Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Inside, the familiar scent of wood polish and hymnals enveloped them. The sanctuary buzzed with pre-service energy. Familiar faces turned, conversations momentarily pausing as Jewel and Chase walked in.
She couldn't pinpoint the vibe—some were curious, some obviously held barely concealed judgment. Jewel felt Chase stiffen beside her, and she subtly positioned herself closer, a silent show of solidarity.
Taylor sat with her friend, Lucy, not with his family, but the rest of the Williams' brothers were up on stage already. Jewel felt the weight of a hundred stares, and Chase reached out, squeezing her hand in silent encouragement before he released her just as quickly and stepped back.
She was conflicted but had to trust her gut. He took a step toward his family's aisle, but she grabbed his hand and led him to the other side to where her family usually sat. He walked between the pews, and she followed him to the end near the stained-glass windows.
She looked up at him, and some of the tension around his mouth had eased as he looked down at her and let out a heavy sigh. She smiled and nodded as they turned to the front, Landry leading the congregation in the first song.
Whispers echoed around her, and she leaned over to ask, "Why aren't you up there?"
He leaned down, his breath teasing her ear. "I wasn't asked to join. Besides, what would I play?"
She snorted, "You can play anything. Don't think I've forgotten."
He smirked, and they turned back to singing just as Gemma and Henry arrived. She smiled tightly at them and caught Ava zipping down the wide center aisle in her power scooter. She glanced at Jewel, catching her gaze, and nodded before parking beside her family and lifting her head.
Jewel followed her lead, tilting her head and jutting her chin. She'd meet their gossip head on and diffuse the situation. Her sister and Dad were another problem though.
Gemma's posture was stiff, her expression unreadable. Henry hovered nearby, his glower seeming more bitter and uncertain than usual.
"We need to talk," Gemma said quietly in between songs, her tone brooking no argument.
Jewel's cheeks flamed, but she didn't let her chin drop, simply nodded. "Not here," Jewel whispered back.
Henry leaned around Gemma, his weathered face unreadable. "Ava says we're eating at the diner for lunch. No arguments."
When worship ended, Hunter sat with Taylor, and Jewel's chest ached, wondering if what she had with Chase would turn into something like Hunter had with Taylor. The way he had looked at her at the restaurant had told her all she'd needed to know. Did she even want Chase looking at her like that? She'd been a single mom for so long, ignoring all her wants and needs and focusing just on Destini.
When the service was over, people practically swarmed like vultures on Hunter and Taylor. Jewel didn't have time to worry about them though because they swarmed her too.
Jewel braced herself, recognizing the imminent flood of supposed well-wishers who just sought gossip.
Gemma spun to her, blocking those at the end of the aisle, her blue eyes sharp and penetrating. "Ava says Chase is Destini's father. When were you going to tell me about that?"
Jewel sighed, feeling a headache behind her eyes. "It's complicated."
"Complicated how? He's Destini's father. That seems pretty straightforward to me." Gemma crossed her arms, and Jewel leaned in to whisper.
"Yes, but I didn't know that until last week, did I?"
Gemma's hands dropped, her frown one of confusion and hurt at not being trusted with the information. "But why didn't you tell me it was a possibility?"
Chase's hand settled low on Jewel's back, sending a shiver up her spine even as he brought her comfort. "We didn't tell anyone, Gemma, not even Hunter."
Henry scowled over Gemma's shoulder. "Not now. Ava says we need to present a united front. We're going to go mingle and smile and go to the diner and be one big, happy family. Got it?"
Jewel nodded, and they filed out of the aisle, merging with Ava's group as Taylor walked out the door of the church, Hunter following her. Jewel nodded at Ava in her scooter, her piercing eyes pinning Jewel in place.
Chase's hand still on her back, warm and reassuring, she smiled at Ava and said, "Morning, Mrs. Williams."
She didn't miss the way his mother looked at his hand, the way Chase almost curled his body around her to protect her from stragglers as they lingered and listened.
Holly and Maryanne came from the side hallway, toddlers in their arms. They wiggled to be put down, and the kids chased each other through the pews, giggling and laughing as the congregation slowly made their way to the front doors.
Before Ava had a chance to say a word, Lola's grandmother Vonda approached with her friends, a flurry of bright colors and patterns.
Vonda grinned at Ava and thumped her cane on the hardwood floor. She asked about Ava's recovery, checking to see if more meals from the church were needed. Then her old eyes sharpened. "When will your newest granddaughter be moving to town, eh?"
Jewel cleared her throat and smiled. "Destini's agreed to move in at the end of the semester. Of course, I'm still trying to convince her to join us earlier, but you know how difficult teenagers can be."
Vonda laughed, her red hair garishly bright in the church lights. "Don't I know it. Ever since Lola and Kendall started fostering, I've been reminded of just how difficult it was when Lola and her mother were both teenagers."
Jewel smiled and murmured her agreement, but Vonda's sharp eyes were already on Chase. "So glad you've finally found happiness, my boy. So glad…"
Vonda spun on her heel, her friends following along behind, saying, "Congratulations on the upcoming wedding too."
Ava's head whipped to Jewel and Chase, and Jewel stepped away, shaking her head as panic raced through her. "Not us."
"Hunter and Taylor," Chase said, a frown on his face as his hand dropped to his side.
Parker shifted, still leaning against a pew. "Didn't you know, Ma? Why do you think they've been staying with me?"
Ava cupped her own cheek and shook her head, her face turning white. "No, damnit, I didn't. Why didn't anyone tell me? You didn't put them up at the Old Mill?"
Parker rolled his eyes. "I would've, but we're booked through the holidays."
"Language, dear," Bill said with a chuckle, making Ava scowl. She pushed the button on her scooter, and it inched down the aisle to the front door.
"When did they get engaged?" She fired question after question, and Landry and Parker walked beside her, each answering until Holly handed Landry his son. When Gunner took his daughter, Maryanne sighed and stepped up behind Ava, explaining the engagement story and proposal.
"It was so sweet, but very casual. How did you not know? It's all over town."
Ava paused and glared over her shoulder. "I haven't exactly been all over town, have I? I've been trying to figure out what's going on with Chase, Jewel, and Destini, but no one knows that story either. They've been hiding for days."
Chase sucked in a breath beside her, and she put her hand on his forearm, glancing around at the mostly empty church. He rubbed his forehead but glanced at her and sighed. Something silent passed between them, and she licked her lips.
Then she faced his parents, her dad and sister, and his family. Cheeks flaming red, she said, "Chase is Destini's father. We just got back from visiting Destini in Houston, as we both felt like she needed to know before we faced y'all. I hope you can understand that."
Chase shifted uncomfortably, his body tensing beside Jewel, and she realized their fingers were locked together in an unconscious bid for support. She could feel the energy radiating off him—part anxiety, part defensive anticipation—and she couldn't bring herself to break the contact of their hands.
She needed him more than she wanted to admit.
Parker broke the silence with a low whistle. "Man. All this time."
Landry, still holding Eddie, looked thoughtful. "So, Destini knows now? How'd she take it?"
Hunter walked through the doors and back to their group, his face cautious and open, but sad somehow.
Before Jewel could answer, Holly interjected, not having been part of the previous conversation. "When is she going to move to Crimson Creek?"
The questions came rapid fire, each family member processing the news in their own way, but when Ava spied Hunter, she pointed at him.
"You! Why didn't you tell me about the engagement? I would've had the pastor announce it, and we could've celebrated and welcomed her to the family."
"She doesn't exactly feel welcomed, now does she?" Hunter said, crossing his arms and frowning. He looked so much like Chase, Jewel had to blink.
Ava's shoulders slumped as she glared and pushed the button on her scooter. It crawled forward before it stopped. She jammed her finger on the button again, but nothing.
"Damnit, we have to find Taylor. I need to apologize…"
Chase jerked beside her, and the family lunged into action to help Ava now that her electric scooter wasn't working. Chase and Jewel hung back, and she looked up at him with concern.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly as the rest of his family went out the doors.
"I will be, eventually. I just—I'm supposed to talk to my parents about how they've treated me in the past year, but I haven't taken the time to do it yet. The way she jumped to apologize—she'll never do that for me."
She frowned. "Not if you don't give her a chance to. Don't clear the air seeking an apology, though. Do it for your own conscience. Think about how you'd want it to go if the roles were reversed and it was you and Destini. That's what's helped me the most with my dad."
Gemma glanced from one to the other before saying, "See you at the diner." Then she too followed the rest of the crowd out of the church.
Jewel's shoulders fell as she breathed a sigh. "I would ask if you want to grab lunch, but I think that's an order for us both, not an offer."
Chase chuckled, and together they walked hand in hand down the street to the diner.