Love Inspired August 2014 – Bundle 1 of 2 (62 page)

Dear Reader,

Know what always amazes me about God? No matter what I
have done or how I have failed, He’ll offer me as many new starts as I ask for.
Isn’t that comforting? Our God believes in second chances.

Both Paige and Caleb needed fresh starts, but their hesitation
to begin again is understandable. As the story starts, Caleb is wrapped in guilt
over the death of his late wife. He believes he doesn’t deserve a chance to love
and live again. On the other hand, Paige is terrified of getting hurt. She has
good reason to feel that way. She’s been let down by a lot of people she should
have been able to count on.

Have you ever felt stuck by your circumstances, by past pain or
something you’ve done? I have good news—God’s waiting to offer you a do-over.
All that’s left is to ask Him for it.

Thank you for spending some time with Paige and Caleb. I hope
you enjoyed their story and come back to visit Goose Harbor again. I love
interacting with readers on Facebook, Twitter and at my website,
www.jessicakellerbooks.com
. Look me up and make sure to say hi!

Dream Big,

Jess

Questions for Discussion

1. Paige has a lot of reasons to distrust men. Did you find Paige’s transformation to
   be believable, or not? How come?
   
2. Because of multiple betrayals in her past, Paige pushes Caleb away from the first
   time she meets him. Do you think this was appropriate for her to do? What other boundaries
   could someone set up, and what other ways could someone in Paige’s situation guard
   her heart?
   
3. A lot of Paige’s healing came through her friendships with Maggie, Ida, Bree and Shelby.
   It’s important to have people in your life that can give advice, listen to you and
   challenge you. For those that don’t have a support system like this, what are some
   ways we can go about forming one? How important is it to you to have someone to bounce
   ideas off and process with?
   
4. Can you identify with Paige’s lack of desire to read her Bible at the beginning of
   the story? Caleb suggested she picture the Bible as a new love letter waiting to be
   read every day. Does thinking of the Bible in this way change the way you think about
   it? Can you think of one time when you felt God was speaking to you through a Bible
   story?
   
5. People that Caleb loves have been hurt and killed. Do you find his need to protect
   people understandable or a little overboard? If you could sit down with Caleb, what
   verses and advice would you share with him?
   
6. Sarah’s Home is a nonprofit organization in the midst of a rough city, and the danger
   the volunteers face is very real. Is it worth the risk to have people staff an outreach
   like this? What are some ways they could have made Sarah’s Home safer from the beginning?
   Paige feels strongly about Sarah’s Home and believes the risk is worth the benefit.
   What is something you are passionate about that might be scary or risky? Have you
   pursued that passion, or decided not to?
   
7. For a long time, Paige didn’t feel like she was allowed to stand up for herself. In
   the two instances where she had to deal with Bryan, do you think she handled herself
   correctly? If so, what do you believe she did correctly? If not, what could she have
   done differently?
   
8. Sometimes we get stuck at a point in our life because of something that happens to
   us. For Caleb, he felt stuck by guilt, whereas Paige was trapped by things other people
   had done to her. When we find ourselves stuck like Caleb and Paige did, what are some
   positive ways that we can move forward in our lives? Can you think of some stories
   in the Bible where someone was stuck like this? How did God treat them? How did they
   get unstuck?
   
9. Paige is warned multiple times to stay away from Amy, but she seeks Amy out after
   hearing the students making fun of her. Amy doesn’t react warmly, and it doesn’t look
   like the two will ever share a close friendship. Can you think of a time when you
   reached out to someone and it wasn’t received well? Was it worth it? If given the
   chance, would you do it again?
   
10. When Paige sees Caleb hug Amy she immediately jumps to the conclusion that he must
    be cheating on her. Can you remember a time when you read a situation incorrectly?
    What happened as a result of that?
    
11. When Paige wakes up from the attack, she knows who hurt her but doesn’t tell Officer
    Miles right away. How do you feel about her not sharing about Smalls until later?
    Should Smalls have faced a stiffer punishment, or was it appropriate to offer him
    grace? What were some of Paige’s other options? If you were in a situation like this,
    what would you want to happen to Smalls?
    
12. Caleb asked Paige not to go to Sarah’s Home when he has to be at the basketball game.
    How does it make you feel that he asked that of her? Does he have that right? In what
    situation and relationship is someone allowed to ask things like that? Are they ever?
    Should Paige feel badly about going? Why or why not?
    
13. If you could write an epilogue, what would it say? What hurdles, if any, do you see
    in Caleb and Paige’s future? What advice would you give them as they work to strengthen
    their relationship?
    

We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

You believe hearts can heal.
Love Inspired
stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change
lives—always.

Enjoy six new stories from Love Inspired every month!

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Chapter One

T
he blue and red lights flashed. Polished cowboy boots stepped out of the looming SUV.
Each step stirred pale dust into the dry air. She didn’t need to look at his face
to know who had pulled her over. Ever since her return to Clear Water, Texas, she
had done her best to avoid this state trooper.

Jake Torres made it too easy to doubt her resolve to be independent. After a disastrous
marriage with one hometown boy, she couldn’t contemplate a relationship with another,
even if he had been her best friend once upon a time.

Now her ex-friend was going to give her a ticket on Valentine’s Day. Great. Another
memento to add to this wonderful day.

Turning away from the rearview mirror, she glanced at the box of pink penguin cupcakes.
They had taken her twice as long to decorate as she’d planned.

“Mom! We’re going to be late!” Ashley, her seven-year-old daughter, cried from the
backseat.

She closed her eyes for a moment to control the burning acid in her stomach.

More money gone. She didn’t even have enough to buy her daughter the lollipop Valentine
cards she wanted. With a quick check in the mirror, she noticed Ashley going through
the handmade cards. A weak smile eased some of the tension as she thought of the fun
they’d had while cutting and gluing scrap pieces of construction paper. Even Seth,
her preteen son, had made a couple of glittery masterpieces.

An unwanted memory surfaced. The sparkly red heart she had created as an eleven-year-old.
She could see Jake’s fingers take the Valentine card made just for him. She’d held
her breath watching him read the question she had so carefully printed. Looking up
at her, he had smiled and laughed at her. “Vickie, you’re crazy.”

“Vickie?” A baritone voice of the grown version of her childhood crush brought her
back to the present. He now stood in his state trooper uniform and looked at her as
if he still doubted her sanity.

“Officer Torres.” She replied in her most professional voice.

He leaned in a bit and looked past her. “Hi, Ashley. You’re looking pretty today.”

“Thank you. We’re going to the horse club’s Valentine’s party.”

He smiled and nodded before looking back at her. Well, she assumed he looked at her.
With the dark aviators, all she saw was her own reflection. Not pretty.

“License and insurance?”

She handed him the documents. He always looked so good in cowboy hats. She made sure
not to gaze at him. Instead, she focused on the empty country road stretched out in
front of her. The outline of the hills surrounding them hid any sign of civilization.

A silver truck sped by and honked. Vickie scooted farther down in her seat and looked
to her right. The Black Angus heifers went on with their eating. Her father’s cattle
couldn’t care less about her problems.

“How is Seth doing?” Jake pulled her attention back to him.

Her knuckles went white around her worn and cracked steering wheel. Just two months
ago, her son snuck out, making plans to run away and ended up in the shallow river
in the dark. Her heart still stopped whenever she thought how close she came to losing
her son. The image of his still form loaded into the ambulance burned forever in her
mind.

“Last week the doctor released him for all regular activities. He’s a hundred percent
recovered, physically anyway.” She took a breath and looked up. “Thank you for being
there, for searching for him and helping me hold it together.” It had been the worst
night of her life, and Jake had stayed by her side until they found Seth. He drove
her to the ambulance and helped her stay calm when it felt as if she was going to
fall to pieces.

He paused and brought his face back to her. “I’m glad I was there. Vickie, you know
if you ever need anything you can call me.”

Yeah, that was Jake, everyone’s hero. Giving her a speeding ticket, probably for her
own good. “You wouldn’t consider just giving me a warning, would you?” She tried to
smile, but visions of her measly savings dwindling even further made it difficult.

“The sun’s almost down. It’s hard to see deer, and in your small car that can be dangerous.
Just the other day...” His voice dropped off as he looked back to his new handheld
scanner. “Um...Vickie?”

That didn’t sound good. “Yes?”

“Are you aware you have a warrant out for your arrest?”

“What?” Her voice squeaked as it caught in her throat. “Oh, no! I had a ticket somewhere
in East Texas. I didn’t...oh, then Tommy and Seth...” She covered her face with her
cold, clammy hands.
You will not cry, Victoria Maria Lawson. You will not cry.

“Mommy?”

“Vickie, take a breath. It’s okay. You have a way to pay it, right? You can ask your
father.” He took the dark shades off. “As soon as you pay it in full they’ll remove
the warrant.”

“I’m not asking Daddy. I just forgot about it.” Did she have enough in her savings?
Was she ever going to get to the point where she put more in than she withdrew? She
looked in the rearview mirror. Ashley’s big eyes were even wider. “It’s okay, sweetheart.”
She glanced up at Jake. “I have Ash...”

“Vickie. I don’t want to arrest you, but you have to pay it. Call your dad. He’ll
help you.”

“I have the money. I’m not asking Daddy to save me. I completely forgot... How could
I...?” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. How did she let this happen? With
Seth’s near-death excursion and Tommy getting remarried she just...

“Mommy, are we still going to the horse club meeting?”

Oh, Ashley. “I don...”

“Vickie, take her to the party.” He lowered his chin and stared at her a moment before
speaking again. “I’ll follow. Ashley can go into the exhibit hall and you can take
care of the ticket over the phone.”

His thoughts were hidden behind the depth of his dark eyes. The intense gaze made
her want to hide.

“Take it slow. Being late is not the worst thing that can happen.” He glanced down.
“You need new tires. These are bald, and your inspection sticker needs to be renewed.”
He took a step back.

She managed to nod. “Thank you. I can pay it. I just forgot.” He didn’t get it. She
grew up relying on her parents then Tommy. She refused to ask them for help. She had
to do this on her own.

She turned the key. Click... Click.
No!
She tried again. Nothing.
Come on. Please start.

One more try. The engine started.
Yes!
So much for a grand exit. It didn’t purr, not like the Mercedes she drove just two
years ago. She reminded herself to be grateful for a car she bought with her own money.
Pulling back onto the country road, she headed to the arena on the edge of town.

* * *

Back in the SUV, Jake turned off the flashing light. With a heavy sigh, he started
the engine.

He spent years ignored by Vickie.
He should be used to it by now.
Nevertheless, seeing her so battered by life hurt him in a way he suspected he’d never
get over.

After checking the empty road for traffic, he pulled out to follow her. He’d pay the
ticket himself if it would keep him from having to arrest her. He imagined she’d never
forgive him for putting her in jail in front of her daughter.

Vickie would never forgive him for helping her, either. Describing her as stubborn
was like calling the Texas sun in August a little warm.

Just a couple of months ago her son had been airlifted to San Antonio after almost
drowning. He thought they had connected that night and she would be more open to reviving
their old friendship.

Going by the Mercantile where she worked, he tried talking to her, but she managed
to be in the back of the store whenever he stopped by.

Vickie made it clear that he had no place in her life.

He finally got to see her face-to-face, only to have to threaten to arrest her. Not
the impression he wanted to make.

Easing into the parking spot next to Vickie’s small vehicle, Jake put the Explorer
in park in front of the sixty-year-old county building. The windows of the wood exhibit
hall shimmered with pink and red metallic ribbons.

A couple of faces appeared through the streamers followed quickly by three girls rushing
outside. “Ashley! Where have you been? You volunteered to decorate.”

The oldest one, Rachel Levi, the pastor’s daughter, stopped at the edge of the concrete
slab and looked at Vickie instead of the younger girls. “Mrs. Lawson, is Seth with
you?”

“No, sweetheart, he’s with his grandfather.” Vickie reached over and pulled the cupcakes
out.

Ashley stood with her box of cards. “He’s grounded. But he made a card for you.”

“Really?” A smile lit up her face. The preteen turned to Vickie. “He’s still grounded
because we snuck out?”

“No, Rachel, he has a whole new set of reasons.”

Her lips drawn, the girl looked uncomfortable. She had been with Seth the night he
ran away and had pulled his unconscious body out of the river.

“Is your father here tonight?” Vickie asked.

Rachel nodded. “Daddy still doesn’t allow me anywhere without him.”

Jake looked at his watch. If Vickie was going to get her fines paid today, she needed
to make those calls before the office closed.

He moved forward to take the cupcakes from her. “Come on, girls, let’s get these inside.
Ms. Lawson has some calls to make before the party starts.”

Ashley and Celeste, Rachel’s little sister, skipped to his side, holding hands. “Celeste,
my mom made penguin cupcakes,” Ashley said.

Rachel went in, shoulders slumped, but the other girls hopped around him.

“Oh, Ashley, these are the cutest cupcakes ever.” Mia De La Cruz, one of Ashley’s
friends, held the door open for them.

At the far end of the room, women were setting the tables with food and drinks. He
knew everyone. To his left Pastor John and Adrian De La Cruz kicked balloons out of
their way as they walked toward him.

Adrian, a carpenter and roper Jake hung out with, slapped him on the back. “So you
giving Ms. Lawson and her cupcakes a police escort?”

He smiled. “Looks that way, doesn’t it? So where do these guys go?”

“I’ll take them, Officer Torres.” Rachel took the box from him and headed across the
open floor.

Tables covered in more pink and red lined the walls. They left the center open for
games and dancing. He spent many nights in his youth at the 4-H meetings and parties
with Adrian and Vickie. “So now you’re one of the 4-H parents?”

Adrian laughed. “That’s me, dad of the Valentine’s party. Happens a lot faster than
you realize. Are you staying to help?”

“No, I just followed Vickie. I’m heading out, still on duty.”

“Daddy!” Mia, Adrian’s ten-year-old daughter, ran toward them. “Ms. Ortega is looking
for the oranges and Hula-Hoops. Did you bring them in?”

“Yeah, I’ve got ’em.” With another slap on Jake’s back, Adrian followed his daughter
to the group of mothers.

John gave him a quick goodbye and headed to his daughters.

Jake used to wonder what it would be like to have his own family. One part of him
loved the thought of being the dad that helped at the 4-H events and rodeos, watching
his own kids participate and compete. The other part knew he had no business being
anyone’s father or husband. The knowledge didn’t seem to stop him from dreaming, though.

Vickie peeked around the door, scanning the area until she spotted him. She waved
him over then disappeared outside.

For some insane reason, he smiled as he followed her through the door. Tomorrow she’d
go back to ignoring him, but for now he had her full attention.

Copyright © 2014 by Jolene Navarro