Read Carnations in January for Free Online Page B

as they reached the door to the café. “You just don’t see Him.”
    She shook her head. “No, I don’t.” She pushed open the door, glancing up at the logo above the entranceway. A cup, saucer, and Bible with 3-16 across it.
    Nice, catchy, hopefully Faith can do something similar.
    She found a table and hung her coat over the back of the chair. Sitting down, she reached for the menu.
    Elliott glanced at her as he sat. “There must be someone who had time for you, surely?”
    “No. Well, Aunt Tilja did, maybe, but she’s gone now. Everyone else was worried about finding Hope or saving Faith from one mistake after another. But I’m simply, well to use my nickname, which I hate by the way, Amazing Grace —the person who can do anything she puts her mind to. Only I can’t.”
    “Tilja must have thought so. Otherwise why leave you all she had? The shop, house, and so on.” He reached over the table and touched her hand, his fingers warm against her cold skin.
    “She was wrong. I can’t do everything. I can’t do this for a start.”
    “Don’t put yourself down. Look on this as a second chance. A chance to find both yourself and God.”
    She held his gaze, wanting to jump into those clear blue eyes and drown. “Why would anyone want to find me? I’m no one, Elliott. No one important. I’m just—”
    “You’re just Grace.” His tone was gentle, his gaze intense. “And Grace is important to a lot of people, even if they don’t show it. Come with me to church tomorrow, please. I’ll pick you up at ten. Or are you really intending to work?”
    Torn, she hesitated. She did need to work on the website, and on the house. But this would be time with Elliot and part of her wanted that, while the other part of her wanted to run away as fast and as far as possible, because she was beginning to like him, and he wasn’t interested in her other than as a friend, no matter what Shana and Mandy said. “OK, I’ll come with you.” Grace pulled her hand back and turned her attention to the menu as the waitress appeared. “Can I have the salad and jacket spud, please? With a pot of tea.”
    Elliott glanced up. “I’ll have the steak, chips, and peas, with coffee. Thank you.”
    Grace slotted the menu back into the stand on the end of the table. “What time’s kickoff?”
    “Three. I’m meeting Joel at two-thirty. Does anyone in your family like football?”
    “Rick does. He’s at every game he can get to, work permitting.”
    Elliott unfolded his serviette. “What do you like to do in your spare time?”
    “I don’t do anything. I work and sleep. That’s it. Really boring, actually. What about you?”
    “I have my work, football. Joel and I play squash, badminton, tennis. And there’s church. That takes up a fair bit of time, too, but it’s not a chore.”
    Of course it is. Grace sighed internally. Another reason not to get involved with him if he did ask. She didn’t fit into his lifestyle. And she didn’t want his God in her life either.

4
    The logo Faith had sent her—a single carnation, with a ribbon that looked like a road tied around it—was amazing. She’d also included a graphic to send to the signage people for the new shop front. Amazing just didn’t cover it. First thing tomorrow, Grace would send Faith a check or some other form of payment. Something Damien couldn’t get his hands on. The doorbell rang and Grace closed the laptop.
    Elliott stood waiting under his umbrella; his overcoat over what she assumed was a suit. She had to admit he looked dashing. “Morning, Elliott.”
    “Good morning. Ready?”
    “Yeah.” She slid her feet into knee length boots. Pulling on her coat, she grabbed her bag and shut the door behind her, grateful it was a self-locking door. “Lovely weather for ducks, again.”
    “Oh, yes.” They ran the short distance to the car, the umbrella being blown inside out twice.
    Elliott sighed. “Maybe we just get wet,” he commented.
    “Yeah.”
    At least