Free Catching Serenity by Joann Durgin Page B

baby steps. Brow-beating people over the head will turn them away from the truth, but being their friend and meeting them where they’re at in life is often the best way to demonstrate Christ’s love in action. Now, it’s your turn.”
    After the closing hymn and benediction, Spencer leaned close, his voice low. “All in the spirit of furthering the Kingdom, how about I take you to lunch at Rosario’s? We can relax over some good Italian food and get reacquainted.”
    Without a doubt, it was an interesting but self-serving interpretation of the pastor’s message. Karen Gorham chose that moment to swoop her into a hug, immersing Serenity in the overwhelming scent of pungent roses. “Serenity, honey, it’s great to see you here today! Please give Clinton my best, and tell him we’d love to have him visit us some Sunday morning.” Before she could react, the woman moved on to greet someone else.
    From what Deidre told her, the widow Karen had made it known around town she harbored romantic inclinations toward her father, but Serenity knew he’d never look at another woman in a romantic way. No, he preferred to pine away for her mother. It was a toss-up whether to be proud of Dad for his faithfulness to Mama or be irritated he couldn’t move on with life in general. Moving on with his life would entail admitting Mama was gone and having her declared legally dead, something he’d never do. Several others greeted them on the way out the door as they shook hands and shared a few words with Pastor Tom.
    “ I don’t believe I heard your answer.” As he reached the bottom step, Spencer turned, waiting. She imagined he wasn’t the type of man to be turned down by many women. Since she needed to eat, what could be the harm?
    G lancing at her watch, Serenity noted she should have enough time for lunch before picking up her dad for their promised trip to the beach. “Sounds good, but I need to be somewhere in a couple of hours. I’ll take my car and follow you.” Climbing into her silver Toyota Prius, she pulled her seat belt over her lap and clicked it in place. As she started the car, she glimpsed Jackson talking with Hayley Foster on the church steps. She bit her lower lip and tried not to stare. The man apparently worked fast. Or else Hayley did. Maybe it was a spontaneous, mutual attraction  thing. If Dr. Ross wanted to talk with one of the prettiest and available single women in town, why should it bother her?
    Problem was, it did.
    Drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, Serenity startled when a black Mercedes pulled alongside her and the driver tapped on the horn. Although she couldn’t see the person behind the wheel through the dark-tinted windows, she knew it was Spencer. Motioning for him to lead the way, she pulled her car out behind him, all the while resisting the overwhelming urge to peek in her rearview mirror.
     

     
    “ I hope you’ll agree to dinner with me on Wednesday night. I’m thinking The Black Oyster.” Spencer pulled a cloth from his pants pocket and wiped a smudge from the door of the sleek Mercedes.
    S erenity leaned against her car, opposite his, in the parking lot outside Rosario’s. “How long are you staying in town?”
    “ Long enough, if you’ll go out with me. I’d like to get to know you again.” Using the cloth, he buffed the smudge to a high shine. Did the man carry a car-buffing cloth at all times? She tried not to smirk.
    In the past, Spencer hadn ’t known her as anything more than a momentary distraction. Spencer was direct and to-the-point and—as far as she knew—wasn’t trying to make another woman jealous this time. But The Black Oyster? Located by the waterfront, it was one of the swankiest restaurants in town.
    Pocketing the cloth, Spencer tilted his head and light gray eyes bore into hers. “Are you already seeing someone? I heard something about a new shrink in town. Talk around town is you two were getting cozy at Martha’s the other