by Glynna Kaye
“You’ve more than done that already.” She drew back to look at him. “I love you, too, Luke. My own superhero.”
He chuckled. “I don’t know about that.”
“I do.”
“Say that again.” He cupped his ear as if listening intently. “I want you to have those exact two words memorized for a walk down the aisle.”
Her heart swelled with joy. “We’re really getting married, Luke?”
He slipped his arm around her waist. “The sooner the better, as far as I’m concerned.”
She nodded, still not quite sure she wasn’t dreaming. “Nothing big that takes a lot of time to plan.”
“That works for me.” Luke cocked his head. “Maybe we can get Garrett to conduct a drive-thru next weekend?”
Laughing, she poked him lightly in the chest. “Don’t push it, superhero.”
He tightened his grip around her. Pulled her close. “A guy in love has to try.”
He loved her. Wanted to marry her. Make her his wife. The mother to his three precious children.
Suddenly, eyes wide, she pulled back and gripped his arm. “Luke! The kids! What will your kids think?”
Smiling, he cupped her face in his hand. “Our kids. And our kids—present and future—will think this is the best decision we’ve ever made.”
“You’re okay with more kids?” She gazed uncertainly into his eyes. “I wasn’t sure...you know, with you already having three.”
“We can have as many as you can handle, Delaney. So be careful what you wish for.”
She gave him a hug. “I love you, Luke Hunter.”
“And I love you, Delaney Marks.”
She drew back again. “What do you think? Should we go tell our kids the happy news?”
“I’m all for that. But first...” Eyes twinkling, he looked around them as if confirming they were alone. His arms tightened around her as he leaned in close. “How about a kiss, pretty lady?”
Epilogue
“Congratulations, Mom and Dad!”
Gazing into the smiling faces of Chloe, Anna and Travis, tears dampened Delaney’s eyes as she and Luke—Mr. and Mrs. Luke Hunter—stepped arm in arm from the church sanctuary and into the bright September sun. A beautiful Saturday morning on Labor Day weekend.
A rousing cheer went up from their friends and family.
With the help of Paris and Aunt Jen, they had managed to pull together an unforgettable wedding on short notice. It had been perfect in every way, leaving her no doubt that the reception at Hunter’s Hideaway would be every bit as beautiful.
Luke—her husband—leaned down to give her his handkerchief and she gently dabbed it at her eyes. Thank goodness for waterproof mascara. “I’m going to look like a bawl-baby in all our photographs.”
“A beautiful bawl-baby.” He gave her a quick kiss.
“Come on, Dad. Plenty of time for the mushy stuff later. Food awaits.” Travis impulsively slipped his arm around his father for a warm embrace.
“I’m beautiful, too.” Chloe spun around in her bridesmaid dress, arms raised like a ballerina.
“Yes, you are.” Luke nodded to Anna, as well. “You, too, sweetheart.”
Travis’s lower lip protruded as he thrust his thumbs under the lapels of his tux. “What about me?”
Delaney laughed. “You’re beautifully handsome, Trav. And I think from the look in Scottie’s eyes, she would agree.”
“Yeah?” He looked around in search of his girlfriend. “You guys don’t plan to hang out here much longer, do you? I’m starving.” He grasped his jaw. “I think all those photos wore out my smile, too.”
“Think of the brunch that awaits you,” Delaney reminded. “I imagine that will revive it.”
As Travis took off, Luke motioned to an approaching Garrett and Grady. “You two cleaned up pretty good, didn’t you? Made Grandma Jo proud. Now if you can find a woman who’ll put up with you long enough to wrestle a ring onto her finger, you’re both good to go.”
Grady elbowed Garrett. “Look who’s suddenly the relationship expert.”
“Yeah, but he can’t claim any credit for it.” Garrett gave Delaney a conspiratorial grin. “He has this lady to thank.”
Delaney happily looped her arm through Luke’s and smiled up at him. “I admit he may be a slow learner but, once he caught on, he’s making up for it.”
Luke cocked an arrogant brow at his brother and cousin. “Hear that, boys?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Grady good-naturedly waved him off, then lifted Chloe into his arms and turned to Anna. “What do you say, ladies, if we head out to the Hideaway and make sure the party’s rolling by the time your mom and dad get there?”
Mom and Dad.
A happy shiver danced up Delaney’s spine at those words. She hadn’t been sure what Luke’s children would want to call her and had assumed it would be Delaney since that’s the name they’d always called her. But last night, after the rehearsal dinner, the three of them pulled her and Luke aside, announcing their unanimous decision.
Mom.
As Garrett, Grady and the girls headed to the parking lot, Delaney and Luke continued to receive handshakes and hugs of congratulations from family and friends hailing from both Canyon Springs and Hunter Ridge. Only three months ago she’d never have imagined she’d be standing here today as the wife of Luke Hunter.
“You’re lost in thought, pretty lady.” Luke slipped his arm around her and, still smiling, leaned in close as at last they arrived at Luke’s gaily decorated pickup truck, a sign on the tailgate declaring JUST MARRIED. “What are you thinking about? How handsome I am?”
“Without a doubt. But also...” She wasn’t quite sure how to put her thoughts, her feelings, into words. “I feel...”
So much. So many different things. Joy. Awe. Anticipation. Thankfulness.
“I feel for the first time since I lost my family to that accident...that I’ve truly come home.”
She again blinked back tears, too overcome to speak as he gathered her into the security of his arms.
“I feel the same, as if returning from a too-long-journey.” His eyes smiled into hers. “My heart will forever belong to you, my beautiful Delaney. Welcome home to us both.”
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from A TEXAS CHRISTMAS WISH by Jolene Navarro.
Dear Reader,
Have you ever noticed that dwelling excessively on the past—or on the worst that could happen in the future—steals enjoyment from the present?
That’s the situation in which Delaney Marks and Luke Hunter find themselves—and it’s keeping them apart. Both have suffered great tragedies. Luke allows the past not only to dictate his future but to drive him to try to control it. And Delaney allows the fear of losing those she loves to lead her to expect and brace herself for inevitable loss. Both must come to trust that God is in control, that He heals past wounds and holds the future, freeing them to live in the present with joy.
As with my series set in fictional Canyon Springs, Arizona, nearby Hunter Ridge is nestled in the rugged ponderosa pine mountain country. The stories set here will explore the lives and loves of men and women who have always called this place home, who once fled its city limits and are now returning, or who are stepping into the little community for the very first time. Join them on their journey to love and becoming all God wants them to be. Welcome to Hunter Ridge!
You can contact me via email at [email protected] or Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279. Please visit my website at glynnakaye.com—and stop by loveinspiredauthors.com, seekerville.net, and seekerville.blogspot.com.
Glynna Kaye
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.
You believe heart
s can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives—always.
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A Texas Christmas Wish
by Jolene Navarro
Chapter One
Karly turned the wipers to the highest setting, but they didn’t help much. She knew the ranchers in Clear Water, Texas, were celebrating after the long drought, but she just wanted to get to her new home without drowning.
New home. If everything worked out the way she planned, her young son, Bryce, would be celebrating Christmas in a real home for the first time ever. Last Christmas they had been living in her car. At church, deacon Dub Childress had always made her feel welcome. Now he was recovering from a stroke and broken arm—and it was her turn to help him.
On the huge plus side, if she could pull this off, no shelter or cheap hotel for them this year. But would she be able to care for Dub and his house? She didn’t even finish high school. Doing some research on stroke patients online might not be enough.
Deep breath in...out. She made herself relax. This past year had brought so many changes, and with the help of her new church family, she was free of bad relationships. Hopefully no one expected her to cook. She could clean. She was very good at cleaning.
The rain pounded the roof, making it hard to hear anything else. In the backseat, Bryce finally calmed down. Her five-year-old son hated storms—or any loud noise. She leaned forward, her knuckles white around the steering wheel. God had gotten them through worse storms.
Glancing in the rearview mirror at her son, she continued the game. “Let me see. Is it your baby picture on my visor?”
Kicking his feet against the passenger seat, Bryce grinned at her. His smile shone through the dark, dreary day. “Yes! Now it’s your turn.”
“Okay...let me see... I spy something...blue and white.”
Bryce gasped. Karly turned back to see what startled him. He pointed to the road in front of her.
“Airplane.”
Squinting to see through the heavy rain, she saw it, too. “No...” She blinked to clear the image, but it was still there. A small aircraft hovered over the road. The spinning blades on the nose of the plane headed straight for them. The wings tilted from one side to the other as if trying to balance on the air.
Instinctively, she hit the brake and jerked to the right, taking them through a muddy ditch. The car bounced over the rocky terrain. Their seat belts were the only thing that kept them in place. The boxes and bags weren’t so lucky.
After a hard stop just short of a barbed-wire fence, she looked back at Bryce, reaching for him, needing to touch him. “Are you okay?”
He twisted in his booster seat, pulling himself around as far as the seat belt would let him go. “It’s an airplane.” He looked at her for a second before pointing around the overturned boxes in the back. “An airplane on the road.”
Sure enough, the small airplane she had just lost a game of chicken to sat on the opposite side of the county road, tangled up in the tall game fence.
Through the back window, in the gray, water-blurred scene, Karly saw a figure run toward them. She slowly filled her lungs, making every effort to breathe and stop the shaking of her hands. Eyes closed, she counted and relaxed each muscle.
Thank You, God, for protecting us. Please get us to our new home safely.
A tap on the window caused her to jump. A drenched man stood outside her car. Rolling the window down, she was hit with rain. She cupped a hand over her face and found Tyler Childress staring at her.
Tyler pulled his leather jacket over his head to block her from the onslaught of rain. Leaning closer to her, he looked into the car. “Is everyone all right? I’m so sorry. Cattle were on the airstrip and I thought I could make it to the field, but the pressure came in low.”
“We’re fine. A little shaken up, but fine. Tyler Childress, right?”
“Oh, no.” He smiled—the smile she heard the women of Clear Water sigh over whenever they gossiped about the good-looking son of Dub Childress. Wild and impulsive, but good-looking as all get-out. This phrase was repeated often. “We didn’t go to school together, did we? I’m horrible with names.” The rain started dripping off the sides of his jacket.
“No, we’ve never met. Why don’t you get in the car and out of the rain?”
He gave a quick nod and ran in front of her car as she rolled up her window.
Reaching across the seat, she pulled the lock up, then started stuffing bags and containers in the seat behind her. The off-road adventure had scattered their worldly possessions throughout the car. They would have to repack everything. Tyler slid into her ’97 Volvo wagon. The space got a lot smaller with his tall, well-built body. He looked like a pirate just rescued from a shipwreck.
She focused on her hands. He was dangerous, the kind of man that could bring trouble to her new, safe world.
Carefully tucking her leather-bound Bible into the console, she ran her fingertip along its spine. It was a gift from her church family at her baptism six months ago. The idea that she now had people who cared about her and Bryce still felt a bit surreal. And with this man now beside her, it was a good reminder.
Dub’s son reminded her of all the bad choices she had made based on wanting to be rescued by a knight in shining armor. This job her pastor offered her was more than a way to repay kindness or even make money. It was an opportunity to make a stable future for her son. An opportunity she couldn’t afford to waste.
Tyler adjusted himself in the passenger seat and slammed the door to the storm outside, his long legs not quite fitting. He looked too big for the small space, like a jack-in-the-box ready to pop out if someone pulled the roof open. Her car had a new scent now, a clean masculine fragrance.
“Would you mind following me over to the county airport?” He pointed his perfect chin to the turnoff about fifty yards ahead of her.
“Oh, sure.” Stop trying to smell him.
“Thanks.”
“Hi! I’m Bryce. I like your airplane!”
Tyler turned and held out his hand to her son. “Hi, Bryce. I’m Tyler. Glad to meet you.”
Karly tightened her lips, forcing herself not to say anything as she watched Childress’s reaction when he realized her son didn’t have a right hand to shake, only five unformed digits right below his elbow. Without hesitation he laid his hand flat, palm up, on his other hand. “Give me five? Hope I didn’t scare you.”
“No, that was fun!” He leaned forward to slap their guest’s hand.
Karly was a bit surprised by Bryce’s enthusiasm. Most of the time, he pulled back from men and he never wanted to meet someone new.
She had to admit that Tyler’s nonreaction automatically bumped him up in her opinion no matter what everyone said about him. Bryce’s dad had taken one look at their son and walked out of the hospital and never came back. Of course, he had been a seventeen-year-old boy already scared of being a father.
Tyler might be a late coming home, but she didn’t know his story and it wasn’t her place to judge. She’d been hired to do a job. Keeping a safe distance from this good-looking adventurer would be best for them all.
She placed her hands over her son’s short active legs. “I’m sorry about the small space—we might be able to move the seat back a little bit.” There wasn’t much room available with all the stuff she had wedged between the seat and Bryce.
“No wor
ries.” He chuckled and winked at her. His clear blue eyes matched his father’s perfectly. “I’ve been in tighter places. Besides, we aren’t going far.”
She put the car in Reverse and hit the gas, but all that happened was the whirling sound of a spinning tire. She gripped the steering wheel and tried again, pressing harder on the gas pedal.
“Whoa. You’re just digging in deeper. Go forward.”
She gritted her teeth against his short demand and reached up to shift gears. His hand stopped her. The touch startled her, and she jerked back.
He didn’t even seem to notice her reaction. “Hold on. Let me put one of those branches in front of the tire.” Without waiting for her to agree, he sprang out of the car. Running hunched over, he gathered some of the larger limbs that covered the ground on the edge of the cedar break. Climbing back into the car, he nodded. “Now go forward. Keep the pressure on the pedal nice and steady.”
Holding her breath and sending a quick prayer, she followed his instructions. After a few bounces, they were back on the road. She couldn’t help giving him a big grin. “Thank you.”
“Well, it was my fault you ended up in the ditch.”
With a slow U-turn on the highway, she headed back toward his plane.
“Are you going to be able to drive the plane to the airport?”
“Yeah. I think a wing is damaged, but it can move across the ground without a problem. The Kirkpatricks aren’t going to be happy. I think I ran through their fence a couple of times back in high school.” With one hand on the door, he turned to face her. “You don’t mind following me to the hangar, do you? I’ll need a ride to town.”
“Town? You’re not going to the ranch?”
“You don’t need to drive all the way out there.” He glanced over her stacked and labeled boxes. “You look busy. Do you need help?”