Page 47 of When Forever Stays

“Always,” she says before squeezing my hand one more time and letting go.

The continued soft melody of Rhett’s acoustic guitar plays over the speakers and switches to a song I know. Lobby dwellers filter into the sanctuary at the cue. If Rhett is permanently taking over the guitar, youth group will never be the same. I’ll need to pray extra hard that my focus will be on Jesus, the message, and ministering to my girls. No matter what happens with Rhett, Jesus needs to forever be my number one everything.

EIGHTEEN

DANA

The following week, Rhett is on stage again, playing the guitar like it’s exactly what God created him to do. I successfully avoided him in public since last Sunday. Earlier this week I saw him walking down the sidewalk with Mrs. Woodhouse carrying a few bags of her groceries. Before they could see me I ducked out of sight, hiding behind a raised flower bed.

Something needs to change because I can’t keep walking on eggshells at church and ducking behind shrubs in public just to avoid an ex. It’s exhausting to live in what feels like a constant state of flight. Speaking of exes, I ran into bachelor number one at the grocery store with his new wife. Because why wouldn’t I?

I smiled and gave an awkward wave, and they completely ignored me. It was yet another reminder of how I never seem to be enough.

Gracie gasps, successfully lifting me out of my downward spiral. One of the senior girls in our row mutters something to my tenth-graders and points at Rhett.

After the senior slinks back to her seat, Gracie turns to face me. “Is that true?”

“Is what true?” I ask.

“Rhett is also RJ Hemlock?” Apparently, the word about Rhett got around fast after last week.

When Rhett looks up, our eyes connect and my breath hitches. “Yes,” I whisper.

“You dated a rockstar!” Liz exclaims. “You’re obviously still smitten with him.”

I tear my gaze away from Rhett.

“No. What Rhett and I had was temporary. He lied to me about who he was, and I don’t know if we can ever get past that,” I say sternly. Unease slides into my belly when I catch Emma’s look of judgmental curiosity.

“Oh,” is all Liz says in response.

The music turns into a complicated, fast tempo, and I focus back to the man on stage. I assumed the time away from him would help my bruised heart recover and that I would get over him. But that was a stupid assumption because I will never get over Rhett Stryker.

I also stupidly thought that after his first week on stage, I’d get over the excitement of hearing him live. But I was wrong. Listening to him again tonight only makes my heart ache for him more.

Rhett stares directly at me and smiles. I do my best to remain expressionless.

“So he hurt you?” Liz asks as if she needs to know more of the story.

I clench my jaw before answering. “Yeah. He broke my trust.”

“And you don’t think you’ll ever get over it?” she asks.

For a few seconds, I’m silent in contemplation. This is not something I want to discuss with anyone, especially not a group of impressionable teenage girls. But I also don’t want to lie, so I finally answer. “I want to.”

Liz nods in understanding and faces forward. When I catch Emma’s eye, she gives me an indiscernible look.

Someone ruffles my hair from behind, and I turn to scold one of my girls but meet Crew’s mischievous smile instead.

He quickly glances to the stage, then back to me. “You okay?” he mouths. Crew was on duty last week and had to miss youth group. Sunday was our original guitarist’s last service, and I decided not to tell Crew about Rhett joining the church band in stupid hopes that it was a one-time thing.

I shrug. “I’ll be fine.”

“Okay.” He doesn’t look convinced, but I’m grateful he doesn’t push me anymore on it.

The rest of the band comes out on stage and starts singing. I do my best to focus on the lyrics and not the talented man playing the guitar but find my gaze constantly drifting back to Rhett. His eyes are closed, and he’s wholly consumed in singing his praises to our Savior. Someone sneaks out and puts a microphone in front of him, and his rich, baritone voice takes center stage. Chills break across my arms. His voice is incredible, but the sincerity shining in every word he sings sends a warmththrough me. I look across the aisle at Crew, who looks…proud. Surprisingly so.

Rhett’s eyes pop open, but he keeps singing as if he just realized it’s been his voice filling the sanctuary. Sure, most of the youth group is singing along with him, but Rhett has a voice that refuses to be ignored. At least by me.

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