Touched by Angels Page 0,62

ways I'm grateful to you."

"Me?"

"I'd almost given up thinking about God until I met you. My life was full and busy, but I felt an aching loneliness. I prayed, but I felt as if my prayers floated away to nothingness. Until the morning of the Thanksgiving Day parade, I was convinced God didn't listen to prayers any longer."

"But He does," Hannah insisted.

"I know. He sent you into my life." Joshua ran his finger down the side of her face. "You'll be talking to Carl soon?"

She nodded. It wasn't a task she relished, but it was one she couldn't delay. To wait for the right moment would only make it more difficult. "I thought I'd discuss it with him first, and then the two of us could explain it to our parents together."

Joshua's gaze narrowed briefly, and she knew he wasn't keen on this part of her plan.

"Carl and I need to present a united front," she explained. "Otherwise I'm afraid they'll manipulate us individually to change our minds."

Joshua considered her words, then asked, "Could they change your mind, Hannah?"

His question fell into a weighted silence. Hannah considered her answer for several thought-provoking moments. "Carl's a good man, and he'll make some woman an excellent husband, but that woman won't be me," she admitted, then added, "Nothing's going to change the way I feel about you, Joshua. Nothing."

"You'll tell him soon, then?"

She nodded. "The sooner the better." She didn't relish this task, but she couldn't put it off, either.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Joshua volunteered.

"No." That would only make matters worse, Hannah realized. Her news would be difficult enough for Carl without adding the complication of her feelings for another man.

Joshua looked at his watch. "I have to get back to the office."

It was easy to forget that Joshua was an important man. If she ever doubted his feelings for her, all she'd need to do was remember the time he took out of his busy schedule to be with her.

"One thing before you go?" she asked, reaching out and gripping hold of his forearm.

"Anything."

She felt foolish asking this of him. "Would you mind very much if we kissed again?"

The warm light that invaded his eyes was all the answer she needed. Joshua wrapped her in his embrace and drugged her with a number of long, slow kisses.

"Is that enough?" he asked.

She couldn't manage anything more than a slight groan.

Joshua closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Unfortunately I feel the same way myself. I promise you the day will come when we won't stop with the kissing, Hannah. Frankly the sooner that day arrives, the better."

Joshua left her to return to his office. The warm glow of his kisses carried Hannah all the way to Carl's apartment building. He should be home, seeing that school had been out for several hours. Hannah had been to his place only twice. Carl was an orderly man who kept his quarters meticulously clean. Hannah had never known anyone more gifted in the area of organization than Carl Rabinsky.

Not once on the long walk did Hannah doubt that she was doing the right thing. Only when she arrived at his building did she hesitate. Gathering her courage about her, she squared her shoulders and pressed the doorbell.

Carl's low voice came over the intercom. "Who is it?"

"Hannah," she said, standing on her tiptoes and speaking directly into the intercom to make sure he could hear her.

"Hannah? My goodness, what are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you. Could I come up?"

"Of course."

A couple of seconds later a buzzer rang and the lock on the front door released, allowing Hannah inside the building. More nervous now than ever, she took the elevator up to Carl's apartment. By the time she arrived outside his door, she was convinced her heart was ready to pound straight through her chest.

"This is a surprise," Carl said, leading her into the living room. The area was nothing like she remembered. Books and papers littered the table. Unopened mail was scattered across the coffee table. This wasn't like Carl. Not once in all the time she'd known him had he displayed any signs of sloppiness.

"Is something wrong?" Hannah asked, watching him.

"I don't think there's any reason to try to hide it any longer," he said, sinking into the chair and covering his face with both hands. "I should have told you sooner."

Hannah didn't know what to think. "Told me what?" she asked gently. She'd never seen Carl like this.

He