Swept Away by Nicole O'Dell Read Free Book Online Page A

had on the coolestjeans—stylish and nondescript, but Amber could tell by the perfect fit and the luxurious denim they were just as pricey as the rest of her outfit. Brittany always found the cutest clothes in those specialty boutiques she went to with her mom.
    “Love the scarf.” Amber reached over and picked up one end and flung it over Brittany’s other shoulder.
    “Thanks. It’s new.” Brittany laughed and repositioned the drape. She opened her slouchy, bright green Balenciaga bag and turned it discreetly toward Amber, and motioned for her to look in.
    Amber leaned over so she could see inside the bag. Right on top laid two credit cards. The gold one sparkled. She looked up at Brittany.
Huh?
    Brittany pointed at Amber and back at herself. “Sky’s the limit,” she whispered and pointed both thumbs to the sky. “Dad got another raise.”
    “Congratulations.” Amber tried to look happy for Brittany. She didn’t want Brittany to do without just because she had to—did she? And really, what did she have to do without anyway? Visions of her mom in her decade-old knit separates flashed through her mind.
    “So, we have the gold card and permission touse it freely.” Brittany grinned, still whispering.
    “We’ll see.” Amber didn’t like the idea of using Mr. and Mrs. Kim’s credit card for things her parents couldn’t buy her. How would Mom and Dad feel about that? But maybe they didn’t even have to know about it.
    They arrived at the church for the contemporary English service even though there was a Korean service immediately following it. The Kims thought it helped them with their own English, and they enjoyed the music—they called it worship.
    Amber considered her parents’ church. It didn’t have music, and the service reminded her more of a ninety-minute Bible study. What’s the word?
Stifling
. Much of it rose above her head, and she couldn’t be bothered trying to figure out all of the Greek mumbo-jumbo. At least Brittany’s church broke things up with music, soloists, instruments, and sometimes even little skits. Kept things interesting—as interesting as church could be, anyway.
    As they walked into the sanctuary and found seats, Amber wondered if she could find God somewhere other than at church. There had to be other ways. She gazed around the auditorium and wondered what church looked like back when Jesus walked the earth. They probably didn’t have volleyball and basketball teams. Pretty sure there weren’t potluck dinners and Christmas plays. But what if this was the only way now?
Scary thought
.
    The congregation rose to their feet as the band started to play. Some people raised their hands into the air; others clapped along to the music. Many people swayed along with the beat. They sang every song three times, at least. Why did they have to do that? Didn’t they know enough worshippy songs to do more of a variety rather than sing the same ones over and over?
    Amber didn’t want to stare at Brittany, but—dying to know if she joined in on all the hoopla—she cast a subtle glance out of the left corner of her eye without turning her head at all.
    Brittany sang along with the music. In fact, she knew the song well enough to sing along with her eyes closed. That must mean they did the same ones every week, too.
Sigh
.
    The pastor took the microphone and invited people to come forward if they needed prayer for some reason. Amber stared openmouthed when Brittany’s mom scrambled over the feet of at least eight people to get to the other side of their seating section. She went down theaisle and stood before the pastor with the other hopefuls. Amber counted two women wearing hats, three men in ties, two kids she knew from school, one little boy with his arm in a cast, and an elderly man in a wheelchair being pushed by a bent-over woman—likely his wife. What did they all expect God to do for them? What
could
He do for them? It was different than the prayer time at the concert.