Rafe nodded. He’d figured the same thing, but hadn’t realized that Samuel and Brittney had actually gone out together.
“Speaking of enamored,” Miles said. “I hear you had a date last night with Janie Vincent.”
“How’d you hear that?” Rafe asked.
Miles grinned. It didn’t reach his eyes, but then, he was probably thinking of his son. “You might want to help her out.” Miles glanced toward the foyer. “She’s not a veteran like you, and a few of our more curious members seem to have her cornered.”
Cornered might not be a strong enough word. Usually when the ladies of the church did a mass huddle, it meant someone was dying, a soon-to-be bride or a new baby.
He’d seen Janie at church only a few times with Katie and Luke. He guessed she was here today because Katie and Luke weren’t letting her out of their sight. As Rafe neared the huddle of women, two things happened. One, the ladies parted like the Red Sea to let him pass.
Fringe benefit of being the sheriff.
Two, the woman standing next to Janie stepped away from her. The woman was Angela Talbot. Two years ago, she’d been Rafe’s date to the awards dinner and a few other events. By the expression on her face, she’d realized why she hadn’t been invited to last night’s event.
He recognized pain when he saw it.
He hadn’t meant to hurt Angela, and truthfully, they both knew that if there truly had been a spark, it would have ignited years ago.
Not sure what to say, he just cupped his hand around Janie’s elbow and quickly guided her away.
“Thanks,” Janie whispered as they went into the main auditorium. “They’ve always welcomed me when I came, but not quite like that.”
The church’s old guard greeted newcomers, took food to the sick, organized going-away parties and all kinds of showers: baby, new home and wedding. Rafe knew exactly what they were thinking.
He just had no idea what Janie was thinking. He could, however, tell how she was feeling: broken and tired. Without realizing it, she was hugging one of her arms—the one that had borne the brunt of the fall. The bruising around her eyes testified that just six days ago someone had pushed her down the stairs.
Rafe didn’t bother to head for his customary spot in the church. He plunked Janie down in the nearest pew—center, next-to-last row—sat beside her and asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Fine. I kept insisting to those ladies that I was fine, but they seemed to want more.”
Rafe wasn’t about to say that what they were really hoping she’d answer was a question they hadn’t really asked, the question of how she and Rafe were doing...relationship-wise?
The old guard wanted to throw a wedding shower.
Right now, Rafe just wanted to keep Janie alive.
“They mean well,” he finally said.
“I can see that.”
It was a good thing that was all she could see. He’d hate to think she already saw into his heart.
* * *
RAFE, THE MOST eligible bachelor at the Main Street Church, had just kidnapped Janie from the grip of the church ladies. Her cheeks hurt from smiling, and she was sure the whole congregation was whispering, “That’s the young Vincent girl. Seems she’s finally made up her mind.”