Emmet leaned over and kissed her.
Leila clamped a hand to her mouth to hide her giggles, and Ellie sighed. “Guess what we’ll have to put up with the whole trip?”
Emmet chucked her under the chin as the others laughed. “You’ll have to put up with it a lot longer than that.”
Ellie groaned, but her grin said how much she didn’t mind. She reached for Leila’s hands. “This is the happiest day of my life.”
Three voices repeated her words in unison.
The happiest day of their lives. A great way to start the future.
They called a final goodbye and headed west.
*
Dear Reader,
Happy fifteenth anniversary to Love Inspired Books. I am thrilled to have been writing for Love Inspired Historical since it began, and especially during this special year. I love the quality of the stories that come out under this line. Congratulations to everyone involved—authors, editors and especially our faithful readers.
In The Cowboy Father, I address a difficult and painful subject. Many women long to have children, but are not able to conceive. Nowadays there are alternatives, but not too far in the past, there were few alternatives. And barrenness was a shame. To many it signified punishment or disapproval from God. So how does a Christian woman who firmly believes in God’s love deal with barrenness? How can she reconcile God’s love with her condition?
I tackle that problem in this story, and I pray that all of us will learn the same lessons of trust and hope that Louisa and Emmet learn. I hope I did not trivialize their pain in creating a compelling love story. It was always my intention to give the subject the respect it deserves.
I love to hear from readers. Contact me through email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Feel free to check on updates and bits about my research at my website, www.lindaford.org.
Blessings,
Questions for Discussion
Louisa has endured a number of trials. What are they? How has she responded?
She has made a conscious choice to trust and rejoice despite these challenges. Has she found it easy?
Emmet has had his own trials. What are they and how would you describe his response?
How have family dynamics played a role in each of their lives? Do they continue to do so?
What part of his past has Emmet shut up? Why? Why does he need to address this for him to go forward? Or does he?
Little girls play a role in this story. How would you describe each? What lessons do you think they can learn from each other?
Who in the story has had the greatest impact on Louisa’s attitudes (good or negative)? On Emmet’s?
Is there a particular scene that spoke to you about a personal need?
All of us have events in our lives that impact us. What events have greatly affected who you are and how you deal with life? Can you learn anything from how Louisa and Emmet reacted, or the choices and decisions they made?
What do you see as the theme of this story? How is the theme shown?
What advice would you give both Emmet and Louisa in order for their marriage to succeed?
If you were to write a chapter in their lives ten, fifteen, even fifty years down the road, what would it include?
How would you like a future chapter in your story to read? What can you do to make that happen?
FIREWORKS
Valerie Hansen
Chapter One
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”
—Isaiah 41:18
“Really? You need me?” Bethany Brown clapped her hands, feeling more like a giddy child than the twenty-two-year-old she was. “Thank you for asking. I’d love to help out.”
“We’ll see you at nine sharp, then,” the fire chief said. “Sorry about the short notice, but one of our regular auxiliary ladies fell and broke her arm yesterday and had to cancel.”
Bethany grinned broadly. “No problem. I’ve already helped decorate the bank’s booth. I don’t have any other plans for the day except to enjoy the food and see the fireworks later.”
“Good. And don’t worry. You won’t have to sell our baked goods alone. Stan said he had enough staff lined up to help on all but the first shift.”
“Stan Ellison?” Her heart began fluttering as if it had suddenly become a demented butterfly. “He’s in charge?”
“This year he is. Why?”
“No reason. I just wondered.” She hoped her flushed cheeks weren’t giving her away because she didn’t want to start rumors. It was bad enough that Stan and her sister, Amy, had been the talk of the town the previous summer.
She sobered. Poor Stan. He’d suffered so. And all because of Amy’s foolish idea that she was pretty enough to be a success in Hollywood. As far as Bethany was concerned, any woman who would abandon a great guy like Stan to pursue a chance in a million of becoming a movie star was off her rocker.
And cruel, she added to herself as she watched the chief walk away. What Amy had done to Stan was a crime, pure and simple. She had not only broken his heart when she’d jilted him, she’d caused him to shut down his emotions where other women were concerned.
“Especially me,” she murmured, disgusted and disheartened. There had been a time when she and Stan had been pals, special friends who had confided in each other. But all that had changed after Amy had packed her bags and left High Plains so abruptly.
Worse, as Bethany had attempted to help Stan heal his broken heart, she had grown more and more enamored of him. The excitement she’d started to feel every time they had met had become so telling she’d eventually had to distance herself. It was either do that or take the chance she might speak out of turn or even be so foolish as to throw herself at him.
“Which would be a terrible mistake,” she insisted, shaking her head. “It would make him think I’m just like my sister.”
Nothing was further from the truth, Bethany assured herself. She wasn’t self-centered, nor was she the kind of woman who used others. When she made a promise she kept it.
“And speaking of promises…” She glanced at the clock atop the new town hall building across from the park. It was nearly eight-thirty already. In half an hour or less she would be in close proximity to the one man who could make her knees tremble and send shivers up her spine by merely passing her on the street. What was she going to do; how was she going to keep her sanity when they were cooped up together in the tiny food booth for three hours?
Her grin returned. It grew so wide, so joyful, it made her cheeks hurt. Perhaps this unexpected chance to help the fire department raise funds was going to be the answer to her prayer about how to break down the walls around Stan’s heart. It certainly had possibilities.
Chapter Two
“You got who to help me? You mean Mrs. Beth Otis?”
“No, no. Bethany Brown.”
Stan Ellison knew that the grimace on his face was telling, but he didn’t care. There were some things a man shouldn’t have to accept, even if his job security might depend upon it.
Anybody who had a clue about his past would never have assigned Amy Brown’s sister to work with him. Never. Which was just one more reason why he felt the department should have hired a chief from High Plains instead of bringing in a man who had no idea about the internal politics of the small town.
“She said she was free this morning and I see here she’s helped us out before,” the chief reminded him as he checked the paperwork on the clipboard he held. “Besides, who better to take the money and make change than a bank teller?”
“Right.” There was nothing more Stan could say. Not a thing. He was stuck and he knew it.
He muttered to himself as the chief hurried away. “Okay. I can do this. After all, Bethany isn’t responsible for what her big sister did. She’s actually not a bad kid.”
If only her appearance didn’t tie his gut in knots, he added, chagrined. Poor Bethany was really a pretty girl, which was part of his problem. She
and Amy shared many of the same features, from their long, silky, reddish hair and hazel eyes to their stature and even the graceful way they moved. Catching sight of Bethany from a distance never failed to make his heart race and his throat go suddenly dry, thinking for an instant that Amy had returned.
He knew he didn’t still love Amy, not after the way she had treated him, but there was enough emotion left over to make him decidedly uneasy with regard to her slightly younger sister.
Looking up, he realized with a jolt of awareness that it was happening again. Bethany was approaching and his pulse had quickened at the mere sight of her. This was not good. Not good at all.
He forced a smile and tried to act nonchalant. “Hey, kiddo. I heard you got drafted. Sorry about that.”
She smiled so broadly in return that Stan’s cheeks warmed.
“No problem. You know how I love cookies. There’s no booth I’d rather work at than this one.”
“You plan to eat up all our profits, is that it?”
She giggled. “Don’t worry. I’ll pay for whatever I nibble on.”
“Aren’t you afraid of getting fat?”
“Like Amy always said she was, you mean? Nope. I figure if the Good Lord wants a few curves on me I’m not going to argue. Besides, He made chocolate so He must want us to enjoy it.”
“I’ve never heard anybody put a spiritual spin on food before,” Stan said with a smile.
“Not all food,” Bethany replied. “Just chocolate.”
“I stand corrected.” He backed away to give her plenty of room to squeeze between the tables and join him before he pointed to a folding chair. “You can sit over there and manage the cash box if you want. The chief said you’d be best at it because you’re used to handling money.”
“Well, I can count—as long as I don’t run out of fingers and toes. That has to be a plus, right?”
“Right.”
Something about her attitude, her very presence, cheered Stan so much he was flabbergasted.
Chapter Three
There was no way Bethany could ignore Stan’s presence. Even when she wasn’t looking directly at him she could tell exactly where he was in relation to her chair. If they hadn’t been outside under the clear blue sky, with only a leafy cottonwood tree for dappled shade, she didn’t think she could have tolerated that degree of closeness.
She surreptitiously watched him greet and joke with locals as well as welcome visitors who had come to High Plains to celebrate July 4th in the riverfront park. That summer tradition was one of Bethany’s favorites. There would be live music in the gazebo, games for the kids, free watermelon, hot dogs and soda pop for supper and then a fireworks show that rivaled those in the big, nearby Kansas cities like Manhattan and Council Grove.
Right now, however, there was only her and Stan, bordered by three long, rectangular tables that held the baked goods, which had been donated for the fundraising effort.
Bethany stood, reached into her pocket and handed a dollar bill to Stan.
“What’s this for?”
“Brownies. Two of them.” She placed a couple of the chocolaty treats on a paper napkin. “I figure I may as well do it up right. These have been calling my name for the past hour and I’m through resisting.”
I wish I could say I was through resisting you, she added silently. As of this morning, before she’d been asked to help in the booth with Stan, she’d assumed that she was well in control of her feelings, no matter what kind of temptation presented itself.
Now, however, she could tell she’d been kidding herself. The way she saw it, she would probably still have a stupid crush on Stan Ellison when they were old and gray. There they’d be, she imagined, sitting in rocking chairs on the porch of the rest home and trading barbed quips as always. Only, by then, neither of them would remember why they were at odds in the first place.
The silly picture in her mind made her giggle. Stan cocked his head and peered over at her. “You okay?”
“Oh, sure. I was just daydreaming.”
“It must have been funny because you got a strange look on your face just before you laughed.”
“Really? Well, well.”
“You aren’t going to tell me about it, are you?”
“Nope,” Bethany said. She took a bite of one of the brownies, rolled her eyes and slowly licked her lips. “Umm, this is soo good.”
The witty retort she’d expected in reply didn’t come, so she glanced at Stan quizzically. He had an odd expression on his face and his cheeks were slightly flushed, the way a teenage boy’s might be if he were bashfully interested in a girl. Either that, or the poor man was having an attack of indigestion.
The workings of her stressed-out mind and heart were getting so ridiculous and so funny she wondered if she was about to break into hysterical laughter. She wouldn’t be surprised if she did. And then what could she say to him? How would she ever explain her true feelings? What had begun as a friendship and had deepened due to empathy, was now a full-blown crush.
Perhaps it was even more than that, she added with a sigh. Perhaps, in spite of all her self-recriminations and inner warnings, she had actually let herself fall in love.
Affection was not the problem, Bethany insisted. The real trouble lay in the man she had chosen to care for. Of all the eligible bachelors in High Plains, she had picked the one man who would be the least likely of any to return her love.
Chapter Four
As far as Stan was concerned, he would rather have been charging into a burning building without any of his protective equipment than be stuck for three hours making small talk with Bethany Brown.
He’d been on edge from the second the chief had told him exactly who he had recruited to help in the booth. And as soon as Bethany had arrived, his nervousness had increased until he wondered how much more tension he could stand.
Checking his watch, Stan discovered that his troubles would be over in fifteen minutes. He almost cheered.
“You look awfully pleased all of a sudden,” Bethany remarked.
“Just glad we sold so much already.”
“Oh. I thought maybe you were happy I’d be gone soon.”
What could he say? The expression of hurt in her lovely eyes cut him to the quick. Made him want to tell her the truth in spite of everything.
“It’s not that,” Stan said, hoping to sound believable. “I really do appreciate all your help.”
“But you wish I was Amy, right?”
“No. No way.” His brow knit. “What makes you think that?”
She shrugged. “Just a wild guess. I know she caused you pain and for that, I’m sorry. Please try to remember that I’m not my sister. Not even close.”
“I know that.”
“Do you? Sometimes I wonder.”
She blinked and shaded her eyes as if the bright sun was causing them to water. Stan knew better. Bethany had obviously been hurt by Amy’s actions, too. That was something he hadn’t considered before, partly because she had never given any sign of being so upset. Then again, perhaps he’d been so caught up in his own suffering he hadn’t considered how Bethany might feel.
“Tell you what,” he said. “How about letting me buy you a burger as soon as our shift is over? You need some real food.”
The shock on her face was telling. Not only was she touched, she was as surprised by the offer as he was. What had come over him? Was he crazy? He’d spent the past three hours waiting for their parting and yet he’d just opened his mouth, stuck his foot in it and prolonged the agony.
Hoping she might turn down his offer, he held his breath. Her jaw had dropped and she was staring at him.
“Food? You and me? Together?” she finally asked.
“Don’t feel pressured. You don’t have to accept. I just thought…”
“I’d love to!”
Okay, Stan mused. Now you’ve done it. She’s not only going to let you buy her lunch, she’s excited about the prospect. Terrific.
; Considering the situation, he nevertheless knew he’d done the right thing by asking. Bethany was sweet. A really lovely person. If her every move, every feature, had not continued to remind him of the woman who had broken his heart, he might even have been interested in her romantically.
Stan shot a quick, unspoken prayer heavenward. He had been asking the Lord for emotional healing, for a new, fresh start in life, but he had not imagined that God might require him to forgive Amy first. That possibility was starting to appear evident. If he could find it in his heart to befriend Bethany, in spite of what her sister had done, perhaps that would lead him to finally release his anger.
Was it anger? he wondered, surprised by the conclusion. In the past he had seen himself as a victim of an untruthful woman, but anger? Really?
As he mulled over the situation it became clear that that was part of his problem, all right. And now that he was aware of it, how was he going to cope?
The grinning young woman beside him was his answer, at least for now. He smiled back at her. “Here comes our new crew. Give the money box to Maya Logan and let’s go check out the food at the Community Church booth. I’m starving.”
Chapter Five
Bethany was so elated she felt as if her feet were not touching the ground. This was the stuff her dreams were made of. She couldn’t seem to stop grinning so widely that she felt foolish.
It would complete the reverie if Stan would hold her hand, she mused, but under the circumstances she figured she’d better just take what had been offered and thank the Good Lord. She still couldn’t believe it. Her. And Stan Ellison. Together. Hallelujah.
She smiled up at him. “In case I haven’t already told you, thanks for the offer to feed me.”
“You’re welcome.”
The moment she decided to pursue the conversation on a more personal level, her mouth dried up like the white, fluffy seeds that were drifting down from the cottonwood trees that lined the river. Many questions pressed to be asked.
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