Chapter 8

Dried leaves scraped across the concrete as Alexa stepped from the church into the late-September wind. She could handle a little wind, as long as the sky stayed clear and blue.

James was waiting for her with a car on the curb. She preferred to walk home from church if possible, and today would be a beautiful day for a stroll, but she needed to change clothes before Salvatore picked her up for their date.

Stepping into the black sedan, she made herself comfortable before checking her cell. She had a missed call from Salvatore five minutes ago.

He answered on the second ring, and she smiled when he spoke.

“Good morning, Miss Black.”

“Good morning, Mr. Bradford.” She adored his playful use of their surnames. Knowing she should temper her excitement, she asked, “How can I help you?”

“Are you out of church?”

“Yes, I attend the early service.”

“As do I.”

She detected an obvious note of happiness in his voice but forced herself to ignore it. Sure, they shared many compatible qualit