Secretly Yours: A Christian Valentine's Day Romance (Riverbend Romance Novella Book 1) by Valerie Comer Page A
Authors: Valerie Comer
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cleared the black Toyota and spun so it faced the street. Now if it would only go forward.
“You should be all right now, but you need new tires.” Nick loomed in her wide-open car window.
As if she hadn’t figured that out.
Maybe as long as she kept quiet, he wouldn’t recognize her. Where was Madison, anyway? After all this, she couldn’t leave without her sister.
“I don’t believe we’ve met.” Nick peered in. “I’m Nick Harrison, the youth pastor here at River of Life Church.”
“I, uh…” Lindsey tapped the horn. Madison needed to come now .
Nick pulled back. “Sorry.”
Lindsey kept her face turned away. The collar of her coat, the scarf around her neck, and the knitted woolen tuque pulled down over her hair should all help to camouflage her.
“Hey, Pastor Nick! Thanks. My sister isn’t used to driving in winter anymore.” Madison ran and slid across the icy parking lot toward the driver’s side.
Lindsey jerked her thumb toward the passenger seat, but of course Madison couldn’t see. Or chose to ignore it.
Her little sister slid right into Nick, who held her upright. “Glad to help.” He glanced back at Lindsey. “Drive safely and try to stay off the roads until the sand truck has been by.”
She nodded sharply.
“Pastor Nick, this is my sister Lindsey. She’s the new chef at the Water Wheel. You know, that farm-to-table restaurant beside the park. Remember the committee said I could ask her to cook for our Valentine’s banquet?”
Lindsey froze, and it wasn’t just the swirling snow.
“Lindsey?” Nick’s voice sounded closer. He was looking at her now. Really looking. “Lindsey Solberg?”
“Um, yes.” Could she pretend not to recognize him? Would he believe her?
“Wow, long time no see. What brings you back to Riverbend?” He held up a gloved hand. “Oh, wait, Madison just said. So you’re a chef now?”
She nodded. “Madison, get in, will you? I want to get home before the roads get even worse.”
Madison ran around the car, slipping and sliding like it was some big game.
“Good to see you again, Lindsey. I’d love to take you out for coffee and catch up.”
Coffee? No way. Not with Nick. “I’m busy.”
He grinned. That same goofy grin that’d had every girl in high school hanging onto every word he said. “You can’t work every single day, can you? When’s your next day off?”
She bit her lip. “Tuesday. But I’m busy.”
Madison collapsed into the passenger seat and pulled the car door shut. She reached for her seat belt.
“Gotta go. Nice seeing you.” Lindsey put the car in Drive.
“We’ll catch up soon!” called Nick as she slid the window back up.
He hadn’t changed a bit, still sure of his charm. But still… a pastor? That was definitely a change.
~*~
Nick stuffed both hands in the pockets of his down parka and watched Lindsey’s car slide onto Pitoni Street and head north. If he’d guessed the roads would turn so terrible during youth group he’d have canceled. A few of the teens had driven themselves with novice drivers’ licenses, the second tier of B.C.’s graduated licensing system. Others lived within walking distance, but many relied on a parent to swing by.
Or a sister.
How could he possibly have guessed Lindsey was Madison’s sister when they had different surnames and didn’t look a thing alike? Nothing had prepared him for seeing Lindsey again. Ten years ago he’d been at the top of the high school food chain doling out attention only to those he deemed fit to receive it.
Lindsey hadn’t made the cut. Two grades behind him, she’d been an awkward girl with braces on her teeth. She’d been on the cheerleading squad. He’d teased her once that she yelled loudest when she yelled his name. She turned beet red and vanished, confirming her crush. He kept on poking fun of her adoration outwardly, but secretly found her fascinating. Fast forward to the end of the year, and he moved on to University of
“You should be all right now, but you need new tires.” Nick loomed in her wide-open car window.
As if she hadn’t figured that out.
Maybe as long as she kept quiet, he wouldn’t recognize her. Where was Madison, anyway? After all this, she couldn’t leave without her sister.
“I don’t believe we’ve met.” Nick peered in. “I’m Nick Harrison, the youth pastor here at River of Life Church.”
“I, uh…” Lindsey tapped the horn. Madison needed to come now .
Nick pulled back. “Sorry.”
Lindsey kept her face turned away. The collar of her coat, the scarf around her neck, and the knitted woolen tuque pulled down over her hair should all help to camouflage her.
“Hey, Pastor Nick! Thanks. My sister isn’t used to driving in winter anymore.” Madison ran and slid across the icy parking lot toward the driver’s side.
Lindsey jerked her thumb toward the passenger seat, but of course Madison couldn’t see. Or chose to ignore it.
Her little sister slid right into Nick, who held her upright. “Glad to help.” He glanced back at Lindsey. “Drive safely and try to stay off the roads until the sand truck has been by.”
She nodded sharply.
“Pastor Nick, this is my sister Lindsey. She’s the new chef at the Water Wheel. You know, that farm-to-table restaurant beside the park. Remember the committee said I could ask her to cook for our Valentine’s banquet?”
Lindsey froze, and it wasn’t just the swirling snow.
“Lindsey?” Nick’s voice sounded closer. He was looking at her now. Really looking. “Lindsey Solberg?”
“Um, yes.” Could she pretend not to recognize him? Would he believe her?
“Wow, long time no see. What brings you back to Riverbend?” He held up a gloved hand. “Oh, wait, Madison just said. So you’re a chef now?”
She nodded. “Madison, get in, will you? I want to get home before the roads get even worse.”
Madison ran around the car, slipping and sliding like it was some big game.
“Good to see you again, Lindsey. I’d love to take you out for coffee and catch up.”
Coffee? No way. Not with Nick. “I’m busy.”
He grinned. That same goofy grin that’d had every girl in high school hanging onto every word he said. “You can’t work every single day, can you? When’s your next day off?”
She bit her lip. “Tuesday. But I’m busy.”
Madison collapsed into the passenger seat and pulled the car door shut. She reached for her seat belt.
“Gotta go. Nice seeing you.” Lindsey put the car in Drive.
“We’ll catch up soon!” called Nick as she slid the window back up.
He hadn’t changed a bit, still sure of his charm. But still… a pastor? That was definitely a change.
~*~
Nick stuffed both hands in the pockets of his down parka and watched Lindsey’s car slide onto Pitoni Street and head north. If he’d guessed the roads would turn so terrible during youth group he’d have canceled. A few of the teens had driven themselves with novice drivers’ licenses, the second tier of B.C.’s graduated licensing system. Others lived within walking distance, but many relied on a parent to swing by.
Or a sister.
How could he possibly have guessed Lindsey was Madison’s sister when they had different surnames and didn’t look a thing alike? Nothing had prepared him for seeing Lindsey again. Ten years ago he’d been at the top of the high school food chain doling out attention only to those he deemed fit to receive it.
Lindsey hadn’t made the cut. Two grades behind him, she’d been an awkward girl with braces on her teeth. She’d been on the cheerleading squad. He’d teased her once that she yelled loudest when she yelled his name. She turned beet red and vanished, confirming her crush. He kept on poking fun of her adoration outwardly, but secretly found her fascinating. Fast forward to the end of the year, and he moved on to University of
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