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Paul was
amused. “Well,” he began, laughing and rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah … so
I’d say you’re in a bit of hot water here … theoretically, of course. Even if
you’re only picking a flower every now and then and leaving the bush where it
is, it’s still your neighbor’s bush.”
    “So you’re saying,
‘don’t touch the bush’?”
    “That’s what I’m
saying. Don’t touch the bush. You’re going to get burned.”
    “Some bushes do
that,” she said, nodding seriously.
    He laughed. “Maybe
you should conduct mass for me on Wednesday,” he said, pointing at Kate.
    “Only if you want
the place to burn down.”
    “Okay, your turn.
Tell me about your job. I believe I heard that you’re a travel writer. Tell me
about somewhere exciting that you’ve been.”
    That was all Kate
needed. As she recounted her adventures in exotic places like Madrid, Cambodia,
and Machu Picchu, I don’t think she even realized that he’d avoided her
question and never really answered why he’d become a priest.
    I stayed quiet
while they talked throughout the rest of dinner. Kate could on carry a
conversation all by herself , but Father Paul somehow
managed to interject questions and comments here and there. He seemed genuinely
interested in and amused by what she had to say.  
    At times, it felt
like I was watching a first date, except without the awkwardness that comes
with not knowing what’s going to happen. She flirted with him, flipping her
dark hair, cocking her head, and batting her smoky shadowed eyes at him. Only
Kate would flirt so unabashedly with a priest. However, he didn’t seem to mind
and actually seemed almost oblivious to it. Or maybe he was as captivated by
her as everyone else always seemed to be.
    “ – but I’m taking some time off right now,” she finally
finished. “I’m trying out something different.”
    “A new job?” he
asked.
    “No. Just a temporary thing. I’m helping out over at Grace’s
company.”
    My head snapped up.
“What?”
      “They need you, Grace. I’m just filling
in and helping Maddox out until you’re ready.” Her voice was low and smooth ,   her words
chosen carefully.
    Maddox Grayson had
been Jonathan’s right hand man after I’d left the company. We hadn’t talked
about it, but I knew that he took over everything after Jonathan’s death. I
couldn’t imagine what my travel-writing sister was doing for him. I also
couldn’t believe she’d been withholding this information from me. I looked at
her through narrowed eyes. “What are you doing there? You’re just a writer.”
    Her eyes widened
and her chin dropped as if I had slapped her. “The hell.” Her gaze shot back to
Father Paul, her shocked expression replaced with a guilty one. “Excuse me,
Father.”
    “Paul.”
    “Yes, excuse me,
Father Paul.”
    “Or just Paul.”
    “Right. Well, in
that case, since we’re dropping formalities, you should expect more of such
language from me,” she said, nodding in his direction before returning her
attention to the me . “I have a degree in economics,
Grace. True, I’ve never used it. I’ve never wanted or needed to until now. But
its not like I’m a complete imbecile.”
    “What are you doing
then?” The mood had shifted.   The
light banter that Father Paul and Kate had been volleying back and forth had
been replaced with accusations, justifications, and excuses.
    “Well, I’m not
really doing anything related to the business,” she conceded. “Maddox and the
others do all that. I’m just going through some office things, cleaning some
things out, and doing whatever I can to help him keep the place afloat until
you’re ready to take over.”
    Take over? I had no plans to take anything over.
    I shook my head. My
thoughts were a jumbled mess. I was torn. I had an insatiable need to hear
everything. Yet, a part of me wanted to stay in the dark forever. “I guess it’s
confession time after all. Do you go in every