LITMIR.BIZ

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up into the pulpit and took his seat between his youth pastor and the assistant pastor. Wade couldn’t see her face from where he was sitting, but he could only imagine she was shooting fiery darts through the podium at him with her eyes.

      He would have to risk her fury for now because Wade didn’t need any distractions, either. It wasn’t always easy with church mamas trying to push their daughters in his face and overly aggressive women practically throwing themselves at him.

      Wade’s mind traveled back to Pearl. He could only assume that she was behaving this way to get his attention. She was a beautiful girl but he didn’t go for the boisterous, party-girl type.

      Instead, he preferred a woman more like him, conservative, with traditional beliefs. Even with her great body and gorgeous legs, Pearl was definitely not wife material as far as he was concerned.

      A tremor of disappointment slid down his spine.

      Pearl clamped her jaw tight and stared straight ahead, the blanket folded up beside her on the pew. How dare Wade Kendrick try to humiliate me like this? The man belongs in the 1800s.

      She found it hard to believe that a man who looked like Wade could be so backward in his beliefs. He stood about six or seven inches taller than her five-foot-four-inch frame, and was lean, muscular and extremely handsome.

      Pearl had always found men with bald heads and deep, penetrating eyes incredibly sexy. But Wade Kendrick was stuffy and took himself way too seriously all the time. She pitied the woman who would eventually marry him.

      He couldn’t handle a woman like me, that’s for sure.

      Half of the single women attending Lakeview Baptist were already chasing Wade, but it didn’t matter to Pearl. She wanted nothing to do with him.

      Even though her anger at him still lay at the surface, Pearl found Wade’s sermon on Hosea and Gomer enlightening. He might not have much personality but he was a gifted pastor.

      “Why do you look like you’re ready to kill somebody?” her cousin Paige Richards asked shortly after service ended. “And why did you sit way up here?”

      Before she could respond, her sister Opal walked up, asking, “What’s with the leather miniskirt?”

      Pearl hugged her in greeting before saying, “Excuse me, Opal. We can talk in a few minutes. Right now I really need to have a word with our pastor.”

      “Pearl—”

      “I won’t be long. I promise.”

      Opal grabbed her by the arm. “That’s not what I’m worried about. Pearl, are you still upset over what he said to you? I told you that he didn’t mean any harm. I’m sure of it.”

      Pearl turned around, facing her sister. “He didn’t say anything to you. Your dresses are the same length as mine. Ever since the family reunion, he’s had it in for me.”

      “There has to be something more to it.”

      “Opal, that’s exactly what I intend to find out. Don’t worry. I just plan to have a quick word with him.” She wasn’t going to let Wade quote scripture to her and just walk away.

      “I don’t think it’s a good idea, Pearl. The last time…”

      She didn’t wait around for Opal to finish her sentence. Pearl was on a mission.

      She walked with purpose into Wade Kendrick’s office. “Pastor, we need to finish our discussion.”

      He looked up. “Miss Lockhart.”

      Closing the door halfway, she said, “I need you to explain something to me. Why are you picking on me? Is this about our discussion of women’s roles?”

      “I’m not picking on you. I never meant to offend you. If I have, I’m sorry.”

      Did he really think an apology would make things right?

      “I appreciate your apology, Pastor,” Pearl managed to reply through stiff lips. “However, I still want to know why you singled me out.”

      “I didn’t.” Wade paused a moment before continuing. “Please have a seat.”

      She sat down in one of the chairs facing him.

      “The reason I suggested that you lower your hemline is because you’re quite a distraction to some of the teen boys here at church.”

      Pearl was caught off guard by his words. “Excuse me?”

      “I overheard some of the boys discussing you. Your legs…”

      “Oh.” She snapped her mouth shut. Pearl glanced down at the skirt she had on and tried pulling it closer to her knees. She suddenly felt like a fool. “I had no idea, Pastor. I thought you were just being your old stuffy self.” She hadn’t really meant to say that last part out loud.

      Her words seemed to amuse him. “You really consider me stuffy?”

      “Yeah, I do.”

      “I’m not stuffy, Sister Pearl. I just believe that if the church went back to the old way of doing things, we wouldn’t have some of the problems we’re facing today.”

      “Such as women not being allowed to wear pants in church? Our last pastor didn’t have a problem with women wearing pants to service, but it was one of the first changes you made after taking leadership.”

      He boldly met her gaze. “Yes. I feel that skimpy dresses or pants show a lack of respect and reverence for the house of God. The Bible clearly states in Deuteronomy that it is a sin for women to wear men’s apparel.”

      “I believe that scripture was referring more to cross-dressers,” Pearl countered. “Pastor, have you ever considered that maybe women should wear pants to church, so maybe then the boys won’t be distracted, as you put it. And you wouldn’t need to have ushers bring out the blankets.”

      He broke into a rare smile.

      “Pastor, I’m sorry for my childish behavior this morning. You and I definitely don’t see things in the same light, but I’m really not a troublemaker or a hoochie.”

      “I never thought you were.”

      Pearl wasn’t so sure she believed him but she chose to keep her thoughts at bay.

      “I’ll give it some thought but I have to be honest,” Wade stated, “I don’t think my views will change. It is my goal to make sure that my leadership over this church is biblically sound. I’m going to let the Lord lead me.”

      “Understood.” Pearl got up and walked to the door. “Enjoy the rest of your day, Pastor.”

      “You, too, Sister Pearl.”

      As their eyes met, she felt a new and unexpected warmth run through her. Her heart pounding, Pearl walked outside, where she found Opal and Paige waiting by her SUV.

      “Pearl, what did you do?”

      She eyed her sister. “Opal, I didn’t do anything. Pastor and I had a talk. A good talk. That’s all.”

      “You mean, you two actually agreed on something?” Opal sounded surprised.

      “Naaah, I wouldn’t say that. But I think we reached a compromise.” Pearl glanced around the parking lot. “Where’s Ruby and Amber? Did they leave already?”

      “They didn’t want to wait around for you to have all of us kicked out of church.” When Pearl shot her a look, she added, “I’m only kidding.” Laughing, Opal reached over, giving Pearl a hug, then Paige. “I’ll see y’all later. I’m meeting D’marcus for brunch.”

      Opal practically glowed every time she mentioned her boyfriend’s name. D’marcus Armstrong was a good man and Pearl considered him fortunate to have her sister in his life.

      Pearl drove out of the parking lot and headed for the

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