Page 13 of Wish You Faith

“I’ll just have a glass of water, please. Thank you.”

It was interesting to Rosie that Evan hadn’t asked for any alcoholic beverages. She knew Christians who drank wine and beer, but she herself did not. Evan hadn’t tonight. Why?

“You don’t drink?” Rosie pried.

“Actually, I don’t. My favorite uncle died of acute alcohol poisoning when I was in high school, and I made up my mind never to drink. My family does, though.”

“Neither Mom nor I drink. I just believe that it’s so much better for me that I don’t. I can take care of Mom better when I have full control of my faculties, you know? I have to be alert twenty-four-seven. Imagine if Mom needed me in the middle of the night and I’m passed out from having too much to drink. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. Because I like to have clear thinking.”

Evan leaned toward her. “Do you have clear thinking about me?”

“We just met.” He’d be leaving town when the season work was over. What was there to think about?

“Remember what you said yesterday?” Evan asked.

“What did I say?”

“My reward for rescuing you was to work at the tree farm with you.”

That took Rosie by surprise. “I was being sarcastic, dude. We needed volunteers. You wanted a reward. I have none to give you. So I offered you a job. You’re a floater, so you go to whichever Christmastown department needs you.”

“Are you saying you need me?”

“The poinsettias and Christmas trees need you, not me. The company needs you. It’s not personal.”

“I know. Was only kidding.”

Were you?

He looked lonely.

“I’ve already contacted HR to transfer me to the tree farm,” Evan continued. “That way, Bellina can stop training me, and I can see you every day.”

“You will see everyone at the nursery, not just me. There are nine of us—now ten—working there until two days before Christmas.” Rosie prayed that Evan wouldn’t get too attached to her. She had family obligations and could not be the friend he was looking for.

However, somewhere in her heart, she felt sorry for him. He seemed to be running away from something.

Right then and there, Rosie prayed silently for him. Perhaps that was why God had brought him to her sphere of influence—so that she could pray for him.

Pray for what exactly?

She was sure that God would show her by and by.

CHAPTERTHREE

Rosie Hamilton.

Soon to be Rosie Cavanaugh?

Evan couldn’t help smiling at his own wandering thoughts.

The Children’s Ministry director walking alongside him down the narrow hallway of the lower deck of the riverboat was rattling on about something, but Evan had lost track of the conversation the closer they got to the children’s Sunday school classes.

Closer to seeing Rosie again for the third time since Friday…

“The younger kids from babies to third grade are on this deck, but the older kids are across the street in our annex,” she said.

Oh, was that what the conversation was about? “Isn’t a riverboat limiting for a church?”

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