The Bishop's Daughter by Tiffany L. Warren Read Free Book Online

now she’s hurt.
    I place the receiver back in its cradle and make another mental note to buy a new phone that’s equipped with caller ID. Don’t want any more distracting conversations with Shayna.
    The fitness room is virtually abandoned when I enter, and most of the equipment looks brand-new. I pass by the weight benches, treadmills, and stair-stepper machines and open the door to the indoor Olympic-size pool. I can’t wait to get into the refreshing water.
    I’ve stripped down to my trunks and am about to dive into the pool when someone else walks into the fitness center. It’s a female who looks familiar, and on closer inspection, I see that it’s Dorcas.
    She’d looked nice at church, even though she was pretty plain, but she looks much more appealing in her workout clothes. She has her long hair pulled up into a ponytail on the top of her head, showing pretty skin the color of a caramel apple and dotted with freckles. Her eyes are clearly the focal point of her face: large, brown, and framed by thick dark eyelashes. Her spandex workout clothing gives me a much better view of another sweet-tea-and-biscuits body.
    She looks over at me and frowns like she can read my mind. She pushes open the door to the pool room. “Do I know you?”
    I pull off my swim goggles so she can see my face. “I’m sorry. We met at church this morning.”
    Her frown softens immediately upon recognition. “Oh, Brother Darrin. I’m sorry. I thought you were some stranger ogling me.”
    “Was I ogling? I thought I was simply admiring.”
    She blushes. I’m in there like swimwear.
    “Do you live here?” she asks.
    “I just moved in a week ago. I’m from Cleveland.”
    “Ohio? You’re a long way from home,” replies Dorcas. “Do you mind if I join you?”
    “Not at all.”
    She snatches off her spandex shorts and walks over to the pool in a one-piece Speedo. Now I
am
ogling.
    She dives into the water and swims a quick freestyle lap, her arms slicing the water and her legs propelling her like a fish. She pops out of the water when she finishes and smiles at me.
    “So what made you come to Freedom of Life?” she asks.
    I ease into the warm water and reply, “A friend of mine at home is a partner. She suggested that I check it out.”
    Dorcas nods. “Well, what did you think?”
    “I’ll be back again, that’s for sure.”
    She cracks her neck and stretches. “Wanna race?”
    “Sure.”
    “On your mark … get set …”
    Dorcas takes off before she says “go,” leaving me to catch up on her head start. Easily, I pass her by. Her swimming skills are nothing compared to mine. I have muscular legs and toned arms, and I swam on the teams in high school and college and for a hot minute considered training for the Olympic team.
    I’m waiting at the edge of the pool with a slick smile when she emerges from the water.
    “You cheated,” I say.
    She shrugs. “But you still won.”
    “Do you want to get something to eat later?”
    “Not today. Maybe another time.”
    She jumps out of the pool and starts to dry herself off. I’m still ogling and trying to figure out how this girl just turned me down. I’m not too familiar with being rejected.
    She continues, “I don’t want to keep you from your workout. It was nice seeing you again.”
    “Same here. Perhaps we’ll run into each other again.”
    Dorcas cracks a faint smile. “Perhaps. Bible study is on Wednesday, and the singles have a meeting on Saturday evening.”
    Sounds like if I want a date with this girl, it’s going to be at church.

Chapter Seven
    DIARY OF A MAD BLACK BLOGGER
    What up, my cyberspace homies and homettes? So, I told y’all I was on location, right? Trying to see what I can see about this “Mand of Gawd.”
    Check this.
    The church is slamming … I’ve never seen such a thing. Of course, I grew up in the land of storefronts. Oh, you ain’t know? Cleveland is known for having a tiny storefront church on just about every corner. I’m