It Took a Rumor (22 page)

He chuckled softly in her ear. “If you mean that, I’ll back off. But I’d sure like to finish the job. I’m about at the end of my energy and you’d make my night if you’d let me have you like this.”

Her legs shook from being held open so long, but she managed to wrap them around his waist. She met his smiling eyes and nodded. He smiled even wider, slid into her, and closed his eyes. “You fit me like you were made for me, Ivy.”

She slid her hands into his hair and held on. His expression grew darker and more intense. He stared into her eyes as he made love to her steadily, faster and harder, his breathing quickening with hers. They rocked together into hot, blissful orgasms, groaning into each other’s mouths, and trembling against each other’s bodies.

At last he rolled off of her and pulled her against him, kissing her hair and stroking her back. Ivy wanted to talk. Wanted to tease him and then stroke his ego by praising his outstanding performance. But her body was satisfied, her mind exhausted, and her heart full. She fell asleep in his arms.

When she woke up, it was full daytime and Jake was gone, his hat on the pillow next to her head.
 

“The old man catches you smiling like that, he’s gonna slap a knot on your head,” Cody said.
 

He, Boone, and Jake were driving to church in Jake’s truck. Gideon and Clara followed in the car. Dallas would be coming home tomorrow, so everyone’s tensions had eased quite a bit. But Cody was right. If Jake didn’t stop smiling, Gideon was gonna be pissed. Jake was supposed to be in a penitent mood. He was supposed to go forward after the sermon, hang his head, confess his sins, and ask forgiveness. What he’d rather do, however, was drag Ivy out the back door, into the woods, and have her out in the open underneath God’s cathedral with the sun and wind on their sweat-dampened skin.
 

“Seriously,” Cody said, “what’s got you in such a good mood?”

Jake just shook his head.

“Must be a girl,” Boone said, his voice uncharacteristically monotone. He’d tried to plead sick that morning, but Gideon would have none of it. “That’s the smile of a man who hasn’t been laid in forever finally getting some.”

If the boy didn’t look like he’d fall over with a light breeze, Jake would have slapped him. It wasn’t a girl putting a smile on his face. It was
the
girl. Trouble was, he didn’t quite know how to broach the subject with Gideon.

Boone suddenly jumped in his seat. He scrambled in his pocket, pulling out his cell phone. He stared at the screen and then laughed hysterically.
 

“Jesus Christ, Boone,” Cody said.

“It’s nothing,” Boone said. “Just a notification from some game I haven’t played in forever. Holy shit,” Boone sighed, leaning back on the bench.

Jake pulled into a parking spot near the back of the lot to the side of the church. He looked at his younger brother. Boone’s eyes were closed, his body visibly shaking. Jake met Cody’s frown, both of them shrugging. Cody reached up and placed the front of his wrist against Boone’s forehead, feeling for a fever. Naturally Boone slapped him away, but still, Jake waited for the verdict. Cody shrugged again, shaking his head. No fever, then.
 

They got out and met up with Gideon and Clara on the way to the front door of the church. People flowed in, a steady trickle of souls seeking salvation. Jake got in line behind Cody who was behind Boone who followed Clara and then Gideon. They strolled through the foyer, took a sharp turn to the left behind the back row of pews, and made their way up the side aisle to their favored pew. Except Jake stopped at the left turn while his family went on without him.
 

Because Ivy was across the aisle, a few rows up, about to take a seat. She slid her purse off her shoulder and sat it in the pew next to her Bible. When she looked up and caught his gaze, her cheeks flushed and she smiled—brightly and with an earnest joy. She was happy to see him. He was happy to see her. He’d left her late in the night collapsed in her bed, disheveled and satisfied. The blankets had been down around her waist and her arms had been flung to the sides. He’d gazed at her naked breasts and long throat and sweet, sleeping face before covering her up, kissing her, and leaving her his hat. It had been a silly, sentimental gesture, but he’d wanted her to wake up next to something besides an empty pillow. And now she was wearing his hat. She touched her fingertip to the brim, giving it a tip, and winked at him before taking her seat.

That was it. He was sitting by her. She was his girl and people ought to know it.

Except that as soon as he stepped toward her, Pastor Allen slid in next to her, taking her hand and leaning in. Probably apologizing for losing his temper yesterday. That’s what it looked like, anyway, given the heartfelt expression on his face and the way Ivy nodded reassuringly. They hugged, the pastor stood, and Jake took yet another step toward her. This time his path was blocked by Myra Tidwell, looking prim and full of life in a turquoise jacket with matching earrings. She held her trusty iPhone and stylus at the ready.

“I see your hat on little Ivy Turner’s head, I suppose I can take that as confirmation of a relationship?”

“It’s none of your business, Myra.” She had him blocked in. He couldn’t squeeze past her without knocking her over.

“It’s mighty big of you considering she was sleeping with Cody not a week ago.”

“For God’s sake!”

The people in the pews nearest turned and gave him a dirty look. Jake smiled apologetically and lowered his voice. “Can we do this later?”

“Did you poison your brother, Jake?” she asked as she wrote on the screen of her phone.
 

“Of course not. Not on purpose.”

“You sure? Because it does tend to look like you were jealous and angry, what with Dallas having slept with Ivy, too. My, my, that girl has just worked her way through you boys, hasn’t she.”

“She never slept with any of them.”

“Only you? You sure about that? Or is it wishful thinking?”

“Let me pass, Myra, I—” Just then a bony but powerful hand gripped the back of his collar.
 

“Get your ass in your seat right now,” Gideon growled.

Jake didn’t want to make more of a scene than he already had, so he allowed his father to shove him toward their pew. “You stay away from that woman. She’s got the devil’s tongue in her mouth.” Gideon climbed over his sons and Clara and took his seat at the end of the pew closest to the center aisle, and then the choir began singing.

Jake stood with the rest of the congregation, and though he fought the urge, he couldn’t help glancing over his shoulder at Ivy. He should go sit by her now. It would go a long way toward proving to her that he was man enough to stand up to his father. Trouble was, he’d actually have to stand up to his father, and he wasn’t a hundred percent certain he was ready for that.
 

After the first two songs, Ellis Henry got up to read announcements followed by a prayer. Jake bowed his head and listened to all the people being prayed for. They included Dallas, Molly, Molly’s husband and family, and even Jake and Eloise. Jake couldn’t help smiling at that. How many churches were there that included a sick horse on their prayer list? All that mattered was that this one did. He wouldn’t go anywhere else because of it.

After the prayer, they sang a few more songs, then sat and waited as Pastor Allen took the podium. There had been a lot of speculation as to whether he would actually preach that morning. Being a grieving man, no one would have blamed him a bit for taking off a few weeks. But there he was, tall and strong, if not a little dark under the eyes and wan in complexion.

“Let us all open our Bibles to second Corinthians chapter four:

“
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”

Pastor Allen paused, his head hanging low, a solemn expression weighing down his brow. “Friends, here we see the purpose of our suffering. There has been a lot of suffering for a lot of people this week. We look to God and we ask why. Why would he place such burden on us? On mere earthen vessels? My friends, it is so that we may show the light of the glory of God to the world. It is so that Christ can arise. For how could he arise without first dying? We are that death. Through our suffering on this earth, we are the death of Christ put here so that he might save us and show his awesome power to the world.
 

“My friends, Christ does not want your suffering on this earth. He wants to deliver you from it. It is up to each of you to be worthy of that delivery. If you’re burdened with sin this morning, come forward and hand it to Christ. Endure your suffering on this earth for the sake of the glory of God. Come forward and offer yourself a living sacrifice to the Lord. Confess your sins, accept His forgiveness, and walk again in the newness of life!”

The congregation stood and sang. This was the part where Jake was supposed to go to the front and confess to nearly killing his brother. He truly felt horrible for what had happened to Dallas, but he had a hard time accepting that it was totally his responsibility. It seemed like an accident more than anything. But Gideon was unwilling to absolve Jake, and so it would take God’s forgiveness to convince his father that he was worthy to be called son again.
 

Jake glanced at his father and, sure enough, the man’s steely glare was locked on him. If he didn’t go forward and do this, he’d hear about it for sure. Might even have to take a beating for it. And he knew in his heart he wouldn’t fight back. He’d give the old man the victory just to assuage his own guilt.

With a heavy sigh, Jake went up and sat on the front pew. As the congregation sang, the pastor sat next to him and leaned into him, their lowered heads nearly touching so that they could hear one another. “Would you like me to speak on your behalf?” Richard asked.

“No, thanks, preacher. I can manage.”

Jake felt the warmth of another body to his left. He turned and found Ivy sitting next to him. She placed her hand on his back. The hat looked cute with her sundress and boots. She leaned in close to his ear. “Are you up here for fornicating with me? Because that’s my sin, too, and I’m not quite ready for this level of confession.”

He grinned at her. “I think in order to confess, you have to first feel guilty about it.”

“You don’t?”

“Not the least bit.”

She linked her fingers with his as the song came to an end. Jake waited for the pastor to invite him to speak.

“Friends,” Pastor Richard said, standing on the floor in front of the congregation, “I am always touched when God uses my voice to move the conscience of one of his people. Is there anyone else among us who wishes to unburden? Come, now, and give your sins to God.”

There was silence. Jake frowned up at the pastor. Richard’s face looked different. His eyes bright and a little out of control.
 

“Anyone?” Richard asked again, his voice cracking. “Any adulterers for instance?” Suddenly he laughed. “You can’t tell me there’s none here who’ve committed adultery.”

Ivy left Jake’s side and moved to take Richard’s arm. At the same time there was a shuffling behind Jake. He turned to see Boone standing and stumbling out of the pew, clutching his cell phone, looking pale enough to pass out. Boone turned, tripped, recovered, and shuffled out the door.

“God is here, Boone!” Richard shouted. “God is up here! There’s nothing but suffering for you out there!”

Boone made it to the door. That was when Pastor Allen broke from Ivy’s grasp and gave chase. Jake was on his feet the next instant, joining Gideon and Cody as they ran to Boone’s aid. By the time they got to the parking lot, Richard was on top of Boone, landing punch after punch. Boone had his arms up over his face screaming. It took Jake a moment to decipher what he was saying.

“You killed her!” Boone shouted over and over.
 

Cody plucked the wiry pastor off their brother. If Boone hadn’t already been weak, there would have been no way the man could have knocked him over. Gideon helped Boone up, checking on his injuries. Jake knelt on his other side and caught a glimpse of Boone’s phone. The text app was open.

-What do you want?

-Your suffering on this earth.

Jake recognized the phraseology from the sermon, but he still couldn’t wrap his mind around what was going on. He stood to face the pastor even as Gideon brought Boone to his feet.

Jake didn’t even look for Ivy. He knew where she would be…right at his side. Without thinking, he slid his arm over her shoulders and brought her closer. Cody stepped back from the now calm pastor. Richard would have to have a death wish to attack Boone, now, with all but one of the Deathridge men facing him.
 

“He killed her,” Boone said, his voice cracking and weak.

About that time, Sheriff Rivera, who attended with his family faithfully, made his way to Pastor Allen’s side.
 

“What’s going on?” he asked. “Pastor? Why’d you attack Boone?”

Richard had regained his composure, or at least managed to cram it all behind tightly closed lips.

“Boone?” the sheriff asked. “You wanna explain?”

Ivy stepped out of Jake’s grasp and touched Boone’s face. She leaned in and whispered in his ear, but Boone just kept shaking his head harder and harder. “No!” he shouted, finally focusing his eyes on Ivy. “No!” He turned to the sheriff. “I didn’t do anything. But you can be damn sure I’m pressing charges.”

The sheriff hung his head for a moment. “Pastor, I don’t want to arrest you in front of your congregation. Let’s go into your office until everyone goes home. Then we’ll head down to the station.”

The pastor and the sheriff went inside. The crowd dispersed, except for Myra who was rapidly taking notes on her phone. Jake wanted to ask Ivy what had just happened, but he had another problem to deal with, namely that Gideon was already asking her the same question, and not in a nice manner.