Page 50 of A Surefire Love
“Great. Be right back.” Beaming, Selina slipped away.
Would a cup cause a setback? Blaze woke her phone screen to ask, then saw a social media notification. An event had been created for the leaf raking project, and someone had asked if they needed to bring rakes or tarps.
“Here you go.” Selina passed her a steaming coffee and set two prepackaged creamers and two sugars on the edge ofthe desk before circling to the chair behind it. As she dove into the next stage of the sale, Blaze eyed the cream and sugar.
She’d gotten distracted and missed the minute she had to research the effect of caffeine on anti-depressants.
Distracted. Forever distracted.
You’re not broken.
Would Anson say such things if he knew her twisted, dead-end thoughts?
She blew out a long breath, drawing a quizzical glance from Selina. “Is everything okay?”
“You’re doing great.” Blaze lifted her coffee in a toast, then took a long, slow sip as she prayed for her life to change.
19
Anson counted the rakes leaning against the exterior of the church. They didn’t have one for each volunteer, but some of the students and adults milling around would bag and haul leaves once the event started.
Nolan added one more rake to the collection, then turned. His gaze hit Anson’s chest, and he snorted. “I’m pretty sure my sister has that shirt.”
Anson straightened the hem of his T-shirt. “But does she look this good in it?”
Nolan shook his head. “That’s wrong, man.” He walked off snickering.
Anson had known the shirt would draw reactions, but he’d take whatever ribbing came his way as long as the person he bought it for approved. Would she?
Immediately after his talk with Blaze, he’d ordered aCoffee and Jesusshirt. Though not tight or short, it might reveal too much. It showed forethought and obviously hadn’t been free. It showed he was willing to sacrifice a little pride to make her smile. Combined, those things created a pictureof the heart beneath the fabric. A heart eager to make her happy.
Her black sedan pulled into the lot, and nervous energy wound through his gut.
Mercy and Hadley sprang from the car and jogged over to the other Rooted kids. Blaze emerged more slowly. When she rounded the car, she carried a travel mug. Good for her.
Her scan of the area stopped on him. She adjusted her path to head his way with barely a nod of greeting. Just when he thought she’d forgotten all about their talk, her step hitched and her head tilted. A smile bloomed across her face, and confetti-like satisfaction swirled in his chest.
“We’re all set for pizza later?” Sydney’s appearance beside him sucked the confetti up faster than a vacuum. She propped her hands on her hips, where she’d tied the arms of a flannel. He appreciated that she hadn’t let their breakup change her commitment to Branching Out, but he could do without her having glimpses into whatever this was with Blaze.
Blaze might feel the same way, because she stopped to talk to Nolan.
“Pizza’s all set to be delivered at twelve fifteen,” he said.
“Okay.” She checked her watch. “The last Branching Out students are here.”
So were all the Rooted kids. Some adults still hadn’t straggled in, but it was the scheduled start time. For the youth group competition, each leader would go with a different team of students. He probably wouldn’t get to talk to Blaze until after raking. Possibly not until after pizza and pies. Her smile would have to tide him over.
Had he ever been this anxious to talk to Sydney?
He stole a glance at her. She was still pretty. But whathe’d once considered dependability now struck him as playing it safe. Sydney was too much like him. Together, all they would’ve done was build a predictable life.
Blaze was all question marks and big emotions. He didn’t know where they’d end up together—ifthey’d end up together—but she was already expanding his world, and he had no desire to go back.
The next fewhours passed quickly as Anson helped his team, tried to make it fun, and connected with the residents who ventured outside. Back at the church afterward, the students dug into pizza, and Anson met with the leaders in the hall to collect final numbers.
Ray pulled a slip of paper and a stubby pencil from his pocket. “Dylan and company did nine properties.”
“Nine?” Sydney threw her hands up. “That’s three more than my team got.”
