Free Meant for Her by Amy Gamet Page A

smiled.
    Julie felt her breath hitch in her chest as she stared at him from across the room.  Her gaze spoke volumes that she herself would never give voice to, and she was waiting for his answer as they stared at each other. She knew she should look away, do something else. But that would break the spell, and it was a lovely, intoxicating magic to behold.
    Moments slipped by before Hank picked up his tools and completed hanging the last of the lights. Julie didn’t move, knowing he would come to her. They each felt it, and both were powerless to stop it.
    Hank stepped down and strode toward her purposefully. He surprised her when he reached out with the gentlest of touches and stroked her face.
    Closing her eyes, she leaned into his caress. Hank’s hand went around to the back of her neck, his touch tingling on her skin like the lightest of raindrops. Julie opened her eyes, and seeing the desire she felt mirrored in his eyes, leaned toward him to enjoy the kiss that his talented fingers promised.
    He drew her inside the circle of his arms. Their mouths met hungrily as hands skated over each other, exploring.
    His beard raked over her smooth skin, leaving a trail of sensation in its wake. She could feel the evidence of how much he wanted her, and reveled in her own power to excite this man.
    Someone coughed near the stairway, and the couple sprang apart. Julie turned her back in embarrassment when she saw the man standing there.
    “Hank William Jared, I thought I told you not to go kissing girls in my church basement,” he said with a thick Irish brogue. Tall and thin, he had white hair and an athletic build that contrasted with his heavily lined face.
    “I must have forgotten,” said Hank, shaking the older man’s hand with a boyish grin. “Father McHale, I’d like you to meet Julie Trueblood. He reached for her arm, spinning her around. Julie, this is Father McHale. He’s the priest who’ll be marrying Kelly and Ron today.”
    A priest!
    Julie wanted to melt into the concrete floor beneath her and die an invisible death. She heard herself say politely, “It’s nice to meet you, Father.”
    To his credit, he didn’t seem at all uncomfortable at having caught them in such a compromising position. “I’m also the priest who heard Hank William’s first confession, when he was just a wee lad. I’m there in the confessional every Saturday, by the way.” He rocked forward and back, with his hands behind him. “Or if you two are serious, perhaps we can have us a double ceremony.” He winked conspiratorially at Julie.
    I wish I was dead.
    Father McHale looked around at the fully decorated church basement. “I must say, this looks wonderful.”
    “Thank you,” they said in unison.
    “Oh, and Hank, your mother called. She’d like you to call her back. Seems your cell phone must not get a signal down here.”
    “Son of a…” he pulled out his cell phone. “Sorry, Father. I’ve been waiting for an important call.”
    “I must be on my way. I have to see about building a roulette wheel for Monte Carlo night,” said the priest. “I’ll see you both at the ceremony.” He walked back up the steps.
    “Can I meet you in the parking lot, Julie? I need to see if Chip called.”
    “Sure. I’ll be right there.”
    By the time she made it to the car, Hank was behind the wheel with the engine running.
    “Is everything okay?” she asked.
    “I missed his call.”
    “Did he leave a message?”
    When he didn’t answer, she thought she was being presumptuous. “It’s none of my business.”
    “It is your business.” He backed out of the parking spot. “His wife had the twins. They’re fine, but she hemorrhaged after the birth.”
    “Oh, my God.  Is she going to be okay?”
    “They’re not sure yet.”
    That wasn’t all Chip had said on his message, but it was all Hank was prepared to share.  The rest, he was going to pretend he never heard.
     ~~~
    Julie gazed at her reflection in the mirror and