Free Clean Inspirational Romance: Escape to Paradise (Inspirational Happy Sweet First Love Second Chance Romance) (Contemporary New Adult Love Inspired Holiday Short Stories) by Johanna Jenkins Page A

grateful that you guided my steps and hers as well. Watch over Alicia as she embarks on a new life in St. Louis. Help Mercy and I honor you in our courtship. Help up to build the solid foundation of friendship that an impending marriage will need to last. Continue to guide both of us in your perfect will as we seek to glorify you.
    Having spent time in prayer alone, Kale broached the subject with Mercy. “What do you think about praying together?”
    She turned that pretty face on him and made his heart kick in his chest. “I love that idea Kale. I’m a stickler, of course, for having my own time with God, but I’d love to pray with you. Is there anything you need to pray about right now?”
    “I was just thanking God for bringing you to me. I asked him to continue to guide us as we build our friendship toward a possible marriage.” She smiled and as it always did, that smile reached deep into her pretty green eyes. In that moment Kale knew for certain that before the year was out he’d ask Mercy to marry him. Working toward that end, he began to show her the inside workings of his ranch.
    “This is the milking parlor, where we hook the cows up to pumps that milk them. It’s not as nostalgic as doing it by hand, but it’s much faster and as they say, time is money.”
    “Do you miss the old days, when things were slower?”
    “Some,” Kale said, with a shake of his head. “I miss the simple and mundane sometimes, but there’s still plenty of that to be had so I try not to complain often.”
    “I like that. Complainers never make for good company.”
    “What do you miss, about days gone by?”
    “My parents mostly. I never had siblings so I don’t know what that’s like, but I imagine if I had been blessed with a brother or sister, it would have been quite the experience.”
    “Siblings are quite the blessing, most days.”
    “I’d like to meet your family someday.”
    “I’m sure you will,” Kale smiled.
    ***
    Kale and Mercy spent the rest of the summer and fall growing in their friendship and love for one another. They nurtured their individual relationships with God and worked to build common ground and time together with Him as well.
    “I can’t believe my family will be here in less than a week,” Kale said as he and Mercy worked with the cattle. He was always impressed with how easily she picked up new things on the ranch. Her love for him and his ranch showed every time and he knew without a doubt that he wanted to marry her. Now, it was just down to planning and praying she’d say yes.
    His parents and brothers arrived early the Monday before Thanksgiving and instantly took to Mercy. She, in turn, seemed to love them as well, even taking his mother shopping in McKinney for Christmas. He meanwhile, got the house ready for the festivities that would happen later in the week for the coming holiday.
    “So,” Marc, Kale’s younger brother said. “You seem pretty sure about Mercy.”
    “I am,” Kale said, unable to keep the love he felt for her off his face. “I’ve known for a while now that I want to marry her.”
    “Have you told her you love her yet?”
    “Not yet,” Kale returned. “I figured words that serious should wait until I could propose.”
    “You buy a ring yet?”
    “I have great-grandma Johnson’s, as you know.”
    “What if she doesn’t like it?”
    “She will. She’s that sort of woman. She has a deep and abiding love of family and I think she’ll respect me and that gift enough to cherish it.”
    “Maybe,” Marc sighed. “Don’t mind me. I’m just sore that Janice couldn’t come with me.”
    “She stay home with her family?”
    “Yeah. Her dad asked that she stay home for Thanksgiving. She’s coming to mom and dad’s house for Christmas though.”
    “You serious about her?”
    “I’m getting there,” Marc grinned. “Not as fast as you, but fast enough.”
    “Well, I do have some years on you. Maybe by the time you get to be my age, you’ll