Whispered Southern Secrets (Magnolia Grove #11)

Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Honey

My heart is full of warmth as I enter Mimi’s Gasoline Grove. I’d had the best time visiting with Olivia at her bakery. I send her a quick text.

Me: I’ve missed you, Livy. It was great catching up!

I wish I’d thought to grab a coffee to go but lucky for me here comes Laney and Emma.

“I come to make a trade!” Laney says holding a cup of coffee.

“How’d you know I was wantin’ coffee?” I smile as I take the cup of coffee from Laney. Both ladies work part-time at Jitterbug Coffee, and Emma also works at the Twisted Tulip.

Emma is carrying a stunning floral arrangement. “I come bearing gifts.” She looks around and then asks, “Where’s Mrs. Minnie?”

“You know she’d give you sweet tea without the flowers,” I tell her. Emma is so sweet to always bring one of her creations to help decorate the place. She knows how much my grandmother loves flowers.

“I know. But I love her enthusiasm over my arrangements.” Emma takes a moment to admire her handiwork. It’s fascinating how she manages to pull these together on a whim.

Mimi’s voice calls from the kitchen. “And I appreciate you, sweetheart.” Quickly, Mimi comes rushing out with open arms to greet the ladies. “Aren’t you all looking pretty as a new penny.” She claps her hands together and then covers her mouth. “Look at this! Honey, have you ever seen anything so beautiful?”

“Every morning,” Pepaw’s deep voice surprises us coming out of the kitchen as well. “Every day I wake up and see the most beautiful face.”

“Oh stop it you.” She blushes.

Laney and Emma release an aww in unison. Mimi tells them, “No, no. He’s probably talkin’ about himself when he looks in the mirror.”

Pepaw winks at us as before he walks out the front door to greet a customer at the pump.

“I’m going to put these in the front window. Emma, will you help me?”

“Absolutely!”

“Honey, get these wonderful little dears some sweet tea?”

“You got it, Mimi.”

I don’t get a chance to catch up with Laney and Emma, because as soon as I get their sweet teas, everyone begins showing up. Pepaw is busy with pumping gas, cleaning windshields, and chatting with everyone, giving them personal attention. Minnie stays busy boxing fresh fried catfish and making more sweet tea. I remain firmly placed at the cash register working quickly to ring everyone out in a timely manner while still being friendly.

When everyone finally clears out, I tell Pepaw and Mimi to go take a break and catch their breath. I’ve run the station plenty of times alone. Not even ten minutes has passed when fate decides to mock me…yet again. The bell over the door rings and who should walk in? None other than J.D.—or as everyone else knows him Pastor John David.

I can’t believe this is the son of Brother Johnny. The only thing they share in common—other than name—is their height. There must be giants somewhere in the family because this man is built like a lumberjack or a Viking warrior. All he needs is to let his hair down and unbutton his shirt and this guy could be one of the cover models on the historical romance novels Mimi keeps in her nightstand drawer. He could be John David the Conqueror.

“Still not sure what the H stands for. Harper or Honey?” His voice still sends a shiver through me. His eyes are beautiful. A deep blue sea I could easily get lost in.

I stammer for a minute as I try to settle on a word. “Harper. Honey. Both. Either.”

It’s hard to stand here before him because the memory of us together has me all flustered. I never imagined myself in this situation. For one thing, I still can’t believe I had a one night stand. That’s something I’d never imagined I’d do. But I did. Two, I never could’ve predicted being this unnerved over a man. The third and final area that has me flabbergasted is that my mystery man is inside Mimi’s Gasoline Grove. My grandparents could walk in any minute.

Oh no. My grandparents could walk in. Nope. Nope. Nope. “You have to leave.”

“I haven’t ordered my sweet tea yet.”

“My grandparents might walk in.”

“And… I’m a customer, darlin’.”

Darlin’. He’s the only man who could pull off saying that to me. “Should a preacher say,” I lower my voice dramatically, “‘darlin?’”

He smirks. “That’s not how I sound.” I give him a look that reads isn’t it. “It’s not a derogatory word. Did I offend you? Because I’m sorry, ma’am, I didn’t mean to.”

Why does he have to have the sexiest voice? Why does he have to be so gorgeous and forbidden? He’s the minister. This is all new territory for me and, quite frankly, I’m not enjoying it.

“Whatever. Can I help you, sir?”

“I wanted to clear the air. Get all the awkwardness out of the way.”

“Were you a minister when we…”

“No. It wasn’t even a path I was planning to pursue. You should know, you’re the only person I’d…”

“You were a virgin?” I whisper hiss.

“No, no, no. I just meant that I don’t—or never have—I mean—a one night stand isn’t something I’d ever done before.”

I was about to say I’d be thoroughly impressed had he been a virgin. He sure seemed to know what he was doing. I find comfort in knowing that wasn’t his typical routine. “Same. You were my first one-night stand. And last.”

“Same here.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

“So was it after me you found God?” He releases a full belly laugh. “What? I’m genuinely curious if I made you turn to religion…see the light…want to walk on a path of righteousness…become a better man… Did I make you see God?”

“As earth shattering as that night was?—”

“Earth shattering? I really rocked your world.”

“Yet you remain so humble. It’s truly inspiring.”

“I aim to be an inspiration to all.”

“But what I was going to say, before singingyour praises, was that I grew up in a Christian household. You do know I’m a preacher’s son?”

“Yet it took me to show you—” The door opens and I immediately close my mouth.

J.D. and I both turn to watch Mimi walking in.

“Well, Brother Johnny David! What a nice surprise.”

“Is it?” I mumble to myself. He hears me and gives me a scowl, but quickly recovers and rushes over to Mimi.

“Hello, Mrs. Minnie! It’s good to see you.” He shakes her hand. A part of me can’t help but notice he didn’t shake my hand. Rude.

“I see you’re getting to visit with my lovely granddaughter.”

“Oh she is lovely.” I don’t miss the sarcasm in his tone, but Mimi does.

Mimi guides him over to the counter and then leaves him in front of me. “Wait here. I’ll fix you up a fish plate and some sweet tea. I’ll put some in for your Ma and Pa as well.”

“You’re too kind, ma’am. We appreciate it.”

As soon as she’s out of hearing distance, I lean forward. “There’s nothing to clear up. I don’t want anyone to know we had a moment.”

“A moment?” he repeats incredulously.

“Yes. A moment.”

“Give me a little credit. It was longer than, ‘a moment.’ What happened to earth shattering?”

“You said that,” I huff out. I tilt my head and narrow my eyes at him. “You’re a minister. Aren’t you supposed to be above having an ego?”

“I’m a work in progress,” he admits.

The little smirk that tugs at the corner of his lips has me swooning. This would be so much easier if he wasn’t so adorable, honest, and funny. Standing up straighter, I tip my chin up.

“So, we’re in agreement that this is our secret. It’ll remain just between us.”

“Yes.”

“Never to be brought up again.”

“We ask for forgiveness and hand it over to God.”

“Yes. It remains between you, me, and the Almighty. Nobody else. Nobody.”

Mimi comes rushing back in with a bag full of to-go boxes and a drink carrier with three giant sweet teas. J.D rushes around the counter to assist her. She beams up at him. “Thank you. You know, you’re about Honey’s age. Only slightly older. Maybe you could introduce her to more people. She’s moving here, and her only friend is Olivia.”

Way to make me sound lonely and desperate. I hastily speak up to defend myself. “I also talk to Laney and Emmalee.”

“Well, maybe you could get to know Brother Johnny David better?” Mimi smiles to each one of us completely unaware how we’ve both gone silent.

“Brother Johnny David,” I begin in a tone that’s borderline snarky, “is busy learning to navigate the path of the righteous.”

Mimi chooses to ignore me. “Are there any committees at the church she could join? I want her to feel welcomed and part of the community. Getting involved helps with that and making friends. She’s so young, and Millard and I are old now.”

“Of course! I’ll see what I can do.” Of course he says of course. Either he is lying to Mimi, which will get him into more trouble with me than God, or he’s delusional if he thinks I’m joining a church committee with him.

“And I bet you two would get along. She’s such a pleasure to spend time with.”

The look on J.D.’s face is comical. I can’t help the laugh that bursts out of me. Pleasure was the wrong choice of words. J.D. knows all about what a pleasure I can be. And she’s right, we did get along.

His voice comes out forced. “No doubt about that, ma’am.” He clears his throat and nods to both of us. “Well I better be going. Thank you again, ma’am. You both have a blessed day.”

Over the course of several weeks I keep running into J.D. It doesn’t help that my best friend, Olivia, keeps inviting him to things. She threw me this amazing surprise party—but he was there. Worse. He had to be the nice guy and give anyone who had too much to drink a ride home. Okay, of course he had to be the nice guy he’s the minister! Doesn’t mean I had to like it. What was he even doing at a party? Can preachers party? He was social, but didn’t drink anything. Only gave rides to those who’d consumed alcohol. Plus he brought Landon Crawford with him. He’s been helping Landon, who is also ex-military, and Olivia’s ex-boyfriend. I think he’s also trying to help mend those relationships and Landon’s brother’s issues. Which is all wonderful and noble, but it puts us crossing paths, and it keeps me on edge because I never know when I’ll see him.

Of course I see him every Sunday, but I’m prepared for that. Him and his dad alternate on sermons or sometimes divide the service between them. He really does an amazing job with delivering the word. He makes every sermon so relatable. Then when he sings. His singing is a religious experience all on its own.

I’m unsure how I’m supposed to behave around him. We pretend nothing happened. It was three years ago, but every night when I close my eyes I return to moment. Sometimes I catch myself day dreaming about him. He’s a minister now and I’ve already been married and divorced before turning twenty-five. Which I don’t regret. I gave my heart to someone who didn’t deserve it, but I took it back and got the hell out of there. It was a hard lesson but I know now to be more careful. I’ll hold it with more care. Unfortunately, it only comes alive now when a certain minister is around.