Chapter 2
Diane heaved a sigh of relief as she brought the smocks into the church office and started to hang them up. They had been ready for her, and the lady who worked there had promised she wouldn’t say anything to her father about Diane forgetting until the last minute.
She just needed to have a wander around and make sure everything else was in order, in place ready for the funeral service. It had all been sorted the night before, but Gilbert would want everything double-checked.
And Diane thought she was meticulous.
As she hung up the smocks, getting them neatly in line on the rack, she found herself thinking back to what her father said about Brent. He expected the two of them to get married? How could he possibly say something like that?
Of course, it had to be a bit of an embarrassment that she was twenty-six, and there was no potential husband in sight, but Diane didn’t mind. She was happy to go along as she was; it was far less stressful going with what she knew as a routine.
Besides, from watching other people in their relationships, love seemed to be incredibly messy. It could be amazing, or it could be dangerous.
Diane had attempted to date during college, but the three men she had been out with had been a little too intense for her, and their beliefs made her uncomfortable – even though they were the same as hers.
Maybe it was the way they had come on to her, but Diane couldn’t bring herself to go on more than a couple of dates each time. She should have been married and getting ready to be a housewife by the time she graduated college, but that hadn’t happened. Perhaps marriage wasn’t for her.
If fellow Baptists couldn’t make her desire marriage and everything that came with it, maybe she just didn’t want to get married. Life was fulfilling enough, and it was something she could cope with.
Of course, it would be nice if she was able to live on her own – she had more than enough money to do that – but her father wouldn’t allow it. He wanted her to stay with him. In his words, it was to make sure she was safe.
He just didn’t want to make his own breakfast in the morning, and having his daughter under his roof made it easier for him to know that she wasn’t getting up to mischief.
Don’t be like that. It’s normal, and he loves you. He only wants to take care of you. But, sometimes, I wish he didn’t dictate my life so much.
Diane pushed her thoughts away and shook her head. It felt like she had been having a bit of a crisis, one where she wondered if she was going along the right path. Not enough for her to confess this to her father for help, but it was making her a little uncomfortable.
She liked her life; she liked her job. Heck, she didn’t even mind looking after her father. After so many years raising her on his own, the least Diane could do was look after him in return.
But pushing her into an arranged marriage because he was concerned that she wasn’t a wife by now? Diane wanted the line to be drawn there. Gilbert knew her views on that, and he had respected them so far.
Now it looked like he was ignoring her wishes.
And to Brent Maisley, of all people? He was a nice enough person, but he was boring. Almost monotone whenever Diane spoke to him, which wasn’t very often once she realized that they were not compatible.
Another reason why Diane wouldn’t have married Brent was because of his mother; she was one of the most obnoxious people she had ever met, although she kept that to herself.
There was a very big chance that she would have meddled in their marriage, and Brent would have let her. Diane was fine with their congregation being like a big family, but that was too much.
But Natasha Maisley was gone now, so Diane didn’t have that excuse. Even so, she didn’t want to marry Brent. That would not be a good marriage for her. She would rather remain a spinster than marry someone she didn’t particularly care for. What sort of future was that?
Diane was aware that she shouldn’t think like that, but she couldn’t help it. Maybe her crisis was getting to her a little bit. Perhaps it was because they were burying someone she had known for a long time; funerals did make things feel odd.
The smocks were finally hung up and were ready to be rolled into the locker room at the back of the church. The choir, including Diane, would be changing shortly and taking their places once everyone coming for the funeral had arrived.
Sitting on the stage, with lots of people staring at them. Even though she had done it for years, it was still intimidating to be singing in front of so many people. Diane had to fight back the urge to yawn every time she was singing; it was really weird when that happened.
Maybe she needed to get some more sleep. Then that wouldn’t happen.
Diane rolled the rack out into the hall, her mind on getting things down as swiftly as possible, only to collide with someone, who stumbled and the whole rack fell over. Diane tried to catch it, but it just kept going. The smocks scattered all over the floor, and Diane was left staring at the mess.
“Oh, shit! I’m so sorry, miss! I didn’t see you!”
Diane swung around on the newcomer, intent on giving him a tongue-lashing, but the sight of him left her momentarily stunned. Tall, blond, broad-shouldered and muscular, he reminded her of the football players at college.
She wouldn’t be surprised if he had been a jock. She certainly didn’t remember any of the jocks looking as good-looking as him, though. And none of the jocks she met would look this good in a black suit. He was pretty fine in appearance.
Diane was shocked by the sudden flutter in her belly, and how her mouth went dry. What was happening to her? This was not how she reacted to a man she had never seen before. She realized that she was staring and shook herself, drawing herself up and fixing herself with a stern glare.
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you that you’re not supposed to curse in God’s presence? It’s not very gentlemanly.”
He looked slightly amused.
“You’re more worried about the cursing than you are about your things being scattered across the floor.”
“What?” Then Diane remembered. She groaned when she saw the smocks in a heap on the floor. “Oh, great. And I just got them cleaned as well.”
“Well, they should live,” the man leaned over and picked up the rack, putting it upright and adjusting it so it wasn’t twisted. “Let’s get them up off the floor and see what the damage is. I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“It had better not be bad,” Diane grumbled as she began to pick the smocks off the floor, some of them now missing their hangers. “It would be very disrespectful for the choir to have untidy cassocks.”
“I don’t think anyone’s going to notice.”
“Oh, they will notice. Trust me.”
The man didn’t seem all that concerned. He just plucked the garments from Diane and began to hang them back up, occasionally scooping up a hanger from the floor. Diane was unable to do much except watch, stunned at how quickly and efficiently he was doing things.
Also, she was fascinated by the way he moved, his long fingers occasionally brushing against hers in a way that made her shiver. The electricity going up her arm was not something she was used to. What was going on with her?
This had never happened before. No man had made her react in such a manner. She didn’t even know his name, and this was happening.
“You don’t need to look so scared.” He gave her a smile that made Diane’s toes curl. “I’m sure things are going to be fine.”
“You don’t know my father.”