any of these men, she never told him that she hadnât. As experienced as Norman was when it came to sex, which he had boasted about on many occasions in their past conversations, Paige couldnât dare allow him to believe that she wasnât just as equally experienced. So she let him assume and insinuate things about her without correcting him. Now she wished she hadnât.
Paige had been saved thirteen months now, and as hard as it sometimes was for her to walk her Christian walk, it seemed even harder for Norman to remember that she even had a Christian walk. She always felt like she was the one to blame for Norman not being mindful of her Christianity. The words from one of her pastorâs past messages would often bring about this doubt. âYou shouldnât have to wear Christianity on your sleeve. You shouldnât have to run around telling people you are a Christian. People should be able to look at you and know that you are a Christian. God said He made us in His image. Well, do you look like your Father?â
It was obvious that Paige didnât look like a Christian or Norman wouldnât be so forgetful about it. She made a mental note to call up Mother Doreen and ask for some guidance about that. Sheâd been a Christian longer than anybody she knew. Surely sheâd encountered her share of Normans.
Paige grabbed her purse and keys and instead of the normal, âEnjoy your shift,â sheâd usually give Norman, this time she said, âHave a blessed evening,â leaving Norman standing there looking as though she was speaking a foreign language.
âYeah, okay.â He snickered. âHopefully God will bless me by putting it on one of these beautiful womenâs hearts who are heading this way to give me their phone number. Umm, umm, umm.â Norman licked his lips.
Paige shook her head as Norman went to work with his smooth operator skills on the two women that approached the ticket window. âGod help him,â she said under her breath as she closed the door behind her.
Before heading to her car, Paige stopped off into the ladies room after contemplating whether or not she could control her bladder until she got home. Not. Exiting one set of the glass double doors, Paige waved at Norman as she walked by the ticket booth on her way to her car. He replied by tapping his top shirt pocket, which meant it held one of those womenâs phone number, if not both knowing Norman.
âOh, excuse me. Iâm so sorry. I was too busy waving at my co-worker, and I didnât see you,â Paige apologized to the gentleman sheâd just run smack into.
âDonât worry about it. I guess youâre not the only one who doesnât realize Iâm standing out here.â The gentleman exhaled, then looked down at the two tickets he held in his hand. He then looked down at his watch as if catching that movie with the person he was waiting for was a lost cause.
âNo-show, huh? Your date that youâve been waiting for is a no-show?â Paige rubbed it in unintentionally.
âLooks that way.â He looked down at his watch for the hundredth time, and then scanned the parking lot.
âMaybe you should try calling her,â Paige suggested.
âNah. Itâs getting late. Besides, I guess I should be used to this by now.â He shook his head and let out a deep, exasperated breath. âHave a blessed one,â he told Paige as he headed toward the parking lot.
âYou have a blessed one too.â As Paige watched the man walk away, she wondered how in the world any woman could stand up such a fine specimen as himself. Sizing him up to be about six foot tall, two hundred thirty pounds of muscle with wavy hair that made him look as though he had Indian in his family, Paige thought this man had to be God sent.
She thought about stopping him in his tracks and offering to view the movie with him, as Paige had hardly been one to