Free Secret Admirer by Gail Sattler Page A

things until it was ready and on the table.
    For a second, Shannon hesitated. Even when she was alone, which was most of the time, she always bowed her head and gave God thanks for her meal and her day. She didn’t know if Todd did the same.
    She’d seen him in church, and Craig had told her about Todd’s turning his life over to Jesus. She’d also seen him in action at work. All these showed a man living his faith. But this was the first time she was alone with Todd in a private setting. No one was there with him except her, and God, of course.
    After knowing Todd for so long, there was no pretense between them. Sometimes she felt that Todd didn’t consider her any differently than an annoying piece of furniture. He never pretended to be anything he was not, and he never changed his behavior because she was there. She’d seen him happy and sad. She’d seen him at his best, and definitely at his worst.
    Todd smiled at her, clasped his hands, bowed his head, and waited for a few seconds for her to do the same. “Dear heavenly Father, thank You for the food we’re about to eat. Thank You for Shannon and her willingness to open her home and share it with me. Thanks, too, for the good jobs You’ve given both of us, and I pray we’ll be able to show Your glory to all who work there. Amen!”
    â€œAmen,” Shannon murmured, unable to believe the tightness that formed in her throat from his heartfelt words.
    Todd didn’t wait for her to respond or start talking. He began eating right away. “This is great,” he said, speaking through his mouthful. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was until we started heating this up. I didn’t have time to stop for lunch. All I’ve had today was a bag of chips out of the machine and a few dozen cups of coffee.”
    Shannon cleared her throat and reached for the salad dressing. “Yes, I had a feeling.”
    After a few more hearty mouthfuls, Todd slowed down. “Actually, that’s what I have to talk to you about.”
    â€œYou want to talk to me about your bad eating habits?”
    He sighed while he rose and helped himself to another piece of lasagna from the pan. “No. About Faye and the coffee. She came in more times than I could count to bring me coffee. While I appreciated it, I think it’s getting out of hand.”
    â€œYou admit you’ve been drinking too much coffee?”
    He sat down at the table with his refilled plate but didn’t continue eating. “Get serious, Shan. I think I’m starting to see what it’s like when I did this kind of thing to you, and I’m sorry I used to do that. I wanted to talk to you about Faye.”
    Shannon nodded. Of course she’d known what he was going to say. She’d already heard Faye’s side of the story. Faye had made her feelings toward Todd rather obvious. Shannon knew him well enough to realize that if he returned her feelings, even in the slightest, he would already have asked her out. Still, she had to give him a chance to say the reason he was seeking her out. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be like that. What did you want to ask me?”
    â€œI don’t know what to do about Faye.”
    â€œYou know she likes you.”
    â€œI know that. I think everyone in the office knows. And probably half the drivers, too.”
    â€œWhy don’t you take her out a few times and see what happens? Faye is really nice. After awhile, it’ll either work, or it won’t.”
    â€œIt wouldn’t be right to do that. I’m old enough now that I have to be realistic. Any relationship I enter into could develop into marriage, and I can’t marry Faye. I don’t know her that well, but I don’t think she’s a believer. I don’t want to get into something like that.”
    Shannon nodded. “I know what you mean. But I think Faye is a Christian. She’s even been to church with me