Precious Blessings (Love Inspired) Read Online Free PDF

“You need help with that cart?”
    â€œSure. You know what the Bible says, two can accomplish more than twice as much as one.” Ava straightened from her work with a wink. “You don’t look busy.”
    â€œYou know me, I never work.”
    â€œI know. It’s terrible. You know what everyone says? That lazy Katherine. Next they’ll be commenting on that wild outfit.” Ava laughed, a light, easy trill.
    â€œAren’t you funny?” Okay, so she wasn’t a fashion plate. Katherine glanced at the black cable turtleneck sweater and her favorite pair of black wool trousers. Sensible, as always. “There’s a minus-ten-degree wind chill outside.”
    â€œHey, I know.” Ava chose a volume from the cart and turned to study the shelves. Her outfit of choice today was a smart safari jacket, a lace-edged purple Henley and a pair of jeans tucked into suede boots. She looked like she’d walked off a fashion magazine. “I heard you had a little incident last night.”
    â€œThe shoplifting? Yeah, but we got the figurines back.”
    â€œI wasn’t talking about that. I heard a rumor that you caught a certain state trooper’s attention.”
    â€œIt’s ridiculous. Who did you hear that from?”
    â€œNobody. Well, Aubrey and me, we felt compelled to review the security tape. Then Aubrey bumped into Dean getting coffee this morning, you know, one of the responding officers last night?”
    â€œYeah, yeah.” It was a small city. Sometimes hardly more than a small town. “You and that sister of yours—”
    â€œShe’s your sister, too—”
    â€œâ€”have the wrong idea.”
    â€œWhich is?”
    â€œTrust me. That man can’t stand me.” That had come across pretty clearly last night. “I don’t believe you got that from the tape. He was horrible. He—”
    â€œYeah, so you didn’t really notice him at all, huh?”
    â€œNot at all.” Katherine grabbed a half dozen books from the cart and moved down the aisle. “I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to distract me from the fact that you left the crystals case unlocked.”
    â€œMy bad.” Ava didn’t look a bit remorseful, and she wasn’t doing a whole lot of shelving either. “So,back to the state trooper. Was his name Jack? Do I have that right?”
    Yeah, she had the name right. But she was hard-pressed to explain why it felt like the lining of her rib cage contracted painfully whenever she thought of him. “It isn’t like that. He’s married, I’m sure. And why aren’t you shelving?”
    â€œI’ll get to it.” Ava sidled close. “I happened to notice he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.”
    â€œAnd this is important because…?”
    â€œI don’t want you to give up hope.”
    Why did that make her ache inside, all the way down to her soul?
    Because she had lost hope. Hope of ever finding the right man.
    â€œHe’s out there, I know it.” Ava slid a book into place. “I pray for you finding him every night.”
    Her soul ached a little more. “I’m afraid you’re wasting your prayers. A lot of men just wouldn’t understand….”
    There was the past left unsaid between them.
    Ava’s hand found Katherine’s and gently squeezed. “You only need the right man to understand. To see what a great woman you are.” Her gaze shot over Katherine’s shoulder for a brief moment. “I bet he’s on his way to you right now. Maybe, so you won’t miss him, the Good Lord will send a sign. You know, like a handsome man bringing white roses.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œJust telling you I think my prayers are going to be answered. I’m lucky that way, you know.” Ava snatched another book from the cart. “I pray, it happens.