Step with Me: Love Amiss... A Christian Romance (Seaside Chapel Book 2)

by Jan Thompson

  “She’s not going to get hurt. This doesn’t concern her. And you’re not the director of this play. I am. You’re only an actress I’ve hired to play a small part. Remember that. And besides, what do you know about love?”

  That came out all wrong but there was no retracting now. Sebastian felt bad seeing Emmeline’s lips quiver.

  Then her eyes turned steely.

  “You’re right. I know nothing.” She placed the napkin on the table. “I suppose Skye has told you all about my sorry life.”

  “She hasn’t said much. Finish your salmon, please. I had it flown fresh every morning from Ketchikan.”

  “I didn’t ask for it.” Emmeline stood up. “Thank you for dinner. I don’t think this arrangement is going to work out. Find yourself another actress. I can look for my brother on my own. I’ve been doing that for five years.”

  “Yet you haven’t found him,” Sebastian snapped.

  Those eyes.

  Something in her eyes? They’re watery.

  Oops.

  Sebastian wondered what he had said that might have pushed a button. He watched Emmeline purse her lips and walk away from him, her dress swishing around her as she held her head up. The cascade of her hair was so pretty he wanted to run his fingers through it.

  No.

  Think of Talia.

  Sebastian pondered whether to go after Emmeline. He decided to give her a few minutes.

  How was she going to get home without a vehicle? The least he could do was offer her a ride.

  He counted the minutes as he ate his apricot tart dessert. Then he packed the rest of Emmeline’s unfinished dinner into the picnic basket. He’d let her take it home. She could reheat it. He hated to let that salmon go to waste.

  As he was cleaning up, he could hear rain starting to fall on the rooftop. A bit of distant thunder. Probably over the Atlantic.

  Sebastian went down the hallway calling out Emmeline’s name. No answer. She wasn’t in the music library. Or the practice room.

  He knocked on the door to the ladies’ restroom. “You in there?”

  “What do you care?” The muffled answer came.

  He waited.

  And waited.

  And waited some more. She was in there a long time.

  “Emmeline, are you okay?”

  No response.

  “Hey, listen. It’s raining outside. How are you getting home?”

  No response.

  “I’m not leaving until you tell me you’re okay.”

  Silence.

  Sebastian knocked on the door again.

  “Go away, Seb!”

  She called me Seb.

  “Okay. See you later, Em.”

  It was still raining when Sebastian hauled the picnic basket to his car. He started his silver hybrid BMW i8, turned it around, and backed it into a parking spot facing the front entrance of the building.

  He sat in his car and waited, hoping that was the door Emmeline would come out of. At least five minutes later, she did, a small umbrella in her hand. She set the alarm, exited the door, and had a hard time opening the umbrella.

  Sebastian shook his head as he watched Emmeline put the flimsy umbrella, one side tilted, over her head. Wind and rain came at an angle, making the umbrella practically useless.

  On the sidewalk, she held down her skirt with one hand as she battled the wind with her other hand holding the umbrella. She lost the fight, and the wind blew the umbrella clear out of her hand. She went chasing after it. By now she was soaking wet as she attempted to walk against the wind.

  Great.

  Sebastian started the engine. Pulled up his car by Emmeline, and opened the passenger side door, which raised up like a bird wing into the air.

  He honked.

  Emmeline jumped up at least a foot high.

  “Em! Get in!” Sebastian shouted.

  “Get lost!” Emmeline kept walking.

  Sebastian’s car rolled forward. “Please?”

  “No! Go away!”

  The wind pushed Emmeline back. The same wind also pushed the driving rain into Sebastian’s car. He honked again. “Please! Get in!”

  This time Emmeline gave in. She climbed into the passenger side. Her face was pink and her eyes were red.

  It tugged at Sebastian’s heart. He felt bad all over again.

  He no longer cared that his brand new leather seat in his hundred-and-fifty-thousand dollar car was covered with rainwater from Emmeline’s clothes.

  And oddly enough, neither did he care that his plan to win back Talia had failed before it began.

  All he could think of right now was that he had to get Emmeline home so she could change into some dry clothes and not catch a cold.

  And that he wanted to hold her hand.

  Chapter Seven

  “You can’t possibly be serious.” Matt Garnett didn’t look up.

  The de facto lay counselor to the single men in the Seaside Chapel Men’s Bible Study Group was tagging another heirloom earring and placing it in the glass cabinet next to all the other old earrings that no one seemed to be buying these days in the Garnett Antique Shop.

  “I can’t be more serious! I’m talking about my future children here, Matt.” On the glass surface, Sebastian saw his own reflection, but he couldn’t read his own frown.

  Perhaps something at the back of his mind bothered him still. Perhaps it was the animated voice of his younger sister Skye still ringing in his ear, warning him that this was a bad idea.

  Then again, last night in the rain, he had managed to convince Emmeline to take the check and help him with his scheme.

  Sebastian knew that Matt was a rational man. Maybe he was right. Maybe this was a mistake. A whim he should box and shelf away like what Matt was doing now to the rest of the old costume jewelry from his last picking.

  “You mean, what would Pastor Gonzalez say?” Sebastian asked.

  “No, Seb. What would God say?”

  “That’s the thing. I don’t know what God says about this. I thought he wanted me to marry Talia and have kids. Now Talia has dumped me for that, that…”

  “That filthy rich but handsome dude who happens to own Jekyll Island Resort.”

  “I don’t know what Talia sees in his yacht.”

  “Jared Urquhart has a yacht?” Matt stopped in his tracks. Turned his head. “Sold!”

  “Don’t mock me, Matt.” Sebastian’s shoulders slumped. “I didn’t poke fun at you when you gave me that sob story about your ex-wife.”

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have. But your story is funnier than mine.”

  “More tragic, you mean?”

  Matt came back with a small box. It was ornate and it looked like a music box. He placed it on the glass surface right in front of Sebastian. On the box were carvings of two lovers under a spreading willow tree.

  “A piece of advice, Sebastian. Not everything is either a tragedy or triumph. A lot of times things are in the steady middle, not opposite extremes of our emotional range.”

  “But the Bible says we should be either hot or cold, not lukewarm.”

  “I think you’re misinterpreting scripture there.” Matt wiped the box with a soft chamois cloth. “You should be on fire for God, but here you are on fire for Talia. If you put her above God, then she becomes your idol, and you’re no longer hot for God. Get it?”

  “You know, I think you’re misinterpreting the verse too. Maybe we should ask Pastor Gonzalez what it means.”

  “We can’t keep asking the pastor when we don’t understand a verse. Isn’t he always telling us to search God’s Word first and not take his word—man’s word—for it?” Matt said.

  “We could ask Ivan.”

  “He’s on vacation.”

  “Who’s teaching this Friday then?” Whoever the Bible study teacher was, Sebastian would ask him.

  Maybe he’d say something Sebastian wanted to hear rather than what God might chide him for.

  He was certain God wasn’t h
appy with him. If He were, why did he lose Talia in the first place? They’d been happy together for three years. Well, all right. On and off happy. But happy nonetheless—that was, when they were together. About half the time. No. A third of the time…

  What am I doing wrong, Lord?

  “You.”

  “What?” Sebastian’s eyes grew big.

  “You’re teaching Friday. You agreed, remember? We told Ivan he could stay an extra week in Vienna if he wanted to. Ben’s out of town this week. You said you’ll step in.”

  “I did? No way.”

  “That’s what I said.” Matt shook his head. “From that look on your face I’m gathering you haven’t prepared. The Bible study is three days away, Seb.”

  “We’re reading Jude.” Sebastian shrugged. “It’s a short book. How hard can it be?”

  “You can’t take God’s Word lightly, friend.”

  Sebastian shook his head. “I know exactly what you’re up to, Matt.”

  “What did I say?”

  “You’re trying to stop me, aren’t you? You tell me to read the Bible to prepare for this Friday’s Bible study when in reality you think that if I opened God’s Word then He’s going to talk to me about Talia.”

  “You said that. I didn’t.”

  “You know for a fact that God is going to tell me no.”

  “Don’t put God in a box, Sebastian. God doesn’t always say no.”

  Sebastian furrowed his eyebrows. “Hmm… Have you been talking to Skye? She says the very same thing.”

  “There. Take it as a confirmation.”

  “You don’t get it. I’m not losing Talia again.”

  “Reality check, Seb. You’ve already lost her. She dumped you months ago.”

  When Sebastian didn’t reply, Matt continued, “Friend, all I’m saying is that you’d better be sure you’re doing the right thing before you do it. Otherwise you’re going to break three women’s hearts: Talia, your sister Skye, and her friend Emmeline, whose heart has already been broken multiple times over.”

  Chapter Eight

  After finishing her afternoon shift at Scrolls, Emmeline cycled ten minutes from the Village to Olivia Gonzalez’s house with her small ten-pound Celtic lap harp strapped to her back.

  Her old, rickety bicycle held up, and she made it just in time for appetizers. Her tummy rumbled when the pungent aromas from multiple crockpots on the kitchen counter wafted toward her when she stepped into the sunroom next to the kitchen.

  The year before, they would have their Bible study first before they had dinner, but some of the ladies had to work late, and by the time they showed up, the Bible study was pretty much over. So this year, the Seaside Chapel Women’s Bible Study Group decided that they’d start the Bible study at seven to let everyone have some dinner first. Latecomers would not miss much. After the Bible study, those who wanted seconds or thirds were free to stay, eat, and chat.

  In the Fall, Olivia had made this an indoor-outdoor room but in the summer, she would shut the door and turned on the fan and air-conditioner. Emmeline was glad because she needed to cool off from the sweaty bike ride.

  Emmeline walked to the corner of the sunroom where they usually set up their instruments. She placed her lap harp next to her friend Avery Chung’s trumpet case. The shiny case told her that Avery had a solo tonight at the Seaside Chapel Women’s Bible Study Group.

  Skye Langston walked into the room as Emmeline was about to go get something to eat or munch on.

  “I don’t know if I’m going to remember all the words to the new song,” Skye said, going along with Emmeline to the kitchen.

  Well, to be fair to Skye, they hadn’t rehearsed much since telling the pastor’s wife Sky would be more than happy to sing tonight, accompanied by Emmeline’s harp.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Emmeline assured her friend. “Put the lyrics in front of you.”

  “I feel like if we’re going to do this for a while—and maybe even form a group—that I need to have the words memorized.”

  “You’ll have them memorized soon enough, but we only started rehearsing together last Sunday.” Emmeline picked up a paper plate and put on on it what looked like samosa. “Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

  “Bad news is I’m going to Miami all next week for the food festival. I’m not going to have enough time to practice.”

  “As we sing the same hymns over and over you’ll get it. It’s like all the wedding songs I play on my harp. I play almost the same songs all the time.”

  “Oh, like singing in the shower. Except I’ll sing in the kitchen.”

  “Just don’t burn yourself.” Emmeline laughed.

  She dished out some salad that had dressing in it. Reminded herself that she could bring a salad the next time it was her turn. There were so many women in the Bible study group that they rotated the potluck list every Tuesday night. As she recalled, her turn wouldn’t come for another couple of weeks. That saved her money too.

  When Emmeline looked for a place to sit down, she realized that Skye was sticking to her like glue. It amused her. “Something you want to talk about?”

  “Yeah. How is it going?”

  Cryptic-like. “Going well.”

  “No one’s a pain?”

  Emmeline didn’t know how to answer that. It had only been one day though she felt that she knew Sebastian more now.

  “That bad?”

  “Don’t read too much into it, Skye. I was just thinking about how to answer your question in the fairest and most objective way.”

  “I see. Really bad, then.”

  “No.” Emmeline was surprised at Skye’s premature assessment.

  More and more women came in and scattered about them on folding chairs and sofas, making it hard for her to speak her mind.

  “It’s… It’s—uh…” She wasn’t sure what to say, really.

  “I knew it!” Skye hung her head. “Look, I’ll talk to him and put an end to this.”

  “No. Wait. Please.”

  “Huh? I thought you said—”

  “I said nothing, Skye. You took my hesitation as doom.”

  “It’s not?”

  “Not at the moment.”

  Skye looked relieved. “Okay. Whew. I tell you what. Any slightest stupid trick, you call me, and I’ll give him what’s what.”

  “I appreciate your concern. Now let’s finish our appetizers because it looks like we’re about to start.”

  The samosa dipped in mango chutney hit the spot. Emmeline rushed to the bathroom to wash and dry her hands. Then it was back at the music corner where Avery was already standing in position with her trumpet. She was going first with her trumpet solo. Nothing like a trumpet to keep everyone awake at dinner time.

  This was a new switch in schedule, actually. Last year, they would have the Bible study first before they ate, but sometimes the Bible study went so long that everyone had starved by the time eight o’clock rolled around. This year, Olivia changed the schedule to dinner first so that everyone had a full stomach before they dig into God’s Word.

  Works for me.

  “Hey, Avery. How’s your day?” Emmeline asked.

  “Pretty good. Got a promotion.”

  “Woo-hoo!” Emmeline high-fived her friend from the Sea Islands Symphony Orchestra. “We’ve been praying for that, haven’t we?”

  “Sure have. Either a promotion or I find a new job.”

  “What are they going to have you do now?” Emmeline unzipped her harp bag. She’d bought the Celtic harp used, but it worked fine. She liked it a lot because it was light, portable, and its twenty-two strings were sufficient for most songs she played on the go.

  Emmeline looked up at Avery, waiting for her friend to explain her good fortune.

  “I’m now the assistant to the editor-in-chief,” Avery announced cheerfully. She stood about half a head shorter than Emmeline, but then she was in flip-flops.

  Emmeline liked Avery, though all she ever talked about wa
s either her work as a editor at a small press or her trumpet studio. Avery had spoken very little about her family still overseas. All Emmeline knew was that her brothers and sisters were scattered everywhere, from Australia to Asia to Europe to North America. She wondered how they had family reunions.

  For Emmeline, all she had to do was drive to Atlanta.

  Well, without her brother Claude, there wasn’t much hope of a proper family reunion.

  Lord, please bring Claude home. Please!

  Olivia Gonzalez welcomed everyone and opened their meeting with a quick prayer before Emmeline began to play accompaniment for the hymn singing. Skye was leading, but she also played her guitar.

  Emmeline was glad they sang before they did their Bible studies. Some people said that it would take up too much time but with only one hymn, it would hardly take any time. The hymn prepared their hearts after a long day at work or, for some, at home with little children. This Bible study was their break from the humdrum of daily routine and monotony.

  As for Emmeline, she could play the harp all day, all week, all year, all her life. As she plucked and strummed the nylon strings she knew that she had found her calling. Not as a music librarian or a stand-in girlfriend or a stage actress but as a harpist playing hymns to encourage the people of God, to bring cold water to a parched throat, rain shower to a dry land, to remind everyone that God loved them and had not forgotten them.

  Skye’s voice was clear and sure as she led the women in singing the new hymn, written by one of Olivia’s daughters. The lyrics ministered to Emmeline’s heart, and she prayed that it would to the women in the room as well.

  When they finished singing, Emmeline put away her harp, and Skye, her guitar.

  Emmeline was proud of her friend for not forgetting the words. Skye didn’t just have a singing voice, but she could also play the classical guitar fairly well. Emmeline wondered if Sebastian could play the guitar too, and if he had a voice as well. She had never heard the siblings sing duet at church or anywhere else…

  Wow. Stop right there.

  Why am I thinking of Sebastian?

  Olivia Gonzalez asked everyone to turn their Bibles to Psalm 37:4.