Font Size:  

Wow.She was starting to sound like a pathetic spinster radio host.

Eddie grunted. “Can you come to my house and repeat that to my wife and say it’s from me?”

“No can do, Eddie, and I’m sure she’d much rather hear it from you than me,” Hayden said. “Here’s the thing: forgiveness is a gift. We don’t deserve anything from God, and when He blesses us, that’sgrace. And when we ask God for forgiveness from sin, He gives it to us. No sin is too big or too small. If God doesn’t hold our transgressions against us, why should anyone else?”

Violet stopped theswish swishof her fan. She had to admit, Hayden’s advice was inspired.

“You haven’t met my wife,” Eddie said. “She loves God, though.”

When Eddie fell silent, Hayden waited. Dead air was a big—huge—no-no in radio, but now it worked to build the anticipation. At ease behind the microphone, Hayden possessed impeccable instincts. If she ever suffered dead air, it’d be considered an unforgivable abyss of silence.

She leaned forward in anticipation. “Say something, Eddie.”

“I’ll do it,” the man said finally. “What do I have to lose?”

Violet blew out a sigh of relief and collapsed back in the seat.

“Excellent!” Hayden sounded genuinely pleased. “Call back in a few weeks and give us an update, Eddie. Before you go tonight, do you mind if I pray for you?”

“I’d like that.” Emotion edged the man’s voice.

The car radio shut off automatically. Violet pondered Hayden’s advice as she climbed out of the car and headed inside the small house she rented with her longtime best friend, Dani, the HR director at a local marketing firm. Dani was currently on a two-week mission trip to Bonaire, the smallest and least commercial of the “ABC islands” which included Aruba and Curaçao. Combined, they comprised the three westernmost islands in the Caribbean.

A tripsheshould be on, too, but her job demands at KGOLD kept her grounded stateside. The spring season, especially during Lent and Easter, was a critical time for the station. In truth,everyseason was critical for the small, struggling Christian radio station. Hopefully, there’d be future mission opportunities.

Violet tossed her purse and keys on the kitchen counter. When Snuggles brushed against her legs, she picked up the white feline and met her mesmerizing eyes—one vivid blue, the other jade green. “Hey there, Snugs. What do you think? Should I give Hayden the benefit of the doubt? Maybe he’s not as feckless as I thought. He’s not irresponsible, exactly, but he’s…”

Too handsome and charming for his own good? Irritating? Annoying with a side of arrogance? No doubt, the man would be the undoing of some unsuspecting woman one day.

God bless her, whoever she is.

She lowered Snuggles to the floor. “Time for supper.” As she prepared the cat’s food, Violet eyed the radio on the kitchen counter.

Not happening.No moremaking haywith Hayden Brooks tonight. She’d heard enough from him for one day.

Chapter Two

“DOES SPONTANEITY HAVE A PLACE IN YOUR WORLD?”

At Hayden’s question, the narrow line between Violet’s brows surfaced. “Of course, but like anything else, there’s a time and a place. Scheduling gives my life structure and helps me stick to my goals.” She snapped her planner closed.

“Were you ever a teacher?”

“In Sunday school. Why do you ask?”

“You are so …precise. Adults or kids?”

Her sigh reeked of exasperation. “Preteen girls.”

“I get it, Violet. I really do, but if you’re so rigid in planning your life, you might miss all the fun little surprises. Don’t you find it exciting when you don’t know what to expect? When things aren’t so absolute? Try and leave a little”—he shifted slightly in his chair—“wiggle room in your life sometime. Who knows? You might like it.”

Violet’s lips quirked. “Did Iaskfor your advice?”

Hayden suppressed his grin.Sassy Violet is in the house.When he’d first started at the station six months ago, Shy Violet barely spoke and hurried from the sound booth as fast as she could. In their Monday morning staff meetings each week, she continued to steer clear of him.

He’d learned a surefire way to engage her was toget a rise out of her, as Grandpa Ray used to say. Perhaps it wasn’t the best strategy, but Violet would be shocked if she knew these ten-minute “chats” every Monday through Friday between 5:45 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. were the highlights of his week. The woman fascinated him, and their sparring sessions energized him like nothing else.

Dude, you need to get out more.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like