My Foolish Heart
Authors: Susan May Warren
Tags: #FICTION / Christian / Romance, #FICTION / Romance / Contemporary
Praise for Susan May Warren
“Warren's characters are well-developed, and she knows how to create a first-rate contemporary romance. Highly recommended for Christian fiction and romance collections.”
Library Journal
on
Tying the Knot
“Vibrant characters and vivid language zoom this action-packed romance to the top of the charts. This is a one-sitting readâonce you pick it up, you won't want to put it down.”
Romantic Times
on
The Perfect Match
“[
Taming Rafe
] has all the marks of a great romance, including realistic characters, page-turning intrigue, numerous subplots, and a satisfying ending.”
CBA Retailers + Resources
“Warren surpasses every expectation in [
Taming Rafe
]. The characters are gritty, down-to-earth, and downright dangerous. Warren crafts a journey that's worth our time and investment many times over.”
Romantic Times
“If you're in the mood for a good contemporary cowboy romance with thoughtful undercurrents, then you'll enjoy Susan May Warren's
Reclaiming Nick
.”
Faithfulreader.com
“Susan Warren writes with a fresh, new voice and creates characters that will delight her readers.”
Karen Kingsbury
Author of the bestselling Redemption series and the Firstborn series
“Warren's third PJ Sugar novel is filled with humor and mystery. Warren's ability to weave faith elements seamlessly into the plot elevates the book above others in the genre.”
Romantic Times
on
Licensed for Trouble
“Warren's story is exciting and heartwarming, with a unique ending that makes the story very real.”
Publishers Weekly
on
Double Trouble
“PJ's adventures . . . are hilarious and the resolution of the fast-paced mystery is thoroughly satisfying as well. Think of this series as a more wholesome version of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.”
Booklist
on
Double Trouble
“Susan May Warren's wit, charm, and dead-on characterizations always make me laugh.”
Lori Copeland
Bestselling author of the Brides of the West series
“Warren does it again with an excellent blend of humor, romance, mystery, and some much-needed spiritual lessons.”
Romantic Times
on
Nothing but Trouble
“Susan May Warren is an extremely gifted storyteller, always keeping her readers in suspense to the end. . . . Warren's books are guaranteed to entertain, thrill, and inspire. Without question, they fall into the can't-put-down category.”
D.M.
Amazon.com reader
Visit Tyndale's exciting website at www.tyndale.com.
Visit Susan May Warren's website at www.susanmaywarren.com.
TYNDALE
and Tyndale's quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
My Foolish Heart
Copyright © 2011 by Susan May Warren. All rights reserved.
Cover photograph of woman taken by Stephen Vosloo. Copyright © by Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
Author photo taken by Rachel Savage. Copyright © 2010 by Rachel Savage Photography. All rights reserved.
Designed by Jennifer Ghionzoli
Edited by Sarah Mason
Most Scripture quotations are taken from the
Holy Bible
, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Philippians 4:23 taken from
The Message
by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Warren, Susan May, date.
My foolish heart / Susan May Warren.
p. cm. â (Deep haven)
ISBN 978-1-4143-3482-0 (sc)
1. Women radio talk show hostsâFiction. 2. Disabled veteransâFiction.
3. MinnesotaâFiction. I. Title.
PS3623.A865M9 2011
813'.6âdc22 2010054361
To the Cook County Vikings football teamâ
coaches, staff, and players. You make us proud.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Like any great football team, a book needs a team of great players to help score a goal. I'm deeply grateful to the following people for their specific contributions to this story:
Coach Mitch DorrâHead coach of the CCHS Vikings, who constantly impresses me with his vision of sports as a way to build character and football as a way to build boys into men. My sons are becoming “men built for others” because of the excellent coaching staff. I am deeply grateful for all your help on the specifics of football in this story and especially for writing the Quarterback Chaos play. (What a fun play! May it win a state championship someday!) All mistakes in calling the game are mine alone.
Peter WarrenâMy amazing fullback/middle linebacker, who helped me break down practices and drills, and for answering the question “What would you do if you were the coach?”
Noah WarrenâMy amazing defensive end and the inspiration for Caleb.
David WarrenâOh, how I miss you and your plotting abilities! Thank you for helping me sort out those story kinks during your summer break.
Andrew WarrenâThe football player of legend in our family. Thank you for helping me understand football and for being my cohort as we trek to every football game, rain, sleet, or shine.
Sarah WarrenâMy daughter with the advice for the lovelorn. Thank you for helping me create the callers on the show and for the “top-ten” list.
World's Best DonutsâThe best place on the planet to get donuts (including the skizzle!).
Rachel HauckâMy writing partner. I'll write your book; you write mine, okay? Thank you for helping me break free of the Paralyzing Premise!
Ellen TarverâWho knows how to ask the tough questions and make all the story threads tie together. You are my secret weapon.
Sarah MasonâWow. Again, wow. My amazing line editor, who makes me sound pretty good.
Karen WatsonâMy Editor Extraordinaire. Thank you for believing in me.
Steve LaubeâYou rock, O Amazing Agent.
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
For Your glory, Lord.
1
For two hours a night, Monday through Saturday, Isadora Presley became the girl she'd lost.
“Welcome to
My Foolish Heart
, where we believe your perfect love might be right next door. We want to send special greetings out to KDRT in Seattle, brand-new to the Late Night Lovelorn Network. BrokenheartedInBuffalo, you're on the line. Welcome to the program.”
Outside the second-story window of her home studio, the night crackled open with a white flash of light and revealed the scrawny arms of her Japanese plum, cowering under a summer gale. Issy checked the clock. Hopefully the storm would hold off for the rest of her show, another thirty minutes.
And the weather had better clear by tomorrow's annual Deep Haven Fisherman's Picnic. She couldn't wait to sit on her front porch, watch the midnight fireworks over the harbor as the Elks launched them from the campground, and pretend that life hadn't forgotten her.
Tomorrow, she'd watch the parade from her corner of the block, wave to her classmates on their annual float as they made their way toward Main Street, then linger on the porch listening to the live music drift up from the park. Maybe she'd even be able to hear the cheers from the annual log-rolling competition. She could nearly taste the tangy sweetness of a fish burgerâfresh walleye and homemade tartar sauce. Kathy would be pouring coffee in the Java Cup outpost. And just a block away, the crispy, fried-oil tang of donuts nearly had the power to lure her to Lucy's place, World's Best Donuts. She'd stand in the line that invariably twined out the door, around the corner, and past the realty office waiting for a glazed raised.
She'd never, not once in her first twenty-five years, missed Fish Pic. Until two years ago.
She'd missed everything since then. She swallowed down the tightening in her chest.
“Thank you for taking my call, Miss Foolish Heart. I just wanted to say that I listen to your show every night and that it's helped me wait for the perfect man.”
BrokenheartedInBuffalo had a high, sweet voice, the kind that might belong to a college coed with straight blonde hair, blue eyes. But the radio could mask age, race, even gender. Truly, when Issy listened to her podcasts, sometimes she didn't recognize her own voice, the way it softened with compassion, turning low and husky as she counseled listeners.
She could almost trick herself into believing she knew what she was doing. Trick herself into believing that she lived a different life, one beyond the four walls and garden of her home.
“I'm so glad, Brokenhearted. He's out there. What can I do for you tonight?”
“Well, I think I found him. We met a few weeks ago in a karate class, and we've already had three datesâ”
“Three? Brokenhearted, I know that you're probably smitten, but three dates isn't enough to know a man is perfect for you. A great relationship takesâ”
“Time, trials, and trust. I know.”
So Brokenhearted listened regularly. Good, then maybe Issy could slow her down, help her to part the heady rush of the “love fog”âanother of her coined terms.
“Then you also know you don't develop that in three dates, although Miss Foolish Heart does advise calling it quits after three if there is no visible ten potential.”
“But it feels like it. He's everything I want.”
“How do you know that?”
“I have my top-ten list, just like you said. And of course, the big three.”
“Big three essentials. Sounds like you know what you're looking for.”
“That's just itâhe has
most
of them, and I'm wondering if it's essential for him to have all of them. Isn't . . . let's say, seven out of ten enough?”
“You tell me, Brokenheartedâwould you settle for a seven romance? Or do you want a ten?”
“What if I don't know what a ten feels like?”
What a ten feels like. Yes, Issy would like to know that too.
“Good question, Brokenhearted. I think it must be different for everyone. Stay on the line and let's take some calls and see if anyone has a good answer. Or you can hop over to the forum at the
My Foolish Heart
websiteâI see that Cupid27 has posted a reply. âLove feels as if nothing can touch you.' Nice, Cupid27. Any other callers?”
She muted Brokenhearted and clicked on another caller. “TruLuv, you're on the air. What does a ten feel like?”