Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [601]
She glanced around the store again as she waited, looking for anything else that might help make her feel better, that might ease the tension. That’s when she saw a woman turn and duck into the next aisle.
“Dena?” she called, but stayed put, not wanting to embarrass the young woman or herself if it wasn’t her assistant.
It took longer than it should have for Dena to come back around the corner and when she did, her pale cheeks were flushed as though she had been caught somewhere she shouldn’t be.
“Hi, Dr. Patterson. I thought that was you.” She flipped her unruly dark hair out of eyes as if it may have been the reason she hadn’t been able to recognize her boss.
“I didn’t know you shopped here,” Gwen said, noticing that Dena’s handbasket was filled with a variety of cheeses, a bottle of wine and some Bavarian chocolates, an assortment one might choose for a romantic evening. But as far as Gwen could tell, it looked as though Dena was alone. Or perhaps not? There was a slight glance over her shoulder.
“I remember you raving about it,” Dena said. Then as if she felt the need to explain, she added in almost a whisper, “I just started dating someone new.”
“You’ve come to the right place.” Gwen found herself glancing around, hoping for a glimpse, which only seemed to make Dena flinch.
“Yeah, I know. It’s great. I’m sort of in a hurry though.” And she started to back away. “I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Have a great weekend,” she said, but Dena had already escaped around the same corner.
Was she that uncomfortable sharing a piece of her private life with her boss? But then, Gwen knew she had contributed to the discomfort. She had purposely not encouraged any kind of personal relationship with her assistant, never so much as confiding any special hangouts, habits or even where she lived.
Dena was free to shop wherever she wanted. So why would she bother to lie about Gwen telling her about Mr. Lee’s World?
CHAPTER 23
Saturday evening
Columbia, Missouri
Father Gerald Kincaid excused himself from the group of chattering women. If they gave their husbands or children half the attention they gave him, they’d have less to complain to him about. A vicious circle, no doubt.
However, he enjoyed the attention. It felt good to be needed again. He knew he could take their vulnerabilities, their weaknesses, their sins, and gain energy and power from them. Perhaps he needed them as much as they needed him.
This party, though it officially celebrated All Saints Catholic Church’s silver jubilee and an early Fourth of July, was also a special occasion for him, too. Today was six months since he’d arrived, having finished his required leave of absence. The time away had been good for him. Though the New Mexico air had dried out his skin, the Servants of the Paraclete had been kind and generous. Now he was ready—more than ready—to get back to work.
He walked through the crowded parking lot, greeting everyone by name. The surprise on each face at his ability to remember was worth the memorization drills he had put himself through.
The entire congregation had worked for two days to transform the parking lot and children’s playground into a carnival. There were pushcarts with anything from funnel cakes and pink cotton candy to corn dogs and Sno-Kones. Game booths lined the back lot and the local hardware store had even constructed a fun house. Streamers and balloons snapped and waved in the breeze, a few of the balloons breaking free and sailing off into the cloudless sky. A barbershop quartet, made up of two church council members, a deacon and his son, found themselves with a constant audience, though Father Gerald couldn’t help thinking that positioning themselves next to the altar society