Heart's Design: A Contemporary Christian Romance Read Online Free Page A

small white dog was on a leash attached to the man’s hand.
    “I think we’ve landed in the middle of an honest-to-goodness Norman Rockwell town,” Paulina said as they walked past a square with an old, restored Town Hall. A park with a white gazebo sat adjacent to the building and the post office came next.
    “Stockbridge, Massachusetts. That’s Rockwell’s hometown,” Kat said.
    “I know that.” Paulina shook her head. “You know what I mean. Lots of New England towns are quaint, but this place is—”
    “Special,” Caroline said under her breath. Reaching the intersection of Elm and Evergreen Streets, she paused on the sidewalk when she spied Landon’s Bed & Breakfast. Paulina and Kat stopped beside her.
    “What a great house,” Paulina said and Kat echoed her sentiment. By far, it was the grandest home in sight. Several much smaller houses lined both sides of the street. Older homes for the most part but obviously well-loved and maintained. Pretty cottages with different architectural styles, and a number of them featured a white picket fence.
    “I hope there’s room at the inn tonight. Come on, girls! Let’s check it out.” Darting across the street, Kat led the way and motioned for them to follow. Caroline lagged behind, drinking in the rich details of the Queen Anne style Victorian home.
    A covered porch ran the length of the house, supported by white columns, some wrapped with trailing ivy. The landscaping in the front and side yard was lush and lovely with neatly trimmed bushes—including rose bushes with bright, colorful blooms—and large, towering shade trees. The wraparound porch turned at a ninety-degree angle running congruently with the intersecting streets.
    White lattice work graced the overhang at the juncture, lending the corner of the house a gazebo-like effect all its own with turrets rising above it on the second and third floors. Another covered balcony jutted out from a second floor bedroom at the front of the house, and a lovely stained glass design—a pink tulip and green leaves from the looks of it—adorned the windows of the third floor. Two red brick chimneys rose above the roof with pointed gold finials on the peaks of each section of the rooftop.
    Caroline stopped outside the front door to admire the potted petunias, marigolds, and other hardy flowers gracing small white tables on the covered porch. White wicker chairs sat in small groupings to encourage cozy conversations, no doubt. A hanging pot of lush, poppy-colored geraniums spilling over its sides swayed in the breeze and wind chimes added to the serenity of the scene.
    How wonderful it would be to sink into the plump cushions of one of the chairs and sip a tall, frosty glass of lemonade or iced tea. Read a book. Take a nap. Ponder life’s direction. Nothing sounded better in this place where time truly seemed to stand still. If only that could become reality for a day or two.
    “This place reminds me of a neighbor’s house back home in Georgia. Old and rambling but full of character. Keep moving. That hot shower sounds better by the second.” Kat walked around her and gave Caroline a firm but gentle push from behind.
    “I hope they have a vacancy.” Caroline smiled as she spied a two-person swing covered with a floral cushion suspended from the corner of the porch.
    “Yeah. I’d hate to hear there’s no room at the inn.” Pulling open the front door, Paulina stood aside and gestured for them to enter first. “After you.”
    A hand-painted W elcome One and All sign to one side of the door with Est. 1856 beneath it greeted the girls. The large front room was equally warm and cozy as they stepped inside.
    A shiver ran through Caroline as she removed her sunglasses and paused for her eyes to adjust to the lighting inside. Ceiling fans rotated above them and candles burned, releasing a light, citrusy scent. Loveseats, sofas, and overstuffed armchairs covered in a pretty, multicolored floral pattern were