Cocoon by Emily Sue Harvey Read Free Book Online Page A

loose? Immoral?
    A tryst?
    It took her a moment to realize that Scott was talking to her. “Huh?” She blinked and focused on the intent, strong, all-American features looming over her. “I’m sorry, Scott. What did you say?”
    â€œI didn’t see Zoe today. Is she sick or something?” Though he tried to hide his distress, he didn’t do too good a job. Seana’s heart flailed toward him with his unrequited romance aspirations. He needed all the sympathy he could get in his pursuit of the remote Zoe.
    â€œI haven’t spoken with her in the past few days, Scott,” Seana replied sympathetically. “I have no idea why she’s not here.”
    â€œThanks,” he mumbled and ambled away, his wilted stance a sad sight to behold.
    â€œSeana!” Pastor Keith swooped up in his flowing, black clerical robe, looking anything but dignified with his little boy impish grin. Sunrays spilling through stained glass highlighted his near-platinum hair. “It’s so good to see you. You know, you’re really good for Barth. Have I told you that?”
    â€œA few dozen times,” Louann reminded him as she zoned in, catching the last sentence. Louann smiled mischievously at her verbose husband.
    â€œAnd vice versa,” Barth inserted over the pastor’s shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. “Least she tells me I am.”
    â€œOh you are,” Seana said breathlessly, just now recuperating from Joanie’s revelation of their blossoming notoriety. Unbeknownst to kind-hearted Joanie, the news had been a real hard kick punch.
    â€œSay,” Seana said impulsively. “If you two don’t have plans for lunch, why don’t you come over and share ours? My chicken salad, according to Barth, is quite tasty.” Besides, she needed their steadying company.
    â€œThe best,” chimed in Barth. “Yes, why don’t you?”
    Pastor Keith and Louann looked at each other and briefly, quietly conferred about lunch plans or lack thereof.
    â€œWe would love to,” Pastor Keith addressed them. “And thanks.”
    â€¢ • •
    The Meltons were easy to entertain. Actually, Seana concluded as she and Louann did final fruit and salad preparations in Seana’s big kitchen, she didn’t have to entertain them at all. They belonged to that select niche of friends who simply flow, their presence lending itself to warm camaraderie and sustenance.
    â€œCome on, Brutus,” Barth called out the door. He’d let him out a few minutes earlier to relieve himself and run a few rounds. Brutus appeared, panting and wagging his tail happily and taking advantage of time to cozy up to friends for a good back scratching and tummy rubbing.
    â€œBrutus.” Barth pointed to the den, where a corner cushion still provided a view of the kitchen, and being the well-trained canine he was, Brutus immediately trotted over, curled up, and soon dozed.
    They dined in the cozy kitchen nook with its glass table and long windows framing a background of distant blue Smoky Mountains. The larger, more formal dining room simply wouldn’t have embraced them as intimately, Seana decided, as she and Louann poured iced tea and took their seats with their husbands.
    They joined hands and hearts as Pastor Keith gave thanks.
    Conversation flowed pleasantly, spontaneously as they ate. Barth and Keith reminisced over their school days and first disastrous sermons in Homiletics class.
    Barth laughed uproariously. “My tongue was so thick and dry I couldn’t have worked up a spit if my life had depended on it. I’m much better at music than preaching, I can tell you that.”
    â€œOh, you did fine,” Pastor Keith said, taking a generous portion of chicken salad.
    â€œLiar,” Barth burst into fresh laughter. “I listened to the tape.”
    The pastor’s shoulders shot up in an elaborate shrug. “What can I say?” Then his