Page 23 of A Girl Like Janet

“Nothing,” he denied with a poor attempt to conceal a smile. “It’s just been a long time since I’ve heard the expression ‘sweet

talk.’”

Quickly Janet returned to her desk. “If you’ll excuse me,” she murmured tightly, “I have work to do.”

Somehow Janet made it through the remainder of the week. Reese didn’t repeat his dinner offer, and if he had, Janet wasn’t

sure she would have refused. Business was business, but several times she happened to catch Reese watching her movements,

studying her, his look unreadable. Janet’s heart would scream with frustration. This was all a cat-and-mouse game with him;

she was just another challenge.

Unexpectedly Reese gave her Thursday afternoon off, explaining that things were slow and if she wanted extra time with her

brother she could have it. Her mind filled with unspoken questions, Janet returned to her apartment.

Friday proved even more unsettling. Reese was on the phone early that morning with an overseas call. Janet could hear him

shuffling through the mess that cluttered his desk, searching for something. Past experience had told her to come to the rescue

and quick. With a polite tap she opened the communicating door and stuck her head inside, half expecting him to storm at her.

“Do you need something?” she questioned.

Reese looked up, surprised, relief flooding the handsome features. “I can’t find the Cummings file. Have you seen it?”

Janet had placed it on his desk the day before and without hesitation sorted through the disorganized piles until she had

located the one he needed. She handed it to him and, to her dismay, he leaned over and casually brushed her cheek with his

lips. A warm sensation crept over her face, invading her features with burning color. A hand flew to her cheek as if to wipe

it away.

Reese’s eyes were sparkling and his secret smile was meant for her alone.

Saturday Janet spent the afternoon shopping for material for bridesmaid dresses with Gail. The wedding wasn’t for another

four months, but Janet was going to sew her own dress and wanted to get an early start. They also stopped at the printer,

the jeweler and saw to several other details necessary for the wedding. Janet had never realized how complicated a wedding

could be, and although she enjoyed the day she was exhausted. Gail and Ben insisted on taking her out to dinner that night

and it was after midnight before she got to bed.

The alarm rang for church early Sunday morning and Janet rolled over and groaned, half tempted to stay in bed. Her attention

waned during Sunday school and she read over the bulletin. The volleyball team was starting up again. She wasn’t much of an

athlete, but she did enjoy playing on the church team, where spirit, not skill, was the most important prerequisite. Placing

the announcement in the flap of her Bible, she returned her attention to the lesson.

The front pews were crowded when she entered the main part of the church for the morning worship service. Janet took a seat

toward the back. Sitting with her head bowed and her eyes closed, she mentally prepared herself for the coming message. She

felt someone enter the pew and sit next to her. Finishing her prayer, she slowly raised her head, half turning to greet the

newcomer. The smile died on her lips as she saw it was Reese.

Cordial, as if they were strangers, he nodded in greeting, opened the bulletin and began reading. A Bible, obviously new,

rested in his lap. When he finished reading the bulletin he opened the Bible and searched through the table of contents to

find Ephesians, the text her father was preaching from that morning.

The worship service wasn’t scheduled to begin for several minutes and the strain of sitting beside Reese, maintaining a fragile

control of her composure, made Janet want to seek another pew.

As the worship service started, the congregation stood to sing the opening hymn. Reese flipped through the unfamiliar pages

of the hymnal, apparently not knowing what song to sing. Janet handed him the open songbook and took his, deftly turning the

pages until she located the correct song.

Reese mumbled something under his breath that Janet couldn’t hear, but when their gazes met, his mouth was quirked humorously.

Without meaning to, Janet responded to the potent warmth of his smile.

The opening song was followed by the morning prayer and a review of the events of the following week. Stewart Montgomery’s

smile reached across the congregation to rest on Janet.

“Would you like to introduce your guest, Janet?” he asked her.

Reluctantly she stood, her mouth pinched. “Stand up,” she whispered under her breath to Reese.

He complied and placed a possessive arm across her shoulder.

“Remove your hand,” she hissed behind a phony smile with her teeth clenched.

Instead of doing as she requested, Reese molded a large hand over her shoulder, bringing her even closer to his side. Every

cell of her body cried out with the effects of his nearness and when she spoke her voice shook slightly.

“This is Reese Edwards,” she introduced him to the congregation, which had centered its attention on her and Reese. “He works

for Dyna-Flow too.” Quickly she resumed the sitting position, effectively breaking his hold on her.

Several knowing smiles and gentle nods followed as the people sitting around them turned to show their approval.

Janet didn’t digest a word of the morning message. Normally she took notes during the sermon, but she was all too conscious

of Reese’s disturbing presence. She seemed incapable of constructing a coherent sentence, let alone transferring the thought

to paper.

Together they stood for the closing hymn. Reese’s deep baritone voice rang out with hers. The song was an old familiar one

that Reese obviously recognized. Janet was surprised by the rich quality of his singing voice and soon discovered she enjoyed

listening to him more than singing herself.

A low murmur filled the church as the congregation stood and began to file out of the building. Janet turned to find that

Reese’s gaze was centered disturbingly on her.

“Just a Dyna-Flow employee?” he whispered mockingly.

“I didn’t want to intimidate anyone,” she returned in a polite voice, clenching her Bible to her breast as if it would afford

her protection.

“Mr. Reese,” Joel called as he flew down the outside church aisle. “Hi, Mr. Reese.” He stood breathless and panting.

“Hello, Joel, it’s good to see you again,” Reese greeted warmly, extending his hand for the youth to shake.

Pleased with the opportunity, Joel pumped Reese’s hand with excitement and enthusiasm. “I’ve been missing you.”

“I’ve missed you too. But I really think that’s your sister’s fault. We’ll have to talk to her, won’t we?” Reese looked back

to Janet, one brow arched slightly.

“Janny, I like Mr. Reese. I like him a lot. I think you should marry him so I can have a brother-in-law.”

Janet could feel the hot flush of color seep up from her neck. “Joel, stop it!” Her voice was harsher than what she intended

and tears welled in her brother’s eyes.

Reese placed a comforting hand on the youth’s shoulder. “I think we’re embarrassing your sister.” He leaned forward and whispered

something in Joel’s ear that made the boy grin from ear to ear.

“Can I tell my dad?” Joel questioned eagerly.

Reese seemed to give the question thorough consideration, his thumb rubbing the side of his lean, masculine jaw. “No, I think

it should be a surprise.”

Without question Joel accepted Reese’s words. “Did you like coming to church? Can we go to your cabin again soon?” He asked

both questions in one breath without pausing between.

Reese chuckled. “Yes to both.”

At the mention of the cabin Janet bristled. Was he going to persist in this lie? Pretense, fabrication, distorting the truth—these

were things she would be forced to accept with a man like Reese Edwards. How could she love a man like this? she asked herself.

How could she care so deeply about this man when it was tearing her apart?

The church had all but emptied by the time they neared the exit. Stewart Montgomery, dressed in a black robe, shook Reese’s

hand. “Good to see you again, Reese.”

“It’s good to be here. I enjoyed the sermon, but there are a couple of things I’d like to ask you about later if you have

the time.”

“Of course I do.”

“Mr. Reese is here to learn about faith,” Joel explained.

An arm draped over his son’s shoulder, Stewart smiled. “We all are.”

Janet made a polite excuse and hurried to the parsonage to help her mother with dinner.

Leonora was busy whipping mashed potatoes when Janet came in the back door. “I’ll do the salad,” she volunteered, laying her

purse and Bible on the kitchen table.

“What a pleasant surprise to see your Mr. Edwards again.” Her mother paused, pushing a stray white hair off her weathered

forehead.

“He’s not mine, Mother,” Janet corrected stiffly. “He’s not anyone’s, and I sincerely doubt that he ever will be.”

Her mother blinked, then smiled. “Oh, I doubt that, Janet. A man just needs the right kind of girl, that’s all.”

Joel burst in the back door, nearly taking the door off the hinges. “Dad and Mr. Reese are talking real serious.” Before anyone

could stop him, he flew out the door again.

Janet couldn’t help feeling cynical. Would Reese stoop so low as to pretend an interest in Christ in an effort to get her?

The suspicious thought immediately filled her with shame. Shouldn’t she give him the benefit of the doubt?

Ten minutes later Joel burst into the room again. “Dad invited Mr. Reese to dinner,” he announced breathlessly.

“Stay in, young man,” Leonora insisted.

“Ah, Mom.” He stomped his foot and cast a longing glance over his shoulder.

“Close the door and set the table,” she continued in a soft voice that both siblings recognized as unswerving.

With a muttered grumble, Joel complied, bringing down the Sunday plates and setting them on the mahogany table in the dining

room.