Free Lakeside Sweetheart by Lenora Worth Page B

I’m in one. And I have some clothes and stuff. I move around a lot, so I don’t have much of anything.”
    â€œThe Peppermons seem nice,” Vanessa said, not wanting to upset the girl.
    â€œNice.” Kandi actually cracked a smile. “There’s that word again.”
    â€œYep.” Vanessa smiled right back, remembering how that seemed to be her new word. “Let’s change it to special, understanding, sweet, tolerant—”
    â€œFun, playful, determined, demanding, fair,” Kandi finished. “I like them. I didn’t like some of the others.”
    A dark shadow passed over the girl’s eyes. A shadow that Vanessa recognized immediately. But before she could ask Kandi if anything had happened to her in one of the other homes, a woman poked her head inside the door.
    â€œPreacher wanted me to check on you two and tell you supper is served.”
    â€œWe’ll be right out,” Vanessa said. “Ready, Kandi?”
    The girl nodded and brushed past the woman at the door. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
    Vanessa and the woman exchanged knowing glances. “I know that feeling,” she said with a smile.
    The woman grinned. “Me, too.” Then she gave Vanessa a big smile. “I’m Barbara, by the way. I’m the church secretary.”
    â€œNice to meet you,” Vanessa said. She cringed inwardly. That word nice was being overused today.
    When Vanessa came back up the hall, she saw Rory and waved. He walked over to her. “Want to sit with Miss Fanny and me? Or do you want me to walk you home with a to-go plate?”
    â€œI’m staying,” she said, her tone firm. “I’m hungry.”
    â€œThat’s a good sign,” he said.
    But Vanessa wasn’t staying for the food. She wanted to get to know Kandi a little better. Because she needed to know if that young girl had suffered the same humiliation that she had.
    And if so, she intended to do something about it.

Chapter Eight
    V anessa listened while Rory did his thing. He read a short devotional about accepting God’s love and allowing the Lord to love us.
    â€œSometimes, we think we’re not worthy of God’s love,” he explained. “But if we think that, we’re doing the Lord a disservice. He died for our sins. That makes us worthy. We need to honor His sacrifice by accepting His love into our hearts.”
    And that was it. No shout-outs about sinners. No condemnations about not sitting in church every Sunday. After the devotional, Rory asked some questions and got the kids to talking. He glanced at her a couple of times, his smile so sure and full of life that Vanessa had to swallow back the pain that seemed to clog her throat.
    Why couldn’t she feel that kind of peace and joy?
    Was she worthy?
    Or was she being too cynical for her own good?
    â€œWhat if we don’t deserve God’s love?”
    She glanced around to find a young boy sitting toward the back. Rory nodded at the boy, too.
    â€œHi, Mark,” Rory said. “That’s a good question. And the answer is even better. We don’t really deserve God’s love, but we are worthy. That probably doesn’t make a lot of sense, but we’re worthy only because we are alive and because God’s love is unconditional. So that makes all of us worthy in His eyes even if we don’t feel worthy.”
    â€œI don’t get it,” Mark said with a shrug. “Why would God want to fool with someone like me?”
    â€œYou don’t have to actually get it all the time,” Rory said. “But stay open to the possibilities. A lot can happen when you’re open to love. Good things can happen—to you, to me, to anyone who wants the Lord in their life.”
    â€œNot always. Bad things can happen, too.”
    Kandi.
    Vanessa’s gaze slammed into Rory’s, and she saw the understanding and compassion in his eyes. “You got