Marry Me by Kristin Wallace

oblivious to Amy’s adoration. He focused on Julia. “I understand you had an interesting conversation with my dad.”
    â€œHow did you know?”
    â€œI stopped in to visit with him when I got here. He told me you’d had breakfast together. I think he was impressed with you.”
    â€œI like him, too.”
    Seth chuckled. “He thought you were sweet.”
    Julia crossed her arms and huffed. “I’m starting to think I need to work harder to maintain my image.”
    â€œMaybe a little softness is a good thing.”
    â€œSoftness is just another word for vulnerable.”
    He took a step closer, his expression serious. “When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable we often discover the sweetest treasures to be had in life.”
    â€œYou mean like love?” Julia asked, with a brittle laugh.
    â€œAmong other things. I’ve always believed God speaks to me when I’m vulnerable enough to admit I can’t do it on my own.”
    â€œI haven’t done too bad on my own.”
    His mouth twisted in a wry grin. “So, you’ve got a perfectly full life?”
    â€œYes.”
    For a moment their gazes locked, then those violins she’d first heard at the softball game started up again. So annoying. How was she supposed to fight with someone when her brain kept running an endless love story soundtrack?
    Apparently, Amy had heard enough because she stepped fully into Seth’s vision. “Seth, I wanted to talk to you about ordering the curriculum for next year’s Sunday school.”
    Seth blinked in bemusement. “Sunday school?”
    Amy’s head bobbed up and down. “Yes. I know it’s early, but it takes so long to decide and then wait for the order.” She turned to Julia. “I’m the Christian Education Director at Seth’s church.”
    Julia decided to escape before she had to endure any further interrogation. She needed to get her brain functioning again anyway. “No problem. You two go on and discuss your curriculum. I’m dying to sample some of this food.”
    Amy didn’t need any more prompting. She hooked an arm through Seth’s elbow and led him away before he could protest. Julia resisted the urge to watch them. Let Amy have him. Julia had no idea what a Christian Education Director did, but she knew about Sunday school, and if Amy was in charge, she would make a much better minister’s wife.
    Not that Julia was considering becoming a minister’s wife. Or that he was considering making her one. If only they could stop having these Hallmark moments. So unnerving. And they were going to stop.
    Right now.
    ****
    What had just happened? Seth fought the urge to watch Julia as she walked away. Amy continued to babble something about workbooks and the theological implications of one choice over another. He tried to concentrate, but his mind wouldn’t let him. How had their conversation gotten so deep so fast? One minute he’d been teasing her about being nice, the next they were engaged in a philosophical debate. What’s more, Julia was clearly as perplexed by their odd connection as he was. He’d seen it in the depths of her blue eyes, along with annoyance. She didn’t like it when he challenged her beliefs.
    Well, too bad. After the night he’d spent tossing and turning she deserved to be uncomfortable. For the wedding dress comment alone, she deserved retribution. Dreams of scissors and threads coming undone had undone him. He’d woken up in a state he hadn’t experienced since Beth became too sick to do more than cuddle in the bed. So, now not only was he alive, he was kicking.
    And it was all Julia’s fault.
    â€œSeth, did you hear what I just said?” Amy asked.
    He blinked away the image of revealed skin. “Of course, Amy.”
    â€œSo what do you think?”
    Huh? “I think you’ll make the right decision.”
    She smiled, so he