Page 9 of Whispered Southern Secrets

“Yet it took me to show you—” The door opens and I immediately close my mouth.

J.D. and I both turn to watch Mimi walking in.

“Well, Brother Johnny David! What a nice surprise.”

“Is it?” I mumble to myself. He hears me and gives me a scowl, but quickly recovers and rushes over to Mimi.

“Hello, Mrs. Minnie! It’s good to see you.” He shakes her hand. A part of me can’t help but notice he didn’t shake my hand.Rude.

“I see you’re getting to visit with my lovely granddaughter.”

“Oh she is lovely.” I don’t miss the sarcasm in his tone, but Mimi does.

Mimi guides him over to the counter and then leaves him in front of me. “Wait here. I’ll fix you up a fish plate and some sweet tea. I’ll put some in for your Ma and Pa as well.”

“You’re too kind, ma’am. We appreciate it.”

As soon as she’s out of hearing distance, I lean forward. “There’s nothing to clear up. I don’t want anyone to know we had a moment.”

“A moment?” he repeats incredulously.

“Yes. A moment.”

“Give me a little credit. It was longer than, ‘a moment.’ What happened to earth shattering?”

“You said that,” I huff out. I tilt my head and narrow my eyes at him. “You’re a minister. Aren’t you supposed to be above having an ego?”

“I’m a work in progress,” he admits.

The little smirk that tugs at the corner of his lips has me swooning. This would be so much easier if he wasn’t so adorable, honest, and funny. Standing up straighter, I tip my chin up.

“So, we’re in agreement that this is our secret. It’ll remain just between us.”

“Yes.”

“Never to be brought up again.”

“We ask for forgiveness and hand it over to God.”

“Yes. It remains between you, me, and the Almighty. Nobody else. Nobody.”

Mimi comes rushing back in with a bag full of to-go boxes and a drink carrier with three giant sweet teas. J.D rushes around the counter to assist her. She beams up at him. “Thank you. You know, you’re about Honey’s age. Only slightly older. Maybe you could introduce her to more people. She’s moving here, and her only friend is Olivia.”

Way to make me sound lonely and desperate. I hastily speak up to defend myself. “I also talk to Laney and Emmalee.”

“Well, maybe you could get to know Brother Johnny David better?” Mimi smiles to each one of us completely unaware how we’ve both gone silent.

“Brother Johnny David,” I begin in a tone that’s borderline snarky, “is busy learning to navigate the path of the righteous.”

Mimi chooses to ignore me. “Are there any committees at the church she could join? I want her to feel welcomed and part of the community. Getting involved helps with that and making friends. She’s so young, and Millard and I are old now.”

“Of course! I’ll see what I can do.” Of course he says of course. Either he is lying to Mimi, which will get him into more trouble with me than God, or he’s delusional if he thinks I’m joining a church committee with him.

“And I bet you two would get along. She’s such a pleasure to spend time with.”

The look on J.D.’s face is comical. I can’t help the laugh that bursts out of me. Pleasure was the wrong choice of words. J.D. knows all about what a pleasure I can be. And she’s right, we did get along.

His voice comes out forced. “No doubt about that, ma’am.” He clears his throat and nods to both of us. “Well I better be going. Thank you again, ma’am. You both have a blessed day.”

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