Tamarind smiled. “Now, I’ll go deal with this guy. You said his name was Matt?”
“That’s right.”
Tamarind scurried away. Within seconds, Liann’s eyes began to water from the smokiness. She had no doubt that The Pit’s barbecue was genuine. She pushed through the back door and found herself outside, looking at a plowed-under field that had once grown corn earlier in the season.
Her phone started ringing again. Jake!
“I’m sorry, I meant to call you back,” she said.
“That’s okay. The reason I called is I’m in a bit of a jam.”
“What is it?”
“Tim asked if he could take Maddie to a play at the high school tonight, and I agreed. I talked to my dad, and he said it was fine, as long as they visited public places in small groups. So they’re not going alone. Two other kids will be there. I told him they could go to Dairy Queen too, but to be home by ten.”
“So how does this mean you’re in a jam?”
“I’m going to the play, too. I want to make sure she’ll be all right. Tim’s a good kid. He’s in the youth group at Starlight Community Church, but that’s no guarantee of anything.”
“That’s true.” She could tell him stories of things she’d encountered while supporting Matt’s ministry in the youth group in California. “How can I help you out of this jam you’re in?”
“Come with me to the play. I don’t want to go alone. My treat at Dairy Queen, too.” He paused for a moment. “Don’t worry, it’s not really a date. I mean...”
For the second time ever, he stammered again. She decided to rescue him before he made it sound worse. “Of course we can go as friends. That’s perfectly fine with me. No pressure.”
“I’ll pick you up at six-thirty, then. You can dress casual, too. We don’t get too fancy with the plays at the school.”
“See you later.” She ended the call and watched a bird soar over the field, then swoop down, probably on a mouse. She never imagined that she’d feel like that little mouse where Matt was concerned. Yet here she was, running to Jake. Sure, he’d called her. But it was so easy for her to say yes...
“Okay, he’s gone.” Tamarind opened the barbecue shack's back door. She was wiping her hands on a dish cloth. “I told him to buzz off. And when someone says no, they mean no. And if I needed to, I’d call the cops.”
“Well, thank you so much. But like I said, he’s not dangerous or anything. He’s a youth pastor.” Liann almost wished she’d seen Matt’s face when Tamarind asked him to leave.
“My point exactly,” said Tamarind. “You should see the relief all over your face.”
Chapter 9
The lights of Hattie Hempstead Auditorium grew dim, and the stage looked far away from Liann and Jake’s vantage point. A colorful set created a woodland setting for the play. But Jake focused on four young people in the eighth row to the far right of the stage.
“So far, he hasn’t tried anything.” Jake tried to keep his voice low as he leaned toward Liann.
“What if he does? What are you going to do?” Liann flipped through her program and held it up in the dim light. “March down there and pull them apart?”
“If I have to, I will.” Truthfully, he didn’t know. He tried to think about his own high school years. He’d been busy with the team, and the girls seemed petty, catty, and not worth the hassle. Maybe he’d dodged plenty of bullets all those years. With his family moving so much when his dad was in the Army, though, sometimes made him and Billy hit the popular list in school. The whole new kid thing. Billy brooded more, which also boosted his mystique with the girls. They seemed to like the mysterious type. Jake was just trying to get through school so he could move on to the big time and the fact he could play football well didn't hurt.
Tim had appeared at six-twenty-five, which was just in time if Jake was going to pick up Liann. As it was, Maddie paused in the entryway for a
“That’s right.”
Tamarind scurried away. Within seconds, Liann’s eyes began to water from the smokiness. She had no doubt that The Pit’s barbecue was genuine. She pushed through the back door and found herself outside, looking at a plowed-under field that had once grown corn earlier in the season.
Her phone started ringing again. Jake!
“I’m sorry, I meant to call you back,” she said.
“That’s okay. The reason I called is I’m in a bit of a jam.”
“What is it?”
“Tim asked if he could take Maddie to a play at the high school tonight, and I agreed. I talked to my dad, and he said it was fine, as long as they visited public places in small groups. So they’re not going alone. Two other kids will be there. I told him they could go to Dairy Queen too, but to be home by ten.”
“So how does this mean you’re in a jam?”
“I’m going to the play, too. I want to make sure she’ll be all right. Tim’s a good kid. He’s in the youth group at Starlight Community Church, but that’s no guarantee of anything.”
“That’s true.” She could tell him stories of things she’d encountered while supporting Matt’s ministry in the youth group in California. “How can I help you out of this jam you’re in?”
“Come with me to the play. I don’t want to go alone. My treat at Dairy Queen, too.” He paused for a moment. “Don’t worry, it’s not really a date. I mean...”
For the second time ever, he stammered again. She decided to rescue him before he made it sound worse. “Of course we can go as friends. That’s perfectly fine with me. No pressure.”
“I’ll pick you up at six-thirty, then. You can dress casual, too. We don’t get too fancy with the plays at the school.”
“See you later.” She ended the call and watched a bird soar over the field, then swoop down, probably on a mouse. She never imagined that she’d feel like that little mouse where Matt was concerned. Yet here she was, running to Jake. Sure, he’d called her. But it was so easy for her to say yes...
“Okay, he’s gone.” Tamarind opened the barbecue shack's back door. She was wiping her hands on a dish cloth. “I told him to buzz off. And when someone says no, they mean no. And if I needed to, I’d call the cops.”
“Well, thank you so much. But like I said, he’s not dangerous or anything. He’s a youth pastor.” Liann almost wished she’d seen Matt’s face when Tamarind asked him to leave.
“My point exactly,” said Tamarind. “You should see the relief all over your face.”
Chapter 9
The lights of Hattie Hempstead Auditorium grew dim, and the stage looked far away from Liann and Jake’s vantage point. A colorful set created a woodland setting for the play. But Jake focused on four young people in the eighth row to the far right of the stage.
“So far, he hasn’t tried anything.” Jake tried to keep his voice low as he leaned toward Liann.
“What if he does? What are you going to do?” Liann flipped through her program and held it up in the dim light. “March down there and pull them apart?”
“If I have to, I will.” Truthfully, he didn’t know. He tried to think about his own high school years. He’d been busy with the team, and the girls seemed petty, catty, and not worth the hassle. Maybe he’d dodged plenty of bullets all those years. With his family moving so much when his dad was in the Army, though, sometimes made him and Billy hit the popular list in school. The whole new kid thing. Billy brooded more, which also boosted his mystique with the girls. They seemed to like the mysterious type. Jake was just trying to get through school so he could move on to the big time and the fact he could play football well didn't hurt.
Tim had appeared at six-twenty-five, which was just in time if Jake was going to pick up Liann. As it was, Maddie paused in the entryway for a
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