Read Online A Carol for Christmas by Robin Lee Hatcher - Free Book Online Page A

give her the desires of her heart as long as she delighted in Him. How could she look upon what was happening as anything other than His will?
    Is it , Lord?
    “Hey, boss,” the drummer called. “Stop chewin’ the fat with the pretty lady and let’s get to work.”
    Travis laughed. “Hank’s right. We’ve got lots to do before this Friday’s performance.”
    Carol nodded. She would rather sing than think anyway.
    Singing was easy. Thinking was giving her a headache.
    Q

    Jonathan sat at his desk, Carol’s photo from their wed- ding held between his hands. But it wasn’t her picture he saw. It was the memory of her standing at the front of the church yesterday.
    He’d been selfish. From the day they first met, he’d been selfish. He’d asked her to give up everything for him. He’d known her hopes and dreams, but once they fell in love, he expected her to leave all those things behind. And she had.
    What had he given up for her? His college degree? A better-paying entry into the family business? Yes, but nei- ther of those things was permanent.
    No, he gave up little when they married. Carol had sacrificed all. For him. If only he could pay her back in some small way. If only he could make her see how much he loved her, how much he needed her, how much he wanted to make her happy.
    If only he could be enough. . .
    He opened the desk drawer and removed his check- book, flipping it open to stare at the balance in the register. Not much there. He still needed to buy new tires for the Fairlane, and now there was the telephone bill waiting to be paid too.
    Not enough. Not nearly enough.
    Q

    Two hours later, Carol turned off the lights in the fel- lowship hall and walked outside with the others, making
    certain the door to the church was locked behind them. The temperature had fallen well below freezing while they were inside. Carol clutched her arms over her chest as she headed for her car, escorted by Friday Jones, the bass guitarist.
    “You and the other gals are doing a great job,” Friday said as they walked, his shoulders hunched forward and his hands jammed into the pockets of his jeans. “This is gonna be a good show.”
    “I hope so.”
    “You can know so. You’re good. Travis doesn’t give out the name of his agent to just anybody.”
    She glanced toward Friday. He was a skinny beanpole of a guy with pale blond hair and piercing blue eyes. “You and Travis have been playing together a long time.”
    “Yeah. We formed our first band when we were in junior high. Travis could always sing, of course, but as a group, the boys weren’t anything to write home about. I never figured we’d be doin’ this all these years later or that we’d go the places we’ve gone.”
    Carol pulled up the collar of her coat. “Do you like the traveling?”
    “Some of it’s good. I’m a small-town boy who’s seen London and Paris and Rome.” He shook his head. “But the road’s not easy, that’s for sure. It’s tough on relationships. Livin’ in buses and hotel rooms and all the time spent apart from the people you love. Gart and his wife got divorced last year ’cause she couldn’t take it no more. Hank was engaged a couple years back, but they never made it to the altar. His girl found herself a schoolteacher to marry. You know, a fella who comes home by five every night.”
    They arrived at the Buick, and Friday opened the door for Carol.
    “What about you?” She gripped the top of the door as she looked at the guitarist. “No one special in your life?”
    He chuckled, his breath clouding before his mouth. “I do have a girl, as a matter of fact. She’s a waitress in Nash- ville. I think we might make it.”
    “And Travis?”
    “Nah. Not for a long time.” He shrugged. “Women kinda throw themselves at him, him bein’ a performer and rich and good-lookin’ to boot. But he’s an old-fashioned guy, and his faith runs deep. He doesn’t want a gal who’s seein’ stars. That’s made him a bit