Page 74 of Love in the Storm

“Leave your hair like that and forget the makeup. You might need the shoes though.”

Lyric laughed and grabbed a pair of gray flats. Her feet might freeze, but it would be cute to match Asa on her first visit to a new church.

25

ASA

Asa parked in front of the small church and killed the engine. After a week and a half driving a rental, he finally found a new truck.

Well, a truck that was new to him. It was only a few years old, but hopefully it would still be running strong when Jacob learned to drive.

Good grief, Asa’s son would be driving in less than six short years, and he was not okay.

Jacob jumped out of the truck as soon as it came to a stop. “Come on. I want to be a greeter!”

The door closed behind the kid as he darted across the parking lot.

“Guess he didn’t want to bring his Bible,” Granny said, holding it up in the air as she scooted out of the passenger seat.

Lyric sat like a statue in the backseat, clutching her Bible to her chest.

“You okay?” Asa asked quietly as soon as his mom shut the door behind her.

She gave him a quick smile in the rear-view mirror. It was completely forced. “Yeah.”

“Then why do you look like you just ate something bad but you’re trying to spare the cook’s feelings?”

Her smile morphed into something real. “It’s not that bad. Just nerves.”

He couldn’t keep talking from the front seat to the back. He got out of the truck and opened her door. Lyric sat with her knees pressed together. The pale skin of her legs peeked out beneath the ends of the navy dress she wore.

Saying he liked the dress was one thing. It was the woman in the dress that gave him fits. He could barely think straight these days, whether he was with Lyric or not. Between her and Jacob, Asa’s thoughts were busy for the foreseeable future, and he wouldn’t change it for anything.

He propped a shoulder against the doorframe. “What’s on your mind?”

She reached for his hand like a lifeline and threaded her fingers through his. “Lots of people in Blackwater know me, and not for good reasons. I don’t feel comfortable going to church with thepeople I’ve let down. Quite a few of them only knew me at my worst.”

Asa looked at the church on the small hill above the parking lot, then turned his attention back to Lyric. “I know a little bit about avoiding people. Most everyone in town knew Danielle. For a long time, I hated running into people I knew because they always brought up her name. I even avoided church for a while after she died. I lost a part of myself, and everyone wanted to talk about it.”

“Oh, Asa,” Lyric breathed.

He squeezed her hand. “When I finally got past it enough to go back to church, it wasn’t so bad. I mean, someone still brings her up from time to time, but it’s in a good way. At least, I can think of it like it’s a good thing now. Back then, it all seemed bad.”

Lyric nodded. “I might be overreacting. Maybe nobody cares.”

“I know some people who care,” he gently reminded her.

She smiled like she knew a special secret. “I know you care. A lot of people around here know what I’ve done. It’s just scary.”

“I know what you’ve done. I still care. Plus, if you had to be perfect to get in, the place would be empty. This isn’t going to work until you realize people don’t come here because they think they’re better than you. They’re all here because they’re just like you.”

Jacob jogged up to Asa’s side, panting. “I forgot I told Lyric she could stick with me today.”

Asa looked back to Lyric, who bit her lips between her teeth. She nodded and scooted out of the seat, keeping a hold on Asa’s hand.

“Thanks, but I can stay with your dad if you want to do the greeting.”

Jacob shook his head. “Nah. I just like saying hey to people, but I can do that inside. I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

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