Free A Fine Mess by Kristy K. James Page B

we’d better get moving or we’ll be late.”
    “I’ll be right there.”
    And she was. Dressed in an attractive navy dress with a demure white collar and cuffs. And huge red buttons all the way up the front. All he could think was that she looked adorable, especially with her hair pulled back in a single French braid. He offered his arm and they headed out to the car.
    “Do me a favor,” he said as he unlocked her door.
    “What?”
    “Be ready with a quick elbow in case I fall asleep.” Laughing, she took her seat, waiting until he got in before responding.
    “Trust me, you won’t fall asleep. We have a pretty upbeat song service, and Pastor Caldwell could never be accused of being boring.”
    “One of those hellfire and brimstone kind of guys, is he?”
    “Not very often. Mostly he’s just really enthusiastic. He knows what he wants to say and he says it in a way that gets, and keeps, your attention. At least that’s how it is for me.”
    Ian hoped that was the way it was for him, too, as he wheeled into a parking spot at the non-denominational church Annie had attended her whole life.
    He helped her out of the car and then walked, his arm around her shoulders, to the carved double doors. Somehow he’d assumed it would be bigger than it was. A place he could get lost in the crowd. He couldn‘t get lost here if he tried.
    Not when he appeared to be the focus of attention. Person after person greeted Annie, letting her know they’d missed her last week. And looked at him curiously.
    “Do they know we’re married?” he whispered, once they were seated in a corner of the classroom.
    “I’m sure that Pastor Caldwell does. Mom tells him everything. But I don’t know if anyone else does.”
    Anyone who hadn’t been aware of it at the beginning of the day found out when the service itself ended around twelve-fifteen. Because the pastor had Ian and Annie stand in order to make the announcement.
     
    ~~~~
     
    “You still look a little shell shocked,” Annie observed as they reentered the apartment.
    “You would, too, if you were me,” he said, collapsing in one of the recliners and closing his eyes.
    She noted that he’d unbuttoned the jacket of the suit he’d worn for their ‘wedding’ and yanked the knot out of his tie. All in all, he looked like he’d been through a harrowing experience.
    “What, exactly, is the men’s group?”
    “A lot of guys would have asked that question before they said they‘d be glad to join it,” Annie pointed out, unable to suppress a grin as she kicked off her high heeled shoes. Which didn’t matter since his eyes were still closed.
    Well, one of them was still closed. The other was squinted open, watching as she sank down on the sofa.
    “Annie, my darling submissive wife. I repeat, what is the men’s group?”
    “Not being a man, myself, I’m not sure why you’d think I’d know.”
    “But you do.”
    “Of course I do. Dad‘s been a member of it for years.”
    “ And? ”
    “He likes it fine.”
    “Because?”
    “Because he’s a man, I suppose.”
    “ Annie ,” he growled, sounding very much like a bear.
    “Okay. I’ll tell you. It’s a group of men- No, don’t interrupt me. I’m trying to tell you. They meet once a month. They always have breakfast, and then they do something.”
    “Define ‘something.’”
    “Last month they painted the house of an older couple at church. Sometimes they go canoeing, or to the races. Usually, though, they do something to help someone else.”
    “And supervise the boys lock-in night,” he said sarcastically.
    “I didn’t see anyone twisting your arm, Ian.”
    “Because you weren’t looking close enough,” he sighed. She laughed at that.
    “You can always back out.”
    “Yeah, right. That’d look good, wouldn’t it?”
    “All I asked is that you come to church with me, not get involved in anything.”
    “And every one of those people know that you wouldn’t marry a man who didn’t get