“Wouldn’t miss it,” Haley said. She’d actually been looking forward to the surprise farewell party for Eric Nguyen, an exchange student who was headed home after spending the fall term in the United States. He’d been sponsored by Community Christian Church.

Haley’s gift to him was a photo album half-filled with images of Eric and his American friends during church activities. All she had to do was wrap it.

But the party was the least of her worries right now. Matt Brandon was the problem.

He’d been here barely two weeks and if the adoring look in her eyes was any indication, Cindy Worthington was putty in his hands.

Haley’s eyes narrowed. Cindy was Deacon Worthington’s only grandchild. She was young, sheltered, very pretty in a china doll way and just barely eighteen.

Matt cutting a swathe through the single women in Wayside was one thing; hitting on girls at the church was another entirely. Extremely protective of her young people, Haley’s hackles rose.

Could Cindy with the sweet soprano voice have been the woman he’d privately whispered to yesterday?

“I have to get going,” he told Haley. “I’ll see you Sunday.”

Troubled, Haley watched them go. He didn’t put his arm around Cindy, but he leaned down to see whatever the girl had in her hands.

Matt Brandon thought he was slick. But Haley, already on to his tricks, wouldn’t let him take advantage of anyone, especially her young people who could so easily be influenced by flash, dash and a sexy smile. Haley knew from painful experience that that potentially lethal combination led to nothing but heartache.

She’d have a talk with Cindy after Sunday school and then, depending on the outcome of that conversation, she’d voice her concerns to Reverend Baines. And in the meantime, she’d ignore the stab of jealousy that arced through her and focus on what was really important.

The party was in full swing when Matt arrived at the home of Cliff and Nancy Baines. He’d been invited earlier in the week by Cindy and some of the choir members and hadn’t planned to attend…until he’d heard Haley say she’d be there.

“Matt, I’m so glad you could come,” Nancy Baines said as she ushered him into the house. “Everyone’s down in the family room.”

Matt could hear the laughter and conversation floating up from a nearby room.

“Food’s over there. Help yourself.”

He held up a small, but gaily wrapped gift. “I wasn’t sure if I should bring something.”

“Oh, how sweet. You didn’t have to, though. You’ve never even met Eric. Sign the guest book, would you? We want Eric to return home with good memories of his time in Wayside. And you can put that on the table over there.”

Matt found a place for the CD on a table already overflowing with presents, then wandered down into the family room, where a rousing game of charades was being played.

He grinned. Haley was right in front kneeling on the floor and yelling out answers.

“Baby. Infant.”

“Rockabye baby!” somebody hollered.

The player’s shoulders slumped and he started pantomiming again.

Reverend Baines joined Matt at the arched entry to the sunken room. “Hi, there. Nancy told me you’d come in.” The minister pressed a glass of red punch into Matt’s hand.

“Thanks. Looks like a great party.”

“One for my baby!” Haley said.

The player nodded. Applause and high fives went up all around. Haley scrambled up and gave the previous player, a boy of about sixteen, a hug. As he took a seat among the twenty-five or so people gathered, Haley plucked a card from the box and read it on her way to the open area in front of the fireplace. “Oh, goodness.”

“No talking, Haley.”

“I know. I know. But this is hard.” She furrowed her brow and then her face lit up.

Smiling, Matt relaxed against the archway and watched as Haley held up three fingers to indicate the number of words. Tonight she wore a pair of capri pants, with a long floral see-through jacket over a scooped neck top. Everyone settled down as she started the first word. She held her arms out at her sides and shook her hips from left to right. Matt’s eyebrows rose.

“Aerobics,” someone guessed.

“Hula hoop.”

Haley gave a quick shake of her head indicating those weren’t correct. She shook her hips faster.

“Hawaiian hula. A luau.”

Haley slapped a hand over her head, then indicated she was starting over. She held her hands stretched out in front of her, closed her fists and turned them in opposite directions.

“Twist,” Matt said softly.

“Yell it out,” Reverend Baines told him.

“Not yet,” Matt said as he studied her.

Haley held up three fingers telling the group she would work on the third word. She cupped her hands over her mouth and opened her mouth wide.

“Twist and shout,” Matt said, this time loud enough for his voice to carry across the room.

Cliff chuckled as all eyes turned to where they stood. “Well done, Matt.”

Matt accepted the applause and greetings as he made his way to the front of the room. Haley’s eyes never left his.

“So, was that right?”

She licked her lips and glanced away. “Yes.”

“Way to go,” someone said slapping his back.

“Everybody,” Reverend Baines said, “this is Matt Brandon, the new choir director at the church. I know some of you haven’t met him yet.”

Calls of “Hi, Matt” and “Welcome, Brother Matt” went around.

“No hug for me for guessing the right answer?” he murmured as she went by.

Her eyes widened and she gave him wide berth. She didn’t take a seat back in front, but made her way to the edge of the group. Matt watched her fold her arms and watch him. His game card read “blue moon.” It took a while, but he was finally able to pantomime enough for someone to guess.

The rest of the evening went by with a couple of other games and then a video that someone put together of Eric Nguyen’s adventures while in Wayside. Matt watched Haley interact with the teenagers and was impressed at her ease and their camaraderie. She’d obviously been a good choice to lead the church’s youth department. Throughout the night he’d seen her making the rounds, talking with everyone, drawing the shy ones into conversation. She’d made no such friendly overtures with him.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he told her.

He’d stalked her to the buffet table. She paused in midreach for celery sticks.

“I’ve done no such thing.”

“You did a great job with your turn at charades.”

Haley glanced at him, but didn’t address the compliment. “I didn’t know you knew Eric.”

“I don’t.”

“So you crashed a party at the pastor’s house?” The censure came through loud and clear.

“I was invited.”

She looked skeptical.

Matt turned his attention to the hearty spread Nancy had set out. He helped himself to some salmon then offered some to Haley.

“Thank you.”

“I’m not going to bite,” he said.

“Excuse me?”

He put his plate down and faced her. “Haley, you look and act as if I’m a wolf preying on your flock of lambs.”

She lifted an eyebrow.

He sighed. “I’m here to do a job, Haley. We have to work together, so we may as well get along while we do it.”

Before she could answer, Reverend Baines called for everyone to gather for a special tribute to the guest of honor.

Later when Matt looked for Haley he couldn’t find her.

“Have you seen Haley?” he asked Mrs. Baines.

“She left about twenty minutes ago, Matt. She said something about a headache.”

Matt had no doubt that he’d caused it. And he was sorry he’d chased her from the party where she’d clearly been having such a good time.

Haley didn’t sleep well at all that night.

“And it’s all his fault,” she said, petulance lacing her voice. Since she was home alone, she could get away with the whining, something she rarely indulged in and never let her students do.

She’d truly had a headache when she’d left the party. After a long soothing bubble bath, she washed down three aspirin and climbed into bed. But sleep proved to be an elusive partner. For a long time she stared at the ceiling in the darkness of her bedroom.

Even though her clock flashed that it was after eleven, her thoughts tumbled over each other in disarray that left her too keyed up to settle down. Why had Matt come to the party? She’d been having a great time until she’d heard his voice call out the answer to her pantomime. Her heart beat double time from the moment she spotted him.

She punched her pillow and turned to her side, clutching the pillow to her body in a comforting embrace. It was bad enough that Eric Nguyen reminded her of her long-forgotten dreams. Once upon a time, she’d wanted to be a foreign missionary, working in Central America or Asia. But those dreams hadn’t come true, so she’d created another life for herself and pursued other dreams right here in Wayside. Now Matt threatened the peace of mind she’d so carefully cultivated.

When she finally drifted to sleep it was on the thought that Community Christian’s new choir director had been taking up an awful lot of space in her thoughts lately.

Chapter Three

Sunday morning dawned as a perfect late-spring day. The sun shone bright in Wayside, and Haley felt much better than she had the night before.

Haley took another deep breath of the fresh air and deliberately shut down thoughts of Matt, focusing instead on her Sunday morning meditation and quiet time.

By grace she had a place to call home and every day she thanked God for that. But Sundays were special. While she walked in grace and thankfulness each and every day of the week, Sunday afforded the opportunity for communal worship and fellowship. Sanctuaries had always soothed her, and the one at Community Christian never failed to fill her with such reverent peace that she always found a moment during the week to sit quietly in the presence of God. And she usually found a few minutes between Sunday school and the start of the eleven o’clock service to meditate before the church filled with morning worshippers.

She’d do it again today, too…if only Matt didn’t spoil it.

She huffed in exasperation. He was invading her world and now he’d invaded her quiet time.

“Focus, Haley,” she coached herself. She closed her eyes, again trying to turn her attention to the things she had to be thankful for.

“School’s out,” she said. That was another thing. She loved her job, but by the time the academic year ended, she was ready for a break.

With the official start of summer just around the corner, today seemed even more blessed. She’d completed her fourth year teaching at Wayside Prep and was looking forward to the full-time volunteer work she’d begin next week. Before she knew it, her days would be filled with activity, the sorts of things that left her little time or energy for the pangs of loneliness and longing that sometimes crept up on her.

But right now, she wasn’t lonely. She couldn’t be as she basked in the joy of nature. Taking another deep breath she filled her lungs with the clean Oregon air before slowly exhaling. After watering her flowers, she picked up her purse and her Bible, and with a bounce in her step as bright as the day, she headed to church.

That’s where the day took a definite downward turn.

“Oh, thank goodness you’re here,” Eunice said the moment Haley stepped in the door.

“What’s wrong?”

“Three teachers have called in.”

Haley winced. “Three?” The Sunday school staff consisted of just seven teachers, including Haley. “Who?”

“Linda, Bob Thompson and Alicia Gordon.”

Haley did some quick thinking. She normally taught the middle grade level. For today, she could combine Linda’s elementary kids with her class. But with both the high school and young adult teachers out, that gap posed a significant problem. The first week after school let out and before family vacations kicked in usually meant a small upsurge in the number of teens at Sunday school.

“I can fill in in a pinch,” Eunice offered.

“I think I’m being pinched.”

Mrs. Gallagher patted her arm as they made their way down the hall toward the classrooms. “Just point me in the right direction.”

“If you can take my class and Linda’s, I’ll handle the teens and young adults.”

“Deal.”

Twenty minutes later, the church bustled with the sound of laughter and talking.

Cindy came in, the hemline flounces on a bright yellow and blue sundress billowing behind her. Dainty matching sandals and a handbag completed the ensemble. Cindy looked like summer on parade. Haley couldn’t help smiling.

“Do you have a moment, Cindy?”

“Sure, Haley. What’s up?”

“I’m going to be filling in with your class today. But I need to get Eunice settled with the younger kids. I’ll be with you guys shortly.”

“Sure thing.”

Haley got Eunice tucked in with a Bible storybook and a game. She wouldn’t have guessed that getting out of that classroom would pose the biggest obstacle.

“But I want to be with you today, Miss Cartwright.”

Haley bent low to give Amy Perkins a hug. The girl’s mother had died a year ago, and Haley had been trying to fill in some of the gap. She could never replace or be Amy’s mom, but Haley had more than a little experience with being a motherless child. She knew some of the fears the little girl faced.

“It’ll be okay, Amy.” She knew just the way to help Amy’s insecurity while boosting the girl’s independence. “Eunice is going to have her hands full with all of the little kids today. I think she could use some help from someone who knows the ropes and can assist with prayer and offering.”

Amy’s face lit up. “I can do that.”

“Are you sure?”

With the girl’s enthusiastic nod Haley steered her toward the front of the classroom, where Eunice sat in an oak rocking chair.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Haley closed the door, checked her watch then quickly made her way to the young adult classroom where the teenagers gathered.

The door was pulled to but not closed. Laughter spilled out of the classroom one moment and in the next voices raised in spirited debate.

“But the Bible doesn’t say anything at all about makeup. Makeup wasn’t even used back then.”

“Not true,” someone countered. “There was henna. And Cleopatra sure had a ton of it on.”

“That was in a movie, you nitwit.”

“No name-calling,” a deeper voice said.

A smile tugged at her mouth. At least someone maintained order.

Haley pushed the door open. “Good morning, everyone,” she called out brightly.

Her gaze scanned the group. About fifteen teens sat around the room, some of the guys more sprawled than seated. In the back, but nevertheless commanding attention, was none other than Matt Brandon. The urban cowboy pose with a booted foot in the seat of a chair and his elbow resting on bended knee wasn’t at all very churchlike.

The only relief from his black slacks and a black suit jacket came from a sparkling white shirt with a banded collar. At his neck, instead of a tie, was a treble clef pin. He looked for all the world like a renegade priest on holiday.

Haley did notice that the earring she’d seen him sport all week was gone. Why was he here? If he wanted to attend Sunday school, he should have gone to one of the two adult classes.

Several of the teens greeted her, but Haley barely noticed. “What’s going on?”

“We were just talking about some issues while we were waiting for you,” Miguel said.

“And Reverend Matt here was telling us about a church he was in where no one wore any makeup at all.”

“The women that is,” one of the guys clarified to laughter around the room.

With so many issues thrown at her at once, Haley didn’t quite know where to begin. “He’s Mr. Brandon,” she said addressing the easiest thing to correct.

A couple of the teens glanced at each other and shrugged.

Matt didn’t say a word. But he did shift position and sit in the chair.

“Well, let’s get started,” Haley said. “Did you pray?”

“We were waiting for you,” Cindy said.

Haley cast a glance Matt’s way, but didn’t say anything as the teens all gathered in a standing circle, clasped hands and bowed their heads.

“Father God,” Haley began. “Thank you for this day. Thank you for the fellowship of your saints and children who have come to this house again to praise your name. Lord, as we study your word this morning, remind us to maintain a quiet dignity in your presence and to, as the Scripture dictates, keep our lives, our words and our actions in decency and in order.”

Murmured “amens” echoed around the room. When Haley looked up, Matt was looking right at her, through her it almost seemed. She could read neither his eyes nor his expression. When he sat down again, it was without the arrogant cockiness she’d witnessed earlier. Or was that merely an illusion, a trick of the light?

“This morning, we’ll pick up your study of Psalms,” Haley said. She was glad the teachers all coordinated their lessons. While she could hardly present to this older group the arts and crafts and Bible lesson she’d planned for her own class, she could easily adapt the Scriptural material to suit a discussion with the teens.

“Does anyone have a favorite?”

Cindy Worthington’s hand shot up. “The Twenty-third.”

Haley nodded. “A lot of people cite that one. Why do you think that is?”

The young people went around the room, each who wanted to say something taking a turn, some citing other Psalms, but most concurring that it was the soothing peace of the Twenty-third Psalm that made it so popular. When they got to Matt, Haley’s breath caught as she waited to hear what he had to say.

“I’m glad you’re studying the Psalms,” Matt said. “As a musician, I can tell you that a lot of Christian music you hear today is based on the sacred hymns and poems of the Psalms. I have many personal favorites. One in particular is Psalms 150.”

For a moment, the flutter of Bible pages turning was the only sound in the room. Then Josh stood and read aloud the short chapter, ending with “Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

Everyone in the room read the last line of the verse “Praise the Lord.”

Haley bit the inside of her mouth. So, he wanted to play games, take their personal differences to an open playing field. That he’d use a tactic so low infuriated her. He’d already managed to ingratiate himself with the group at Eric Nguyen’s going-away party. Now he thought he’d try to influence them to his way of thinking by planting ideas that would encourage them to accept his music.

Hiring this man had been a mistake. A big one. There was little she could do about it right now. But the next church council meeting would come, and in just days. Until then…

“Miss Cartwright?”

With a blink, Haley realized that a room full of teens waited for her to say something, to lead the discussion. Collecting her thoughts, she looked out at the expectant faces. “Thank you for reading, Josh. And you for sharing, Mr. Brandon. Let’s talk a little about the reverence of worship.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Matt smirk. But he kept quiet during the discussion. Freewheeling, it ran the gamut from those who thought like Haley did, that worship service should be a time for quiet reflection, to a couple of teens who’d expressed an interest in the non-denominational but Pentecostal-type service held on the college campus during the year. Haley hadn’t heard anything about it, but that these teenagers would be interested in fellowshipping with other young people didn’t surprise her.

“Church shouldn’t be boring,” one of the teens said. “Why should I waste my time coming to something that’s going to put me to sleep?”

“Because your mother makes you.”

That got a laugh all around the room. Even Haley had to smile.

Community Christian Church had 250 members, most of them over the age of forty. The younger families brought their children though, so the congregation had a pretty good mix of both ages and races. Haley’s job as Sunday school director was to keep everyone, young and old alike, interested in the Sunday morning study of the gospel. She had some ideas about outreach efforts to draw more members to the Sunday school. But in the year she’d been in charge, the results had been mixed. Listening to the teens told her she might need to loosen up a bit and offer more activities that would appeal to them.

With just a few minutes remaining before the class ended, Haley breathed a sigh of relief that Matt hadn’t challenged her again. Her relief was short-lived, though, when one of the guys turned toward Matt.

“You’re the new choir director. What do you think about all of this?”

Matt leaned forward. Haley held her breath.

“I think everyone praises God in his or her own way. For some, it’s quiet reverence, as Miss Cartwright puts it,” he said with a nod toward Haley, who sat erect in her chair. “For others though, praise may come with a waving hand, tears, a shout of hallelujah or dancing.”

“Dancing?” Cindy said.

Matt chuckled. “Not that kind. There are many Christians who believe that holy dancing is a form of divine worship and praise.”

“We’re out of time,” Haley quickly interjected before this got out of hand.

“Oh, man,” someone complained. “It was just getting good.”

They said a final prayer; Haley then passed out a sheet with home Bible study suggestions and activities for the coming week and they began to disperse for the unity gathering.

Haley had smiles and hugs for the teens as they filed out of the classroom. She complimented Shannon on her new braided hair, and again thanked Josh for volunteering to read the Scripture in class and during the closing. She offered Miguel a word of encouragement as he left and overhead Jacob still talking about the end of their discussion.

“Jacob,” Haley called, with the intent of answering a question he had about a scene in a movie that showed women dancing around a golden idol. But Matt touched her elbow. She knew it was him because the hair at her neck prickled with an uneasy awareness.

She whirled around, soundly closing the classroom door behind her. “How dare you?”

In the face of her anger, Matt took a step back. “Whoa, Haley. What’s wrong?”

“How dare you bring something like that up in here? We’re a conservative congregation, Mr. Brandon. If you think you’re going to come in here and just turn things around and have people shimmying and shaking in the aisles, you’re gonna be out of a job faster than you can say ‘What happened?’”

“You know,” he said, his voice a slow drawl. For the first time, Haley heard a bit of his Louisiana heritage in his voice. “I’ve typically found that the people who are most resistant to change are the ones who have the most to lose. What do you have to lose, Haley? I’m not here to take your position if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“What I’m worried about is you putting thoughts and ideas in those kids’ heads. Things that will confuse them. This isn’t a seminary. It’s Sunday school.”

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