I loved him. I loved Jeremy Williams.

It was too late. My vow had been broken and now I was all in with this man. My only prayer now, was that I hoped he was just like my daddy.

Chapter 5

Jeremy and I sat in his car, both of us stiff with surprise. The lights of his Nissan were on, beaming on the theatre that we’d just left. If I thought Slumdog Millionaire, the movie we’d just seen had drama, it didn’t compare to the phone call Jeremy just received.

He was holding his Blackberry away from his ear so that I could hear Reverend Lewis.

“I didn’t want you to come to church tomorrow without knowing the announcement the board would be making.”

As soon as he said that, I knew what Reverend Lewis’ next words would be.

“A new pastor has been selected to lead Pilgrim’s Rest and I think you’ll be pleased with the board’s....”

“Wait, hold up. Someone has been selected already?”

Even though I knew that was what Reverend Lewis was going to say, I had the same surprise as Jeremy. It had only been two months since Reverend Robinson had left. When I was growing up, and around pastors with my father, it took churches at least a year to find a new leader between all of the interviews, the guest speakers who were tested out, and the background and financial checks. So how had Pilgrim’s Rest done this so quickly? Unless...this had something to do with Shaniqua. Had someone found out about her before Reverend Robinson had even stepped forward? Had someone pushed Reverend Robinson out? That was the only explanation I had for the church being able to move this quickly.

“Yes, Jeremy. We’ve asked Reverend Derrick Harwood to be the Senior Pastor of Pilgrim’s Rest and he’s accepted. He’ll be introduced officially to the congregation tomorrow.”

With the way everyone had reacted to Reverend Harwood a month ago, I was sure there would be no problems from the membership.

Glancing at my boyfriend, his heartbreak was etched all over his face and without closing my eyes, I said a prayer for him.

"Everyone at Pilgrim’s Rest loves you, Jeremy, but this was just not your time. Give yourself another ten years or so. Go to school, get on our staff full-time. And the next time there’s an opening...."

Jeremy interrupted him, “Thanks for letting me know, Archie,” then he clicked off his phone.

If I didn’t know how upset Jeremy was before, I certainly knew now. First, he never called Reverend Lewis by his first name; that was just basic respect to Jeremy. And second, he’d practically hung up in Archie’s face.

“Can you believe that?” Jeremy finally said.

"I’m surprised," was my answer because I could believe it. But what I couldn’t say to Jeremy was that as fast and as shocking as the board’s decision was, I agreed with them. People were still talking about Reverend Harwood. He was going to be a good leader for Pilgrim’s Rest and I had a feeling he was just what the church needed right now.