Read Online Love's Stormy Gale (Heartsong Presents) by Lynette Sowell - Free Book Online Page A

Make sure you lock up.” Then he gave Jonathan a nod before closing the door.
    Olivia released her breath and giggled. “What timing.”
    Jonathan stood and stretched, then took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Ah, Miss Shea, if I kissed you now, I’d scratch your face.”
    Olivia wanted to reply that a scratched face was the least of her concerns. “And?”
    “When I do kiss you, I’ll make sure I’ve shaved first.” Then he winked at her, fishing his keys from his pocket. “I need to leave now. Morning comes early.”
    “Oh. Right.” Olivia mustered a feeble wave as Jonathan climbed into his Jeep and left.
    * * *
    Jonathan turned the corner and groaned. What had happened back there? All he’d done was show up with a plastic lobster, and nearly ended the evening sharing a kiss with Olivia. Smiley had turned into quite a peace offering. He allowed himself a grin at that.
    No, it was Robby’s stupid letter. If Olivia hadn’t found that letter, none of them would have known about Robby’s decision to call off the wedding. Then he wouldn’t have ended up comforting Olivia on the porch.
    “Dummy.” Jonathan glared at his reflection in the rearview mirror. He hoped he hadn’t crossed any unmarked lines tonight. Having the chance to comfort Olivia and encourage her was an answer to a prayer. Yet where did friendship end and something more begin?
    “Okay, Barrotta. She’s a grown woman. She could have pushed you away.” Jonathan pulled into the parking space at his apartment. Yet Olivia hadn’t pushed him away. Her expressive eyes had practically begged him to kiss her. It was probably just as well her father had opened the front door when he did.
    That night, he bowed in prayer in his bedroom. “Help me, Lord. You know how much I’ve cared for her all these years. Please don’t let me take advantage of her needing comfort. You do the comforting and healing, and I’ll be there for her when You’re through. I promise You that. If You’re giving me a chance to love her at last.”

Chapter 7
    O livia hummed while she whisked the waffle batter in a bowl and smelled the coffee streaming into the coffeepot. She heard her father descend the creaking stairs, his slippers swishing on the wood. The swish paused, then came the whir of the computer. Olivia smiled. Her father was checking his email, a new tradition blending with the old.
    To think a computer would come before her father’s trip to the porch step for the morning paper. But then laughter came more easily than it had for a long time.
    Two weeks and three days had passed since Jonathan nearly kissed her on the porch swing. Maybe he would sometime. Her stomach trembled at the thought.
    Since that night, her heart had poured out the accumulated sludge of old feelings and hurts. On a sunny Sunday morning like this, the past seemed like an old nightmare chased forever back into the shadows. Now that she and Jonathan had reestablished their friendship, she realized she’d welcome more.
    “Yes, Lord,” she murmured. “I want Your best for Jonathan, and for me. If You want us to be together, I’ll accept that. Please, show us Your will.” Jonathan’s dark curly hair, deep brown eyes, his stubbled jaw when he forgot to shave all sprang to mind. Olivia sighed and rested her elbows on the counter, feeling like a schoolgirl again.
    The scent of burning waffles filled the air. Olivia jerked the cover from the waffle iron. Steam swirled up, revealing dark brown squares.
    Her father scuffed into the kitchen. “You planning on feeding me that?” He sniffed the air, reading glasses perched on the end of his nose.
    “You can put lots of syrup on it. Wait, too much isn’t very good for you. Or margarine for that matter.” Olivia waved the spatula she used to pry the burned mass from the waffle iron. She tossed the waffles in the trash and put fresh batter in the waffle iron.
    Her father helped himself to the coffee, then coughed before he took a