Free Catching Serenity by Joann Durgin

and mortar. The people inside? Well, they’re supposed to encourage and build you up, but sometimes they won’t. It’s sad, but it’s a fact, so tune them out if they have their own agenda. Keep your focus on Him and you can’t go wrong. He’s the reason you’re there. Worship Him. Sit and breathe. Allow His peace to fill your soul and let all that blessed grace and mercy flow over you.”
    You can do this . Placing one hand over her stomach, Serenity deep-breathed a few more times as she slowly started up the stairs. Growing up, she’d only visited this church—one of three in Croisette Shores and the one with the biggest congregation—on occasional holidays. Neither of her parents were church-goers, although Mama was raised in one. Somewhere along the way, she’d rebelled, but she’d never shared the details with her.
    Dad always called Grandma and Grandpa Wells Bible-thumpers and holier-than-thou. She didn’t see them much, but she’d liked them and they’d seemed perfectly normal to her. It’s not like they tried to shove Jesus at her or spouted Bible verses at the dinner table or during random moments. Now they were gone—thankfully before her mother’s disappearance or that alone might have killed them—and her dad’s parents passed away when she was very young. Serenity couldn’t help but wonder what Grandma and Grandpa Wells would think if they could see her now as she climbed another step, bringing her closer to the opened front doors of the church. Maybe her grandparents could see her now. The Almighty Himself must be smiling. She hoped it wasn’t wrong to think that way.
    “ You know I’m new at this, but I’m trying, Lord,” she said under her breath.
    “ Serenity?” The voice was a bit gravelly and vaguely familiar.
    She turned on the top step outside the church doors as a brawny, well-dressed man bounded up the concrete stairs, two at a time. Spencer Walton. Danny’s nemesis in high school. The guy who’d played her for a fool and asked her out to make Kendall Robinson jealous. All it accomplished was to make Danny crazy out-of-his-mind, especially when she’d admitted to harboring a big crush on Spencer. What girl hadn’t? Silly high school stuff that seemed so life-and-death important when she was sixteen.
    Like most of their classmates, Spencer had moved away after graduation. Most couldn’t get away fast enough. The same age as Danny, he’d been a year ahead of her in school. From all outward appearances—the shiny leather shoes, well-tailored suit and expensive-looking watch—Spencer had done quite well for himself. He obviously kept in great physical shape as he reached the top step beside her, appearing not at all winded.
    “ Hi, Spencer. It’s nice to see you again.” She didn’t know which one of them was more surprised to see the other on the steps of the church, of all places.
    “ Same here. You look incredible, Serenity. My dad mentioned you’d moved back to town.” Spencer’s appraisal was none-too-subtle before the megawatt, high school quarterback grin emerged. Some things never change, but gone were the dark curls the girls used to drool over, replaced by a stylish, shorter cut. Tall and confident, Spencer was more attractive than ever. Considering a lot of women found the scruffy, unshaven look sexy, Serenity surmised his day-old stubble must be a concession to the lopped-off curls.
    “ Are you visiting your dad and stepmom?” she asked as they moved into the front vestibule and accepted bulletins from the greeters. Seeing Spencer reminded her that his mom, Doreen, had succumbed to cancer while she’d lived in Atlanta. A sweet woman, she’d always had a kind word for everyone and volunteered to help with a lot of school functions. His dad, a retired cop, was a quiet man. The cops and firefighters shared a longstanding rivalry, and while her dad and Ed appeared friendly, an underlying tension always existed between them. But unlike her dad who