She swiped tears from her eyes. Every time she wanted to weep over him, she reminded herself that she had trusted him and he had lied to her. Even worse, he’d made her a charity case. He had ignored everything she’d said and gone against her wishes. Those weren’t the actions of an honorable man.
Or were they? The judge’s words echoed in her head. Your ability to get into an apartment again so quickly. Jack had known she might be angry, but he had paid for the apartment anyway. He’d said he’d done it for the girls.
Sabrina felt the dawning of a new feeling, one of regret. She had focused on how Jack had gone over her head and how her pride had been hurt, but really the focus should have been on the girls. She hauled in a shaky breath. He had acted in their best interests, just as a parent would, no matter the consequences.
She started down the steps, her heart pounding in her chest. She needed to tell the girls the good news, and then she was going to find Jack. A few words might not be able to heal the rift between them, but she needed to thank him, at the very least, for what he had done.
* * *
“I’ve waited all day for practice, Tía.” Gabby skipped alongside Sabrina, her pigtails bouncing.
“I’ve waited all week,” Kassey said. Her eyes were wide with excitement. “I can’t wait for our game on Saturday. We’re going to win, I just know it.”
“I’m sure you do,” Sabrina said. She was barely listening, her heart thumping painfully in her chest. Jack would be here and she wasn’t sure if they were even friends anymore.
“Hi, girls,” Lana called out as they walked in. “Go on into the gym. I need to talk to your aunt for a second.”
The girls ran on ahead through the double doors and Sabrina watched Lana roll her chair across the lobby.
“Hey, congratulations on getting custody yesterday.”
Sabrina beamed. “Thanks. It went really well. I was worried about explaining how I ended up here, but it all worked out.”
“It must have helped that you have an apartment now.” Lana cocked her head.
Sabrina knew that the secretary wasn’t just congratulating her. “You heard about our fight.”
“You mean, how you got upset that Jack took care of you guys?”
Sabrina shook her head. “You don’t understand. I trusted him,” she choked out.
“He betrayed you?” Lana folded her arms across her chest. “He’s in love with someone else? He never liked you at all? He lied about who he is and what kind of man he wants to be?”
“Well, no.” Sabrina bit her lip and stared up at the old wooden cross on the mission lobby wall. “But he lied.”
“Sort of. We all did. Most of the staff knew about it and said nothing.”
Sabrina stared down at Lana, shocked at how calmly the middle-aged woman admitted to what they had done. “Why?”
“Because the girls needed to be with you. Because judges don’t look fondly on women who lose their apartments.” Lana leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. “Sabrina, no matter how good you are to those girls, you are going to do them a real injustice if you don’t learn to accept help.”
She clenched her jaw, refusing to accept the truth of Lana’s words. She had always managed to keep them afloat by herself. She had provided for them and loved them and... A small voice whispered in her heart, and she had failed them. Doing everything herself had made them homeless.
“Maybe you’re right,” she whispered.
“No maybe about it. And that man in there—” Lana pointed back through double doors into the gym “—wants to love you.”
She felt her face go hot. “Maybe if he loved me, then he wouldn’t have lied to me.”
Lana sighed and rolled her eyes to the sky. “Do you know anything about men?”
Her spine stiffened and she wanted to walk away. “So I’ve never been in love—” Until now. Her heart finished the sentence for her. She struggled to go on. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t understand men.”
“A man like Jack, someone who is faithful and honorable, he wants to provide. He wants to keep you safe. If he has to hide his identity so you’ll accept his money in order to save your girls, then he’ll do it. Even if he knows you’ll be angry with him later.”
Sabrina looked back toward the gym. “He said that?”
“That you would be angry? Sure he did. But he put himself out there so that you could be somewhere safe.”
She stared at her feet. “But I just walked away from him. He was trying to explain and I walked away. I haven’t talked to him since.”
“And that’s the end of the story?” Lana started to laugh. “Sabrina, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to say I was sorry. Hundreds. Thousands. Don’t make this the end if you don’t want it to be.”
She nodded, then impulsively leaned down and wrapped her arms around Lana. She could smell vanilla and coffee as Lana squeezed her back.
“I won’t,” she whispered.
* * *
Jack saw Sabrina enter the gym and his heart beat double time. He had braced himself for a cold greeting, or maybe none at all, but she walked straight to him. Her expression was fragile, gaze searching his.
He held up a finger in a just-a-second gesture and jogged to the supply closet. Reaching inside, he retrieved a manila envelope and turned to see she was almost to him.
“I heard the good news,” he said.
She nodded, a smile crossing her face for the first time. “The judge gave me permanent custody.”
“Congratulations on your new family,” he said, then paused. “I mean, congratulations on being legally declared a family.”
Her eyes sparkled with laughter. “Exactly right. We’ve always been a family.”
“I brought you a present in honor of the occasion,” he said.
She frowned down at it. “You didn’t have to.”
“I know. Just open it.”
She slipped her finger under the flap and peeked inside. Tugging out the fragile paper, she held it up to the light. “Is this a map of...Denver?”
“Denver, circa 1925. I saw it in a shop a few days ago and thought you might like it for your collection.” His stomach twisted as he watched her face. Sure, he’d said it was a present to celebrate gaining custody, but it also was a gesture from a man to the woman he loved. How she responded would tell him everything he needed to know about his chances with her and the future they might have.
“Thank you,” she said. But her voice wasn’t exactly thrilled. Jack’s heart dropped into his shoes. She was being polite and accepted his gift, but she obviously had no desire to start up where they had left off. Wherever that was. They hadn’t been dating, hadn’t even gone out to dinner, but she had stolen his heart.
“Jack, I need to say something.” Her shoulders were back and her chin was up. Jack knew that she was steeling herself for something difficult. His stomach dropped. He’d known there was a chance he would lose Sabrina over paying for the apartment, but he hadn’t known, until this moment, how much it would hurt to hear the words.
“Go ahead,” he said. “But before you do, I want to say that I’m glad for having known you.” She looked up, eyes widening. His throat was tight, but he went on. “You’ve made me a better man, Sabrina.”
She nodded. And took a deep breath. The sounds of the gym faded around them and Jack readied himself to hear the woman he loved say there was no chance for them.
* * *
Sabrina searched for the words she’d practiced all morning. She’d come here to say something important, and nothing would stop her. Not the way Jack smiled down at her, not the way he smelled, not the way she felt her heart tugging her toward him in a way she couldn’t fight any longer.
His gift was just one more way that proved Jack knew her better than anyon
e else. He knew her dreams and her hopes, her fears and her strengths. To other people, it was just an old map. To her, it said everything about the sort of man he was, considerate and kind, tender and thoughtful. He deserved complete honesty, and it was time to tell him what was in her heart.
“I’m sorry,” she said. She realized she’d never learned to say those words, not often enough. “You were right to get me that apartment and I was stupid to have refused your help.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say stupid. Maybe stubborn.” He was grinning, and the joy in his smile took her breath away.
The next words were ones she had never spoken to a man, and she was prepared to fight back her fear. But when she opened her mouth, all she felt was how perfect the moment was, even as they stood in the gymnasium of the Downtown Denver Mission. The sounds of the kids in the gym echoed into the space around them and she could smell the spaghetti the cafeteria had served for dinner.
“I love you, Jack. I think I loved you from the moment we met, but I was afraid to even consider the possibility of giving us a chance.”
She stepped forward, reaching up to touch his face. She traced the curve of his lips, the deep indentation of one dimple, the length of his jaw. Holding his gaze, she stood on tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. For a moment he stood still, then he wrapped his arms around her, almost lifting her off her feet.
She had never felt so safe and so loved. He whispered in her ear and a shiver went down her spine. “I love you, Sabrina.”
She would never get tired of hearing how he loved her. Letting out a sigh of contentment, Sabrina gazed up into Jack’s eyes. His expression spoke of a future together, one that shone bright with promise.
She was lost in the feel of his mouth on hers, the warmth of his arms, and she didn’t hear the footsteps behind her.
“Tía, what are you doing with Coach Jack?” Gabby stood there, eyes wide. Kassey ran up and put a hand to her mouth, giggling.
Sabrina felt her cheeks go hot. “We’ll be done here in a minute, go back to practice,” she called. They ran away toward the group of kids at the end of the gym and the sound of their laughter faded. “How embarrassing.”
He lowered his head to kiss her again. She leaned into him, letting his strength add to hers, allowing him to support her with his love. “You’ll get used to it,” he said.
Sabrina laughed into his shirt, letting her perfect joy outshine all the troubles of her past. She never could have guessed that God’s plan for her life included becoming homeless and accepting charity. But as she’d learned to let go of her fear, Jack’s love had been there, waiting to lead her to something better, like a map to her heart.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from HIS MONTANA BRIDE by Brenda Minton.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading A Home for Her Family, and I hope you enjoyed the story of opposites falling in love!
Sabrina struggles with accepting help because she’s never really had anyone in her life who was reliable. She’s determined to do everything herself, whether or not it’s the best way. When she meets Jack, she’s instantly attracted to the handsome, fun-loving businessman, but is sure he won’t be interested in a girl mechanic from the wrong side of town.
Jack has lived most of his life going along with whatever his father wanted. He went to the college his father picked and went to work at the family business. Jack dreams of leaving it all behind and living a life of freedom up on the mountain. When he meets Sabrina, he sees for the first time how narrow his vision really is and how he’s dismissed every blessing he’s been given. He yearns to have more of a relationship with Sabrina, but he thinks she can’t respect a man who’s never really worked for a living.
These two young people learn to see each other through God’s grace. We all make assumptions about the people around us, but we also have areas where we need to grow and change. Jack and Sabrina grow in God’s love while forging new paths toward happiness.
I pray that you also discover God’s abiding love for you and that your future is blessed with every perfect gift!
In Him,
Virginia Carmichael
Questions for Discussion
When Sabrina first meets Jack at the mission, what is her impression? Was she correct or did she let her prejudice against the wealthy guide her?
Jack asks Sabrina how she chose being a mechanic as her profession. Can you see why she felt this was an odd question? Or do you think every person from every economic level gives the same amount of deep thought to their “calling”? The word means different things to both of them. Do you think this is what caused their first misunderstanding?
Jack has been coasting by on his family name, dreaming of the moment he can be free to live his own life. Have you ever realized that your happiness wasn’t in some other place, at some other job, but rather right in front of you?
Becoming a mother to her nieces has made Sabrina older than her years. Have you ever taken on someone else’s responsibility because it was the right thing to do?
Sabrina desperately wants to be a good mother to the girls, but she’s not sure how. Where can someone like Sabrina look for a role model when she comes from a broken and dysfunctional family? Have you ever mentored a young mom or dad?
Jack’s parents are distant and not very involved in his life. Why do you think Jack has such a firm grounding in faith and family? What role does Lili, Gavin’s grandmother, play in Jack’s life? Did you have a grandparent who brought you closer to Jesus?
Sabrina stumbles onto a tragic situation and finds herself with no way to escape because the slave-labor boss threatens her nieces. Can you see how many people turn a blind eye to injustice when their families are threatened? What can a person like you or me do against organized injustice?
The manager at Sabrina’s apartment house is working to rid the place of anybody who doesn’t fit the profile of a young professional. Have you ever experienced discrimination the way Sabrina did, either because of age or color or marriage status?
Grant is happy to help Jack arrange Sabrina’s new apartment, but he’s worried that Jack will regret interfering. Working with homeless families, Grant is familiar with all types of people and he understands Sabrina’s need to be independent. What does Grant see about Sabrina’s attitude that Jack doesn’t? Do you think Grant also knows that Sabrina is in love with Jack?
When Rosa calls and asks for money, Sabrina helps her out. Why do you think she helps the sister who ran away and left her to care for the girls? How do you think Sabrina’s family encouraged her to always fix what is wrong? Do you think Sabrina being the oldest had anything to do with her willingness to take on responsibility that’s not hers?
Why do you think Sabrina doesn’t tell the judge that Rosa stole the money? Do you think Sabrina still has growing to do, and that Jack might help her realize that she doesn’t need to protect Rosa from the consequences of a bad decision? Have you ever helped out someone who should probably have been left to experience the consequences of their actions?
Jack’s father is at home recovering from a heart attack during the story. Do you think Jack would have been able to discover the slave-labor evidence if his father had been at work?
Many times in this story, the characters are placed in bad situations. As they do their best to follow God’s will, they find that willingness helps make wonderful things happen. God worked to bring Jack and Sabrina to a place where they could help rescue the laborers and put away the criminals. Have you ever looked back and seen God’s hand in the seemingly unrelated steps that helped someone in desperate need?
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.
You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories sho
w that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives—always.
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Chapter One
Jasper Gulch Welcomes You To the World’s Largest Old Tyme Wedding. The banner was stretched across one wall of the Jasper Gulch, Montana, festival hall at the fairgrounds. The town was celebrating its centennial and for some reason, a hundred years meant a hundred brides and grooms. Or at least that was someone’s opinion. Katie Archer wasn’t one of the brides. Instead, she stood on the sidelines, the sister of a bride, as well as a potential bridesmaid. It was the place where she felt comfortable and where she’d spent most of her life—standing in the shadow of her older sister, Gwen.
Gwen was beautiful, intelligent, gifted and so many other positive adjectives, but she was also unfailingly kind. And Katie was loyal. When Gwen had asked her to make this trip, Katie hadn’t been able to refuse, even though she knew Gwen would have to leave at times. Katie had taken vacation from her job in Missoula, packed a bag and climbed into the backseat of Jeffrey’s Land Rover, Jeffrey behind the wheel, Gwen in the passenger seat. Jeffrey Parker, the groom, was an orthopedic surgeon originally from Denver but now practicing in Missoula. The two had met when Gwen started her residency.
They had arrived in the small town of Jasper Gulch, Montana, earlier in the day. There had been time to take a tour of the town, find the Shaw ranch where they would be staying during the month of October while they prepared for the wedding, and then they’d headed for the fairgrounds where the engaged couples would be treated to a prewedding reception.
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