"You are just as important as anyone else in my flock." He opened his mouth as though to say more, but then closed it. "And I promised I would help you. I like to keep my promises if at all possible. I feel like that's important."
She jerked her head in a nod. Of course it was important. Especially for a pastor, but for anyone who claimed to be a Christian, they needed to do what they said they were going to do.
"All right. Well, let me know when you're getting back. I'll make sure there's hot food for you."
"Oh boy. You're going to spoil me."
"Sounds like it's about time someone did," she said, although she turned back to the stove and did not watch for his reaction. Maybe she shouldn't have said it, but she was getting the impression that he gave all of himself for anyone who needed it, and there was no one here to look after him. To make sure he was eating and taking care of himself, and being there to take care of him.
"Olivia?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
Her hands stilled on the rag as she wiped the counter, but then she looked over her shoulder. "Of course. Like I said, someone needs to."
Chapter 20
Mark couldn't wait to get home. The idea of freshly baked, warm bread, and something yummy and hot in his stomach made him anxious to leave the last three houses he visited. But Mrs. Tucker had made some care packages, and she wanted him to deliver them, and then he'd ended up helping to shovel Miss Crosby's mailbox out. She didn't drive a car anymore, but it was important to her to be able to get to her paper and her mail deliveries, although he wasn't even sure the mail was going to be delivered today. As the day wore on, more and more of the roads were cleared, but there were still folks who were without power and could not get out of their driveway.
As far as he could determine, he'd contacted everyone who was a member of the congregation, and others who were not members but who attended occasionally. Everyone seemed to be okay, and he had started stopping at random houses that didn't look like they had any activity outside.
He found two older couples who had needed his help, and several young couples who didn't need his help but appreciated hisattention. One of those asked about services, and he was pretty sure he would be seeing them over the Christmas season.
A snowstorm was a great time for a pastor to get out and try to go above and beyond, not for himself or his own glory, but for Jesus.
Still, the idea of Olivia at home, cooking and baking bread, and the idea that there would be company and coziness in his home, made him eager to return.
He hoped she didn't decide that she needed to go home. Although, he couldn't bring himself to hope that her electricity was not back on. After all, he knew she had a lot of work to do, and she was probably eager to get back to her home.
As eager as he was for her to stay.
Thankfully, the scent of warm, fresh-baked bread drifted out as he opened the door and stepped in.
Aiden and Ethan jumped up from their toys and ran to him, hugging him like they'd known him for all of their lives, instead of just for the last few weeks.
"Mommy said we could eat when you get home!" Ethan said, bursting the bubble that had formed around Mark, thinking that they liked him for him. He laughed, because they were excited to see him because they were going to get food.
But maybe they liked him a little, he thought, as they grabbed a hold of his hands and chattered about their day. Ethan was obviously feeling more comfortable with him, since he chatted almost as much as his brother did.
"Where's your mother?" he asked, as he walked through the living room and into the kitchen.
"I'm right here. And you have perfect timing. I'm just taking the bread out of the oven."
"Wow. That really is perfect timing."
"I made a couple of loaves earlier today and put those in the freezer for you. You can get those out and heat those up. It won't be quite as good as freshly baked, but it'll be close."
She had made bread and frozen it for him? He loved that she was industrious, keeping herself occupied all day.
"I've gotten a text from my buddy at the electric company. He said he thought your power would be on this evening sometime before midnight."
"That's great," she said, although maybe she didn't look quite as excited as she could have that she could be going back to her place tomorrow.
Or maybe he was just reading more into it than he should. After all, he wanted her to want to stay.
Maybe they could talk tonight.
