Page 105 of Lee

Turning, Rori saw Carisa coming toward them, Jackson trailing after her. Had the pair grown closer, or was Jackson just more persistent with Carisa than he’d been with Rori?

“I knew it,” Carisa exclaimed as she smiled at them.

“What did you know?” Jackson asked.

She gestured to Rori and Lee’s hands. “That these two had something going on. I could tell the first time we met.”

“You could?” Lee asked after a glance at Rori.

“Sure. The way you’d stare at each other when the other wasn’t looking made it pretty obvious.”

“Well, we got to this point in our time and way.”

Rori considered Carisa’s words. She’d assumed that Lee would be interested in this beautiful woman, but here Carisa was saying Lee only had eyes for her.

“Are you going to sit with us?” Lee asked as they walked toward the doors that led into the sanctuary.

“If that’s okay,” Carisa said. “My folks aren’t here today. Mom’s had a rough couple of days.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Lee told her. “We’ll certainly be praying for her.”

Rori wondered if the we included her. She wasn’t sure that God would hear any prayers from her. But she’d still pray. Just in case he did.

Once inside the sanctuary, Lee led Rori down the aisle to where members of his family were gathered. As she glanced around, she realized that walking hand in hand with Lee had garnered them some attention. Were people wondering what he was doing with her?

“I’m impressed with how little we had to maneuver to get the two of you together,” Janessa said with a grin when she spotted them.

“You didn’t have to maneuver at all,” Lee replied. He scooted into the pew behind where Janessa stood with her husband. “I did just fine on my own.”

“I don’t know,” Janessa mused. “You spent more time talking to your ex the first time Rori joined us at the park than you did with her.”

Lee grimaced. “Yeah. That wasn’t my finest moment, but I wised up quick after that.”

Rori really didn’t know what Lee was talking about. Had he been interested in her for awhile before asking her for a date? She must have been really clueless if that was the case.

Letting go of her hand, Lee shifted to settle his arm around her waist as they stood chatting with his family. Carisa and Jackson had followed them into the pew, and while they didn’t share a physical connection like she and Lee, Rori thought maybe it was just a matter of time until they would.

As they sat down, Lee settled his arm on the pew behind her, which Rori took as an invitation to sit a little closer to him.

It was all a bit surreal. This was the first time that a crush had turned so serious, and for her feelings to be reciprocated. So far, everything seemed to indicate that Lee was open to falling in love with her.

She just had to make sure that she didn’t do anything that would make him change his mind.

When the service got underway, Rori shifted her attention from Lee to the people on the stage. It was easier than previous Sundays because he was right there with her. He’d chosen to be next to her, sitting with his arm around her. She didn’t need to sneak looks at him across the sanctuary.

Even when they stood to sing, he kept his arm around her waist. For the first time in her life, Rori felt like someone genuinely cared about her and wanted to be with her beyond just a casual acquaintance. She was grateful beyond words, but also scared that she was going to mess things up somehow.

After the offering and another time of singing, the pastor took his place behind the pulpit. Rori was curious to hear what he would preach about that day. Each sermon she’d heard so far had left her with some questions, but as of yet, she hadn’t posed them to anyone.

She’d planned to ask them when she’d met with Essie the previous day, but after Lee had asked her for a date, she’d texted Essie to postpone her visit. Rori hoped she could reschedule soon.

Next to her, Carisa had opened her Bible to the verse the pastor gave them. Rori only had an app on her phone, so she used that to find the passage. Lee also used his phone, so she didn’t feel too conspicuous.

Rori didn’t think she’d do too well with a physical Bible—at least not yet—since she wouldn’t have a clue where to find things.

After giving them time to find the verse in Philippians chapter four, the pastor read it out loud, and Rori followed along on her phone.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

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