Free The Greatest Gift by Diana Palmer

packaging of the donated food once it was picked up was going to pose a problem.
    “This isn’t going to work,” she told Matt while they were briefly alone in the shelter’s kitchen, finishing up filling the last containers of food. “We really need one more vehicle so that we can split the list three ways and each truck will have a third of the restaurants to pick up from.”
    “Bev said that she’s already had calls from six more restaurants that heard about your project and want to contribute,” Matt told her. “Your little project is turning into a business.”
    “But there aren’t enough people,” Mary said worriedly. “Not nearly enough.”
    “You need to talk to someone about the future of this project,” Matt pointed out. “You can do a great job if you just have more volunteers. It’s a wonderful thing you’re doing. You can’t let it overwhelm you.”
    “It already has,” she said with a husky laugh.
    “It shows,” Matt said with some concern. “You look worn-out, Mary, and I know you can’t be getting much rest at night. Not with a toddler.”
    “John’s a good boy, and the kids are great about helping look after him,” Mary said defensively.
    “Yes, but you still have to be responsible for all of them. That includes getting them to and from practice and games, overseeing homework, listening to problems they have at school,” he said gently. “That’s a heck of a responsibility for one woman, all by itself. But you’ve got a full-time job, and you’re spending every night running around Phoenix to restaurants and then distributing food until late. Even with your energy and strength of will, you must see that you can’t keep this up indefinitely.”
    Until he said it, she hadn’t realized how thin she was spreading herself. She was beginning to have some chest pain that was unexpected and alarming. She hadn’t mentioned it, thinking that perhaps if she ignored it, it would go away. But that wasn’t happening.
    “I can do it as long as I need to,” she said firmly.
    “You’re like me, aren’t you?” he mused, smiling. “You’re stubborn.”
    “Yes, I think I am,” she agreed, smiling back. He made her feel young. He was like a sip of cold water on a hot day. He was invigorating.
    “I have ulterior motives, you know,” he commented. “I’m fond of you. I don’t want you to keel over from stress.”
    She was touched. “I promise not to keel over,” she told him.
    He signed. “Okay. That will have to do for now. But you really should think about delegating more. And eventually, you’re going to need some agency to help you oversee the project. It’s outgrowing you by the day.”
    “I don’t even know where to begin,” she said.
    “Talk to Bev,” he told her. “She’s been in this sort of work for a long time, and she knows everybody else who’s involved in it. She may have some ideas.”
    “I’ll do that,” Mary promised.
    “Meanwhile,” he drawled, “don’t forget Sunday.”
    She had forgotten. Her wide-eyed stare made him burst out laughing.
    “Well, that puts me in my place,” he said with a grin. “I’ll have to stop strutting and thinking I’m God’s gift to overworked womanhood.”
    She smiled at him. “You’re a nice guy, Matt. I’d only forgotten today. I’d have remembered when I went home, because it’s all the kids talk about.”
    “So I made an impression, did I?”
    “A big one,” she agreed. “They like you.”
    “I’m glad. I like them. A lot.”
    “Speaking of the movies, it turns out Tammy has a prior commitment and can’t watch the baby after all. Looks like he’d be joining us. Hope that’s okay.”
    “No problem,” Matt reassured her.
    “Hey, are you guys coming, or what?” Sam called from the parking lot. “We’re running behind schedule.”
    “Sorry, Sam,” Mary said at once, preceding Matt out the door. “Let’s go!”
    They had a routine of sorts by now, through the various shelters and