Secretly Yours: A Christian Valentine's Day Romance (Riverbend Romance Novella Book 1) Read Free Page A

Why was she doing this again? To please her sister, right? To help give Madison the opportunity to go on a missions trip. Not so she could see Nick Harrison a dozen times between now and Valentine’s Day.
    Definitely not that.
    “Want to go for coffee and we can talk about it now?”
    She shook her head. Too much like a date. She didn’t want to be seen in public with him. People would get ideas. She became conscious of his gaze on the side of her face.
    “I’m sorry I make you so uncomfortable.”
    He’d noticed? That probably meant she was being rude, but she hated how unsettled he made her feel. It was disconcerting to think that she’d never gotten over her high-school crush. If she’d been comparing guys to Nick all these years, most of them should have come out ahead. He’d been such a jerk.
    He wasn’t one now. Probably. She should give him the benefit of the doubt.
    “Want to come in for a few minutes? I’m not sure if Greg’s home, but Madison’s there. We can make some preliminary plans.”
    “I’d love to.”
    Yeah, she’d just bet he would.

    ~*~

    Nick held the door for Lindsey as they entered her house. This was even better than he’d hoped. To be here when—
    “Linds! You’re home.” Madison skidded down the hallway and grabbed the banister above to keep from sliding past the steps. “Oh, hi, Pastor Nick.” Her eyes gleamed. “Guess what?”
    Nick helped Lindsey off with her coat and hung it on a vacant hook. He couldn’t help grinning as she tossed the fuzzy pink mittens into a basket.
    “What, Madison?”
    Lindsey sounded tired. Maybe his idea to ambush her after work hadn’t been the best. Well, he’d done it, and he was here now. Invited in, no less.
    “You got another package today. See?” Madison held up a brown box.
    Lindsey glanced up, her cheeks flushing. Or maybe it was just the chill from the wind outside. “That’s nice. Madison, Nick is here to go over the menu for the banquet. Do you have any ideas of what you’d like?”
    “Open your gift first.”
    She shrugged as she ascended the steps. “It can wait.”
    “No, go for it,” Nick said, unable to help himself.
    She pivoted on the top step and stared him in the eyes, pretty much at his eye level. “Why?”
    Uh. “Don’t you want to see what’s in it?”
    “Come on, Lindsey.” Madison shook the box.
    “Fine. I’ll open it. Please put on water for tea, Madison.”
    “In a sec. I want to see.”
    Lindsey took the box, slit the tape, and opened it to reveal a small box of chocolates. She glanced at the pink paper on top then set both on a chair.
    Nick didn’t need to see the paper to know what it said.

    Dear Lindsey,
    You are as sweet as candy.
    Secretly Yours.

    “Ooh, chocolate!” Madison clutched her hands together. “Are those the ones with peanut butter? Those are your favorite.”
    Ah, something he’d have to keep in mind for another time. Unless that would give away his identity. Hmm.
    Lindsey turned to him, box extended. “Here, want a chocolate?”
    “Oh, I shouldn’t. Those are from your secret admirer.”
    She narrowed her gaze. “How do you know?”
    “Just a guess by the fact you didn’t know from whom. Besides, you told me you’d already gotten something from a secret admirer, so it seemed a safe guess.”
    “Ooh, is it you, Pastor Nick?” Madison batted her eyelashes.
    He laughed. “Go put the tea on, girl. Let’s sort out this menu.” He took a few steps toward the dining room table.
    Madison jumped in his path and poked him in the chest with her forefinger. “I bet it is you.”
    “Hey now, if I wanted to date your sister, I’d just come right out and ask her. No need for games.”
    “Unless she said no the first time.”
    Lindsey’s voice broke in. “The teakettle, Madison, if you will.”
    When Madison flounced back to the sink, Lindsey gave Nick a searching look. He must’ve passed the test because she grabbed a pad of paper and a pen from the counter and took a