Page 68 of A Surefire Love
She shook her head.
“An avalanche of memories, all of them about you. I wholeheartedly chose you, and I have no regrets or second thoughts.” He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. “But I do want to keep this private. My position here isn’t as solid as it once was, and Eric’s been aiming at any target he can find. I need to protect our relationship from that. I care for you too much to do anything else.”
“I care for you too.” The words felt like the first steps after a fall—uncertain and a little painful. “I’ll get back to you on whether Friday or Saturday works best. I’ll need to find someone to watch Mercy. Either a sleepover at a friend’s house, or Marissa might be willing to hang out with her.”
“Okay. Let me know.” His lips twitched like he wanted to say more. Instead, he released her hand and tipped his head, motioning behind her.
She turned to find Mercy headed their way. No wonder he’d released her. If they wanted any semblance of privacy, Mercy needed to remain clueless.
Blaze rubbed her hand, already missing his touch. “I guess I’ll see you Wednesday.”
“Take care.” He stepped away.
Pastor Greg came out of the main office and cut past with a curious glance on the way to his office. There really was something to Anson’s theory about how much interest people would take in them.
When Mercy was close enough, Blaze looped her arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Ready for some grilled ham and cheese?”
Mercy eyed her like she’d lost it. “Since when do you like grilled cheese so much?”
She tweaked her sister’s nose instead of answering, because it definitely wasn’t grilled cheese she liked.
As Anson neared,Pastor Greg stood outside his office with his mouth hanging open.
Anson suppressed a chuckle. The memory of Blaze’s wistful look as she agreed to the date sent endorphins splashing into his bloodstream. “Need something?”
Greg pointed after Blaze and Mercy. “What was that?”
Anson looked back, but the sisters were already around the corner. “What?”
“The office door was open. You didn’t hear me in there?”
“Oh.” Apparently, he’d been oblivious to anyone but Blaze. “I guess not. Why?”
“When the printer stopped, I overheard a few things I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on.” Greg stepped into his office, and Anson followed. The senior pastor dropped a packet of papers onto his desk. “I thought you and Sydney Roswell were serious.”
“We were until we weren’t.”
Greg’s surprise flickered over his face. “You broke up?”
“A while ago.”
“Well, that was discreet.”
“Didn’t see the need for it to be anything less.” The whole relationship had been quiet. Why broadcast the embarrassing part?
“And you and Blaze?” Greg sat on the edge of his desk.
Her name linked to him brought a warm flash ofpleasure. He’d written off chemistry as something better left behind in high school or college, a dangerous experiment that could blow up a pastor’s career. Unchecked, it could. But within the right bounds? Someone get him a lab coat, because he had a new favorite subject. “We’re getting to know each other.”
Humor played at Greg’s mouth. “Is that all? If you didn’t notice me clunking around in the office, you were pretty absorbed in each other’s company.”
Anson crossed his arms. “Is that a problem?”
Greg shook his head. “I’m glad to see it. You’re something of a lone wolf.”
A lone wolf raising multiple packs of pups, maybe. Anson laughed. “I’malwayssurrounded by people.”
“How many of them really know you?”
