A Lady's Choice Read Online Free Page B

she’d ever been so hot. The humid air hung over the group of worshipers gathered in the small church.
    The choir members appeared oblivious to the heat as they raised their slightly off-key voices in praise to the glory of God.
    Sarah wanted to stick her fingers in her ears, but instead she clutched her hands in her lap. The soprano in the first row hit a high note and made Sarah wince. She glanced around to see if anyone noticed her reaction. Alex Taylor smiled at her from across the aisle. He raised his eyebrows and shook his head as if to chide her.
    Her face warmed, and she grabbed a fan from the hymnal rack on the back of the pew in front of her and whisked it back and forth in front of her face. Determined not to glance Alex’s way again, she turned her attention to Brother Hughes, as everyone called him, who’d walked to the pulpit. He held a Bible in his right hand, his index finger wedged inside the book.
    A smile pulled at his lips as his gaze drifted over the congregation. “All of you know Alex Taylor has returned home for the summer from law school. We’ve all known Alex his entire life, and we’re proud of his accomplishments. He’ll be leaving again soon to join a law firm in Memphis. Today before I begin my sermon, I want Alex to voice our prayer.”
    Alex rose from his seat and gripped the back of the pew in front of him. He closed his eyes, and a serene expression covered his face. With his head bowed, he began to pray.
    â€œOh, sweet Jesus, our Lord and Savior, we come before You to thank You for the gift of life and for the many blessings You give us each day. We praise Your name for watching over us and providing for us. These are days we don’t understand, Lord. Nations are at war and men are engaged in battles far from here. We ask You to watch over them. I thank You, Lord, for the faithful people of this church and their witness in this community. We pray that Your spirit of love will fall upon each member of this church and that we will take it with us wherever we go. Thank You for loving us and caring for us, and we give You the honor and glory. Amen.”
    Loud amens rang throughout the congregation as Alex took his seat. Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah saw him glance in her direction, but she didn’t turn her face. She stared straight ahead, feigning interest in what Brother Hughes said as he opened his Bible.
    She hoped the look on her face disguised how upsetting the announcement of Alex’s plans had been to her. So he was going to Memphis while she would be stuck in Richland Creek. The minute the thought popped into her head, she regretted it. She glanced at her mother’s pale face, and her heart constricted. She should be happy for Alex. Maybe she’d get a chance to tell him later.
    The sermon seemed to go on forever, and Sarah’s aching body reacted to the hard, wooden pew. It was all she could do to sit still. After what seemed an eternity, Sarah realized the droning words of the preacher had halted. She sprang to her feet and joined the congregation to sing a closing hymn.
    When the song ended, a deacon stepped forward. “All the tables have been set up outside. But before we have our closing prayer, I’ve been asked to make an announcement. Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Weston are having a party in Miss Clara’s garden behind the store next Friday night to welcome his sister and niece to the community. All of you are invited to come and get to know them better.”
    Sarah glanced at her mother in surprise. She hadn’t heard of this before. Her mother smiled, patted her hand, and leaned closer. “Isn’t that nice of Charlie and Clara?”
    Outside after the prayer, Sarah rushed to Uncle Charlie’s buggy and retrieved the basket of food they’d brought from home. She looked around for her mother and saw her already seated in a chair by one of the tables.
    Aunt Clara’s curls bobbed up and down as she