Saving Grace (Madison Falls) Read Online Free

plus side of the comfort scale.
    Her heart lightened as she toted her new wardrobe down the street. She’d only been able to bring one suitcase. She needed new clothes anyway, so that justified the expense.
    Casting a look at the vibrant blue overhead, a spark of homesickness jolted through her. She pinched back a tear. If she was home right now, she’d more than likely be on her way to her voice lesson, glancing up at the same sky, albeit a narrower strip of it.
    She looked around, noticing for the first time that nobody seemed to be in much of a hurry. She slowed her pace, mimicking that of the dozen or so people who meandered along Main Street. Of course they weren’t in a hurry. Where did they have to go? She smiled lightly. Walking at her usual rate, she’d have run out of sidewalk and stumbled into that park up ahead as if she were running a race. That was no way to blend in.
    The eclectic display in an upcoming store window brought to mind another item on her list. She tipped her head back to read the sign over the door. Roberts and Son Hardware . Surely someone here could instruct her. Struggling, she got hold of the door handle in spite of her bulky bags.
    The place looked surprisingly tidy considering the crammed-full shelves lining its aisles. Having no idea where to even begin looking, she started on one end, taking care not to knock anything over with her shopping bags.
    Suddenly, her breath caught in her throat. Blinking back threatening tears, she set down her bags, freeing her hands to pick up a water globe from its place on a top shelf. Its smooth coolness mesmerized her as she rolled it over in her hands. It felt heavy, not some cheap souvenir. Its base was real wood, and the simple treble clef inside looked like brass. She held it close to her face, as if she might melt into its magical world.
    Her fingers found the key protruding from the back of the base. She hesitated only a moment before turning it. Eyes closed, she released the key.
    At once the music swept her away, washing her with vivid memory. The tinny tune played a full symphony to her heart.
    “Sounds like opera.” A voice jarred her back to reality, and her eyes snapped open.
    The warbled features of a man’s face projected through the glass globe in front of her. She lowered the orb as her stomach jumped to her throat. It was him —the stagehand wannabe.
    “Nice.” He nodded at the globe, flashing a dimpled smile. “If you like that sort of thing.”
    “That ‘sort of thing’ is called music.” Her words dripped icicles.
    “Yeah, so I’ve heard.” He ran a hand across his dark, tousled hair. “Can I help you find anything, or are you just here for the concert?”
    So, the guy worked here. Irritation boiling in her veins, she put the globe back on the shelf. Was that any way to talk to a customer?
    “Yes,” she said, folding her hands in front of her. “I seem to have a small problem.”
    “Most people do. That’s what keeps us in business.” He winked, his roguish brown eyes drilling into her. “What can I do to help you?”
    She wavered. Her rush of emotion had thrown her off-balance, and now this man had muddied her thinking. Resolving not to play along with his familiar bantering, she firmed her mouth. “It’s my kitchen floor.”
    He nodded, placing one hand on his hip and the other on a shelf edge. “I’m going to need a little more detail.”
    Her annoyance brewed. “It’s squishy.” She felt ridiculous, like one of those women who didn’t know a wrench from a pair of pliers.
    “I see—”
    “Just in one spot. Under a tile. Two tiles. Anyway, I need something to pull them up with so I can put in some kind of support.” She smiled, satisfied that she’d sounded like a knowledgeable homeowner.
    “Okay.” His head bobbed agreeably. “Or you could actually fix it.”
    Her jaw tightened. Once again this guy had brought to mind those stagehands who always tried to impress the ‘little ladies’ with