Page 17 of Deliver Me

“You don’t have to be exactly like your mother for her to be proud of you.”

Mia jumped and looked up to find old Mrs. Mitchell standing on the other side of her father’s desk, watching her from behind the thick lenses of her glasses. She sniffled and rubbed her tears away with the back of her hand.

“She was perfect, and everyone loved her …”

“We all loved her, but she wasn’t perfect. You loved her so much that you couldn’t see the flaws. Nothing wrong with that, all things considered, and she loved you just as much. More importantly sheknewyou. She took you, chose you, when you were wild and mean, and she loved you anyway. She wouldn’t want you to be an unhappy woman that’s trying to be something you’re not. She’d want you to be the best version of yourself, because that’s what God created you to be.”

“But Mrs. Newberry—”

“I already gave that woman a piece of my mind, and it’s not the first time. She’s upset my girls too much already. Don’t you worry about what she said. Not about your mama and not about Mr. Prescott. She was the biggest flirt in this town when she was your age and she might have forgotten that little fact, but I assure you I haven’t. I’m old enough to remember plenty of things that she’d rather were forgotten.”

Mia giggled a little, almost as surprised by Mrs. Mitchell’s fierce protectiveness as she was with the idea that Mrs. Newberry had once been a flirt.

“There’s never been anyone interested in me before,” she admitted. “Maybe Iwastoo flirtatious.”

“If you were being flirtatious, so was he. I don’t think there’s a thing wrong with talking to a nice man that wants to get to know you better.” She was quiet for a moment, pensive as she looked at Mia. Sometimes it felt like Mrs. Mitchell could see right through to the heart of a person. “I’m going to give you onemore word of unsolicited advice from an old woman,” she said eventually. “James Prescott is a good man, but you need more than a good man to have a happy life. You need therightman and that’ll be the one who fits into what God calls you to do and sees after your happiness as much as he expects you to see to his own.”

Impossible dreams of law school flitted shamefully through her mind. “What ifthisisn’t what I’m supposed to do?” she asked, waving her arm around to indicate the small office. “Would God call me away from the church?”

“From your seat on Sunday? I don’t think so. But not everyone is meant to marry a pastor and spend their lives worrying over a congregation. Kate was happy with that life, and I know you saw how fulfilled it made her, but you are not your mama. Open your heart to God, really listen to Him, and you’ll know what He has planned for you.”

Halloween at the church went well. The adults had nearly as much fun as the children, and because it was a Saturday night, many of the parishioners stayed later than they might have done otherwise.

Mia was having so much fun that she offered to stay behind with her friends and clean up so her dad could leave early. He had to be up to get ready for the morning service and she wasn’t ready to leave.

“How are you going to get home?” he asked. “Can Lilly drive you?”

“I can bring her,” James said from behind her, and Mia turned to find him standing there with a shy smile. “It’s not a problem.”

Her father didn’t hesitate, and Mia really wondered for the first time if he might support the idea of her dating James. She mulled it over as they swept up discarded candy wrappers and wiped the tables clean of spilled juice. Bryce caught her eye with a meaningful look, and she fought to stifle a nervous giggle.

After they were done, James walked out to the parking lot and opened the door to his sensible white sedan. It smelled clean and pleasant, like air freshener and his cologne, but having him so close to her in such a small space made her heart pound and she kept her hands folded tightly in her lap during the short drive. The lights inside the house were already out when they arrived, and her father had clearly already gone to bed. He obviously trusted that James would bring her home quickly and safely.

“Thank you,” she said, breaking the tense silence in the car as she reached for the door handle.

“Mia, wait,” he said softly, wrapping one warm hand around her wrist. She stilled, her skin tingling under the soft caress of his fingers on her arm as he laid his lips gently against her own. His kiss was warm and inoffensive, but he didn't linger for long, nor did he attempt to part her lips for a more thorough exploration.

“I’d like to spend more time with you,” He cupped her cheek with his hand. “You’re exactly the kind of woman I’d like to build a life and a family with.”

It wasn’t unexpected with all the time he’d spent hanging around lately. She’d always known he was the kind of man that believed dating was for the purpose of testing compatibility for marriage, but something inside her shifted as her budding interest dimmed. She wanted a husband and a family, but his words left her cold. “What kind of woman is that exactly?”

“The kind that puts their faith in God, where it should be. You’re kind and generous and I’ve never known you tobe rebellious or disrespectful. You’re a good, modest Christian woman, exactly the kind that any man would be proud to have for a wife.”

It was a very practical assessment and it left her feeling cold, even though his hand was still warm on her cheek. She couldn’t fault him for it, not really, not when they had all been encouraged to seek those qualities in a spouse, but …

“Can I see you again?” he asked. “Alone?”

“Alone?” She thought it over quickly, knowing how seriously he would take it if she agreed to start seeing him privately.

“I can talk to your dad tomorrow, ask him for his blessing.”

“That would be great.” She wasn’t sure where her doubts were coming from, but she wasn’t going to throw away the attention of a man who seemed to be strongly considering the possibility of fulfilling her dreams of a husband and family when she couldn’t even put a name to her hesitation. “I’m sure Dad won’t mind at all. He trusts you.”

"Good, I'm really glad," he said. He kissed her again, a quick press of lips, and watched until she was safely inside the house before he started to leave.

She closed the door and slumped against it, thoughts racing.

He seemed sincere in his intentions, but was he interested in her as a person? Or was he looking for someone that checked off the boxes of what he believed would make a good wife? His kiss had been soft and sweet, but had he felt anything at all? Had she?

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