Free Bossy Bridegroom by Mary Connealy Page B

done that since I’ve been back, not even those first two weeks.”
    “You knew I went to the library on Thursdays.”
    “That was a job? I thought you were volunteering.”
    “No, I get paid. And I only work two Saturdays a month at the mini-mart, and you came on an off week. Then I asked for a break because of all this activity, but—”
    Michael pulled her so tight against him that she couldn’t finish making her point. But she suspected he got the gist.
    “What do you think about quitting the extra jobs? Maybe the senior center, too? I’ve got five of the cabins rented out for next week. Not just a couple of weekend nights—the whole week. We’re going to want to keep Jeanie’s Café open. It’s not like the little bit of money you bring in from these part-time jobs is important. I can support us.”
    Jeanie worried her bottom lip as she considered it. “I like the work I do. There’s a real need, Michael.”
    “I agree. You can’t quit unless there’s someone to fill the void.” He rested his hands on her shoulders. “You’ve done so much for this town.”
    Jeanie shook her head with a smile. “You’ve done more in, what—a month?—than I did in a year.”
    “But what you did, giving to people, even if it was just one at a time, like with your hospice work, was the real thing. True Christian service. Pastor Bert was dead right about that.” Michael rested one hand on her chest. “That’s your gift. This generous heart. And I’m benefiting from it because only someone as generous as you would have forgiven me.”
    Michael suddenly wrapped one arm around her shoulder and practically dragged her toward their shabby old house. “Let’s go home.”
    Jeanie raced along with him. She didn’t want to give up her jobs. The truth was she got so much more than she ever gave in her work. If she helped others, that was wonderful, but those people—the elderly, the library patrons, the children in 4-H and Girl Scouts—made her feel worthwhile. She’d known since she started this whirlwind of volunteering that it was rooted in her own sense of failure and selfishness.
    As if she could be good enough, generous enough, self-sacrificing enough to deserve God’s love. But she knew in her heart that she couldn’t earn salvation. It was a free gift, and her nearly frantic efforts to be worthy were misguided. It was time she let go of her past failure and forgave herself.
    So, if Michael wanted her to quit, she should.
    She would quit in an orderly way so no one was left in need, but she
would
quit and cut back on her volunteer work. She’d devote herself to her marriage and Michael’s vision for Cold Creek and try, finally, to forgive herself.
    It was scriptural that she’d let Michael be the head of the house. He wanted her to quit. She’d quit.
    Turning to Michael as they entered the house, she opened her mouth to tell him all of this. They were new people in Christ. Their marriage was new, and it was based on complete honesty. This was something she needed to share and work through with her husband.
    Before she could speak, his lips met hers, and she knew without a doubt that Michael wasn’t in the mood to have a heart-to-heart talk. As she wrapped her arms around him, she decided it could wait.

twelve
    “I want to give notice that I’m quitting.” Jeanie smiled at Tim Russo, the owner of the mini-mart.
    She knew she’d really helped by working two Saturdays a month. The store was family-owned, and the long hours and hectic schedule of the place was a strain. Their profit margin was slim, and they couldn’t pay much. Her help had given the family their only day off twice a month.
    The money wasn’t good enough to tempt many people, and her boss looked at her in dismay. “I can’t say I’m surprised. We really appreciate your help this last year. It’s made a world of difference in our family to have that free time.” Tim smiled, but he looked worried. “I feel like my kids have gotten