Second Chance Cafe Read Online Free Page A

life, too.”
    “Hello? Did you hear me tell you I went on a date this morning?”
    Leo smiled at her propensity to be sassy.
    “I’m tired, I guess,” Isabella admitted. “I’m feeling a little burned out at the hospital. And yes, going to Mom and Dad’s every day wears me out. And even though I want to find someone, I’m really sick of dating. Remember that last guy I dated? The teacher who had a checklist for his future wife that he brought with him to our dinner date? And how awkward it was when he realized I only met two of his checkpoints?”
    Leo laughed but started coughing when Isabella gave him the look.
    “Right. I remember that. Very unfortunate.”
    “I’m twenty-seven years old and I’ve never been in a relationship that lasted longer than six months. They just never work out. I get restless or the guy gets restless, or there’s not enough chemistry or…I don’t know. And I’m just tired of looking. You know, putting myself out there in the dating pool. Risking my heart. I’m not into it anymore.”
    “You’re going to find someone, Isa. It’ll happen. You want to stop looking? Go ahead and stop. Hand it over to God and wait and see what happens. But the restlessness in you—I think it’s more than just being single.”
    Isabella stood up and began to pace—nervous habit. When she realized she was doing it, she sat back down and hugged her arms around herself. “I’ve been going to the same church for what feels like forever. Well, I used to be going to the same church. I’m not going to pretend I’ve been there in months. I just feel like nothing changes for me. I’m always talking to the same people. I’ve been working as a nurse for years, doing the same job every day. I’m tired of my apartment. I’m tired of watching my dad’s health deteriorate and not being able to do anything about it. I’m tired of everything.”
    Leo rubbed his chin. “So you need a change.”
    “Yes, Einstein. Any suggestions?”
    “Vacation?”
    “I’m not comfortable leaving Dad right now. You know he’s getting worse.”
    “I have an opening for a hostess position.”
    “Leo, don’t even go there.”
    “I was just offering! I’m trying to help. Maybe you should give this firefighter guy a chance. Go out with him. But let me meet him so I can intimidate him.”
    “He goes into burning buildings for a living. Sorry, bro. I don’t think you’ll scare him.”
    “Just think about it.”
    Isabella sighed. “Okay. My life could use some spicing up.”
    Leo reached over and touched her hand. “Give God a chance, too, Isa.”
    She closed her eyes for a moment. “You know I’m a believer, Leo.”
    “I know you are. But I also know you’re not feeling it right now.”
    “Sometimes I wish God would just do something drastic in my life so that I would know it was really Him. So that I would feel like He’s really and truly involved. Like He cares.”
    “I used to feel that way, too,” Leo said. Isabella looked at him, surprised by his admission.
    “What happened?”
    “When I started looking for Him, I could see His involvement in every way—drastic or not. He’s there, Isa.”
    * * *
    For the next week and a half, Ethan thought and prayed over the idea of buying the café. He just wasn’t sure what to do. He’d chatted online with Isa every few nights but hadn’t felt able to broach the subject with her. He kept thinking of her tone and body language when she’d talked to him about her family’s restaurant endeavors. He also hadn’t had any luck securing another date with her, which troubled him.
    It was time to make something happen. He decided to spend some time in the kitchen. Cooking and baking—his ideas of therapy. The kitchen in his studio apartment was small but functional, and Ethan had supplied it with excellent cooking equipment.
    It had been months since his last cooking class at The Seasoned Chef. At the time, a guest instructor from France had surprised the class