Chapter 19
nineteen
O f course today the church was packed.
Elisa clutched her tumbler of coffee a little tighter as Noah leaned in close, ducking his head to whisper as they hesitated at the top of the center aisle of Magnolia Grace. His breath tickled her ear and sent a rush of shivers down her back. “I realize I haven’t been to church in a while, but I’m assuming we can’t crawl around under the pews to search for our next clue.”
She forced a smile at the rows of eyes peering at them from behind raised bulletins, trying not to get lost in the nostalgia of Noah’s cologne wafting over her. Bad enough he’d worn a light green collared shirt that did dangerous things to his eyes. “I think that would make everyone stare more than they already are.” She normally sat third pew from the front, but with Noah at her side, that suddenly felt like fixing a giant target to her back. She also typically sat with her father, and that, too, felt like a horrible idea.
For a moment, she recognized what Noah might be feeling—out of place.
The gray carpet stretching toward a stage containing a pulpit, acoustic guitar, and a few stools for the worship team offered zero leads on where they should start searching. She winced. “Then again, we might get desperate enough for a pew crawl before the day is over.”
“We don’t know if the clue is even at a church, much less this particular one.” Noah frowned, adding to the stress lines already crinkling his forehead. He pulled the Bible he held tighter against his chest. “But I guess we have to start somewhere.”
“Exactly. Time is ticking.” She held up her wrist, then gave it a double take as her smartwatch alerted her to a high heart rate. Looked like Noah wasn’t the only nervous one.
Or maybe he was making her nervous.
After their conversation with Pastor Dubois yesterday in the diner, Elisa had gone back to the kitchen to prep for the lunch rush while Noah had headed to the Blue Pirogue. They’d exchanged a few texts, brainstorming ideas for the next clue, but had come up with no real leads.
And had never finished the interrupted conversation in the kitchen. Though she’d pretty much been done, hadn’t she? Not much else to say after they both declared any further relationship a mistake. The best thing to do was move forward with the hunt, and try to guard her heart as much as possible before he moved away.
Again.
She cleared her throat. “We should find a seat.” Get away from the stares, and this train of thought that wasn’t beneficial to a Sunday morning.
Elisa rose on tiptoe and searched the crowded pews for Zoey or Mama D, hoping they could squeeze in with either of them. She spied Farmer Branson, who had claimed his usual spot on the far side, wearing his best overalls. And there was Sadie in her brightly patterned sundress and denim jacket, sitting on the same row with Miley from Chug a Mug, who’d sprung for ripped jeans and a black choker necklace today. They looked like two mismatched book ends for the pew.
But there was no sign of Zoey or Mama D amidst the throng of floral-print dresses, diaper bags, and giggling children playing tag around their parents. Zoey might have had nursery duty today.
“Dude! You made it.” Cade appeared at Noah’s side, wearing a fitted navy sports coat and a hot pink tie that would have looked silly on anyone else. On Cade, though, it only made his “straight off the pages of a men’s magazine” vibe even stronger.
Noah shook his hand. “Yeah, you might not want to get too close. Lightning strikes, and all that.”
“I’m good at ducking.” Cade grinned and clamped one hand on Noah’s shoulder. “Seriously, though, I’m glad you’re here. I’d offer to sit with you two, but I don’t want to get in trouble with the cops again.”
Noah snorted as his eyes darted around the church. “That’s fair.” His tone held steady, but his smile wobbled, betraying his nerves.
“I can tell you the nursery has the best snacks, though.” Cade leaned in like he had a secret. “Animal crackers and apple juice.”
Elisa grinned. “I’ve always wondered where you run off to halfway through the sermon.”
“Hey, it pays to know the PK. I get the insider info.” Cade glanced over his shoulder toward the front row. “Speaking of Owen, I need to catch him before the service starts.”
Elisa glanced up at Noah. Was it her imagination, or had Noah stiffened at the mention of Owen?
Cade pointed at them as he walked backwards a few steps. “We’ve got a community softball game tomorrow night. I locked down a donor for concessions, so all the snack sales go to the hurricane recovery fund. Pastor is supposed to announce it from the pulpit today…you guys in?”
Noah winced, shifting his Bible to his other hand. “I haven’t played in years.”
“Perfect.” Cade switched his pointing finger to a thumbs-up. “I’ll put you on the opposite team from me. Elisa?”
“If I’m in, she’s in,” Noah answered before Elisa could open her mouth.
“You any good?” Cade raised his eyebrows at her.
Elisa rolled in her lower lip. “Define good…”
“Sweet, so that’s two for the other team. Got it.” Cade winked. “See you guys after the service.” He was gone before Elisa could remind him she’d fielded in high school.
“Well, you can tell he’s a politician’s son.” Noah rubbed his hand down his face. “Sorry I roped you into that without asking.”
“It’ll be fun.” She shot him a look. “I’m more surprised you agreed.”
“It’s hard to tell Cade no, especially for a good cause. Though he should have remembered that softball in particular is difficult because—never mind.” Noah’s gaze flicked across the room again as soft piano music began to play. “Did we decide where to sit?”
She wanted to ask what he was going to say, but those still milling around began moving to their seats. Elisa nudged Noah toward the back row on the left. “This will work.”
“So what’s the plan?” Noah asked as the music picked up in tempo. “After church, we nose around? See if anything jumps out at us?”
“Works for me.” Elisa set her purse on the floor by her feet. “I’m sort of hoping God gives me a better idea during the service, but so far, that’s all I’ve got.” Then she spotted her father down on the third row, and she sank a little lower in the pew. Hopefully he wouldn’t turn around.
Noah followed her gaze. “I could have sat by myself, you know.”
“It’s okay.” Elisa shook her head. “I know it’s not easy for you to be here in the first place.”
His gaze softened. “It’s not all bad.”
She swallowed, looking away. Refusing to give in to the push-pull between them that never seemed to end. “Good.”
The music minister motioned for everyone to stand as the first phrase of the chorus began. Elisa closed her eyes, letting the joyful voices of the congregation swell around her, calm her heart. She wasn’t just here for a treasure hunt—she was here for worship.
As the closing strains of the chorus receded, the congregation resumed their seats. Elisa tried to make sure she landed far enough away from Noah to not risk brushing his arm, but also not be obvious she was creating distance.
She had to play it cool around him. He didn’t need to know how she felt—that their courthouse kiss was a mistake, yes, but also the best thing that had happened in over a decade. Or that every time she saw Noah, she wanted to merge the past with the future and create a new timeline. One where they didn’t screw it up.
But he was leaving. And she wouldn’t be left standing alone again, watching him walk away and choose a different life without her in it.
No, best to, as usual, be a good girl .
On the stage, Pastor Dubois greeted the congregation with a hearty welcome and read a few announcements from the bulletin before opening his Bible.
“I prayed about what to say this morning for our Scripture reading time, and I’ll be honest, I had something pretty eloquent prepared.” He adjusted his tie with a sheepish grin. “But I felt the Holy Spirit nudging my pride away and giving me a new direction. Figure I better go with that.”
The congregation chuckled.
“Turn with me to Romans 8, please.”
Pages shuffled. Elisa opened her own worn Bible, noting Noah struggling to find the designated book next to her. She gestured toward the back, and he dipped his head in acknowledgment.
Pastor Dubois cleared his throat away from the mic, then began to read. “Romans 8:35 and following. ‘For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’”
For I am sure …Elisa ran her finger over the words on the page, smooth under her finger. The congregation fell silent, save for Noah’s shifting on the pew next to her. Across the room, someone coughed.
The pastor looked up from his Bible, a peaceful smile on his face. “Can we let that soak in? God loves us.” He paused. “We might not all have ideal father figures, in fact, I’m sure we don’t. I know I fail my own adult children daily.”
Noah shifted again, the pew squeaking under his weight. She shot him a sideways glance.
Pastor Dubois tapped his open Bible on the podium. “But God loves with a perfect love—one we can’t lose because it’s not dependent on us to earn it or keep it. And one that never quits.”
A muffled amen sounded from the back of the room.
“Don’t get me wrong, God hates our sin—but he dealt with that through Jesus.” Pastor Dubois gestured toward the cross mounted in the baptistry behind him. “And if you’re a believer, then your debt is paid, and you’re accepted. Right now. Just like you are, flaws and all. The real you…not the image you present on Sunday.”
Elisa’s heart beat faster. Those were almost Delia’s exact words from Chug a Mug. You know the right man will love you for who you are…not the image you present…
Maybe that’s where she’d gone wrong so far—trying to please men and earn love. Her father. Noah. Trey.
Yet God beckoned with a love that came with zero conditions. Did that mean she wasn’t too much? That God didn’t find her dramatic and exhausting when she shared her feelings?
Somewhere along the way…after her mom’s death…she’d stopped praying regularly. She’d assumed she’d become gun-shy, afraid to ask for anything else after her pleas for her mom’s health hadn’t been answered.
But maybe she’d stopped praying because she was afraid God wouldn’t want to see her disappointment.
“I hope you’re warmed by the embrace of God’s love for you today.” Pastor Dubois’s voice quieted.
Elisa traced the bold number 8 on the page with her fingers, her heart racing. Maybe she could risk being real again. With God, anyway.
Just to start.
* * *
Noah gripped the back of the pew as the united voices of the congregation swelled around him in song. He’d made it through the reading from Philippians and the first praise chorus fine, distracted by the curious glances aimed his way and the scent of Elisa’s shampoo to his right.
But now, as everyone settled in—leaving Noah no choice but to do the same—the words of the next hymn pierced the defenses he’d carried for years.
Iwas sinking deep in sin
Far from the peaceful shore
That was him. He knew it as surely as he knew the best bait to use for sea bass. He tightened his grip on the wood beneath his hands.
Very deeply stained within
Sinking to rise no more
Noah might be an avid swimmer, but these past few years, he’d been sinking. The weight of his family’s legacy, the financial stress of the inn, his father’s shame. His own bad decisions along the way.
All of it had tied tight around his ankles and dragged him down.
Sinking to rise no more.
Noah stared without seeing toward the screen, the lyrics of the hymn blurring together. He’d spent so much energy attempting to outrun his family name and attempting to correct his family’s name that he hadn’t accomplished either. So the toxic cycles of denial and resignation continued, churning like a whirlpool, spraying accusations from so many voices over so many years—his mom, Isaac Bergeron, Sheriff Rubart—that he couldn’t even separate them anymore.
He was a Hebert.
He was sunk.
But the master of the sea
Heard my despairing cry
Noah raised his head, Elisa’s clear soprano singing loud beside him.
From the waters lifted me
Now safe am I.
Emotion clogged his throat. His own words from his conversation with Elisa mixed with the rhythm of the hymn. “ I catch myself assuming God is like my dad, which I don’t think is true. But then I’m not sure what to think, so I don’t.”
Maybe that was his problem all along. What had they read in Philippians 2? He squinted as he fought to recall. “ ThereforeGod hashighly exalted him and bestowed on himthe name that is above every name…”
That was it. He’d been trying to come to terms with his own name rather than focusing on the Name above all Names.
The hymn continued, and he mouthed the words, unable to put voice behind them. Unable to fully believe they could be true.
Love lifted me
Love lifted me
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me
Elisa glanced up at him as the chorus continued. Her delicate brows drew together into a furrow, concern filling her pretty blue eyes.
He offered a smile as she sang, his heart clutching at the words like a drowning man would cling to a life preserver.
Love lifted me
Love lifted me
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me
If God could give Noah a moment during an old hymn, of all things, He could surely give them the next note card they needed in the hunt.
The service ended faster than Noah anticipated, even as the words of the hymn looped through his mind on repeat. He felt lighter—more bobber than anchor—and actually hopeful about their search.
“You okay?” From beside him on the pew, Elisa touched Noah’s arm as boisterous piano music signaled the end of the service. They stood at the same time.
“I am.” He took a deep breath, cracking his neck to the side, and released a short breath. “More so than I have been in a while, I think.”
“I’d love to hear about it later.” She tilted her head as she hitched her purse strap on her shoulder, and a wave of nostalgia mixed with longing swept over him. He might have figured out a few things today, but he had yet to figure out the puzzle that was Elisa Bergeron.
And there wasn’t a single clue for that search.
“Sure. Later.” He stepped back as the congregation filed out of the church in pockets. Zoey waved at them from across the center aisle, her dark bangs clipped back on one side. Then before he knew it, she had scooped Elisa into a big hug complete with hushed whispers that he could only assume was girl talk.
He gave them space, lingering in the back row, and paused to run his fingers over the family Bible he’d taken from Grandpa’s closet. For the first time in a long time, he wanted to go home and crack the cover. Learn more about the name that mattered.
Maybe learn how to let go of his own.
“Noah Hebert.” The creak of a wheelchair punctuated Delia’s firm voice.
He looked up. “Hey, Mama D.” She’d fluffed her gray hair that morning higher than usual. Her red lips matched her nails. He sat back down at the end of the pew so he could be eye level with her. “How you feeling?”
“Are you truly sitting in front of me right now, or did I get my med dosage wrong?” A teasing smirk lit Delia’s face and she reached out and clasped his hand with her own. Her grip was strong, but a hint of pain hovered in her eyes as she shifted in her wheelchair.
He squeezed back, carefully. “I’m here.”
“Well, glory be!” She gestured with her free hand to the worn Bible in her lap. “Answered prayers abound.”
“Am I that much of a heathen?” Noah chuckled. “Apparently Pastor Dubois has been praying for me, too.”
“Not that much of a heathen.” Delia squeezed back, tighter. Her gaze captured his and held. “That much loved.”
Love lifted me. A knot formed in Noah’s throat as the remnants of the hymn continued to play in his head. His earlier wondering of what he’d missed all those years being away from the church had been answered, right there in the frail grip of bony knuckles and the gentle resonance of a song.
“Thank you.” He wanted to say more, but the words wouldn’t come. They wouldn’t be enough, anyway.
Mama D seemed to understand, offering a smile and a final pat of his hand before she let go.
Elisa came up behind Delia, pausing to rub the older woman’s shoulders. “There you are. I didn’t see you before the service.”
“I figured you were avoiding me, seeing how you’re keeping secrets again.” Delia lifted her chin and sniffed. But the teasing sparkle in her eyes gave her away.
Elisa plopped on the pew in front of Noah, wincing. “Sheriff Rubart called you?”
“He did. Wanted to know if I wanted to file official charges.”
Elisa winced. “Did you?”
“I did. Hated to, but there was no way around it. And I filed the insurance claim.” Delia reached up to fiddle with her gold necklace. “Sad part is, I would have given that young man that cookware if he’d asked.”
“He doesn’t know you like we do.” Elisa rubbed Delia’s arm.
“Which is his loss.” Noah cleared his throat. “Is there anything else we can help with?”
“I heard you were bussing tables yesterday.” Delia pursed her lips at him, pink lipstick slightly smeared. “You’ve done plenty.”
That was the least he could do after all Mama D had done for him, but he had a feeling if he got mushy, she might smack him.
He caught Elisa’s eye and gestured toward the podium. “By the way, I had a thought during the service about the next clue.”
Delia sat up straighter. “You two still doing the treasure hunt?”
“Oh, don’t pretend you didn’t hear about the cops coming to the courthouse Friday night.” Elisa pointed at Delia. “I know the sheriff didn’t leave that out when he called you.”
“Well of course I knew about that. But wasn’t sure if you were still working on the hunt…or working on something else.” She eyed them both beneath her lashes.
Elisa’s eyes widened. “Mama D!”
Noah snorted.
“I’m just saying.” She held up both wrinkled hands in defense. “Now, be a dear and turn me toward the stage. I see someone I need to speak with.”
Elisa huffed and obliged, wheeling Delia around in the right direction as Mama D muttered something about save the date cards and getting on with it already.
“I would apologize for her, but…” Elisa shook her head as she took a seat on the row in front of Noah.
He watched Delia wheel herself purposefully toward the front of the church. “No one is changing Mama D. And no one should.”
Elisa’s eyes flickered to meet his. “I guess we really gave the town something to talk about.”
“We did, indeed.” He took a deep breath. “Look, I’ll be honest—I’ve been worried about my family name. This feud, the rumors. My dad…”
“I know it’s a lot.”
“What I’m trying to say is…it’s me.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “Are you really giving me the it’s not you, it’s me speech?”
“ No . Well, sort of.” He scooted back on the pew. “What I’m saying is that I’m grateful we reconnected. I always hated how things were left between us. But today, during the hymn…” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “I think maybe God is working on me, after all.”
“That’s great, Noah. Really.” Elisa squeezed his hand.
The lump in his throat eased a bit. “And…I think I have an idea where to search for clue number four.”
Her blue gaze held his. He could have easily drowned in their depths. Would she let him off the hook that easily? She deserved more explanation—assuming he could find the words to give it to her. He didn’t have it all figured out himself yet, but he’d found something on the pew this morning that had nothing to do with the treasure hunt.
But he would try to give her more, if she asked.
But she only shook back her hair and offered a mildly flirtatious smile. “So where is this next clue, Watson?”
Noah pointed to the baptistry, trying to decide if he was relieved or disappointed. “The song today—love lifted me. Made me think of the wording my childhood pastor used to say when he’d do baptisms.”
She tucked her hair behind her ears. “Raised to walk in newness of life?”
Noah nodded. “He’d say that, and add the scripture about lifting me from the slimy pit and onto a rock.”
“Yep. I think that’s in Psalm 40.”
“The baptistry has stairs, and the clue mentions ‘wooden stairs with stealthy tread.’” He shrugged. “It’s a thought. Grandpa attended this congregation years ago when he did go, so the odds of it being this particular location are good—if the clue really is talking about a church.”
Elisa stood, brushing the slight wrinkles from her dress. “To the baptistry, then. It’s as good a place as any to start.”
Noah grabbed his Bible from the bench and stood with her. “Just like that, huh?” He grinned. “You’re not going to argue this time about why my theory is probably way off?”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t.” Elisa winked. “But I’ll humor you.”
Friendship established. He relaxed into a smile before tapping her with his Bible. “Get moving, then, Sherlock. You’re wasting daylight.”
Laughing, they turned into the aisle.
Straight into Isaac Bergeron, wearing a pale blue tie and a scowl.