Pink & Patent Leather by Candy Jackson Read Free Book Online Page A

their honeymoon in Jamaica.”
    “ Amen!” someone shouted.
    “ And who knows,” Malik said, looking from me to Xavier.
    He didn ’t have to say anything else. I got the message.
    Ugh! I was ready to kill myself. No wonder X had been wearing that silly smirk when he greeted the visitors. Malik had probably told him about this before they entered the sanctuary. Well, if he thought for one minute that I would be heading any ministry with him, he was sadly mistaken. By the time I finished my plan with Malik, he would pull me away from Malik and the Singles’ Ministry so fast...he wouldn’t want me anywhere near Xavier. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if when we were finally together, Malik asked Xavier to leave the church. Maybe Xavier would move back to Atlanta. Surely, he could find a position in some church there.
    So talking about grinning and bearing it, I just continued to stand there, smiling and upholding my princess stature. I was way too sharp to let this little situation rai se my temperature. The only time I wanted to feel my temperature rising was in the bedroom with Malik.
    “ So for all of you singles, I’ve decided to keep the ministry going straight through the summer under the leadership of these two amazing young singles. So put this on your calendar, in your phone, on your iPads, or in whatever gadget you have....”
    Laughter and “ Amen!” shouts came from the parishioners.
    Malik said, “ The first Singles’ meeting will be held on not this Saturday, but the following Saturday, June 15 at three o’clock. Amen?”
    “ Amen,” the congregation agreed.
    People were still clapping as I walked back to my seat. After I ’d taken just a few steps, I noticed my clutch on the floor. Seemed like Sister Stroman had needed the extra room to slide her wide hips into the space where I’d been sitting. 
    It only took me a split second to decide that I was going to make her regret the moment when she ’d touched my belongings. She’d never do it again.
    Slowly, I turned around, faced the altar and said, “ Thank you, Pastor, for giving me this opportunity.”
    He nodded with a smile. “ You’re most welcome, Sister Pink.”
    I knew his eyes were still on me when I turned my back to him, bent over, retrieved my purse, and then took my time standing upright once again.
    Yep, I gave him and everyone else behind me a reason to blush.
    When I looked back to the altar, Malik ’s eyes were almost glazed over, and I imagined him moaning, “Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm.” Of course, he didn’t do that. He was in church. He was a man of God and way too classy to do anything like that. But I could tell what was going on in his mind. He was doing everything that he could to keep his lust in check.
    His reaction was pleasing enough, but then, when I scanned my surroundings, I wanted to lift my hands and shout Hallelujah. Gone was Xavier’s grin. Gone was Sister Stroman’s smirk. Yes! The collateral damage was even better.
    Taking my time, I sat and wiggled my butt until I was totally comfortable in the seat.
    For the rest of the service, I smiled, though I couldn’t say the same for Xavier and Sister Stroman. The two of them wore matching frowns and I was sure at any moment one or both of them would growl. I wanted to burst out laughing. That’s what they got for messing with me.
    As Malik preached from the book of John, he talked about how God loved us so much that He sent His son Jesus to save us. “Saints I’m telling you that God loves us unconditionally. He wants the best for us. He wants us to live in the fullness of His love and He wants us to love one another.”
    It was amazing that this was the scripture Malik was preaching from on my very first time at back Grace Tabernacle. John 3:16 was one of the scriptures that God had given to me as He spoke to my heart about me and Malik. I guess I really shouldn ’t have been surprised. It was all working together for the good that God wanted in my life.
    As