Not Until Christmas Morning (Hope Springs Book 5) by Valerie M. Bodden

Author:Valerie M. Bodden [Bodden, Valerie M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction, Forever Love, Christian Stories, Faith Based, Inspirational Reads, Love Inspired, Bachelor, Single Woman, Hearts Desire, Clean & Wholesome, Life-Changes, Second Chance Reunion, Honesty & Trust, Home & Family, Lifetime Love, Romantic Schemes, Love-Family & Forever, Action & Adventure, Small Town & Rural Area, Beautiful & Feisty, Hope Springs Series, Christmas Holidays & Celebration, Christmas Time, Holiday Whimsy, Festive Season, Winter Weather
Publisher: Valerie M. Bodden
Published: 2019-12-09T05:00:00+00:00

“I knew there’d be a list.” Jade waved the piece of paper triumphantly in front of Austin as she emerged from the office at the back of Leah’s commercial kitchen downtown. “I’m always teasing Leah about all the lists she makes, but this time I have to admit that it’s helpful.”

Austin did too. He wasn’t sure they’d be able to pull this off otherwise. Even with the list, it was going to be a challenge.

“I still can’t believe Leah asked us all to help make the community Thanksgiving dinner. The last time we offered, she practically laughed in our faces.” Jade’s husband Dan came up behind her and read the list over her shoulder. “She must be really sick.”

Austin nodded. No need to mention that technically it hadn’t been Leah who had texted to ask her friends to help with the meal. It had been Jackson’s idea to “borrow” Leah’s phone and contact her friends to see if anyone would be able to help with the cooking. Austin had agreed, making it clear to the boy that the only reason it was acceptable was because they were doing it to help Leah.

He’d been apprehensive at first, but he had to admit now that it had been a good idea. In addition to Dan and Jade, Peyton and Jared, Ethan and Ariana, Grace, and Emma had made it.

Austin glanced toward the building’s small lobby, where Jackson was keeping Hope and Ethan and Ariana’s little girl, Joy, entertained.

“So, where do we start, chef?” Dan teased.

Austin scanned the list Jade passed him. He’d thought Leah had been exaggerating when she’d said she had to make twenty turkeys, but judging from this, she hadn’t been.

He swallowed. “How many people does this need to serve?”

“A couple hundred. Mostly homeless people or people who have nowhere else to go for Thanksgiving.” Jade was studying the list. “I can handle the mashed potatoes. Pretty hard to mess that up, right?”

Austin made a mark on the paper. “And I can take care of the turkeys.” He divvied up the rest of the tasks among the others.

As they broke off to do their jobs, Austin rummaged in the industrial-size refrigerator for the herbs he’d need for the turkeys. He snapped off a piece of sage, the smell a punch straight to the gut.

He’d promised himself he’d never cook again, and everything in him rebelled at the idea, from his trembling hands to his churning stomach. But what else could he do?

You could turn around and leave. You don’t owe these people anything.

But that wasn’t true. Leah could have written him off that first night they’d met, when she’d found him chopping wood at midnight. Instead, she’d gone out of her way to make him feel at home here. And her friends had all been more than welcoming too.

Austin threw the sage back in the bag. Today was not the day to get caught up in those old memories. Today was a day to make new ones. If not for his own sake, then for Leah’s.

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