An Aussie Christmas Angel Read Online Free PDF Page A

hand?”
    “I got it. You’re a guest. Sit and enjoy the view.” She headed back inside.
    John tipped back in the chair, stretching his arms over his head. The sky was a shade of blue you just didn’t see in England. Brightly colored birds flew overhead and rested in the branches of the tree opposite. He smiled as the sound of Jo’s singing reached his ears, and the smell of cooking assailed his senses. She and Pip had opened their home to a total stranger and treated him like an honored guest.
    He knew why, and it had nothing to do with ulterior motives. It was the same reason his parents opened their home to missionaries and visitors and the people they usually invited over for lunch on a Sunday. It was a way to serve the Lord.
    Staying in Sydney had gone from being the worst part of his trip to the best purely because of the hospitality of these women.
    The fact he was rapidly developing feelings for Jo were neither here nor there. He just wasn’t sure what to do with them.
    A male voice came from the direction of the house, and he glanced behind to see a tall man with sun bleached blond hair, suntan, and shades, pushed back on his hair, come out onto the verandah. The man smiled as he crossed the decking. “G’day. You must be John.” He stuck out a hand. “I’m Rob, Pip’s other half.”
    John stood and shook the offered hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
    Rob flashed a grin. “I thought I’d invite myself to breakfast, meet you, and drive the girls to church.”
    Jo came out with a tray of juice. “Pip’s just in the shower. She won’t be long. John’s coming to church with us this morning. He can sit in the back of the car with me.”
    “Ripper. Are you coming back afterwards, John? I’m going to sling some chook on the barbie this arvo.”
    John looked at him, mentally translating that as barbecued chicken this afternoon. At the same time he was trying to push down the childlike reaction to the thought of sitting next to Jo in the car. “Thank you, but I’m going to Botany Bay after church. Maybe another time.”
    Rob nodded. “Sure. Hey, a bunch of us are going out to the Rocks for dinner on Wednesday. Would you like to come?”
    John’s heart thrilled at the unexpected invitation and the prospect of spending time with them. If only all Christians were like these people . Thank you, Lord, for giving me the chance to know them . And maybe Jo would be going. “I’d like that, thank you.”
    Jo smiled at him. “Awesome. I’ve got Wednesday and Thursday off.”
    John smiled back, his heart leaping for joy in his chest. The evening out had just got better. Then something made him change his mind about that afternoon. “Actually, lunch sounds great if you don’t mind me changing my plans. I’ll do Botany Bay tomorrow. Thank you.”
    Jo’s smile grew wider if that was possible, but she didn’t say anything. Confusion filled him. Did she feel the same as he did, or was he just way off beam? Doubtless, given his track record with women, that was the case.
     
     
     
     

3
     
    Church was something of a culture shock. So much livelier than what he was used to, John found himself more than a little overwhelmed. Not just by the volume of the very loud music, either. Although several thousand voices raised in song was more than incredible and an experience in itself. He couldn’t hear himself sing, never mind the people standing either side of him, but maybe that was simply because there were so many of them.
    If he could imagine heaven, it would be like that. Thousands of voices raised in unified praise to God.
    It was the clapping and dancing which really threw him. He’d never experienced anything like that before. Jo surprised him with her enthusiasm. She replied to the pastor when he asked a question or if he said something she agreed with, something unheard of in his church. She raised her whole arms, not just her hands, whilst singing. John shoved his hands further into his pockets, trying