Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
“What shelves?” Sibby interrupted.
Saylor’s gaze flickered over to her, then back to me.
That’s right, Dimples. Eyes on me.
“Well, we have three different food distributers that are going to donate their close-to-expiration items that they can’t stock stores with, but are still good. We get the first shipment next week. And I have some donation containers that I am going to set inside for tomorrow.”
I nodded. “Yes, I made sure to add the need for nonperishable donations to the bulletin this week.”
“Oh, you’re helping with a food pantry for the needy?” Sibby asked.
Saylor gave her a brief smile. “Yes.”
“That’s a lot of responsibility and work. Who is in charge of it? I might be able to fit in some hours to help.”
“I am,” Saylor told her.
Crow’s eyes had yet to leave Saylor’s face.
“Oh my, are you qualified for something like that? I would hate for the church’s funding to be misused.”
I opened my mouth to shut Sibby up, but Saylor’s eyes flared. I saw the fire in them, and I decided to let my girl handle this. I wanted to watch.
“Thank you for the concern, Sippy,” she drawled, purposely saying her name wrong.
I had to bite the inside of my mouth to keep from grinning.
“But you see, I’ve yet to use one dime of the church’s funding, nor do I intend to. Perhaps look up the word donations and read its definition. That will help you better understand what it is I am doing. As for help, I have all I need. But if you truly want to, I’ll be sure to partner you up with Sister Mena. That way, she can make sure you don’t make any mistakes.”
Saylor picked up her lemonade and took a drink, still smiling sweetly. Her dimples popped, and my chest swelled. Damn, she was cute.
Sibby cleared her throat, struggling for something to say. Saylor didn’t drop her steady gaze, making the other woman shift in her seat. The challenge sparking in her eyes might be intimidating Sibby, but it was making me hard. And I had to get that under control.
“It seems I offended you. I hadn’t meant to. My concern is just for Father Jude.” She touched my arm. “He’s such a good, trusting man. I wouldn’t want anything someone did to make him look bad.”
Saylor’s gaze dropped to Sibby’s hand. “Then, perhaps you should stop touching him and leaning so close to him. He is a priest, and the last time I checked, he had taken a vow of celibacy. All your flirting and feeding him—it’s incredibly inappropriate, and it makes everyone around you uncomfortable. Including Father Jude. Learn to read the room.”
I coughed to cover my startled laugh. Damn, my girl had teeth when triggered.
Sibby snatched her hand off me. “I take objection to such accusations,” Sibby said, her tone horrified.
Saylor lifted her shoulder. “It’s not accusations when it’s just stating what you are doing. Perhaps you should look up the definition of that word too. You might also want to look up bullshit. That’s another good one for you to know.”
A chuckle came from Crow, and Sibby grabbed her plate and stood up.
“I won’t sit here and be talked to like this.” She stood there, waiting, but I wasn’t sure for what. Then, she burst into tears and let out a loud, dramatic sob.
I was the priest and in charge of the meeting. I knew it was my cue to do something, but comforting Sibby made me literally ill.
“I’m ready to get some dessert,” Crow said. “Why don’t you come with me, Saylor? We can let Father Jude, uh, handle things.”
My gaze swung to Saylor’s, and her cheeks were pink from the dressing-down she’d just given. I couldn’t ask her to stay. We had drawn everyone’s attention. My looking at her right now was bad. I turned to Crow and gave him a nod, unable to say anything, then turned to stand up.
I tried to say something that would shut Sibby up, but my complete attention was on Crow walking closely beside Saylor.
Thirty-One
Saylor
Per Jude’s instruction, I had gotten a text and had to leave the meeting ten minutes before he ended it. Then, like a teenager sneaking out of the house, I slipped back through the path to the rectory and went to wait inside, leaving the lights off.
Tonight had been difficult. Sibby had gotten on my nerves since day one, but she pushed me tonight. And I snapped. I also didn’t care. She’d deserved it. Someone needed to correct her.
Jude, however, had seemed tense and not himself throughout the meeting. I had caused an issue, drawn attention to us. That I hadn’t meant to do. This was just hard to navigate. Much harder than I’d realized it would be.
Crow had asked me out again, and I turned him down politely with the excuse that I was seeing someone, adding that we hadn’t made it exclusive, but that things had changed since he’d asked me out last week.