Waiting For Rachel: A Christian Romance (Those Karlsson Boys) Read Online Free

the chance to nurture.  Pushing down the sadness that rose within her, Rachel headed for the front door.
    After a glance at the clock to confirm the time, she reached for the sign on the door. Rachel’s hand froze, and a sense of déjà vu swept over her. Damian’s truck pulled to a stop just in front of the store. He got out, leaned over the bed of the truck, and lifted out a shovel.
    Rachel watched in surprise as he approached the front walk and began to clear away the snow that lay there.
    “Is that your friend? The pastor from your church ?” Mari asked from over her shoulder.
    “Yep, looks like it is,” Rachel said, her hand still gripping the plastic sign.
    “Wow, that’s nice of him to come and do that for you.” Mari moved closer to the door, peering out at Damian. “Although he could have saved himself some effort, since they’re saying it should start to melt by noon.”
    He made quick work of the drifts of snow on the cement walk. Rachel waited for him to come into the store, but instead he just turned, saw her, and grinned. He gave a two-fingered salute before dropping the shovel back into the bed of the truck and climbing behind the wheel.
    “Now, what was that all about?” Mari asked as they watched Damian drive away. “He could have at least come in for a cup of coffee.”
    Rachel quickly flipped the sign to read “Open”. This was not the way her day usually started. First the coffee and bagel, then Damian. A girl could only handle so much of a good thing.
    She thought of Damian’s words the night before. Jacob waited seven years for his Rachel, and I can wait that long for mine. Although I’d like to have a family and neither of us is getting any younger. Maybe you’ll give me a break and not make me wait the full seven years. How Rachel wished he’d get the picture, that there was no future between them. Did she have to spell it out?
    Could she spell it out?
    * * * * *
    In direct contrast to the previous evening, Damian left Rachel’s store with a smile on his face and it remained there even as he arrived at the church. The box of books he carried into the building felt lighter than it had the night before. Seeing the look on Rachel’s face when he’d showed up to shovel the snow earlier had been priceless. Even more priceless was the expression on her face when he’d left without going into the store. Maybe keeping her off balance was the best way to get her to fall into his arms.
    “What on earth are you grinning about, Damian?” asked Serena, the church secretary, as he set the box down on her desk. She glanced at it then smiled. “Never mind. You stopped by The Book Nook and saw Rachel.”
    “Actually, I picked up the books last night. This morning I went by to shovel the snow off the walk in front of the store. Can’t have anyone hurting themselves.”
    A smile lifted the corner of Serena’s mouth. “Didn’t you hear the forecast for the day?”
    “Sure I heard it, but you never know what could happen between now and then. Someone might slip.”
    “Right,” Serena drawled. She opened the box and looked through it. “Are there more?”
    Damian paused on his way out the door. “Oh yeah, Rachel said there were a couple of books that hadn’t come in. She’ll let you know when they arrive.” He walked into the hallway but then poked his head back around the corner. “And I’ll be glad to go pick them up when they do.”
    “I’d bet you would.” Serena laughed. “You’ll be the first to know when they arrive.”
    “You’re a pal.” Damian grinned at her before he turned and headed for his office. He couldn’t wait for the end of the day when he’d be seeing Rachel again.
    *****
    Damian knew Rachel closed the store right at eight on Friday nights, so he sat in his truck and watched the last customer leave. As he approached the store, he could see her bent over something on the counter. Before she had a chance to get up and lock the door, he walked in and