Kicking the Habit Read Online Free PDF

slippers peeking out beneath her robes, whispering across
the floor like a gentle breeze.
    Ace stared after her,
rubbing his jaw, his mind scrambling for a way to control his temper. A way to control this situation. A way to
control her. No way would he let her help solve this case. She could get
hurt. Nun-sitting just took on a whole new meaning.
    Who
the hell did she think she was—Sister Mary Sleuth?
***
    Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. Yes, it’s me
again. Guess I haven’t kicked the habit completely. Okay, not funny. Anyhow, I
didn’t mean to curse or take your name in vain. I promise, I only did so in my
mind, but you have no idea how hard it is to live with my granny and sister. “Lord,
give me strength,” just didn’t cut it this time. If you knew them, you’d
realize forgiveness is in order here.
    The next morning, Cece stood on
Main Street, staring at a small building with a furnished studio apartment
upstairs. Granted, the building needed a lot of work. But with a little tender
loving care, she was confident she could make it into something special. Besides,
it wasn’t like she had other offers. Ever the optimist, she tried to look at
the bright side. She had a place of her own, and that was a start.
    Who would
have thought she’d been ready to take the final step in becoming a full nun? Now
here she was, living as a normal person, getting ready to open her own
business. Okay, so she wasn’t exactly “normal,” and her business was more of a
way to keep doing what she’d been doing all along: counseling the good citizens
of New Hope, Massachusetts. But things were different now. Cece
would have to adapt to living on her own.
    She hadn’t
lived in the “real” world for almost a decade. She might be unconventional with
her pink toenails, and okay, not very nun-like with her sexy dreams and the
wacky things that happened to her, but inside she still felt like a sister. That
ought to blend in well with today’s generation, she thought wryly.
    She took a deep breath and decided this was a blessing. A
way to help people from the outside, starting with Senator Sloan. She’d prayed
long and hard for guidance, and felt confident she was meant to seek out truth
and justice for all … whether the good detective liked it or not.
    Pasting on a
smile, Cece spoke to the bald-headed man beside her,
who wore a grin so wide it made her own face hurt. “Thank you, Mayor Evans. I
don’t know what to say.”
    “Sister Mary Cecelia—”
    “Please, call me Cece. I’m not
a nun anymore, you know.” She might have lived in the nunnery for nine years,
but she’d spent a lot of time at Our Lady of Glory over the years. Several
people who hadn’t felt comfortable talking to a priest had sought her out for
her advice. That was what had first given her the idea to open her clinic.
    “You’ll always be Sister Mary Cecelia to the citizens of
New Hope. The people adore you. Don’t you know that by now?”
    “Well, I’d like to think they—”
    “And they do, my dear. They most certainly do.” His grin
widened, if that was possible.
    “Are you sure the town wants to donate this building for
my clinic? It seems like a lot to me.” She chewed her bottom lip, glancing at
the crowd gathered to watch her cut the ribbon. They acted as if this were the
opening of some million-dollar complex. Nothing like pressure
to make a person doubt herself.
    A lightning bolt streaked through the darkening sky. Five
seconds later, a boom of thunder clapped so loud it made the windows on the
ancient, dilapidated building rattle.
    Cece looked up. Okay, okay, I
get it. Quit doubting yourself and stick to the plan, already.
    “Sister, you may have left the church, but the citizens
of New Hope will never leave you. They still want to know they can confide in
you, that you will keep their secrets safe.” Mayor Evans focused on her, and
something in his gaze made her scalp tingle, sending a feeling like jagged
fingernails