Emily and the Priest Read Free Page A

Emily.
    “Look!” Alexis nudged her, taking a little boy’s ticket—each of them cost a dollar, and they could use them at any of the booths or on the ferris wheel or teacup ride or the blow-up house the church had ren ted. All the proceeds went to the children’s charity at St. Mary Margaret’s. “It’s Father Mark over by the kissing booth!”
    Emily’s head came up sharply and she saw Jenny laughing and waggling her fingers, calling out, but at first she didn’t see him — then she realized why. He was wearing j eans and a soft blue , denim button- down shirt, so casual that Emily did a double-take to make sure it really was him—but yes, there were those green eyes, the long lashes, the dark hair. And that smile. That smile was definitely Father Mark’s.
    “But it’s for charity!” Jenny squealed laughter at the way Father Mark’s cheeks reddened, even as he laughed along good naturedly. He said something to both Eve and Jenny and both girls looked at each other, a little shame-faced. Good for him, Emily thought, watching Alexis painting a crooked batman symbol on the little freckled boy’s face.
    Emily couldn’t take her eyes off Father Mark, couldn’t forget the feeling of his mouth on hers just a few days before . She flushed as he turned toward their booth, lifting his hand in a wave. Sure he was just going to keep walkin g, Emily ducked her head, pretending to bend down to tie her shoe. She wanted to see him, desperately, wanted him to come over and talk to her, even if they never mentioned or acknowledged the kiss.
    But that wasn’t quite true. She did want to talk about the kiss. She wanted to do more than talk about it. Her whole body buzzed with the knowledge of his presence and she willed herself not to look up, to let him pass without a word, let him go.
    Let him go.
    “Hey Emily.” His voice lifted her head and her heart.
    “Hi.” She smiled up at him, standing there in his blue jeans. He was even wearing tennis shoes. Let him go? How could she let him go?
    “Hey Father Mark.” Alexis waved her paint brush at him .
    Father Mark smiled at them both. “How’s it going, girls? Enjoying the new roommate situation? ”
    “She’s my new best friend!” Alexis winked at him, glancing over at Eve and Jenny and sticking her tongue out in their direction.
    “It’s like a whole new world,” Emily told him, trying to keep her heart from beating out of her chest, standing so close to him.
    “I’m glad.” His smile reached right down to her toes. She couldn’t help but remember how he’d kissed her, how he’d bridged the gap between them. Was he thinking about it too?
    “Hi Father Mark.” A little voice interrupted and both of them startled. A little blonde girl, about the age of five, stood peeking out from behind him.
    He glanced around, smiling down at her. “Hi there Samantha! Are you having fun?”
    She nodded shyly, holding up a clear bag with a small wide-eyed goldfish swimming around in it. “My brother won this for me.”
    “Awesome! And where’s he?” Father Mark asked, glancing around the crowd.
    “Over there.” Samantha pointed to the booth next to Jenny and Eve’s, where kids were lined up to throw very dull darts at underinflated balloons. They both saw the teenager standing at the front of the line, his head shaved, a tattoo scrolling around his neck, who occasionally glanced back to make sure Sam was where he had sent her. “He’s going to win me that big stuffed moose! He told me to come get my face painted.”
    “Well hop on up.” Emily patted the stool, reachi ng for her white board. She’d spent most of the night pa i nting all the possible designs for the kids to choose from. “Which do you want?”
    Samantha hesitated, kicking her feet in the grass, not getting up on the stool.
    “Can’t decide?” Father Mark prompted, smiling at Emily, the heat in his look warming her belly .
    “I’m afraid ,” Samantha admitted, tracing her little finger