Secretly Yours: A Christian Valentine's Day Romance (Riverbend Romance Novella Book 1) by Valerie Comer
Authors: Valerie Comer
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hot.”
Nick closed his eyes. He’d known people had to have noticed. That someone must have recognized him or Lindsey. Or both of them. “You can’t believe everything you hear.”
Jared paused, the last piece of cupcake halfway to his mouth. “What happened?”
“She forgot I was a pastor.”
“Uh… she forgot this when? Before, during, or after?”
Nick forced out a laugh. “During, I guess. She certainly remembered it this morning.”
“Oh, man. I’m sorry to hear that. You’re not giving up on her, are you?”
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been thinking about her for ten years. Praying for her. While she’s single, there’s still hope.” A bit of hope flared. He still had the secret admirer thing going for him. He’d definitely step that up, plus pray. She wasn’t immune to him; that much was obvious. Just struggling. Maybe he’d pushed her. Let his dreams get the best of him.
She’d definitely kissed him back. She’d come to love him if he gave her a bit more time.
“So, Jared, in all your vast experience with women…”
His friend wiped the last of the cupcake crumbs from around his mouth. “Uh, yeah, that’s me.”
“What’s the way to win a woman’s heart?”
“If I knew, would I be single?”
Nick grinned. “Maybe. You’re still in college. Not a bad idea to get that out of the way before marriage.”
“One more semester.”
“Before the wedding?”
Jared chuckled. “Nah, that’ll be a bit longer. As far as I know, I haven’t met her yet.”
“So when you meet her, how will you win her?”
“You mean besides my good looks and obvious charm?”
“Yeah, besides that.”
Jared plunked his elbows on the table and peered into Nick’s eyes. “You’re really asking, aren’t you?”
“Seems so.”
“If I really believed she was the one for me, I’d keep doing what I was doing, and I’d ask the good Lord for His help. And maybe that of a few friends.” Jared winked. “Can’t have too many friends on your side.”
Nick could think of a few ways having friends on his side could be a negative, not a positive, but he’d let that go.
“You were going to get her a ring soon?”
How had Jared known his mind had gone there already? And by already, he’d been daydreaming about it for the past month, never mind the sleep he’d lost last night. A half-smile escaped. “Been thinking on it.”
Jared slurped back half his coffee. “Buy it,” he said, putting his cup down. “Step out in faith. You want to be ready when she comes back around.”
Chapter 11
“For you!” sang out Madison, brandishing a brown package.
Lindsey’s heart hiccupped. Was another secret admirer gift a good thing or a bad thing? Maybe it hadn’t been Nick after all. But then, who? She’d watched the guys at work, and none seemed to have more than a casual friendship in mind. And besides church on Sundays, she didn’t really go anywhere else. She tugged off her boots, set them on the rack, and glanced up at her sister hanging over the rail. “What is it?”
Madison clutched the package to her chest and rolled her eyes. “I didn’t open it, silly. It’s from your secret admirer.”
Lindsey took a deep breath as she climbed the few steps and forced cheerfulness into her voice. “Well, let’s see what’s in this one.” The package felt like a book. She slid the twine off the end and slid her nail under the tape to reveal an off-white cover with raspberry lettering and gold embellishments.
Meditations for a Woman Beloved of God.
She wiped a finger over the embossed cover. Should she laugh? Cry?
“Pastor Nick has got to be your secret admirer.” Madison crossed her arms. “Even though he keeps denying it. Who else would get you something like that?”
Had he denied it? “He’s never really said. He always changes the subject.”
“Hmm.” Madison tapped her chin and narrowed her gaze at Lindsey. “Could it be?”
“Enough drama. It doesn’t matter.” She
Nick closed his eyes. He’d known people had to have noticed. That someone must have recognized him or Lindsey. Or both of them. “You can’t believe everything you hear.”
Jared paused, the last piece of cupcake halfway to his mouth. “What happened?”
“She forgot I was a pastor.”
“Uh… she forgot this when? Before, during, or after?”
Nick forced out a laugh. “During, I guess. She certainly remembered it this morning.”
“Oh, man. I’m sorry to hear that. You’re not giving up on her, are you?”
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been thinking about her for ten years. Praying for her. While she’s single, there’s still hope.” A bit of hope flared. He still had the secret admirer thing going for him. He’d definitely step that up, plus pray. She wasn’t immune to him; that much was obvious. Just struggling. Maybe he’d pushed her. Let his dreams get the best of him.
She’d definitely kissed him back. She’d come to love him if he gave her a bit more time.
“So, Jared, in all your vast experience with women…”
His friend wiped the last of the cupcake crumbs from around his mouth. “Uh, yeah, that’s me.”
“What’s the way to win a woman’s heart?”
“If I knew, would I be single?”
Nick grinned. “Maybe. You’re still in college. Not a bad idea to get that out of the way before marriage.”
“One more semester.”
“Before the wedding?”
Jared chuckled. “Nah, that’ll be a bit longer. As far as I know, I haven’t met her yet.”
“So when you meet her, how will you win her?”
“You mean besides my good looks and obvious charm?”
“Yeah, besides that.”
Jared plunked his elbows on the table and peered into Nick’s eyes. “You’re really asking, aren’t you?”
“Seems so.”
“If I really believed she was the one for me, I’d keep doing what I was doing, and I’d ask the good Lord for His help. And maybe that of a few friends.” Jared winked. “Can’t have too many friends on your side.”
Nick could think of a few ways having friends on his side could be a negative, not a positive, but he’d let that go.
“You were going to get her a ring soon?”
How had Jared known his mind had gone there already? And by already, he’d been daydreaming about it for the past month, never mind the sleep he’d lost last night. A half-smile escaped. “Been thinking on it.”
Jared slurped back half his coffee. “Buy it,” he said, putting his cup down. “Step out in faith. You want to be ready when she comes back around.”
Chapter 11
“For you!” sang out Madison, brandishing a brown package.
Lindsey’s heart hiccupped. Was another secret admirer gift a good thing or a bad thing? Maybe it hadn’t been Nick after all. But then, who? She’d watched the guys at work, and none seemed to have more than a casual friendship in mind. And besides church on Sundays, she didn’t really go anywhere else. She tugged off her boots, set them on the rack, and glanced up at her sister hanging over the rail. “What is it?”
Madison clutched the package to her chest and rolled her eyes. “I didn’t open it, silly. It’s from your secret admirer.”
Lindsey took a deep breath as she climbed the few steps and forced cheerfulness into her voice. “Well, let’s see what’s in this one.” The package felt like a book. She slid the twine off the end and slid her nail under the tape to reveal an off-white cover with raspberry lettering and gold embellishments.
Meditations for a Woman Beloved of God.
She wiped a finger over the embossed cover. Should she laugh? Cry?
“Pastor Nick has got to be your secret admirer.” Madison crossed her arms. “Even though he keeps denying it. Who else would get you something like that?”
Had he denied it? “He’s never really said. He always changes the subject.”
“Hmm.” Madison tapped her chin and narrowed her gaze at Lindsey. “Could it be?”
“Enough drama. It doesn’t matter.” She
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