And then he remembered about Olivia.
He lifted his eyes to the candle shop and saw that there were still lights on in the back, although there was clearly a closed sign hanging on the front door.
"I'll do that," he said to Mrs. Tucker, who probably saw exactly where his eyes went, because she had a satisfied smile on her face.
She was matchmaking, was she?
Mark doubted it, but if she was, she was barking up the wrong tree. God was going to arrange his marriage, not Mrs. Tucker.
He said good night to Mrs. Tucker and took two steps before he realized that he was being an idiot. God was just as likely to use Mrs. Tucker to matchmake as he was to do it Himself in a divine manner. After all, God used humans, as sinful and imperfect as they were, to accomplish His will on earth. Why did Mark think that he would be any different? And what did he think was going to happen, anyway? An angel was going to come and drop the right woman in his lap?
He supposed he didn't really know. But he also supposed that it was like sanctification, or holiness even. God would do everything, but God also expected a person to do everything they could as well. It was an equal partnership, although without God, it was nothing.
With that thought, Mark tucked a scarf around his neck, settled his hat more firmly on his head, and walked out ofthe basement of the church. He would make sure everything was locked up later, but for now, he needed to go let Olivia know that she had a big order of candles to make, and also that the church was open if she needed it at any time during the storm.
He wasn't sure why his heart started to beat faster and something like anticipation tangled through his chest. But whatever it was, he ignored it. He had business as a pastor to take care of.
Chapter 8
Olivia glanced out the window, worry drawing her brows down.
It was a sin to worry, she knew that, but how was she supposed to not worry? It was supposed to storm, and the last time it stormed, her lights were out for three days. Pastor Johnson had opened the church and allowed them to come stay, but she had no idea if the new pastor would do that or not. Plus, she had this last big rush order to do, and she didn't want to drop the ball on it, since unless the church came through with a last-minute order, it was her last big order before Christmas, and she did not want to risk not being able to fulfill it.
There were no snow flurries coming down yet, but that didn't mean that it couldn't start at any time.
She had checked her phone a half an hour prior, and in big red letters at the top of her weather app, it had said that the storm was intensifying faster than predicted and was shaping up to be the worst storm of the century.
They often liked to scare people with wording like that, while whatever weather event they were talking about turned out to be anothing burger, but just about the time she didn't listen, they would actually be right for a change.
"Are you almost done, Mommy?" Aiden asked from over in the corner where her boys played.
"I'm really not. It's going to be at least another hour, maybe two. Aren't you guys happy over there? You have your favorite trucks."
"I'm hungry," Aiden said, his lip coming out just ever so slightly.
"Well, I might have something that will help with that," Olivia said, having anticipated this very thing.
Thankfully, both of her boys loved fruit, and she had a container of blueberries in the small refrigerator under the counter, where she also kept juice and yogurt.
"How would you guys like to eat some blueberries?"
"I love blueberries!" Aiden exclaimed, jumping up and leading his twin over where they took the blueberries from her hands, thanking her before they went back over and sat down with the open container between them.
They would munch on the berries and probably eat the entire thing.
She gave them an indulgent smile. A knock on the door startled her.
She squinted, trying to see if she recognized whoever it was standing on the other side. It couldn't be a customer, because she could see that she had flipped the sign. Sometimes she forgot, but everyone in town knew that when the lights in the shop were off, it meant she was closed, whether she'd remembered about the sign or not.
Was that the new preacher?
"You guys be good, okay?"
"We're being good!" Aiden said, grinning.
She didn't tell them that she meant they were supposed to continue to be good. Instead, she went around the counter and walked toward the door.
The church meeting was tonight, and maybe Pastor Mark washere to let her know whether or not she got the candle order. It was cutting it close, and she half expected that the church would've said that they didn't want to spend the money at this late date.
