The Preacher Takes A Husband

The Preacher Takes A Husband

When do you expect Pastor Algrim? Jim asked, when he talked to Ellie on Thursday morning.

Any particular reason?

There could be. I ran into Bryce last night and he told me you’re setting up a work crew to help her move in. I thought I’d come over and help out.

Are you more interested in helping out or in the free food or in Jayne? She’s a very attractive lady.

If you must know, I’m interested in all three. I know what good cooks you have over at your church. You’ve dragged me to enough potlucks in the past two years to know that. I’m also considered fairly handy in the moving department. I may be old but I’m not helpless.

That covers two of the bases. What about the third?

What about the third? If I answer Ellie honestly, I’m opening up a kettle of worms. I don’t know what I feel about Jayne. I only know she fascinates me. Let’s just say it’s good to make new friends and leave it at that.

For now, but I won’t let this drop. The moving company assured her they’d be arriving at nine on Saturday morning. She’s leaving Dubuque Friday and spending the night at the Best Western. We told her we’d meet her at Alfrescos for fish at seven. Do you want to join us?

That might be a bit too obvious. I’ll just plan on meeting you at Dee and Bryce’s duplex on Saturday morning. I’ll bring donuts to go with the coffee. I’m sure Lane will keep you well supplied.

Jim hung up the phone. He certainly didn’t want Ellie pushing things. He knew how she could be. You only had to look at Dee and Bryce to know that Ellie liked to play matchmaker.

He knew he wasn’t ready for a relationship, but a new friend to maybe go out to dinner or a movie with would be good. His choices of single women his age in Minter were limited, to say the least. There was Evelyn VanEtt who was in her eighties, Virginia Bass, who was well past seventy and Amanda Sprague who was in her early sixties and was only interested in getting laid. Her divorce became final two months ago and she thought every single man between the ages of eighteen and eighty was fair game. All Evelyn and Virginia were interested in was going to the Senior Citizen Center and playing canasta, while he liked to go to plays, the movies and out to dinner. Of course, all of those things were out because those two old gals were usually in bed by seven.

Other Works From The Pen Of

Sherry Derr-Wille

Becky’s Rebel

North battles South as Joe Kemmerman fights Becky Larson’s Yankee brothers for the right to make Becky his own.

Coffee Tea or Love

In the first of the stories surrounding those gals from Minter, WI, Lane Allerton is faced with the man who got her pregnant thirty-five years ago. Is Grant Price her dream lover or a nightmare?

Transplanted Love

Lori Carter is reluctant to tell the new man in her life about her kidney transplant. For one night she wants to be like everyone else and not the bionic woman.

A Precious Jewel

Julie Weston thought she had the perfect marriage, until she learned the truth about the man she’s been mourning for a year. Wanting to be loved if only for one night turns her life upside down when Devan Yates enters her life as well as her heart.

Bosslady

Nineteen years after Joe claimed Becky as his own, their daughter, BJ, is returning to Texas to claim what is rightfully hers. When she runs into Whit, the foreman of her ranch, she finds the fight is going to be tougher than she ever thought.

Her Tenant

Dee Williams has a duplex to rent but Bryce Devlin isn’t her idea of the perfect tenant. He is so handsome that he tempts her and at the same time he is far too available to fight her attraction to him.

Kate Armstrong: Over-The-Hill Coed

Kate needs to get the three credits she is short in order to get her degree but going back to school after over thirty years is hard. Even harder is finding that the jerky jock who gave her fits in high school is now her professor, Denny Bostian.

Hello, Do You Know Me?

Jerry Fellows went to Vietnam and returned in a body bag, or did he? Thirty-five years later Matt Bratzman starts having flashbacks. In order to find out if he’s Matt or Jerry, he must take a trip to Minter, WI and learn the truth about his identity.

Quade’s Quest

When Quade is transferred to a remote post in Montana, he realizes that the life of a Lieutenant in the Army might not be for him, especially since he’s met and fallen in love with Hannah. She is the daughter of the most feared renegade in the area, but has been raised in the white world as the adopted daughter of the missionary.

Wings

The Preacher Takes A Husband

by

Sherry Derr-Wille

A Wings ePress, Inc.

Encore L’Amour Novel

Wings ePress, Inc.

Edited by: Leslie Hodges

Copy Edited by: Elizabeth Struble

Senior Editor: Lorraine Stephens

Executive Editor: Lorraine Stephens

Cover Artist: Christine Poe

All rights reserved

Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Wings ePress Books

http://www.wings-press.com

Copyright © 2007 by Sherry Derr-Wille

ISBN 978-1-59705-263-4

Published by Wings ePress, Inc. at Smashwords

Published In the United States Of America

August 2007

Wings ePress Inc.

403 Wallace Court

Richmond, KY 40475

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Pastor Jane McChesney for the inspiration for my main character, Jayne. I also want this dedicated to Bishop George Carlson and his lovely wife, Solveig, for all the technical support. Without your help this book might have not been completely correct.

Table of Contents

Other Works by Sherry Derr-Wille

Dedication

Prologue

Start of Book – Chapter 1

Epilogue

Meet Sherry Derr-Wille

Prologue

You have been doing God’s work for a long time, Jayne. The time has come for you to take the next step. You know I’m always with you and I am so proud of you as well as the children.

Jayne reached out her hand and touched her husband’s face. At least in her dreams he was never more than thirty years old, the age he had been when he had been taken from her so many years earlier. Did he realize how much she’d changed with the years? He said he did, but did he see her as a fifty something grandmother who was considering attending seminary or was she still the young girl he had left behind?

Oh, Andy, I miss you so much. I don’t understand why God took you from me and then led me on this path.

Andy laughed and the sound of it reminded her of when they were dating and first married. He’d laughed a lot then. When he was killed it had been amazing just how quiet the house had become.

I cannot say that I miss you, my dear, for I remain beside you. It is a gift that God has given me, just as he has given you the gift to preach the word to the children and now to everyone. This path will take you on an adventure that will bring you great happiness. There are some special people coming into your life. You will bring them to see God’s love and they will give you their love in return. Be receptive to these people, for they are sent from God for a very special reason.

~ * ~

The alarm went off causing the dream to fade from her subconscious but not from her memory. Reluctantly, she got out of bed. This was to be her first day of school at Wartburg and it wouldn’t be proper if she were late.

Over the years she had taken courses here and there until she at last had her bachelor’s degree. Those classes had been at the two-year extension of the university as well as at one of the four-year campuses that was only twenty miles from her home. She’d been the oldest member of most of her classes, but had found that she could wear blue jeans or slacks and be able to fit in with her younger classmates.

These classes would be entirely different. This wasn’t the laid back campus of the university. This was a post-graduate school. If she made it through the courses she would be able to be a minister and preach the word of God to a congregation that would call her Pastor Jayne.

She searched frantically through her closet for just the right blouse to wear with her navy suit for the first day of school. Over the summer, she had scoured the thrift shops for dark colored suits that would be appropriate for the seminary. Her more flamboyant wardrobe had been weeded out and sent to Goodwill, the Salvation Army and the thrift shops that had become her favorite stores. Her only concession to her love of bright colors came in the blouses that hung next to the suits in her closet.

One

Jayne Algrim paced the living room of her apartment. On Sunday she would be graduating from seminary and as of yet she had not been accepted by any of the three churches where she’d been interviewed.

She glanced at the phone for the hundredth time in the past hour. As she did, she thought of the three interviews she’d been on. At each one, the members of the call committee had been polite and completely impossible to read.

Face it, no one wants a fifty something lady minister. She hated the voice of reason that sounded in her head. At first she’d been able to ignore it, but now it hit too close to the truth for her comfort.

The thought no more than crossed her mind than the phone began to ring. She took a deep breath before she answered and still picked it up before the second ring. Hello, she said, hoping she didn’t sound overly anxious.

Jaynie, is that you? Why are you out of breath?

She immediately recognized the voice of her friend, Claire Lowe. Yes, it’s me and no, I’m not out of breath. I just thought you were...

You thought I was from one of the call committees. I wish I were, but you need to get out of that apartment and quit worrying about it. You know what they say about a watched pot. I’m pulling up in front of your place. Get down here and we’ll go to lunch.

Jayne smiled when she looked out the window and saw Claire parking in front of the house. She quickly put on her jacket and grabbed her purse before heading toward the stairs to join her friend.

She’d met Claire on the first day she was in Dubuque. While she was going to be studying at Wartburg, Claire was witnessing at the casino. They’d both stopped at McDonalds for a burger and met while standing in line. They’d formed an instant and lasting friendship over the past four years and talked daily, even when Jayne did her internship in a large church in Davenport last year.

They certainly made a strange pair. Jayne was a grandmother who had been widowed for thirty years and was embarking on yet another change of careers in her already full life. In contrast, Claire was flamboyant in not only her personality but also her wardrobe. Even though she admitted to being thirty-five, Jayne knew her friend’s true age was forty-six.

After locking the door, Jayne hurried down the stairs. As usual, Claire was dressed to the nines and had the top of her convertible down, even though the May weather was still well below the acceptable temperature to do so.

Just where is your coat? Jayne demanded.

Coat? Claire repeated the word in the form of a question. Coats in May are for wimps.

Then call me a wimp, Jayne replied, as she pulled her spring jacket tighter around her neck. So, where are we going for lunch?

I was thinking about that little tearoom you like so well.

Jayne raised her eyebrows, even though Claire couldn’t see her do it. The tearoom was one of the most expensive places for lunch in town and Jayne went there only when she scrimped and saved for a special occasion.

What did you do, hit the jackpot at the casino last night?

Almost. One of my customers hit it big and tipped me well. Of course I would have taken you to the tearoom today even if he hadn’t. I’ve been planning this for several weeks. I wanted you and me to have a private pre-graduation celebration.

Some celebration, Jayne lamented. I’ll be the only member of my graduating class to have their degree with no church to go to.

Claire didn’t reply. Instead, she swung the car into the parking lot of the tearoom. When she made sudden turns like that, Jayne held on for dear life.

Once they were seated at one of the secluded tables, Claire reached into her purse and pulled out a perfectly wrapped box. I wanted to give you this before all the hoopla of graduation starts.

Jayne took the small box from her friend and ran her fingers over the foil wrapping. It was no secret that the box contained jewelry, since nothing else came in such a small package. As she looked at the gift, she understood that this could, indeed, be the last quiet moment they might have until after graduation when Jayne’s family went back to their normal lives.

Her fingers trembled as she opened the wrapping. Once she flipped open the lid of the velvet covered box, she gasped as she saw the black hills gold cross with matching earrings nestled in the white satin of the interior.

Oh Claire, they’re beautiful, but you can’t afford...

I didn’t buy them, Mom did. She made me take her shopping on one of her good days. She’d had them on layaway with her favorite jeweler. She said that she had seen them right after she first met you and decided they would make the perfect graduation present for you.

Jayne lifted the necklace, dangling the delicate cross from its fine chain. It was one she remembered seeing in the window of the jewelry store downtown. It had broken her heart to leave it at the store, but she knew it was certainly nothing that her budget would allow.

It’s absolutely perfect. Your mom was so special to me. Now she’ll always be with me.

She looked up to see that Claire had one of those ‘I’ve got a secret and you don’t know what it is,’ looks on her face. She knew her friend had a secret she was dying to share. So what’s the look for?

That’s my present to you. I’ll be with you as well.

What do you mean? Jayne asked, completely bewildered by her friend’s statement.

The only reason I came to Dubuque was because of Mom. The only reason I stayed was because you have become my very dear friend. When you find out where you’re going, I’m going with you. I’ll have less trouble finding a new job than I will a new best friend. I checked out the places where you’ve interviewed. As soon as the ink is dry on the proposal, I’m ready to start sending out résumés. I have a list of the top restaurants in each town.

Tears stopped any words that may have come from her lips. You’d do that for me? she asked when she again regained her composure.

Claire nodded. I have to admit, that when I first moved here, I would never have said this, but God sent me here. At first I thought I came for Mom, but then I met you. I didn’t think much about it until Mom was so sick. She told me that God had sent me to comfort her, but I would soon find that I needed to be here in order to support you in your studies and your new career.

She was right, Jayne agreed, even though Claire’s declaration came as a surprise. God sends angels to do his work. I always thought he sent me to be with you and your mother when she was so sick. When she went home, we became closer than when we first met. I thought it was you who needed me, but now I realize it is definitely the other way around.

Claire smiled at Jayne’s comment, but said nothing since their waitress had brought their soup and sandwiches. Her silence gave Jayne a chance to think about the prospect of Claire coming with her to wherever God saw fit to send her. Life with Claire wouldn’t be dull, but would a church council frown on someone like her flamboyant friend sharing her home?

~ * ~

The answering machine blinked merrily when Jayne entered the apartment. Her stomach did a somersault that would have scored a perfect ten in the summer Olympics.

Aren’t you going to listen to it? Claire asked.

With shaking hands, Jayne pressed the play button. The first message began and Jayne recognized her daughter’s voice. Hi, Mom. Just wanted to let you know that Jeremy and I’ll be arriving with the kids on Friday night. We got rooms at the Holiday Inn. Why don’t you meet us there for breakfast on Saturday morning?

Even though Jayne was pleased that her daughter and her family would be coming for graduation, she was disappointed that the first message wasn’t an offer of a job. With her daughter and husband living in Fort Wayne, Indiana, it was quite a trip. Even the boys would have a long drive to get here from the Chicago area.

The machine beeped signaling the end of Annie’s message. There was a brief silence before the second message began.

I’m calling for Jayne Algrim. This is Ellie Preston from Minter, Wisconsin. Could you please call me back at 608-555-4723? I’m the chairperson of Hope’s call committee. I’d like to talk to you about becoming our pastor. I do hope you haven’t accepted another position.

Again the machine beeped signaling the end of the message. Rather than reaching for the phone to return the call, she stared at it as though it was a poisonous snake.

Woo hoo! Claire shouted. Her voice was loud enough that Jayne was certain that the people in the downstairs apartment had heard her. They want you. I was praying for you to get a call from Minter. Aren’t you going to call her back?

C—call? Jayne stammered. I—I don’t have a number for her.

Claire laughed. It’s a good thing I was with you. I copied down the number on the pad you keep by the phone. I’m not leaving until you make that call.

Jayne continued to stare at the phone. The call she’d been waiting for had come when she wasn’t at home. She took a deep breath to compose herself before she reached for the portable phone.

Oh, for goodness sake, you’re shaking so badly I don’t trust you to dial the number correctly, Claire said as she took the phone from Jayne’s hand.

Once the number was dialed, Jayne put the receiver to her ear and listened as the line on the other end rang twice.

Hello, the voice of the woman who answered matched the one on the answering machine.

Hello, Jayne responded, surprised at how calm her voice sounded. This is Jayne Algrim. I just returned home and heard your message.

Oh Pastor Algrim, I’m so pleased that you returned my call. Does this mean you haven’t accepted another position?

I guess it does. I would be very interested in considering your proposal, but I’m in the midst of graduation preparations. We wouldn’t be able to meet in person until after the first of the week.

There was silence on the other end of the line, as though the woman was trying to decide what to do considering the circumstances.

I’ll be honest, we checked all your references, including the parishioners at the church where you did your internship. We even talked to the bishop. You come highly recommended. It sounds like we’re pushing you but we’ve been without a minister for over a year and we’re anxious to find a perfect match.

Without hesitation, Jayne gave the woman her email address before they ended their conversation.

So, what did she say? Claire asked while Jayne still held the phone in her hand.

Jayne stared at the phone in hardly able to believe the conversation she’d just engaged in. She’s sending me a proposal via email.

Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s go in and turn on your computer. If they’re so anxious that they’re sending the proposal by email, we should be there when it comes through.

Don’t you have to go to work or something?

Claire laughed. "Not today. This is my day to be with you. That proposal is as important to me as it is to you. I’m glad that your son-in-law is coming this