Read Online Precious Blessings (Love Inspired) by Jillian Hart - Free Book Online

she’d sat down at this table, she would have a much different opinion of him.
    She also wouldn’t have been able to give meaning to the shadows in his eyes, darker than his irises, more than skin-deep. Why was it that she could see into this man’s heart? Behind the rugged man-in-charge demeanor was an honest guy, who wanted to do the right thing, who loved with all he had, who intended to fight for his daughter to get her in a good place.
    â€œIt’s not my business,” she cleared her throat, surprised at how thick and honest her voice sounded. Somehow he’d disarmed her controlled outer layer of defense. “Marin mentioned you were a single parent. It can’t be easy for a dad to raise a teenage daughter.”
    â€œNot easy at all.” Emotion flashed through his dark eyes and he turned away to stare out the long wall of windows where the veil of falling snow had thickened. “Heidi’s been gone for three years.”
    â€œThat had to have been devastating for both of you.”
    A single nod. He continued to stare out the window, stoic as chiseled granite. She felt the heavy weight of his sorrow. Was that why she felt an uncommon connection with Jack? They were two people who’d known loss and defeat? Maybe that’s all this was, nothing romantic, nothing like destiny.
    In a way, it was a relief to realize this. There wasnothing to deny. Nothing to worry about. They were simply two people who’d walked a similar path in life. “I was ten when my mom left. She took our youngest sister and just walked out the door one day. It was summer, and she’d just pinned up the wash to dry on the backyard clothesline.”
    â€œDid she and your sister ever come back?”
    Katherine stared out into the endlessly falling snow. “I can still see the load of T-shirts snapping in the breeze and smell the laundry-soap scent of them. Mom backed the family car out of the detached garage and took off down the alley. I saw glimpses of the car through the bowed heads of the sunflowers that lined the back corner of the fence, and then she was gone forever.”
    â€œThat couldn’t have been easy.” Jack scrubbed a hand over his face. The burden of worry and responsibility he carried felt close to the surface. Maybe too close. “Your story gives me hope for my daughter. You went through losing your mom, too, and look how incredible you turned out. Hayden will, too.”
    â€œWait one minute. I’m so far away from incredible that I can’t believe you said that.”
    How perfect was Katherine? Not only was she wonderful but modest, too. “I’m not gonna argue with you about it. Learn to take a compliment.”
    â€œAll right, but be sincere next time, instead of trying to be charming.”
    So, she thought he was charming? Talk about a good surprise. “Next time, huh? You mean there’s a chance I might run into you somewhere sometime and you won’t try to avoid me?”
    â€œIt does depend on how this turns out and how easy you are to avoid.”
    He took swig from his cup, and the tea tasted better, sweeter. He couldn’t say why. He had to admit that she’d made a dent in his defenses. Again. “How did you get past losing your mom?”
    â€œI don’t think I ever have.”
    He studied Katherine. She was still staring at the window, but she didn’t seem to be seeing what was beyond the glass, or the thick snow falling ever harder.
    â€œI think everyone has wounds in their lives. It’s not so much that you erase that wound from your heart, as much as you learn to move past the pain. To live and learn to trust others even with that old wound.” Katherine pivoted to assess him with those lovely unguarded eyes. It was easy to see beyond the calm controlled manner she showed the world to the real woman she kept private.
    He liked this Katherine. “So, if you never got over it, will