Free Everyday Blessings by Jillian Hart Page A

part-time in a bookstore when there aren’t enough bakery orders. What do I know about porcelain or china or whatever antique vases are made out of? So, I said that it was nice, but our sister had one like it she found at a flea market and Brice’s mom about had an aneurysm. She choked right there in the dining room on a bite of manicotti. Brice’s dad had to give her the Heimlich.”
    â€œSounds like a typical dinner with you.”
    â€œIt was a disaster. The vase was some priceless collector thing. How did I know? Although it made Brice and his dad howl with laughter for a good ten minutes. It was even funnier than the time I mistook their conversation on Schubert for the guy who owns the candy store in town. Do I look like a classical music expert?”
    â€œYou look like a nut.” Aubrey couldn’t resist. She loved her sister.
    â€œDon’t I know it. I’m waiting for Brice to tear the engagement ring off my finger and run for the hills as fast as he can go, but he says he loves me just the way I am.”
    â€œGo figure.”
    â€œThere is definitely something wrong with that man.” Ava sparkled with happiness. “Okay, it didn’t work.”
    â€œWhat didn’t?”
    â€œDiverting me. I haven’t forgotten about this guy.” She waved the card in the air for emphasis. “Dorrie said he was so gorgeous, she gave him a nine point five on a scale of ten.”
    â€œWhy didn’t she give him a ten? I would have.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. How on earth could she have admitted something so personal? So ridiculous? So not true?
    Okay, it was true. But was she prepared to admitthat? No. She had to do some backpedaling and fast. “Not that I was really noticing or anything. But if I were a different sort of girl, one who was looking for a great-looking guy, I might rate him a ten.”
    â€œBut since you’re not the kind of girl who is looking for a great guy, you didn’t notice,” Ava said reasonably. “I understand perfectly.”
    â€œYou do?” That didn’t sound like her sister. Panic shot through her stomach. “Wait, you aren’t planning any matchmaking schemes are you? Remember what happened when you tried to set up Katherine with the copier guy?”
    â€œIt didn’t work out.”
    â€œDidn’t work out? The copier at the bookstore was broken for three whole weeks because Katherine didn’t want to call the repairman to get it fixed. She was avoiding him. I was the one who had to run to the copy shop down the street and get stuff copied. You are a terrible matchmaker. Look at Rebecca.”
    â€œThat’s not a good example. I set them up accidentally.”
    â€œYou set our little stepsister up with a mean guy.”
    â€œI didn’t know he was mean. The chef I was dating at the time knew him from a Bible study group. He seemed real nice. How was I to know to he’d be a disaster?”
    â€œMaybe the clue would have been that on date number three you slammed the chef’s fingers inthe car door when he tried to—you know. Here’s a hint. He wasn’t a nice guy.”
    â€œFor the record, I realized that after I set Rebecca and Chris up. And I never meant to break the chef’s fingers. It was an accident.” Ava rolled her eyes. “What happened to forgiveness? Besides, I wouldn’t dream of trying to fix you up. I know that you don’t mind having to live alone forever after I get married. I know you like being a single, happening kind of girl.”
    â€œThat’s me.” Not. Aubrey rolled her eyes. “I hope the lights come back on. I wanted to start reading my new copy of Phineas Finn tonight. And before you say it, I know I’m not going to get a husband sitting home reading an old, thick book, but I like old, thick books and I don’t want a husband.”
    â€œI don’t believe