A Hero At Heart by Carolyne Aarsen

Author:Carolyne Aarsen [Aarsen, Carolyne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: contemporary romance, Women's Fiction, Forever Love, Clean & Wholesome, Bachelor, Single Woman, Faith Based, Hearts Desire, Life-Changes, second chances, Honesty & Trust, Home & Family, Lifetime Love, Romantic Schemes, Small Town & Rural Area, Christian Stories, Inspirational Reads, Love Inspired, Love-Family & Forever, Beautiful & Feisty, Cowboy & Western Romance, Love-Healing & Hope, Sweet Hearts of Sweet Creek Series, Animals & Horses
Publisher: Misty Ridge Publishing
Published: 2018-03-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

When the waiter brought their order, Ben felt a moment’s relief.

Each time Kelsey brought up Carter’s name, each time she spoke about him as if Carter had been the answer to all her dreams, he felt an inexplicable burst of jealousy followed by anger with Carter for what he had thrown away. As always, he had to resist the temptation to tell her what he knew. It wouldn’t change anything for either of them. It was past.

The waiter set out the steak for Ben and fajitas for Kelsey. They thanked him, and as he withdrew, Kelsey hesitated a moment, then lowered her head in prayer.

Ben knew he shouldn’t watch her as she prayed. For in this moment, with her head bowed and her eyes closed, she was defenseless.

He couldn’t look away.

The frown that had furrowed her brow a moment before faded away, and her soft mouth curved in a delicate smile as her expression exuded a peace he suddenly yearned for.

After a moment’s pause, he lowered his own head. He didn’t know why he did it. Part of it may have been a response to her prayer. Part of it was a hearkening back to when he was a young boy staying with his grandmother—the person who had taught him to pray.

He remembered vague snatches of half-remembered prayers. Please, Lord, bless this food.... He paused, trying to remember the rest of the prayer. But it wouldn’t come.

Instead, he remembered Kelsey’s easy conversational tone when she prayed. But he didn’t know what to pray for besides patience and an answer to the questions that plagued him, ask for a filling of the emptiness that grew each year.

When he raised his head, Kelsey was already done praying. Relieved, he unfolded his own napkin and laid it on his lap. The aroma of the steak, grilled to a sizzling perfection, made his mouth water.

He glanced across at Kelsey, disconcerted to see her studying him.

When he first thought of this “date,” he had a number of objectives in mind. The main one, he had told himself, was to find a diplomatic way to discharge the obligation he had felt since he first found out about Carter canceling the life insurance policy, which was the “business” he had obliquely referred to.

The other was less clear. Merely a faint hope that spending time with her would diminish the fascination she held for Carter.

It wasn’t working.

“You said you were home-schooled,” Kelsey said, arranging the various bowls that came with her meal. She glanced at him with a smile, obviously ready to talk about something else. “Did you go to a regular school at all?”

Ben picked up his own fork and toyed with his vegetables while he considered her question, thankful for the return to a more casual give-and-take.

“If we were in a place long enough, I would attend,” he said finally, feeling as if he had to apologize for his lack of education. “But more often than not, we moved around.”

“No high school experiences? No fighting

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.