Operation: Married by Christmas by Debra Clopton Page A

Christmas’ plan of yorn might just have a chance.”
    Applegate watched his granddaughter climb into her car and said yet another prayer that the good Lord would give him his Christmas wish…for Haley’s sake. “I ain’t one to ask fer much, but I figure the Lord already has plans fer my Haley girl and Will. If I’m right, then alls it’s gonna take is us puttin’ them in the same vicinity and nature will take its course.”
    Stanley scratched his nose and studied Applegate. “I hope yer right, App. But even though they was supposed to get married ten years ago a week before Christmas don’t mean they got any sentimental value to the date all these years later. I know yor hoping that’ll play inta this, but it might not happen.”
    Applegate sat up straight from the checkerboard and glared at his friend. “So what’re ya saying? I should jest give up?”
    Sam raised his hands. “Calm down, you old fool. No need to get riled. Stanley and me just don’t want you to get yer hopes up too high. No, now don’t look at me that way. We thank those two could have a chance if they could figure out what’s blocking thar way. But we jest don’t want you ta have a conniption if it don’t work out.”
    Applegate watched Haley’s car disappear down Main Street before leveling determined eyes on his longtime buddies. “This is gonna work. Mark my words. With all of us doin’ our parts, we’re havin’ a wedding come Christmas. I got a good feelin’ about this.”
    Stanley frowned at him. “Yep, but you had a good feelin’ about beatin’ me in that last game of checkers, too. And that didn’t happen.”
    Applegate grinned. “But it’s fixin’ to. Set that board up, and let’s see who wins this next game. I’m feelin’ lucky.”
    Â 
    Haley and Will, by mutual silent agreement, put their differences aside and set out to get the props designed. There were several scenes that needed to be drawn out before any painting could be done. For the next three days Haley showed up, and she and Will sketched. It bothered her being around him, but she concentrated on the work and ignored the strange unwanted feelings that ran like an underground river beneath the surface of her skin.
    On Sunday Haley went to church with Applegate. He basically showed her off, acting so proud to have her there that once again Haley felt glaringly embarrassed by her absence from his life.
    She was also embarrassed that she hadn’t set foot inside a church since attending her grandmother’s funeral. She sat on the back row beside Applegate and felt as if God was tapping her on the shoulder through the entire service. Though she could have been uncomfortable, she wasn’t. Since leaving Mule Hollow, she’d felt as if she were running on fast forward, determined to get somewhere quickly. But when she’d left Linc at the altar and turned her car toward her hometown, she’d started a journey. Maybe, sitting here in this pew, letting her heart hear a gentle knock of the Lord, was where she’d been heading the whole time.
    Monday morning Haley woke up thinking about the service and one of the key verses Pastor Allen had preached on: Be still and know that I am God. It had been a long time since she’d actually thought about giving God her time. In the quiet of the morning, Haley found herself pulling her grandmother’s Bible off the bookshelf in the living room. After padding barefoot back to her bed, snuggled in the folds of her grandmother’s quilt, she began to read.

Chapter Eleven
    â€œN o, I don’t think that looks right,” Haley said, leaning her head to the side and gazing critically at the picture she’d just drawn.
    Will was standing across from her. He hadn’t realized what a perfectionist she’d become until they’d started this project. The