Marry Me Read Online Free PDF

full-time care?”
    â€œHe did at first. He’s made a lot of improvement though. Have you seen him yet?”
    Julia nodded, even as she took a bite of eggs. “Briefly, last night. Grace seems happy with him.”
    â€œI know I’m prejudiced, but I think my dad is the best thing that could have ever happened to Grace. Especially after what she went through with—” He broke off, as if realizing what he’d been about to say.
    â€œWith my father,” she finished for him.
    Seth flushed and cleared his throat.
    Julia shrugged. “It’s all right. It’s not like what my father did is a secret. I’m certainly happy for Grace. Believe me, I know firsthand the destruction my father leaves in his wake when he decides to head for greener pastures.”
    â€œI suppose you do.”
    â€œIs it weird? Your dad married to another woman, I mean?”
    It was his turn to shrug. “My mom died when I was in college. It was rough for both of us. I was still away at school when Grace and Dad went from neighbors to a couple. It was kind of strange at first, but if he’s happy, I’m happy.”
    Julia looked down at her plate and realized she’d scraped it clean. “Wow.”
    â€œThere are more biscuits.”
    â€œNo way,” she said, patting her full stomach. “If I eat like this all the time, I’ll be huge.”
    â€œYou’ve got a great figure. I wouldn’t worry.”
    As if realizing what he’d said, he looked away. Not appropriate for a minister to comment on a woman’s figure? Probably not.
    â€œI should get going,” Julia said, trying to be nonchalant. “I’ll clean up if you need to look in on your dad.”
    â€œThe nurse is here right now. I’ll go visit with him after she leaves. I can help you clean up. Grace would kill me if I left you alone with the dishes on your first morning. You rinse, and I’ll load the dishwasher.”
    They stood side-by-side. The silence wasn’t as awkward as Julia might have expected. In fact, it was easy enough she felt emboldened to probe a little more.
    â€œWhat made you move in here?” she asked, handing him a plate. “Grace told me it was because people felt awkward going to a single pastor’s home.”
    Seth didn’t answer right away. “She’s partly right,” he said, as he fit the plate into the dishwasher. “In the end, it wasn’t the main reason though.”
    They continued with the mindless ritual of rinsing and passing plates, glasses, and silverware. “What was it?”
    The answer, when it came, was so soft she barely heard it over the running water. “I couldn’t stand living in our house by myself.”
    â€œBecause of your wife?”
    â€œWe moved in there when I came back to take over the church. Beth was…” he hesitated and took a deep breath. “She was healthy then. The cancer was diagnosed a year later.”
    â€œAnd all your hopes and dreams were replaced with memories of her sick. There were lots of ghosts there, I suspect.”
    He looked at her, and Julia could see he was surprised she had enough insight to guess anything about him. She was a little amazed by it herself, considering they didn’t know each other. Although, perhaps since she was a stranger she could see things someone closer to the situation might not.
    Of course, the other option was he was so stunned by her sympathy he didn’t know how to react.
    She gave him a small smile. “I’m not always an acid-tongued shrew. Sometimes I’m even capable of saying a comforting word or — dare I say — being nice. It’s so much work, though. Takes a lot out of me, you know.”
    Laughter shook his shoulders. “Some people were uncomfortable at a single man’s house, so it was a good cover. As it turned out, I was here when Dad had the stroke, so I’ve been able to help