Page 26 of The Billionaire Benefactor

Chapter 9

Jenny took a deep breath before walking toward the front doors of the church. It wasn’t a big deal. And Sunday mornings shouldn’t be centered around how she felt. Two greeters opened the front doors as Jenny approached with Lucy, who was yawning and moving slowly after nightmares, and Matt, who still had a bounce in his step from the training camp. Jenny didn’t know the greeters and their smiles were friendly. No sign of pity.

So far so good.

Had she really shared her feelings about coming to church with Roman?

The thought left her embarrassed. Jenny’s mother always used to say, “Nothing good happens after midnight.” As a night owl, Jenny always rolled her eyes, but now she understood more. After a certain hour—probably earlier than midnight now—you lose your inhibitions and are more likely to do and say things you wouldn’t during the bright daylight hours. It had been after midnight when she hung up the phone, a goofy grin on her face.

What must he think of her? Jenny’s husband just died and she chatted on the phone late at night like she was in junior high. Did kids still talk late into the night? Or were they doing something else now—social media? Snapchat?

“I’m tired, Mommy,” Lucy said, interrupting her drifting thoughts.

Jenny bent down and picked her up. She didn’t mind having a tiny human shield as they moved into the more crowded area outside the sanctuary. Their church was a modern building, and the service was somewhere between classic and modern. The messages were always good: not preachy, but also not just motivational speeches or pep talks. Music was one of the things Jenny had loved about it when she and Hank visited so long ago, with a mix of hymns, and more contemporary worship songs. Jenny had been in her college’s acapella group and still loved to sing, though church seemed like the only chance she got now.

This morning wasn’t as bad as the last few weeks. People were starting to forget. Maybe forget was the wrong word. They were moving on with their lives, which meant that they weren’t as focused on Jenny and hers. She blew out a relieved breath as she sat down on the right side of the sanctuary. Matt sat on one side of her, already drawing a comic on the white space in the bulletin with a pen he dug out of her purse. Normally Lucy went with the other younger elementary kids to an optional children’s church, but with the way she clung to Jenny’s neck, today she’d be staying.

As the assistant pastor was making the normal announcements, a murmuring started up somewhere behind Jenny. She ignored it. Whenever someone came in late or forgot to turn off their cell phone or had a wiggly child, she tried not to stare the way some people did. But the murmuring continued, and the pastor paused for a moment in his announcements, then stumbled over his words to continue. Jenny fought to keep her head trained forward. What was going on?

A moment later, Roman stood next to them at the end of the aisle. He was smiling, but also looking awkwardly around, aware of the reaction his presence was causing. Matt’s jaw dropped and Jenny simply stared up at him, then wordlessly scooted down a seat so he could sit between her and Matt.

No. He. Didn’t.

Warmth spread through her chest and she worked to hold back tears and a huge smile. He came. She shared something that made her sad and he was here now so she wouldn’t have to sit through church alone. Jenny tried to think of what to say, but words escaped her. She couldn’t have spoken if she tried. Instead she sat with a half-asleep Lucy balanced on her knees, completely aware of Roman’s every movement and breath. He was here. She started to smile again.

When they stood for singing, Lucy’s weight became a challenge and Jenny shifted her from hip to hip.

“May I?” Roman leaned down to her, his blue eyes drawing Jenny’s gaze. He held out his hands for Lucy.

Jenny hesitated, but Lucy perked up and reached for Roman with a big smile. The back of Jenny’s neck heated as Lucy snuggled into Roman’s arms. What would this look like to the people behind them? It probably made them seem like a couple. Surely people wouldn’t think she had moved on that quickly.

But what if she had? Or did?

Though Jenny had not wanted to share the truth of what was happening with Hank just before he died, it would have made things much easier. People would be much more understanding. Or maybe not—people always liked a good piece of gossip. Even at church. Without knowing that Hank had been unfaithful, Jenny would definitely set tongues wagging if she started dating soon. Especially someone like Roman.

We aren’t dating, she reminded herself. But she couldn’t help wondering why he kept popping up. Helping around the house was one thing, but then asking Matt to come to training camp, calling her the night before, and now showing up here…if it had been anyone else, Jenny would feel sure that he had some kind of feelings. But this was Roman Bennett. He could have his pick of women in Houston.

But he’s here with you.

The significance of this wasn’t lost on her, but it hit her again. Tears threatened at her eyes. All she had to do was mention that she didn’t want to be at church alone and he showed up. How had Roman even known what church? Maybe he looked up Hank’s services. Hank. Even when she’d told him this past year that she missed him coming with her on Sundays, he hadn’t been willing to show up. It was clear now why. Guilt for living a double life probably.

And here sat Roman, so close that his thigh grazed hers. He looked like he wasn’t made to fit in the padded chairs. This big, strong man had a tender heart. She could not let herself cry while sitting next to him, so she clenched her jaw and tried to turn her thoughts away from him. It was hard with the warmth of his leg on hers and the woodsy, manly cologne filling her nose.

Jenny closed her eyes for a moment and prayed to have a clear and focused head. This wasn’t the time or place to be thinking of Roman, considering hypotheticals. When she opened her eyes again, she focused on the words of the song they were singing and lifted her voice, adding a harmony to the chorus. She thought she saw Roman glance her way, but she ignored it.

When they sat back down for the offering before the sermon, Lucy stayed in Roman’s lap. “You have big legs,” she whispered loudly. Roman was obviously trying to hold back laughter and a few people behind them obviously heard because there were chuckles. By the time the sermon started, Lucy was asleep in his lap, her legs on Jenny’s lap.

Roman stretched an arm over Jenny’s chair. He didn’t quite put it around her, but it grazed her back. She wanted to lean into his warmth, but instead stiffened. If people hadn’t already made assumptions about them being a couple, they would now. Jenny sat with perfect posture, her back straight and just inches from the chair back, where she could sense Roman’s arm. So tempting. After a moment, he took his arm back, using it to secure Lucy in his lap. Jenny felt disappointed, but a few minutes later she let herself relax back into the chair again.

Normally Jenny enjoyed the message, but today her thoughts bounced from place to place, so that by the time it ended, she couldn’t even say what passage they’d read. Roman’s presence kept her in a constant state of agitation. She hadn’t wanted to be alone, but in some ways having Roman there was worse. The thought behind it was so sweet it almost killed her. But it also got her thinking about him in ways she hoped to avoid. She also knew that she’d be drawn into a lot of conversations after church. She could already imagine the questions.

During the last song, Roman leaned down to whisper to her, still balancing Lucy in his hip. “I’m going to sneak out as this song ends,” he said. “Otherwise, I think I’ll be mobbed and won’t ever be able to get out.”

He turned so that he could transfer Lucy and Jenny tried to ignore the rush of feelings as their hands touched. Lucy groaned a little and tried to hold onto Roman.

“I’ll see you again soon, Little Princess,” he said.

Would he?Jenny’s heart pounded at the thought.

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