“I’m spread pretty thin with softball, the wedding, and the book club, so another club might take a lot of my time.” Natalie ticked her responsibilities off on her hand.
“Being the president would take more time than just being in the club,” Kit stated in confusion.
“Just tell her she’s already in and can’t leave,” Hazel said.
It was exactly how Natalie treated her.
“How about I tell you all about the club, so Hazel can have a moment alone.” Kit grabbed a hold of Natalie’s jacket and pulled her toward the church.
Natalie grumbled but went along. Probably because it was freezing out, and Sam was waiting outside the church for her. It was cute how much he adored her, even if she was annoying as hell.
Thomas peeked out the door as they were walking back, and his face lit up when he saw his girlfriend. Hazel was sure there would soon be a Nordskov wedding in the future, and not just for Math and Tess. Thomas and Kit’s whirlwind courtship was still making its rounds in town, but not many knew much about it. Not even Mia knew the details, which was rare in a town this size, and Kit was her cousin.
When both couples had gone into the church, Hazel let the cold win and headed for the church as well, but instead of going in the door everyone else did, she slipped around back and walked up the snow-covered steps. Before she could grab the doorknob, it swung open.
Ruston stood in the doorway, his hair combed smooth, and his black slacks pressed, looking exactly like he always did when preaching. It was just as yummy as the first time she saw him here. Stepping aside, he let her into the room and shut the door.
The heat of the room encircled her, and she realized just how cold she was from being outside for so long. Flexing her fingers, she tried to get the circulation back in them.
Ruston just watched her. He had to have been watching her from the window to know she was coming up the stairs. Had he watched the entire time? Had he known she was going to stop and see them today.
“How are you?” he asked quietly as he helped her take off her jacket.
“Good, or maybe okay. Today is always hard,” she admitted.
“You can have a bad day, it’s okay.”
“It’s Tess’s baby’s baptism, I can be okay for that,” she assured him.
“I talked Sam and Natalie into taking John Henry for the rest of the day . You can be alone, or we can be alone, or I can cancel.” He looked nervous about making a parenting decision without her. Even if it was for her benefit, he had done it.
“That is exactly what I need.” She smiled, a real one, probably for the first time today. “Thank you for thinking of me today.”
“Hazel, I think about you every moment of every day. From the moment I first saw you, I have thought about you. Even when I barely knew you, I thought about you. Now I think about you from the moment I open my eyes in the morning until I close them at night. You are my world.” He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. Exactly what she needed right then.
“You didn’t say it was God’s plan,” she whispered since they were in the church.
“Thank you for saying it.” He kissed her hair and continued to hold her.
“I am not turning into a great pastor’s wife,” she admitted, glad she wasn’t looking at him.
He chuckled, and she felt his body shake a little. “You’re still changing, Hazel. We all are. And I will love you through every one of them.”
“I love you too, Ruston. Even when I didn’t want to.” She burrowed into his warmth as her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Pulling it out, she didn’t want to move but did just enough to ready the text.
Mia: Natalie’s room, now.
This time it was her who chuckled and pulled away from him. “I have to go.”
“Book club meeting?” he asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
“Just a toast. Good thing Natalie has everything ready. I’m late.” She kissed him quickly and went out the same way she had come in. Because if she went out the other door, everybody already waiting for services to start would see her leaving a room Ruston was supposed to be in alone. There would be gossip even if they were married.
She had been fully accepted as Ruston’s wife, and everyone was nothing but friendly. It had taken a month or two to really get used to being married and having someone else to lean on, but Ruston made everything in her life easier.
As she went down the steps, she let herself be happy because shewashappy. Completely happy with her life.
The End