Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Emma stepped out of the shower, her head pounding from too much wine the night before. She knew better. She made a cup of coffee in the kitchen, returning to her bedroom so she could get ready for church. She dried her hair, put on mascara and lip gloss, then slipped into a yellow sheath dress with matching flats. Checking herself in the full-length mirror inside her closet, she looked presentable, despite how she felt.

She clicked the map bookmarked on her phone, grabbed her keys from the dolphin hook, and headed to her car. The church was only five minutes away, so she had plenty of time.

Guiding her sleek white Mercedes-Benz from her tiny garage wasn’t easy. Emma considered purchasing a smaller vehicle sometime soon. Once she was clear, she hit the automatic garage door opener so it would close behind her.

Taking the scenic route down Flamingo Boulevard, she saw a few shops open and planned to stop in on her way home. It would be another way she would get to know the folks in Pink Pearl Cove, though she’d learned from Marlena that most referred to the town simply as the Cove.

The lot was packed when she reached the Chapel by the Sea’s parking area. Emma had to parallel park across the street. She wouldn’t lallygag next Sunday. The early service was either running late or she was too soon for the second service.

It turned out her first assumption was correct. As soon as she crossed the street, the church doors opened and folks spilled out like a bouquet of colorful flowers. Emma couldn’t help but smile as she stood to the side, waiting for the church to empty for the next service. Some people lingered in groups, while others went quickly to their vehicles. Five minutes passed before she went inside. Unsure if the locals had specific seats, she chose a pew next to the last row, where she sat in the middle to view the pastor as he spoke.

While she waited for the organist to finish the opening hymn, Emma thought the second service didn’t appear as crowded as the first. She listened intently as Pastor Ellison spoke to his congregation. He was younger than most clergy, but spoke with such passion that Emma felt she’d lucked out when she chose Chapel by the Sea. When the service wrapped up, Emma took her time exiting the church, hoping she might run into Marlena or someone she’d met before at the school or library.

A figure blocked the sun as she entered the main aisle. As she made her way toward the exit, Emma stopped so suddenly that somebody bumped into her. A toddler had appeared out of nowhere. Emma almost stepped on the child.

“Miss?” a voice from behind her said. “Are you all right?”

“Uh, sorry, yes, I’m fine,” Emma said, searching for the child. A woman scooped him up, disappearing before she could say anything. As long as the kid is okay, she thought.

“I don’t believe I’ve seen you here before,” the woman commented.

Emma wanted to escape, but a man was blocking the exit, speaking to someone. He didn’t appear to have a clue that he was causing a human pileup inside.

“No, today is my first visit,” Emma said distractedly to the woman behind her.

“Let’s not make it your last,” the woman said kindly.

“I’ll do my best,” Emma said, finally turning around to face the woman. She was tiny, with a head full of white curly hair and sparkly blue eyes.

“Are you married?” the woman asked out of the blue.

Emma swallowed, her throat dry. “Uh, no.”

“That’s wonderful. You don’t have a boyfriend or someone you’re interested in?”

Nosy, Emma thought. “What did you say your name was?”

“I’m Mrs. Whitton. I work at the library.”

If this was the same woman Marlena had described, she must have two personalities—one for the library and another for the church.

“It’s nice to meet you. I was just in the library last week,” Emma said, still not giving her name. Could the old gal have an aging son? Maybe she was looking for a fix-up. No, Emma thought, that’s too awkward to contemplate.

“Did you check out a book?”

Beyond nosy.Whoever that was blocking the flow to the exit would get a dirty look from her. Church or not. “Isn’t that what the library is for?” Emma said, her voice not as kind as before.

“Now, listen up. If you want to borrow books from my library, it’s best not to get an attitude with me. Especially here in a house of worship.”

Now Emma understood what Marlena had referred to. “I have already checked a book out, and yesterday it got soaked at the pool. The pages are so thick now, I can’t close the cover.” Emma turned away so Mrs. Whitton wouldn’t see the grin on her face.

“Then you will be fined and marked as a book offender. You will not be allowed to borrow books for thirty days. Those are my rules. I will expect a replacement Monday morning.”

“A book offender? Are you serious?” Emma asked, trying her best not to laugh.

“It’s not something I take lightly, young lady.”

Finally, the man running his mouth stepped away from the exit. Emma couldn’t get away from old Mrs. Whitton fast enough. She practically flew down the steps and crossed the street to her car. She gave herself a few minutes to calm down while waiting for the air-conditioning to cool the hot car.

Looking across the street, she spied the guy who’d been running his mouth.

It was her neighbor.

Nash.