Riley's Reverend Read online

  After they left the restaurant hours later, Blake smiled down at Riley. “It was fun just being a normal dating couple for the night. Not the princess of her city along with the new pastor who has designs on her virtue.”

  Riley stopped walking and laughed. “Designs on my virtue? Really? Should you be telling me that, Pastor?”

  “I probably shouldn’t, but you’re so honest about everything, I can’t seem to help myself. I definitely have designs.”

  She slipped her fingers through his and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked. “I’m not at all offended. Designs on me make me happy, because I have some designs on you, too, babycakes.”

  “Did you just call me babycakes?”

  “I believe I did. Did you like it?”

  “Ummm . . . I don’t even know how to respond to that. I would probably have to say no. Especially not in public.”

  “So when we’re alone I can call you babycakes?”

  He sighed. “I would really rather you didn’t.”

  “Then I’ll find something better. Pastor Pretty. How’s that?” Riley asked.

  “Keep trying . . .” Sometimes he wasn’t sure what to do with her, but he was glad she was with him. Always glad.

  They were both tired and mostly quiet on their drive home. “I didn’t mean to keep you out so late. It’s going to be well after eleven when I get you home.”

  “Don’t worry. I haven’t had a curfew in years.”

  “Glad to hear it!” Blake told her. “You look so young that I sometimes worry I’m robbing the cradle.”

  She laughed. “Well over eighteen. I promise.”

  “I guess that’s good. Over twenty-one?” he asked.

  “Yup!”

  “Good enough for me.” He pulled up in front of her house. “Thanks for an amazing evening. I had so much fun playing with everyone.”

  “And you were amazing when we hit questions on the Bible. Everyone was impressed.”

  He shook his head. “I know what a pastor should.”

  “This is true.” They walked together up to the door, and he leaned down and kissed her.

  “I have to work on my sermon for Sunday tomorrow. I want to have it all in line before Saturday. Can I take you out Saturday night?”

  “Depends on where you want to take me,” she said softly, smiling up at him.

  “How about that Chinese place?” he asked.

  “Are you worried about being seen in public with me? I mean where people know us?”

  “Not at all! I just kind of want to get to know you without your family watching our every move.”

  “Not a bad idea,” she said, feeling a little better. “But you don’t mind going on Monday?”

  “No, because that will be different. Everyone is supposed to check me out at a family party. At lunch people should leave us alone.”

  Riley nodded. “I’m sorry my family is such a pain.”

  “They’re not a pain. I just . . . I want to know you. I want time where we’re not constantly interrupted. I wouldn’t feel comfortable eating alone with you, but I’m good with no one we know around us, if that makes any sense at all.”

  “I think it does.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him once more. “I’ll miss you tomorrow.”

  He smiled, stroking her cheek. “Sweet dreams.”

  “You too.” She went in and closed the door behind her, leaning back against it. She hoped he was telling her the whole truth about why they kept leaving town for dates. Spending time with him was important to her but not at his occupational detriment.

  She walked over and picked out a few crystals from the boxes she kept them in and put them on her nightstand. She needed good dreams.

  The next day dragged by for Riley. She hadn’t realized just how much she wanted to see him every day and spend every waking moment with Blake. It was crazy how entwined their lives had become in less than a week.

  She tried not to mope around at work, knowing her mother would have something to say about it. She had a very sunshiney personality, and Riley almost felt guilty for being down in her mother’s presence.

  After work, she met up with Raina to talk about her wedding plans.

  “As my maid of honor, I really need us to go looking at wedding dresses soon. Is there any chance you can get a Saturday off? Or do I need to take a Monday?”

  “We could go on Monday morning before you go in? You just do half days on Monday, and Saturdays are a full day for me. If we do it quick, Dad can’t kill us for missing work.”

  “Dad hasn’t killed us yet. What makes you think he’s going to start?”

  “Because he doesn’t like us to take off any time during tourist season. You know that as well as I do.”

  Raina shrugged. “It’ll be fine.”

  “You’re the spa’s only massage therapist. How could it possibly be fine?”

  “I’ll work extra hours to make up the difference. Dad will deal.”

  Riley shook her head. “Okay, but I’m telling him it’s your idea.” She made a face at her sister. “Now Roxane isn’t standing up with you, right? Because of how pregnant she’ll be?”

  “She said no, which is fine. You and Renae can do it without a problem. I think I want to go with a pink and mint green for my colors. One of you can wear one color, and the other can wear the other.”

  “Works for me. I don’t care what I wear.”

  “You’re being too easy going, and it’s scaring me. Why aren’t you with Pastor Hunky tonight?”

  “Pastor Hunky? I don’t think he’ll like that. I know he doesn’t like Pastor Pretty,” Riley told her sister with a grin.

  Raina shook her head. “You really called him that?”

  “Well, he didn’t like babycakes! So I went with something different.”

  “Very smart of you,” Raina said with a sigh. “I’m surprised you two have lasted so long. Isn’t five days like a record for you?”

  “Seven is, thank you very much! He’s planning on doing Memorial Day at Grandma and Grandpa’s. He can’t break it off until after that.”

  “Why can’t he?” Raina asked.

  “Because then I would have to throw rocks at him, and no one wants that.”

  Raina just shook her head. “You’re as much of a mess today as you were ten years ago.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  Saturday was busier than it had been at the hotel. Memorial Day weekend was the beginning of the summer season, and people were taking advantage of it. Renae, as always, was the busiest of them. Riley wondered for the millionth time if she should take time off and go to massage school. She knew it would help the family, and she could practice some of her energy work while doing the massages.

  It was a thought, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to do it just then. There were no classes there in Quinn Valley, and she would need to drive all the way to Lewiston. But they did need a better spa. She sighed. She’d talk to her dad about it to see what he thought. If he was in favor of it—and willing to pay for it—she’d do it in a heartbeat.

  Her last appointment slot of the day wasn’t booked, so she hurried home and showered before her date. She dressed in jeans and a nice top, knowing that the Chinese restaurant was more on the casual side.

  When Blake arrived, she opened the door and walked into his arms. “Why does it feel like it’s been forever since I’ve seen you when, in reality, it’s been less than forty-eight hours?” As soon as she said it, she wondered if she was getting too clingy. She knew men hated that, and it had usually been the other way around in her relationships.

  “I hated not seeing you at all yesterday, but my sermon is ready, and I practiced it all morning.”

  “Are you going to keep the crystals in your pocket during the sermon?”

  He shrugged. “I probably will. I’m not sure I believe they will keep me calm, but since you do, I’ll use them.”

  “Thanks for not just dismissing me as being insane. I try n
ot to be insane on Saturdays. Only on Tuesdays.”

  “That makes a lot of sense. You should always be insane on a workday and not when you have time off!”

  “I’m glad you understand me.” She grabbed her purse and a sweater.

  “Do you really need a sweater at night in the summer?” he asked.

  “It’s in the thirties or forties most nights during the summer here due to the high altitude. Yes, I need them.”

  “All right, then. Take your sweater.”

  Once they were in the car headed toward Riston, she asked him what his sermon was about.

  “I thought I’d tackle gossip. It seems to be a needed topic in this town.”

  Riley laughed so hard she had tears. “That’s perfect. I don’t know why I find it so incredibly funny, but it’s a great idea.”

  “Yeah, Pastor Dahl said he does a sermon on gossip at least once a year. No one ever listens to him, but I’m going to try anyway.”

  “Good for you.” Riley smiled over at him. “It’s odd that I’m sitting in a car with you, and I’m planning to kiss you, and I know you have a sermon in the morning.”

  “Don’t pastors deserve to be kissed?” he asked. “I sure think they do.”

  “I guess it depends on how that sermon goes tomorrow. That will let me know if you deserve more kisses or not.”

  “I’m sure it will.” He shook his head. “My mother warned me about girls like you.”

  “Ones that tease you?”

  “No, ones that make me feel like my entire world needs to revolve around them.”

  She smiled. “My whole world is starting to revolve around you as well. I’m glad you came to our little town.”

  “So am I. I cannot imagine going my whole life without meeting the one woman God created just for me. And I surely believe that’s who you are.”

  “So you’re not breaking up with me tomorrow?” she asked.

  “Why on earth would I break up with you tomorrow?”

  “Because I’ve never dated a man for more than seven days, and today is day seven. I’m thinking about hiding from you and turning off my phone so that I can for sure make it through tonight and tomorrow . . .”

  He shook his head. “There’s no way I’m going to break it off with you. I hope you know that.” He made a right turn into downtown Riston, which was really just a small town that had grown up because of River’s End Ranch. “So what time do I need to pick you up on Monday for the Memorial Day festivities?”

  “Around ten. We’ll eat at noon, so everyone gets there between ten and eleven. We’re required to take a dish, but I’ll make enough for both of us.”

  He pulled up in front of the restaurant and turned to her. “You cook?”

  “I cook. Not always happily, but I can do it. My mother hates to cook, so we all took as many homemaking classes as the school offered so we could cook for ourselves and Dad. Mom makes one dish, and that’s lasagna. That’s it. So every single time we do one of these things at Grandma’s house, we have lasagna with us.”

  “That’s funny. I hope you like lasagna.”

  “Only my Mom’s. I swear it’s the best lasagna in all the world. I could eat it every day.”

  He shook his head. “Are all of you Quinns as quirky as you and your mother are?”

  “Of course. Just call us the Quirky Quinns. I love the alliteration on that, don’t you?”

  “I’m not a big fan of alliteration, but I really do like Quirky Quinns.”

  “My sister thinks you should be Pastor Hunky, but I really prefer Pastor Hot-stuff. Just so you know.”

  He sighed. “I’m not letting you give me a ridiculous nickname. Not now, and not ever.”

  “Well, what fun is dating you, then?” She wrinkled her nose at him.

  “I’m a lot of fun. As long as you call me Blake.”

  Riley sighed. “Fine, I’ll call you Blake. Just know what a huge sacrifice I’m making . . .”

  Seven

  Blake pulled up in front of the restaurant, parallel parking on the street, because there was no parking lot. “We made it safely!”

  “I wasn’t worried we wouldn’t.” Riley looked at him quizzically, trying to understand why he’d just announced that to her.

  “Well, with you being constantly worried we’re going to break up and with you trying to give me strange names that make me crazy, I thought I should probably announce it.”

  “Very good of you,” she told him, nodding encouragingly.

  “I thought so.” He walked around the car and opened her door for her. Together the two of them walked in, and he found a table. It was relatively quiet for a Saturday night, but he had a feeling the ranch got a whole lot busier on the weekend.

  She picked up her menu and immediately chose orange chicken—it was her go-to for Chinese food—and then she closed her menu. She sat back in her chair and waited for him to figure out what he was having. When he had closed his menu, he smiled. “What are you getting?”

  “Orange chicken. It’s my favorite.”

  “I always waffle between orange chicken and sweet and sour chicken.”

  “Sweet and sour chicken is my second favorite. Why don’t we get both and share?” she suggested.

  “I would absolutely love that.” He stacked his menu atop hers. “Now, tell me exactly what to expect from the Quinn holiday celebration.”

  “The unexpected.”

  The waitress appeared, and they both gave their orders.

  He waited until the waitress was gone before frowning at her. “Really? Expect the unexpected? I would think the Quinns are more than just a cliché.”

  “We are. But you never know what’s going to happen. We’ll get there around ten fifteen, and lunch won’t be until noon. Everyone will want to meet you, and I’ll introduce you around. Grandma and Grandpa will announce the contest during lunch, and they’ll have an indoor and outdoor option. And there’s always some sort of trophy for the winning family. Well, usually. We don’t always do everything as family units, but usually we do.”

  “I see. Will I be lumped in with your family?” he asked.

  “Of course. No one’s stealing you from us. I don’t care how much others beg. You belong to the Bob Quinn family and no one else.”

  “Wait . . . if I belong to your family will I get a silly nickname like Bobling?”

  Riley shook her head. “What’s your obsession with the name Bobling anyway? We all love it.”

  “It’s just . . . terrible! If Bobling loved it, he’d be using the name right now. But no, he changed his name to Jake.” Blake shook his head, wondering why she couldn’t see what he saw so clearly.

  “So are you saying I can’t call my brother Bobling anymore? Because I think that’s just a little bit crazy. He’s always been Bobling.”

  “I know that. I understand that. I still think it’s a terrible name for a full-grown man. Do you have a picture of Bobling?”

  Riley nodded, pulling her phone from her purse and scrolling to her emails with her brother. He almost always included a picture for her. April Lynn had asked him to do that for Riley when she was small, so she wouldn’t forget him, and it had become a habit. She sent pictures right back.

  She pushed her phone toward him with the picture up. “There. That’s Bobling.”

  He picked it up and studied the face of a muscular man with dark hair and eyes. His coloring was actually very similar to Riley’s. “I promise you that this man does not want to be called Bobling by anyone. Not by his sisters or his mother or father. Or even his grandmother. He prefers Jake, and that’s what he’s going to want to be called when he gets home.”

  “I’m not sure I can.” She knew it would be a simple request, but Bobling had been one of her first words. She loved everything about her brother, including his nickname.

  “I’ll help you. Every time I hear you call him Bobling, I’m going to remind you—in the sweetest way possible—that he prefers to be called Jake.”

 
“All right. I’ll try.”

  Their food arrived then, and they spent the next couple of minutes dividing it up.

  “Are you nervous about your sermon tomorrow?” she asked.

  “Not nearly as nervous as I was last week.”

  “It’s the crystals.”

  He frowned. “It’s more likely that it’s the fact that I’ve spoken in front of the congregation before.”

  She studied him for a moment. “I’m thinking about taking some time off work and going to classes for massage therapy. I think it’s time.” She had a feeling it would please him if she did. But the hotel needed her to step up.

  “Why? Do you not have enough work?”

  She shrugged. “I’m really only busy during tourist season. I mean, I work every day, but I’m doing stuff like laundry that needs to be done when I’m between clients. I’d rather work more and do fewer household chores for the spa.”

  “Don’t you have a sister who is a massage therapist already?” he asked. He tried not to show how pleased he was at the idea. He didn’t want her being a crystal healer. It was a much more “acceptable” job for a pastor’s wife to be a massage therapist.

  “I do, and she’s always swamped. People have to book a massage a few weeks before they even get to the hotel if they want to get in with her. We’re always turning people away. I think my dad would pay for the massage therapy school, if I was willing to commit to working in the hotel, which, of course, I would.”

  “Sounds like a good idea to me. If you want to do it.”

  “I’m still on the fence, but I think I want to be more needed, if that makes sense. A hotel our size should have more than one massage therapist, and I like the idea of having more clients for sure. Then they could hire someone else to do all the laundry I keep doing.”

  “Well, then talk to your dad. You could even do it at the huge Quinn family extravaganza.” Blake was unsure what else to call her family gathering. The mere idea of going was starting to intimidate him.

  “I’ll be gone a lot more. Is that going to bother you?” she asked.

  “No. Do what you need to do, and I’ll be fine.” He would never stand in the way of her bettering herself.