Page 84 of The Convict Gets His Girl

"Ready?" she asked, her voice deliberately light.

"About as ready as I'll ever be," he muttered.

"Remember," Jewel murmured, her hand brushing his arm, "We're here to support Hunter and Taylor. But don't be surprised if we get interrogated too."

Chase nodded, but she could see the muscle jumping in his jaw. Small towns had long memories, and this congregation knew every chapter of his complicated history.

His hazel eyes sought hers, and he paused in front of the stairs. "We're on the same team, right?"

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

He hesitated, searching her soul for the answer to some hidden equation. Finally, he licked his lips nervously and said, "Whatever they might say about Destini, we're in this together. Right? Or do you want me to be the bad guy and tell people I seduced you?"

She winced and squeezed his hand. "We're not going to lie. You're not a bad guy and you didn't seduce me. We'll keep it vague, but yes. I—I'd like to be on the same team here, for Destini's sake."

The last words hung in the air between them, and he straightened with a frown.

"For Destini's sake," he said, his voice low and husky with emotion. Then he dropped her hand and went up the stairs to the front door where people stood staring at them.

She swallowed hard, pushing past the questions his words brought up and focusing on calming the gossip mill.

ChapterThirty-One

Inside, the familiar scent of wood polish and hymnals enveloped them. The sanctuary buzzed with pre-service energy. Familiar faces turned, conversations momentarily pausing as Jewel and Chase walked in.

She couldn't pinpoint the vibe—some were curious, some obviously held barely concealed judgment. Jewel felt Chase stiffen beside her, and she subtly positioned herself closer, a silent show of solidarity.

Taylor sat with her friend, Lucy, not with his family, but the rest of the Williams' brothers were up on stage already. Jewel felt the weight of a hundred stares, and Chase reached out, squeezing her hand in silent encouragement before he released her just as quickly and stepped back.

She was conflicted but had to trust her gut. He took a step toward his family's aisle, but she grabbed his hand and led him to the other side to where her family usually sat. He walked between the pews, and she followed him to the end near the stained-glass windows.

She looked up at him, and some of the tension around his mouth had eased as he looked down at her and let out a heavy sigh. She smiled and nodded as they turned to the front, Landry leading the congregation in the first song.

Whispers echoed around her, and she leaned over to ask, "Why aren't you up there?"

He leaned down, his breath teasing her ear. "I wasn't asked to join. Besides, what would I play?"

She snorted, "You can play anything. Don't think I've forgotten."

He smirked, and they turned back to singing just as Gemma and Henry arrived. She smiled tightly at them and caught Ava zipping down the wide center aisle in her power scooter. She glanced at Jewel, catching her gaze, and nodded before parking beside her family and lifting her head.

Jewel followed her lead, tilting her head and jutting her chin. She'd meet their gossip head on and diffuse the situation. Her sister and Dad were another problem though.

Gemma's posture was stiff, her expression unreadable. Henry hovered nearby, his glower seeming more bitter and uncertain than usual.

"We need to talk," Gemma said quietly in between songs, her tone brooking no argument.

Jewel's cheeks flamed, but she didn't let her chin drop, simply nodded. "Not here," Jewel whispered back.

Henry leaned around Gemma, his weathered face unreadable. "Ava says we're eating at the diner for lunch. No arguments."

When worship ended, Hunter sat with Taylor, and Jewel's chest ached, wondering if what she had with Chase would turn into something like Hunter had with Taylor. The way he had looked at her at the restaurant had told her all she'd needed to know. Did she evenwantChase looking at her like that? She'd been a single mom for so long, ignoring all her wants and needs and focusing just on Destini.

When the service was over, people practically swarmed like vultures on Hunter and Taylor. Jewel didn't have time to worry about them though because they swarmed her too.

Jewel braced herself, recognizing the imminent flood of supposed well-wishers who just sought gossip.

Gemma spun to her, blocking those at the end of the aisle, her blue eyes sharp and penetrating. "Ava says Chase is Destini's father. When were you going to tell me about that?"

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