His Plan: Book 2 in the Crossing Midian Series - A Small-Town Christian Romance

Chapter 12

Beau was late.

There were few things that he hated more that being late, especially to church. He blamed Lenore for causing him to oversleep. Beau didn't know why, but she had been on his mind from the minute she had left the night before until he finally fell asleep in the early morning hours. He thought about how they had sat together on the porch swing, so close that her arm occasionally brushed against his own. She'd been quiet at first and it was clear she hadn't wanted to be there. Lord knows, he'd had plenty of other stuff to be doing himself. But after a while, they both joined in on the conversations around them, and eventually they started talking quietly together.

At some point, James began strumming on his guitar, soft melodies that carried across the porch and seemed to lift everyone's mood.

Lenore listened for a while, but after a bit of prodding from Eric, she sang along, her voice blending beautifully with James's.

That night, despite the heat that lingered long after the sun had set, and all the things he still needed to do, Beau felt content. To sit there on that swing, gently pushing it back and forth while a pretty girl sang an old country song beside him. For once, Beau felt like everything else could wait.

Beau shook his head as he pulled into the church parking lot and got out. What was he thinking? Why couldn't he get her out of his head?

Sure, Lenore was pretty. Beautiful even. You'd have to be blind not to notice that. But she was also aggravating, opinionated, bossy, and above everything else, she was his partner. And that was too important, the kids were too important, to risk messing that up.

"Alright, Anderson," he scolded himself as he walked into the church foyer. "She's just a girl. Get her out of your head so you can focus on the kids. Besides, it's not like she's thinking about you or anything."

The worship leaders were on stage singing an older hymn when Beau turned the corner and entered the sanctuary. He smiled sheepishly and ducked his head when Ms. Claudine looked over at him from where she sat beside Anna and Wesley, tapping her watch pointedly.

Glancing up, Beau moved up the side aisle to his usual spot and was surprised to catch Lenore's eyes. She was standing a couple of rows up and to the left, and when their gazes met, he noticed she blew out a breath.

Was it relief?

Had she been looking for him?

Beau gave her a nod and turned his focus to the stage. So much for getting her out of his head.

***

Soon the Sunday School classes split up, each to their own room. Beau led the teen class into the youth room and immediately saw there were four new kids. A quick glance over to Lenore showed he wasn't the only one who had taken notice, either.

"Well, alright then," he said with a smile as he walked around the front of the room, "It's good to see some new faces here."

Beau noticed that both Ryan and Adam were there with T.J., and he couldn't help the feeling of pride in his nephew for getting them to come. He put his Bible down on the first table and said, "For anyone who doesn't know already, I'm Beau, and this is Lenore." He pointed with his thumb to Lenore, who raised her hand and gave a small wave. "And we're the youth leaders here. We hope you like it, and we really hope you come back."

A few kids laughed, but he noticed both Cassie and T.J. rolled their eyes.

"Alright, first order of business," he said as he clapped his hands together. "Who actually remembered to pick a verse about integrity, and who is hoping that I'll call on them last so they have time to find one?"