Aimee couldn’t imagine why.
In Aimee’s opinion, Jacob seemed like a really nice guy—and he wasn’t bad to look at either. Again, she noted the tall, well-built man’s thick, brown hair and dark brown eyes. His chiseled face was lean with a well-proportioned nose and a large, shapely mouth. Even more important than his physical appearance, he appeared to have a genuine interest in the people around him that instantly put Aimee at ease.
“Have you and Erica just met?” he asked.
“No. We’ve been neighbors for several years.”
“I can’t believe she’s waited this long to bring you to our meetings,” Jacob commented.
“Oh, she’s invited me lots of times,” Aimee answered, “but I’ve always refused.”
Jacob’s brows lifted inquiringly, but Aimee didn’t feel like explaining her lack of interest in a singles group. When she remained silent, he said, “Tell me about yourself, Aimee.”
Grimacing, she said, “I’m a widow with a fourteen-year-old daughter, going on twenty.”
Jacob chuckled as if he understood what she meant, and Aimee added, “Samantha is spending the night at a friend’s, so when Erica invited me to this meeting, I came as her guest. I don’t intend to join the group.”
“I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,” Jacob suggested.
“Probably, but my main job is being a mother. I started working at Eastside Elementary years ago when Samantha started there, so my job and being a single mom keep me plenty busy. How about you? Are you a native of Benton?”
“Except for four years in college and a few years at a job in the eastern part of Virginia, I’ve always lived in Benton. I’m a professional counselor. I moved back home when I had the opportunity to buy a counseling service here.”
“I assumed that Alex your son,” Aimee commented.
“I don’t have many relatives,” Jacob said, his smile vanishing as he looked slightly disturbed, slightly wistful. “Alex is just a boy I’m trying to help. He’s been sick and had to miss several days of school. His mother is ill, too, and she asked me to take him back to school and explain his absence. I met him through Substitute Siblings.”
“Substitute Siblings?”
“It’s a fairly new organization,” Jacob explained. “In my line of work, I see a lot of children from dysfunctional families who are growing up without much love or guidance. The goal of Substitute Siblings is to pair these children with older adults who will be buddies to them.”
“Sort of like the Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteers?” Aimee asked.
“Similar to that,” Jacob said. “And because there wasn’t a branch of that organization in Benton, my grandmother and I decided to start something. In a few cases our volunteers take the children into their homes on a temporary basis, but mostly they just befriend them by taking them shopping, to ball games, to movies or to other activities to make them feel wanted.”
The chairman of the group rapped for attention. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to start our meeting. Let’s come to order, please.”
“It sounds like a worthwhile cause,” Aimee whispered.
“I think so,” Jacob answered. “If you’re interested, I’d like to talk with you further about it.”
“I’m interested.”
Aimee tore a sheet from the notebook she carried in her purse and wrote her phone number and address on it. She handed the paper to Jacob. He folded it and put it in his pocket as they turned their attention to the entertainment for the evening—a band that played popular praise and worship songs.
Aimee enjoyed the music, but throughout the program, she kept thinking about the man sitting next to her. He said he didn’t have many relatives. Did that mean his parents weren’t living, or did they live elsewhere? And why had her question about family disturbed him?
But she was more puzzled that she hadn’t heard of Jacob before this. She judged that he was about her age, and if he had lived in Benton most of his life, why hadn’t she met him? Until her marriage she had lived a few miles outside of Benton, but she’d attended school in town. Benton wasn’t big enough for their paths not to have crossed before.
When the meeting adjourned, Jacob stood, turned to Aimee and smiled. “Is it all right if I call you later?”
“Sure,” she said as Erica nudged Aimee and nodded toward the door.
As they said their goodbyes, several people invited Aimee to become a part of the group. Although she’d enjoyed the evening, she wasn’t ready to commit to anything. Besides, she wasn’t sure how she would feel about regularly seeing Jacob Mallory. His presence kindled feelings she hadn’t experienced for a long time—emotions that she didn’t welcome. The less she saw of him the better off she would be.
“Did you have a good time?” Erica asked as she drove away from the church.
“To my surprise, I really did. Thanks for inviting me.”
“You’re welcome,” Erica said tersely.
Aimee shot a surprised glance in her friend’s direction. “What’s the matter with you? I thought you wanted me to break out of my shell, try my wings and all that other advice you’ve handed out.”
“My advice was good, but my plan backfired,” Erica said wryly. “You picked up the wrong man.”
“Jacob Mallory is the wrong man?” Aimee stammered, shocked by Erica’s words. “Besides, I didn’t pick him up—you introduced him to me. Regardless of that, I thought he was a really nice guy.”
“He is, but I hoped you would find someone and form a permanent relationship. There are two or three men in our group who would like to get married if they could find the right woman,” Erica insisted.
“That still doesn’t explain why you object to Jacob,” Aimee exclaimed, puzzled. “I just sat next to the man and talked with him—that’s hardly a prelude to matrimony. What’s wrong with him? Who is he, anyway?”
Erica pulled into Aimee’s driveway and turned off the car’s engine. “Jacob Mallory dates women occasionally, but if they start getting serious, he doesn’t call them anymore. He apparently isn’t interested in a long-term commitment.”
“So what. Neither am I. Besides, he didn’t even ask me for a date.”
“I heard him say he’d call you,” Erica pointed out.
“Yes, about the Substitute Siblings organization,” Aimee retorted, a little irritated with her friend. “He was talking about it when the meeting started. If I want to get involved in community service, it sounds like a worthwhile way to spend my time.”
“That’s true—they do tons of good projects. I know you think I’m butting in,” Erica apologized, “but I want you to be happy. I don’t want you to get hurt through anybody I bring into your life.”
“I
