The Gospel According to Luke by Emily Maguire Read Free Book Online

girls. The problem is that some people think you canreverse the process; make a match with a minister and God will smile and agree. It can’t work that way, but the girls – not to mention their parents – keep trying.’
    â€˜Must be nice. All those women begging for your attention. You can take your pick.’
    â€˜You misunderstand.’ Luke turned to her. ‘A couple of years ago, when I was a junior pastor at the City Church, I started to feel a bit sorry for myself, because it seemed everyone around me was coupled. I thought maybe the whole waiting for a sign from God thing was a metaphor that got taken too literally. I asked Pastor Riley – my boss, well, my earthly boss – I asked if he thought I could just choose someone nice for myself. I reasoned that surely God would want to reward one of his most loyal servants with love and companionship. I loved my work, I loved serving God, but I didn’t feel fulfilled. I was so lonely. All these people around me, every minute of the day and night, and I was still so lonely, you know?’
    â€˜Yes. I know.’
    â€˜Well, Pastor Riley really gave it to me. He said if I truly was God’s loyal servant I would be thankful I had not been sent a companion. He pointed out that my sermons and group meetings attracted twice as many people as any other, and said that it was glorious God was reaching so many young women through me. He said I should be grateful for being single. That when God wants me to marry, I’ll know about it.’
    â€˜God’s plan or not, you’ve got time on your side. You’re what, twenty-one?’
    â€˜Twenty-nine last month.’ Luke laughed at her stunned expression. ‘When I was twenty-one I looked thirteen. I seem to have, like, an eight year delay between my chronological and physical age.’
    â€˜Shit. You’re my age.’ Aggie put her mug on the floor beside her and stretched her legs out in front of her. ‘Maybe it’s marriage that does it. I bet if I hadn’t gotten married I’d have the skin of a teenager. And if I hadn’t gotten divorced in such a hurry I’d probably look like your grandmother by now.’
    â€˜What happened?’
    â€˜The usual. I was eighteen and needy; he was thirty-five and opportunistic. My divorce went through the day before I turned twenty-one, and I considered myself lucky that I’d gotten off as lightly as I did.’
    â€˜I’m sorry.’
    â€˜Don’t be. It was very educational. My next boyfriend, Matthew, was proud of all the disastrous relationships he’d had. He reckoned you grow as a person every time you make a lover hate you and can understand why.’
    â€˜He sounds like a dangerous man.’
    â€˜Ha! Aren’t they all?’
    â€˜
All
men are dangerous?’
    â€˜Sure. Actually, I should say that all
people
are dangerous once you get up close and personal. Just for me it’s always been men. It’s about love really, isn’t it?The person you love the most holds the means to hurt you the most.’
    â€˜I wouldn’t know, having never been in love.’
    â€˜I’m not just talking
in love
love. Any kind of love will do it. The parent–child thing can be particularly brutal.’
    â€˜I wouldn’t know about that either.’
    â€˜About it being brutal?’
    He lifted his hand and touched her hair. It felt softer than he had imagined, and he was suddenly aware that he had been imagining how her hair might feel all day.
    â€˜Luke?’
    He dropped his hand and held it under its mate so it could not escape again. ‘Sorry.’
    â€˜No. It’s . . .’ She patted his tightly bound hands. ‘Did you not love your parents?’
    â€˜I didn’t know my parents.’
    â€˜Not at all?’
    â€˜I don’t even know when I was born, really. Depends on whether I was two or three days old when I was