Read Online Dare to Love Again (The Heart of San Francisco Book #2): A Novel by Julie Lessman - Free Book Online Page A

beamed, the glow in her blue eyes bringing a prick of tears to Alli’s own. How she wished she could take the little darling home to play with her younger sister. Although Maddie had just turned six, Mother wasn’t ready to send her to the Hand of Hope School just yet, opting to tutor her instead until the school was more established. But Allison was sure Maddie would love meeting the children at Mercy House, especially Lottie. “I’ll say one thing, Miss Lottie—you are a very hard worker, young lady.”
    “That’s what Mr. Nick says,” Lottie said proudly, testing the point on a pencil she just sharpened. She giggled. “I help him pick weeds and build things.”
    The pen in Allison’s hand stopped mid-scrawl, leaving an unsightly blot of ink on one of her student’s papers. She grated her lip, voice casual. “Do you . . . like Mr. Nick?” she asked carefully, half hoping the little sprite would confirm what a terror the man was.
    “Oh, gee whiz, you bet—Mr. Nick is my favorite person in the whole wide world, ’cept for Miss Penny and now you, a course.”
    Allison’s smile sloped sideways. Well, two out of three’s not bad . . .
    “Mr. Nick reads a story to us almost every night afore I go to bed, me and the others,” she said staunchly, the grind of the sharpener unable to hide the worshipful tone in her voice. “Except those nights he’s gotta work, a course.” The sharpener paused while she inserted another pencil, her wispy sigh carrying across the room. “When I grow up, I wanna marry somebody just like him ’cause he’s so nice, handsome, and smells good too.”
    Allison issued a silent grunt. Again . . . two out of three.
    “I love Mr. Nick a lot ’cause he makes me feel warm and safe inside . . . like one of God’s archangels, ya know? And everybody knows angels are beautiful, right?”
    Allison blinked, pen stalled on the paper once again. “Uh . . . sure . . . I guess.” As long as the “harping” they do is music related.
    Lottie’s little shoulders suddenly slumped, an air of dejection settling on her features as softly as the wood shavings that settled on the floor. “Only thing is, Mr. Nick cain’t be no angel ’cause he don’t like God.”
    “What do you mean?” Allison said, her renegade thoughts about Mr. Nick screeching to a shameful halt.
    She shook her little head, curls skimming her shoulders, as limp as her tone. “He reads bedtime stories to us a lot, sure, but he always leaves when we say our prayers. I asked him why one time, and he just said he ain’t on speakin’ terms with God no more.” A weighty sigh shuddered her tiny body. “Miss Penny toldus Mr. Nick is mad at God and we need to pray they’ll make up. She says Mr. Nick just needs our love and prayers to show him that God really does care about him.” A brilliant smile suddenly broke through her malaise, lighting a heavenly glow in her eyes. “So that’s what I do, Miss Alli, yesiree, Bob—I love Mr. Nick just like it’s God ahuggin’ him through me.”
    Allison blinked, suddenly feeling lower than the shavings on the floor. She gulped when Father Burton’s homily from last week came to mind.
    Except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Her eyelids shuttered closed. Oh, Lord, forgive me  . . .
    The sharpener started grinding again, and Allison vowed she’d try to show Christian love and kindness to Nick Barone if it killed her. After all, if a sweet, little cherub like Lottie liked him, then maybe he wasn’t so bad . . .
    Silence fell when Lottie halted her task to peer up with another serious face, her eyes void of their usual sparkle, just like before. “And I’m so sorry, Miss Alli, but I don’t think Mr. Nick likes you very much.”
    Oh, now there’s a news flash for you. Allison bit her lip, turning away so the little girl couldn’t see the blush on her face. She schooled her voice to hide a prick of hurt. “Oh? Why do