Read Online A Hero for Her Heart (Truly Yours Digital Editions Book 885) by Nancy Toback, Candice Miller Speare - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nancy Toback, Candice Miller Speare
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that he did it or tried to justify it. The thing that bothers me most is he’s never admitted it was wrong. He said it was a mistake and he was sorry, but sorry for what? That he got caught? It’s almost as if I should be glad it happened because he ultimately decided I’m the right girl for him.”
“I’m not surprised.” Shannon wagged her head. “I never liked him, as you know. He was too good for a lot of the simple things in life. He would never have stooped low enough to drink my tea or play Scrabble with us.”
Shannon’s words were true, and she was sure her friend meant to point out a fundamental difference between Michael and Derrick. Michael was a snob. Derrick wasn’t. Funny that would be so obvious even though they hardly knew Derrick at all. Or maybe Shannon was getting to know him better than Allie thought.
“I’m a fine one to talk about being snobbish, though.” Allie shoved a plastic pitcher of juice into the refrigerator.
“What do you mean?” Shannon scowled. “You’re nothing like Michael.”
“Maybe not, but I have my own issues.” She glanced at her friend, then at the floor. “I’m pretty mad at God right now, along with people—men—I can’t trust.”
“Oh, that. Don’t worry.” Shannon waved her hand in the air. “The key is to keep the communication open with God. Don’t stop talking to Him. Ask for forgiveness. He’ll deal with your heart, and the feelings will follow.”
“I suppose.” Shannon’s encouragement didn’t assuage her guilt; it only made her irritable that her best friend had an easy friendship with God. And maybe the picture in her head of Shannon and Derrick didn’t help. “What were you and Derrick talking about earlier?” Allie inspected the countertop like the question meant nothing to her.
“Business,” Shannon said, not looking up.
Allie attacked the sink with cleanser and a sponge. “What kind of business?”
“Yours and mine.” Shannon dried a pot and put it in the cupboard. “I told you he’s going to help me find a property to rent in the Tri-Cities, right?”
“Yes.” That meant Shannon and Derrick would be working together. Allie felt the stab of jealousy again and shook her head. Ridiculous.
Shannon gave her a sidelong glance. “We also discussed your situation. He might be able to help you sell some land.”
“That again?” Allie slapped the sponge into its plastic holder behind the sink. “Why is everyone talking to everyone else about my personal business?”
“Gee, that’s an overstatement. I only meant to—”
Ma, Danny, and Derrick walked into the kitchen, all three laughing. Then Ma held up a rectangle of paper. “The pastor gave us a check, Allie. It’s from a fund at church for parishioners in situations like ours. It will help get us through this month.”
Allie wanted to shush her mother in front of Derrick. Not everyone needed to know their financial woes.
“Derrick!” Shannon flapped a dish towel in his direction. “Tell Allie what you said about the land.”
Derrick dropped onto a kitchen chair, looking as if he’d been a part of the family forever. “I might be able to help you sell part of your land. I have a buyer looking for investment property—possibly to subdivide and build houses. That’s why I’m in town.”
“And that’s not all.” Shannon motioned for him to continue.
He nodded. “I thought you could give me a quick tour of the place. I’ll go back to the office and poke around a little bit, look at other listings, run some figures on comparable properties. Talk to some people. Then if things look good, I’ll have to come back for a longer look.”
Allie swallowed. When all was said and done, she didn’t want to sell. Especially to someone who was going to build a subdivision. She loved her home and the privacy it afforded them. But what choice did she have?
“Go show him around before it gets too late.” Ma stuck a card on the refrigerator with a magnet.
“I’m not surprised.” Shannon wagged her head. “I never liked him, as you know. He was too good for a lot of the simple things in life. He would never have stooped low enough to drink my tea or play Scrabble with us.”
Shannon’s words were true, and she was sure her friend meant to point out a fundamental difference between Michael and Derrick. Michael was a snob. Derrick wasn’t. Funny that would be so obvious even though they hardly knew Derrick at all. Or maybe Shannon was getting to know him better than Allie thought.
“I’m a fine one to talk about being snobbish, though.” Allie shoved a plastic pitcher of juice into the refrigerator.
“What do you mean?” Shannon scowled. “You’re nothing like Michael.”
“Maybe not, but I have my own issues.” She glanced at her friend, then at the floor. “I’m pretty mad at God right now, along with people—men—I can’t trust.”
“Oh, that. Don’t worry.” Shannon waved her hand in the air. “The key is to keep the communication open with God. Don’t stop talking to Him. Ask for forgiveness. He’ll deal with your heart, and the feelings will follow.”
“I suppose.” Shannon’s encouragement didn’t assuage her guilt; it only made her irritable that her best friend had an easy friendship with God. And maybe the picture in her head of Shannon and Derrick didn’t help. “What were you and Derrick talking about earlier?” Allie inspected the countertop like the question meant nothing to her.
“Business,” Shannon said, not looking up.
Allie attacked the sink with cleanser and a sponge. “What kind of business?”
“Yours and mine.” Shannon dried a pot and put it in the cupboard. “I told you he’s going to help me find a property to rent in the Tri-Cities, right?”
“Yes.” That meant Shannon and Derrick would be working together. Allie felt the stab of jealousy again and shook her head. Ridiculous.
Shannon gave her a sidelong glance. “We also discussed your situation. He might be able to help you sell some land.”
“That again?” Allie slapped the sponge into its plastic holder behind the sink. “Why is everyone talking to everyone else about my personal business?”
“Gee, that’s an overstatement. I only meant to—”
Ma, Danny, and Derrick walked into the kitchen, all three laughing. Then Ma held up a rectangle of paper. “The pastor gave us a check, Allie. It’s from a fund at church for parishioners in situations like ours. It will help get us through this month.”
Allie wanted to shush her mother in front of Derrick. Not everyone needed to know their financial woes.
“Derrick!” Shannon flapped a dish towel in his direction. “Tell Allie what you said about the land.”
Derrick dropped onto a kitchen chair, looking as if he’d been a part of the family forever. “I might be able to help you sell part of your land. I have a buyer looking for investment property—possibly to subdivide and build houses. That’s why I’m in town.”
“And that’s not all.” Shannon motioned for him to continue.
He nodded. “I thought you could give me a quick tour of the place. I’ll go back to the office and poke around a little bit, look at other listings, run some figures on comparable properties. Talk to some people. Then if things look good, I’ll have to come back for a longer look.”
Allie swallowed. When all was said and done, she didn’t want to sell. Especially to someone who was going to build a subdivision. She loved her home and the privacy it afforded them. But what choice did she have?
“Go show him around before it gets too late.” Ma stuck a card on the refrigerator with a magnet.
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