about a dozen people. An old upright piano stood off to the right, and Darlene, Leonard’s wife, leafed through pages of the hymnal. Jancy figured there were about seventy-five people in the congregation, which was pretty close to the number of folks who’d attended the church back when she and her mother sat on the back pew every Sunday morning.

The preacher finally came forward and took his place behind the lectern. “Evenin’, folks. We had a right nice time at the park this afternoon. All those folks there standing together—well, it caused me to think of what Jesus said about loving your neighbor. But before I get into that, let’s all open our songbooks to hymn number two eighty and sing loud enough that the angels in heaven can hear us.”

“Wasn’t he the one who was callin’ the dance steps?” Jancy whispered.

Shane picked a hymnal from the back of the pew in front of them and found the page. “Yes, but that’s only because his wife wasn’t up to dancin’. They’re both really good at it.”

Strange, but Shane didn’t stutter one time when he was singing. Maybe he was kin to that old country music artist Mel Tillis. She kept stealing glances over at him, sitting there as if he was proud to have her beside him. The creases in his jeans stood out sharp, and his boots shined. The sky blue in his plaid shirt matched his eyes, and the rolled-up sleeves clung tight to his biceps.

Jancy scarcely heard a word of the sermon. She’d never been to church with a guy before. Men that she was drawn to were far more interested in a cheap motel. She chanced another sideways glance at him. The grown-up Shane was far more handsome than the boy had been. He’d always been tall, but this guy had grown into his own. On a smaller man, his curly brown hair might look a little girly, but Shane wore it with sexiness.

He caught her gaze and held it for several seconds before he took her hand in his and rested it on his knee. The heat was enough to set the whole church ablaze, but she couldn’t force herself to move it. Lord, what a mess. When he found out what all she’d done in the past six years, there would be no more flirting or dates for church. Finally, the preacher asked Woody to say a final prayer, and then folks were on their feet.

Shane pulled her up, let go of her hand, and draped an arm around her shoulders. “I couldn’t keep my m-mind on wh-what the preacher w-was sayin’ w-with you right beside m-me.”