Free Looking for Miracles by Lynn Bulock

part. I feel better when I’m holding the reins.”
    “Well, sure. Don’t we all.” His arm tightened around her instinctively.

    “Yes, but see, it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s the beauty of really knowing Jesus. You can let go of the worries and the wondering. At least that’s how it’s supposed to work. If you’re good enough at it, I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.”
    “But you don’t know for certain?” Mike used his finger to tip her heart-shaped face up to him. She felt so wonderful. Could he kiss away the pain that he saw there? No, this wasn’t the time. He let go of her face.
    Her eyes glowed with unshed tears. “No. Not for certain. Because I’m never good enough.”
    “Lady, if you’re not good enough, then I definitely don’t want to know that God you talk about so much. Because if somebody like you doesn’t measure up, nobody will.”
    Lori’s head sank, and her eyes closed. “Then I must not be good enough even at explaining all this, because that isn’t what I meant. I think I’m just too tired to have this conversation, okay?”
    He had to get out of here. If he didn’t, soon he was going to be picking her up and tucking her into the frilly white sheets on Gloria’s guest bed. The urge to take care of this young woman was way beyond his control. “Fine.” He looked around the room. “Is there anything else you need?”
    “Just the things out of the bags Carrie broughtback. And Tyler, of course, if your mom will let go of him.”
    “I can probably persuade her. They must have read every old picture book in the house by now.”
    “Then send him back here, and I’ll see you in the morning. I still think we should be setting up housekeeping next door instead of here.” How could anybody look that determined and that girlish at the same time?
    “No way. Not until you’re a few days farther from birthing that baby. And we have a phone installed in that place. And I make sure all the doors and windows lock, that there’s food in the fridge…”
    “Okay, I get your drift. Go get Tyler before you upset your halo.”
    “What on earth are you talking about?”
    Lori blushed; he was sure of it. It was appealing and attractive. “Nothing. Nothing that makes sense, anyway. Just let me get everybody settled and get some sleep. I promise I’ll make more sense in the morning.”
    That was almost a shame. This slightly goofy, vulnerable side to Lori was very attractive. Once she had her wits about her in a day or two, it was likely to disappear. And Mike knew he’d miss it when it was gone.

    This bed was almost too comfortable. Lori knew she ought to get up. It was daylight and both children were still asleep in her room. Both children. That thought still took some getting used to.
    Tyler slept in a sleeping bag on the plush carpet. He had one arm flung out in classic little-boy fashion and the rest of him wound up in the sleeping bag. Mikayla looked like an angel baby in her makeshift crib. And soon she would be big enough that she’d sound like one, but not yet. All that sighing and squeaking kept Lori awake a good deal of the night.
    Now it was morning and she should take advantage of both of them sleeping to grab a shower if she could. Heaven knew when she’d get this opportunity again.
    The hot shower was bliss. Lori decided it was the first miracle of the day. Why not hot water as a miracle? Definitely the source of the water, being in the Martins’ house and taken care of in this luxury, was a miracle.
    Mikayla didn’t wake up while Lori dried off and got dressed. That had to count as at least half a miracle. Sweats and leggings still made up most of Lori’s wardrobe that fit. Her prepregnancy jeans looked impossibly slender. She sighed and folded them back up, sliding them into the bottom of abag. So every miracle didn’t happen on her timetable. The thought actually made her smile.
    Now what? Breakfast and some brainstorming about how to get a phone