Felicia Mason - Sweet Accord

Had they met under different circumstances they might have been friends, maybe even something more. But that didn’t seem possible, let alone likely. She’d made it pretty clear what she thought about him and his work. Yet, much like a moth flirting with a flame that would eventually consume it, Matt found himself compelled to get to know her better, to break down the defenses she’d built around herself.

Since he didn’t want to again be accused of sneaking up on her, he cleared his throat and rapped his knuckles on the open door.

“Excuse me. Haley?”

She glanced up, a smile on her face. When she saw it was him, though, the smile faded. “Hello, Mr. Brandon.”

“Call me Matt. Please.”

She took a breath and put down a packet of promotional fliers. “What can I do for you?”

“I told Eunice you were okay with the plan for Sunday,” Matt said.

“But I’m not okay with it,” she said, putting air quotes around okay.

“Haley, this is the day she does the bulletin for Sunday. I gave you my changes yesterday. When you didn’t voice any objections, which, I might add, I appreciated, I told Eunice everything was fine for Sunday.”

“But everything isn’t fine. We haven’t discussed anything.”

Matt folded his arms. “She’s at the printer’s right now getting copies made.”

Haley wanted to cry out in frustration. But Matt couldn’t be faulted here. She’d gotten so caught up in feeling sorry for herself last night that she’d run off without resolving the issue between them. “Well, we still have to come up with long-term recommendations for next week’s council meeting. I’m free now. I was just finishing up with some vacation Bible school inventory.”

“Sorry. I have plans.” He smiled and Haley remembered the quiet conversation he’d had the previous evening. A date? The man had just moved to town and he had a date already.

She really couldn’t blame the women of Wayside. Men who looked like Matt didn’t come along very often. Forbidden fruit, that’s what he was.

“Hi, Matt. Hi, Haley.”

They both looked up to see who stood at the open door.

“Hi there, Cindy.” He sent a smile the young woman’s way and the girl’s face lit up. “I’ll be right there.”

The teen’s shy smile had Haley glancing between the girl and the musician.

“Haley, we’re looking forward to seeing you tomorrow,” Cindy said. “You will be there, won’t you?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Haley said. She’d actually been looking forward to the surprise farewell party for Eric Nguyen, an exchange student who was headed home after spending the fall term in the United States. He’d been sponsored by Community Christian Church.

Haley’s gift to him was a photo album half-filled with images of Eric and his American friends during church activities. All she had to do was wrap it.

But the party was the least of her worries right now. Matt Brandon was the problem.

He’d been here barely two weeks and if the adoring look in her eyes was any indication, Cindy Worthington was putty in his hands.

Haley’s eyes narrowed. Cindy was Deacon Worthington’s only grandchild. She was young, sheltered, very pretty in a china doll way and just barely eighteen.

Matt cutting a swathe through the single women in Wayside was one thing; hitting on girls at the church was another entirely. Extremely protective of her young people, Haley’s hackles rose.

Could Cindy with the sweet soprano voice have been the woman he’d privately whispered to yesterday?

“I have to get going,” he told Haley. “I’ll see you Sunday.”

Troubled, Haley watched them go. He didn’t put his arm around Cindy, but he leaned down to see whatever the girl had in her hands.

Matt Brandon thought he was slick. But Haley, already on to his tricks, wouldn’t let him take advantage of anyone, especially her young people who could so easily be influenced by flash, dash and a sexy smile. Haley knew from painful experience that that potentially lethal combination led to nothing but heartache.

She’d have a talk with Cindy after Sunday school and then, depending on the outcome of that conversation, she’d voice her concerns to Reverend Baines. And in the meantime, she’d ignore the stab of jealousy that arced through her and focus on what was really important.

The party was in full swing when Matt arrived at the home of Cliff and Nancy Baines. He’d been invited earlier in the week by Cindy and some of the choir members and hadn’t planned to attend…until he’d heard Haley say she’d be there.

“Matt, I’m so glad you could come,” Nancy Baines said as she ushered him into the house. “Everyone’s down in the family room.”

Matt could hear the laughter and conversation floating up from a nearby room.

“Food’s over there. Help yourself.”

He held up a small, but gaily wrapped gift. “I wasn’t sure if I should bring something.”

“Oh, how sweet. You didn’t have to, though. You’ve never even met Eric. Sign the guest book, would you? We want Eric to return home with good memories of his time in Wayside. And you can put that on the table over there.”

Matt found a place for the CD on a table already overflowing with presents, then wandered down into the family room, where a rousing game of charades was being played.

He grinned. Haley was right in front kneeling on the floor and yelling out answers.

“Baby. Infant.”

“Rockabye baby!” somebody hollered.

The player’s shoulders slumped and he started pantomiming again.

Reverend Baines joined Matt at the arched entry to the sunken room. “Hi, there. Nancy told me you’d come in.” The minister pressed a glass of red punch into Matt’s hand.

“Thanks. Looks like a great party.”

“One for my baby!” Haley said.

The player nodded. Applause and high fives went up all around. Haley scrambled up and gave the previous player, a boy of about sixteen, a hug. As he took a seat among the twenty-five or so people gathered, Haley plucked a card from the box and read it on her way to the open area in front of the fireplace. “Oh, goodness.”

“No talking, Haley.”

“I know. I know. But this is hard.” She furrowed her brow and then her face lit up.

Smiling, Matt relaxed against the archway and watched as Haley held up three fingers to indicate the number of words. Tonight she wore a pair of capri pants, with a long floral see-through jacket over a scooped neck top. Everyone settled down as she started the first word. She held her arms out at her sides and shook her hips from left to right. Matt’s eyebrows rose.

“Aerobics,” someone guessed.

“Hula hoop.”

Haley gave a quick shake of her head indicating those weren’t correct. She shook her hips faster.

“Hawaiian hula. A luau.”

Haley slapped a hand over her head, then indicated she was starting over. She held her hands stretched out in front of her, closed her fists and turned them in opposite directions.

“Twist,” Matt said softly.

“Yell it out,” Reverend Baines told him.

“Not yet,” Matt said as he studied her.

Haley held up three fingers telling the group she would work on the third word. She cupped her hands over her mouth and opened her mouth wide.

“Twist and shout,” Matt said, this time loud enough for his voice to carry across the room.

Cliff chuckled as all eyes turned to where they stood. “Well done, Matt.”

Matt accepted the applause and greetings as he made his way to the front of the room. Haley’s eyes never left his.

“So, was that right?”

She licked her lips and glanced away. “Yes.”

“Way to go,” someone said slapping his back.