Redeeming Claire Read online

  “Your fiancée is beautiful,” Nate said with something akin to awe in his voice.

  “Yeah,” Kendall echoed. “Real pretty. You’re lucky. Those kind never give us a chance.”

  “You know, guys, I hate to say this,” Tony said with a smile. “But when I was your age they didn’t like me, either.”

  He’d had everything going against him then. He’d been short. He hadn’t really shot up until he’d been close to eighteen. And he’d been fat.

  It had been hard moving so much. Some kids made friends easily. Tony’s friends had been the ice cream carton and the television. Braces and glasses had pushed him over the edge into a land where, pretty girls aside, he was lucky anyone talked to him. At least Nate and Kendall had each other.

  And he had Claire. A woman who ten years ago wouldn’t have given him the time of day.

  “Pastor?”

  Tony lifted his gaze and realized that the boys must have been talking while he was reliving the past.

  “Yes, Nate?”

  “So what happened? What changed?”

  “Actually…” Tony’s gaze shifted between the boys, and he decided if his story could help these two, it would be worth dredging up the past. Those days were long behind him and he rarely looked back, but it was important the boys realized that high school was just a small part of anyone’s life. He took a deep breath and continued. “When I was your age, I hardly had any friends. In fact…”

  Across the room Claire watched Tony. She didn’t know what he was saying, but it looked serious. The dice and game board sat untouched in front of the three, and the boys’ faces were riveted to the young minister.

  Her gaze shifted to Nate and Kendall. Judging by the clothes they wore, the two had not one ounce of fashion sense, and whoever cut their hair obviously chose not to keep up on the latest styles. Still, there was something in their faces that made her pause. That made her not dismiss them as easily as she would in the past.

  Maybe because now she was old enough to see the youthful innocence behind the blemishes. Maybe it was because she’d taken the time to talk to the boys earlier and found they both had a sense of humor in sync with her own. Or maybe, just maybe, being around Tony was good for her.

  Claire shook her head and took a deep breath. Where was all this sentimental stuff coming from? The way she was going the next thing you knew she’d be canceling her subscription to her fashion magazines and wearing jeans and sweatshirts. In public. And maybe she wouldn’t even care that her diamond had flaws.

  Why didn’t that thought send chills up her spine as it once had? She wasn’t a Pollyanna, by any means, and although this time in Millville and Tony’s influence might cause her to rethink a few things, who she was deep down would never change.

  Claire scanned the crowd. There wasn’t anyone here with that power.

  Her gaze settled on Tony.

  Or was there?

  Tony headed down the running path that circled the outskirts of Millville. The rhythmic beat of his shoes against the asphalt soothed his jangled nerves.

  It had been a bad couple of days, and he needed to work off the stress. He’d decided after the lock-in to confess to the church elders and hope for the best. But he’d had difficulty arranging a meeting, and then Kendall had stopped by the church to talk.

  After speaking with the boy Tony realized he couldn’t take the chance that the elders would tell him he had to leave. He knew Kendall had recently moved to Millville, but until yesterday he hadn’t understood how hard that had been on the teen.

  A connection had been forged the night he’d shared his story with Nate and Kendall. It was as if God had sent him here to minister to these boys knowing Tony was someone who truly understood the pressures they faced.

  So he’d kept his mouth shut.

  Claire had taken the news in stride that the engagement would continue for a while longer. She seemed oddly content with the status quo. Tony decided it must mean, since her father hadn’t shown any signs of softening, she really had nowhere else to go. And, although Mrs. Sandy still had to wake her up at times, Claire had fit into the household with surprising ease.

  Claire.

  They were tied together in an arrangement that would soon end. While it was becoming clearer why he’d been sent to Millville, the reason Claire had been thrown into the equation was more difficult to understand.

  Despite their physical attraction to each other, Claire and he were too different for any long-term commitment. They both knew that.

  Of course, he had to admit that they’d gotten along pretty well, considering those differences.

  He smiled. Claire always kept him guessing. He never knew what she’d say next. And when she fluttered those long black eyelashes and her full lips turned upward in that dazzling smile, there wasn’t anything Tony wouldn’t do for her.

  He wished he could say she’d do the same for him. Although she attended church every Sunday, she seemed to focus more on the social aspect than the spiritual. And although Dottie had asked Claire repeatedly to go to Bible study with her, she still hadn’t agreed to give it a try.

  Tony knew everyone wondered why his fiancée wasn’t more involved with the church. Personally he didn’t care how it looked, he just wished she had a stronger faith. Because if she didn’t get turned on to God living in the same house with a minister, would she ever?

  But when had that minister ever witnessed to her?

  The realization hit Tony like a lightning bolt, and he stopped, stunned. He’d pondered Claire’s lack of faith. He’d prayed for her. But he’d never sat down and simply shared what God meant to him.

  A deep sense of shame filled him.

  “Are you okay?”

  Tony’s gaze jerked in the direction of the voice. A slender young woman about his own age, dressed in running shorts and a T-shirt, jogged in place, a worried look on her face.

  Tony paused and thought how he’d let Claire down. “No.” He shook his head. He’d paid more attention to Claire’s body than her soul. “I’m not okay.”

  “Do you need a doctor?”

  He frowned. “Why would I need a doctor?”

  A flush of red shot up the woman’s neck.

  “You stopped so suddenly and then you just stood there,” she stammered. “I was concerned something might be wrong.”

  The woman shifted uncomfortably, and once again Tony cursed himself. Couldn’t he do anything right? There’d been no reason to be so abrupt.

  “I’m sorry.” He flashed her an apologetic smile. “I got to thinking and—”

  “That’s fine.” She nervously fiddled with a loose thread on her shorts. “You don’t have to explain.”

  He could sense her unease. Although not unattractive, he instinctively knew that unlike Claire, this woman wasn’t comfortable talking to men she didn’t know. The knowledge that she’d stopped to help anyway made Tony go out of his way to be extra nice.

  “I don’t believe we’ve met.” He extended his hand. “I’m Tony Karelli, the new pastor at Grace Community.”

  “Rachel Tanner.” Her whole face lit up when she smiled, and Tony realized she was prettier than he’d first thought. “I’m a member of your church. Or at least I was when I lived in Millville before. I just moved back, and I’m looking forward to getting involved again.”

  Tony smiled. It was so refreshing to find someone interested in volunteering.

  “Welcome back, Rachel,” he said softly. “I know lots of committees that could use your help. And your husband? Is he interested in becoming involved, too?”

  “I’m not married,” she said quickly. Her gaze dropped to the ground, and she brushed back a strand of blond hair that had come loose from her ponytail.

  “What a coincidence,” Tony said, trying to lighten the moment and ease her embarrassment. “Neither am I.”

  It was the wrong thing to say. Her gaze lifted, and a spark of interest flickered in her soft blue eyes.

  Tony groa
ned to himself. It was true he wasn’t married, but he was supposed to be engaged. But how could he tell her that now? It would look as if he thought she was interested in him and that he was trying to warn her off. Talk about embarrassing the woman. Besides, in a couple of weeks Claire would be gone.

  The pretending would be over, and he would be free to move on with his life. Maybe he’d find himself a nice woman—someone like Rachel Tanner perhaps—who was from Millville and wanted to live here, someone who went to church because she wanted to, not because she had to.

  He knew he should feel relieved. But all the way home, instead of thinking about a slender blonde with blue eyes, all he could see was a raven-haired beauty with eyes as dark as night.

  Tony sighed. If he didn’t know better, he’d have to wonder if he just might not be falling in love with the one woman in the world who was all wrong for him.

  Chapter Nine

  Claire’s head jerked up at the knock on her bedroom door.

  “Claire, it’s time to go.”

  She smiled at the familiar baritone and covered the receiver with her hand. “I’ll be ready in five minutes,” she yelled at the door. “I’ll meet you downstairs.”

  She waited until she heard Tony walk away before she turned her attention back to the phone.

  “Daddy, I’m going to have to let you go.” She lowered her voice even though there was no one else in the room. “No, I don’t need any money. I told you I’m doing fine.”

  But Henry Waters was used to controlling a conversation, and he kept talking until Claire had no choice but to cut him off.

  “Daddy, I’m going to hang up now. Yes, I’ll call you tomorrow. And yes, this time I’ll call collect. Love you, too. Bye.”

  She hung up the phone and sat there, still amazed that her father had come around so quickly. Three weeks after he’d more or less told her never to darken his door again he’d done a complete about-face. Once again she was his darling daughter, his little princess.

  Claire wasn’t sure what had impressed him more, that she and Tony were still together or that she had a job and was making it on her own. Of course, she’d had to fudge a little about the job. He’d never have believed she was a maid, so she’d found it necessary to embellish the position.

  When she thought about it, director of catering really wasn’t that big a stretch. After all, she did cater to the guests. What else did you call it when you refilled their coffee and got them extra napkins?

  The clock in the hall chimed and Claire rose, casting one last look in the mirror before heading out the door and down the stairs. She knew she should let Tony know that she and her father had reconciled, but she was afraid he’d do the noble thing and send her packing.

  She wanted the time to be right for him, wanted his position to be secure. Over the past weeks she’d come to believe this town and this church needed Tony Karelli. And Claire was committed to doing whatever she could to insure he could stay.

  If that meant staying here longer, so be it. Anyway, she really wasn’t ready to leave Millville yet. Or Tony.

  Claire found Tony at the dining room table, a newspaper in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She stopped in the doorway and watched him silently for a few seconds.

  The morning light streamed in through the window and shone on his dark hair like a halo. Today he’d worn her favorite Abercrombie shirt, a burgundy cotton with a navy stripe across the front. He was so incredibly handsome. And so very wonderful. Claire’s chest tightened. How was she ever going to let him go?

  Get a hold of yourself. She gave herself a mental shake, strode into the room and kicked the leg of his chair.

  “Hey, what’s that you’re drinking?” Claire crossed her arms across her chest and looked pointedly at the half empty cup in his hand.

  “Mrs. Sandy’s generic blend.” Tony made a face and set the mug down. “I’m getting primed for the good stuff.”

  Claire smiled. “The Grateful Bread’s Costa Rican blend?”

  Tony returned her smile and pushed the mug aside. “I can almost smell it now.”

  “What about the pecan streusel coffee cake?” Claire teased.

  The Grateful Bread café bakery had different daily specials, and she and Tony had quickly become addicted to the Wednesday feature, a buttery rich coffee cake loaded with pecans.

  “That, too.” Tony grinned and pulled her onto his lap. He nuzzled her neck. “Hmm. Maybe I’m just hungry, but you smell delicious.”

  “It’s the lotion you bought me.” A shiver traveled up Claire’s spine. With a deliberate motion she tilted her face toward him, and when she spoke next to his ear her voice was nothing more than a husky whisper. “You’re the one who smells good.” Her lips brushed his. “Mmm. You taste good, too.”

  His eyes darkened and his arms tightened around her. She held her breath.

  The door leading to the kitchen flew open. “Now April, I want you—”

  Mrs. Sandy stopped. April bumped into her from behind. The landlady’s hand rose to her lips, her mouth forming a perfect O.

  Tony jerked back, and even though Claire didn’t want to, she hopped off his lap.

  “I’m so sorry, Pastor.” A blotch of red darkened the woman’s cheeks. “I didn’t know you and Claire were still here.”

  “We got a late start this morning,” Tony said, looking a little flustered.

  “Or an early one,” April offered, smiling innocently. “Depends on how you look at it, I guess.”

  “April!” Mrs. Sandy shot her daughter a warning glance before she turned her attention to Claire and Tony. “You know, if you have a few minutes, this might be a good chance to discuss your wedding reception. I assume you’ll want to have—”

  “How ’bout we talk about that later?” Tony stood and grabbed Claire’s hand. “Claire and I have to run. That coffee cake always goes quickly.”

  Though it was only an excuse, it was a good one. Everyone in town knew if you didn’t have a piece on your plate by ten-thirty, you might as well forget it. But Claire knew that wasn’t the real reason Tony wanted to rush off. For the past week, Mrs. Sandy had repeatedly tried to corner them about their wedding plans. Even when they told her last week it was only going to be a small ceremony with immediate family and close friends, Mrs. Sandy wasn’t appeased. She insisted whether it was fifty people or five hundred, you still needed to plan ahead.

  “We’re going to have to sit down and talk about this soon.”

  Tony smiled and Claire waved a quick goodbye. When the door fell shut behind them, Claire heaved a sigh of relief. They walked in silence down the shaded sidewalk toward downtown. Mrs. Sandy’s words had once again brought to the fore-front a fact that neither one of them seemed to want to face. Their time together was finite. And soon it would be over.

  “Did I tell you I’m going to Bible study tonight?” Claire said in a deliberately offhand manner.

  Tony stopped in his tracks. “What did you say?”

  “I’m going to Bible study tonight.” The look of shock on his face pleased her, and for once she didn’t mind repeating herself.

  “You never told me you were even considering going. I believe the last time we discussed it, your exact words were ‘no way.”’

  Her lips twitched. He’d recalled that part perfectly. “What can I say?” She shrugged. “I’m a woman. We change our minds.”

  “But why? Not that I’m not happy about it—I am,” he hastened to reassure her, “but it’s just so out of the blue.”

  “Not so sudden,” Claire said. “I’ve been thinking about it for several days.”

  Actually she’d been thinking about it ever since Dottie told her she was hosting the activity and begged Claire to come. But, she reminded herself, she wasn’t going simply because it was at Dottie’s home. Listening to Tony’s sermons the last few weeks had piqued her interest in learning more about the Bible. So, attending Bible study at her friend’s house would serve two purposes—make Dottie happy
and give Claire the opportunity to learn a little more about God. Maybe she’d even be able to get the inside scoop on His plans for her life.

  “I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.” Tony took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

  She smiled at him, and they walked the rest of the way with her hand clasped loosely in his. A strange sense of contentment stole over Claire, and she wondered if she would ever again feel this happy.

  Their corner booth was waiting and the waitress didn’t even ask what they wanted. It was the same every week. A couple of people from church stopped by to visit, and it wasn’t until they were on their second cup of coffee that she and Tony were finally alone.

  Claire added another packet of sugar to the strong brew and took a sip. “I heard you pacing the floor last night. Something bothering you?”

  Tony set his cup down and paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I was having trouble with this week’s sermon. I needed a few examples for some points I was making. It was the strangest thing. I’d sleep for a while, then I’d wake up thinking of an example and have to write it down before I forgot it.” He laughed. “I know it sounds crazy.”

  “Not so crazy. That used to happen to me a lot when I worked in advertising.” Claire remembered all too well those sleepless nights. “How’s it coming now?”

  “Better.” His hands cupped his mug and he nodded. “Actually I think it might be one of my best.”

  “Your sermons are all good,” Claire said. “They really make a person think.”

  “Thank you, Claire.” Tony gazed at her as if he’d never seen her before. “I appreciate that.”

  “I’m not saying it to be nice.” Claire shrugged. “It’s the truth.”

  “Heaven forbid you should say it to be nice.” Tony’s lips quirked upward, and a teasing glint filled his dark eyes.

  “You’d better watch yourself, Tony Karelli.” Claire leaned across the table, a melodramatic warning in her tone. “You know what your teasing does to me.”