NO ENGAGEMENT RING

Chapter 9

An opportunity came not too long after. He knew that Hannah was involved in the charity

department and according to Ron Moody, Hannah was really into charity work and wanted to

do more than just the usual. He was banking on that being exactly what he needed to fuel

their relationship.

Certain that she would not be inhibited to talk about charity work, he went in search of

her the next day and found her in her classroom. She was getting ready for practice.

"Hi, Hannah!" he greeted amicably.

"Hello, pastor Chandler!" she greeted with a smile.

Jonathan winced at her insistent use of his title. But his face remained placid. Soon, he

hoped to hear her call him by his first name.

"How can I help you, today?" she asked pleasantly.

"I was wondering if you would like to go to the shelter for abused woman in the city

centre? We could go on Saturday afternoon."

Initially, her eyes lit up with interest but then she looked at him, processing what he was

saying. After a short pause, she cocked her head and asked, "Which team is going?"

"No team. Just the two of us."

She shook her head. "We can't. You have a reputation to protect and the two of us going

alone would not bode well for you. Sorry, I have to go set up now. Hope you find someone

who can go with you," she said kindly, exiting gracefully.

She was so matter of fact, that it took a good while for Jonathan to understand that he had

been rejected. Not in a bad way though; she was more concerned about him.

"So much for that opportunity!" he muttered. "Lord what am I supposed to be doing?"

"Just let Me handle this," the Lord said with understanding.

Jonathan knew better than to argue. He went back to the church only to be despondent.

Luke and Hannah were well into a conversation that they were both enjoying while waiting

for the rest of the participants to arrive. They seemed so intimate! Without intruding, he went

to his office and prayed.

Hannah and Luke were getting on quite well and they made a great team but Luke was

more perceptive than Hannah was aware. If he had any aspirations towards being more than

friends with her, he would have to quell them immediately! But since he didn't, he was off the

hook. However, he wondered if Hannah was aware of her feelings for the man she saw as

only her pastor?

He doubted it or she was good at hiding that away, a big surprise since she was such an

open book. Neither was the man who had her heart aware that he did. It was not something he

was going to get involved in, Luke knew. The Lord had ways to work out things and he

certainly didn't doubt this would work out.

But for now, he was aware that she was concentrating hard on the production. Small

wonder! It was her first time and she was doing very well. With just over three weeks to go,