Page 41 of Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope
“Who?” Grammy asked from the front passenger seat as she gathered her things.
“Andrew. I invited him.” Greyson got out of the car and took his Bible.
“Andrew is coming to church today?” Grammy gave Morgan a questioning look. A questioning, pleased look. “Will he be coming to lunch afterwards?”
“I hope so,” Greyson answered before Morgan could find words. “I can show him my toy fire station. He would like it and think I did a great job putting it together.”
“You did do a great job,” Morgan agreed. “It looks terrific—anyone would be impressed.”
He bobbed his head back and forth, watching as his breath made a visible puff of air from the cold. Morgan smiled at the image her son made in his slick black shoes and dark dress pants with his overcoat, scarf, hat, and gloves. She was biased, but he was a cutie.
He was also full of excitement over the idea that Andrew was going to be at church. So much so that Morgan fought wincing. She didn’t want him to get his hopes up when it was unlikely that Andrew would attend.
She didn’t want to get her hopes up, either.
“Greyson, remember that Andrew worked all night,” she said, taking his hand as they headed across the church parking lot. Why did her gaze go to where she’d been parked the night before? To where she’d been standing while they talked? To where he’d been touching her face? To where she’d placed her hand over his heart? Morgan gulped. “It’s possible he didn’t get much rest. He may be sleeping and not able to come this morning.”
Was she trying to convince him or herself?
“Do you think he had lots of fires last night?” Greyson asked, glancing up at her as they stepped up to the church door.
“I didn’t hear anything come over the scanner,” her grandfather answered as he opened the building’s door and held it for them.
Greyson perked up. “I bet he’ll be here, then.”
“Good morning, Rosie,” Morgan told the blue-haired lady coming over to tell them hi, glad for the distraction from more Andrew talk. “How are the wedding plans going?”
Rosie grunted. “No reindeer yet.”
“Reindeer?” Greyson asked. “For a wedding?”
“Rosie wants to arrive at her wedding in a sleigh pulled by reindeer.”
“Like Santa?” he asked, looking confused.
Rosie laughed. “Exactly like Santa, dear boy, because being married to me is going to be like Lou getting Christmas twenty-four-seven for the rest of his life.”
Morgan and her grandmother exchanged smiles. Greyson just continued to look confused.
“What Rosie is saying is that Lou is a lucky man because getting to share your life with someone you love is the best gift,” Grammy explained, patting him on the shoulders. “Now, let’s get you to your Sunday school class and see what Sarah and that other gorgeous granddaughter of mine, Annabelle, has in store for you to learn about today.”
Morgan followed along behind her grandmother and Greyson, unable to get her grandmother’s words out of her head. Unable to get her own words from the night before out of her head, either. She’d told Andrew she couldn’t do this.
But what if her heart wasn’t giving her a choice?
For the first time in the history of forever, Andrew’s truck wouldn’t start. He fiddled with the battery cable, but nothing. Not even a sputter of a crank. Glancing at his watch, he grabbed a battery jumper cable box and attempted to jump the battery. Still nothing.
Maybe it would work if he let the battery charge a few minutes.
“Okay, God. I know Easter Sunday was the last time I made it to church, but I’m trying to get there today and need a little help.”
Leaning against the truck, Andrew took out his phone, played a quick mind game, then checked to see if the engine would crank yet.
Still nothing.
He glanced down at his church clothes and shook his head. “I’m all slicked up in these fancy shoes Grandma gave me for Christmas last year, dress pants, and a button-down beneath my coat. Plus, it’s fifty-five degrees outside. Not exactly a great temp for riding Big Bertha.”
He could give the charger a few more minutes and still maybe make it on time, but if he didn’t leave soon, he’d be cutting it close. Maybe he should just forget the whole thing, go change, and spend the morning figuring out what was wrong with his truck. It was probably what he should do.
