Flowers for Hattie by Kimberly M. Miller

Author:Kimberly M. Miller [Miller, Kimberly M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christian Fiction, inspirational fiction, Clean and Wholesome Novels, Religion and Spirituality
ISBN: 9781522399070
Publisher: Pelican Book Group
Published: 2022-05-26T00:00:00+00:00

11

Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43: 18-19

Hattie stacked the last of the files on her desk and turned to face the cabinet so she could start putting them away. She spent all morning reorganizing the office, scheduling appointments, and if she was honest, thinking about Finn. He’d only be in town for a few more days, and the more time she spent with him the deeper in love she fell. Trouble didn’t begin to describe this situation.

He shared the truth of his life with her and she still insisted on clutching to her facade, white-knuckled and with both hands. Every time she looked at him she wanted to talk about it, but she was immediately hit with a rush of emotion reminding her what trusting him might mean.

From his car to his flippant conversations about money, travel, and everything in between, his life sat at the opposite end of reality. She should be glad he wanted to write her another check to save Life House, but she just felt dirty and guilty, aware she’d only given him a chance on the hope such a thing would happen. Now that it had, she wondered if she could keep that secret, save the place, and go on protecting herself from the hurt she knew he’d eventually bring.

It would be the same hurt her father brought. The same one every man who’d been with every woman now living at Life House gave. Those men loved the women when it worked for them, only to move on, back to their lives when everything got complicated and hard.

Happily-ever-after wasn’t even a dream. It remained fiction, pure and simple, and Hattie refused to entertain the magnetic force that insisted she get closer to Finn any chance she got. But pulling away remained one of her greatest challenges yet.

As Hattie wrestled these worries aside to try and focus on real work instead, Spike entered the office, giving the door an extra shove as he did, his scowl speaking volumes about his attitude. Hattie glanced at him, wondering what she’d seen in the tattooed powerhouse.

“You’re dating someone,” he snapped.

Hattie glanced up at the six-foot-four mountain as he planted himself and his combat boots in front of her desk, arms folded and ready for another row. One thing about Spike, he never, ever gave up.

“Why do you care if I’m dating someone now? It’s been weeks since I dumped you, Spike. Over a month since we broke up.”

Spike flinched. For such a big man, he wore his emotions openly, and that in turn drove his ludicrous actions, up to and including cheating and lying. Hattie never once felt bad about ending the relationship.

He wasn’t finished griping at her. He kicked her desk, though not hard enough to do more than punctuate his point. “You said you weren’t dating anyone!” His voice rose on the last word.

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