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As a man used to solving problems and coming up with resolutions, no matter how many angles or different ideas Nicholas came up with, no resolution came to him. Not one that would work anyway. With a heavy sigh, he continued his heart-to-heart with the Lord. “Lord, it’s obvious Anna’s ministry is here. And, I know she’s needed here, and that I’m needed back in New York. But, and I know it’s a long shot, if there is a way to work this out, please show me.” Nicholas listened for that still small voice all the way to his uncle’s office building. Usually when he prayed, God would drop something into his heart in some form of an answer or another. But this time, there was nothing. Not even a single word.
What did the silence mean exactly? He had no clue, but his gut twisted just thinking about the ramifications of it. Not a good sign. Not a good sign at all.
Chapter Five
How Anna made it through the rush hour was beyond her. Dead tired, all she wanted to do was go home, but she had a mountain of paperwork that needed her attention. If she didn’t pay her bills, she wouldn’t have to worry about the long hours. Thank goodness, earlier that afternoon, her girls had shooed her away, insisting they could manage things.
“I’m leaving now, Anna,” Cailyn said from the doorway. “Everything’s cleaned up and ready for tomorrow.” She glanced over at Anna’s desk covered with a mountain of paperwork and tilted her head. “Unless you need me to stay and help you with something else.”
Even if she did, Anna wouldn’t let Cailyn know that because her friend had a date with Ted, a very nice man from church. “No. I’m good. Thanks.”
“Oh. Okay. But only if you’re sure.”
“Yes. I’m sure,” Anna reassured her friend. “Lock up on your way out.”
“Will do.” With that, Cailyn turned and disappeared.
After praying for Cailyn to have a nice time with Ted, her eyes drifted down to her desktop and to the order Savia had placed. Nicholas hadn’t been kidding when he said she never did anything small. It was also a good thing that Anna had ten days to fill the order. She’d need all of those days and then some. A glance at the hefty figure and the check that accompanied it, her heart danced with joy. With this she would be able to give her friends an even nicer Christmas bonus this year and buy a few more things for Donald and his friends. The extra hours would definitely be worth it.
With that sweet thought tucked inside her heart, Anna got to work paying her bills. Two more to go and she would be finished.
“Hey there, beautiful.”
She looked up from her desk.
“Hope you don’t mind, but Cailyn let me in on her way out.” Nicholas stood in the doorway. Instead of wearing his usual suit and tie, he had on a pair of blue jeans that didn’t do a very good job of hiding his muscular legs.
Tearing her eyes away from them, she put her pen down and smiled up at him. “No, I don’t mind at all.”
He held up a large paper bag from her favorite hamburger place “You hungry?”
“Hungry? I’m famished.” The last time she had eaten was around three, and here it was now eight. She pushed herself away from her desk and walked over to him. “Let’s go eat in the breakroom. It will be a lot easier.”
“Lead the way, ma’am. I’m at your service.”
He followed her to the empty breakroom, took off his coat, scarf and hat, and laid them over the back of one of empty chairs. His gaze came over to hers, and she couldn’t help but notice how his blue Pendleton wool shirt made his eyes even bluer if that were even possible. Rather than stand there and stare at him, she tore her gaze away and asked, “What would you like to drink? Hot chocolate? Coffee? Pop? Water?”
“Water sounds good. I’ve had enough coffee to float a ship today. I’m all coffeed out.”
Grabbing a cold bottle of water out of the fridge and a warm one from underneath the counter, Anna handed the cold one to Nicholas and took the warm one for herself.
Nicholas already had the Styrofoam containers sitting out on the table. Once she was seated, he lowered his tall frame onto the chair. They bowed their heads, and he prayed over their food.
All it took was Amen for Anna to snatch up a homemade French fry and pop it into her mouth. “Thank you for bringing dinner.”
“You’re welcome. My pleasure actually. I haven’t had a hamburger in years, and I must say this is the best I have ever eaten.”
“I think so.” They ate for several minutes before Anna’s stomach couldn’t hold one more bite. “Oh, I wanted to tell you that you weren’t kidding about your aunt. She doesn’t do anything small.” Anna laughed, and so did Nicholas.
