by Leah Atwood
Both Lettie and her mother had been so fully engrossed in conversations that neither had heard him enter the house. Forgive him, but he couldn’t help listening to their conversation, shocked to hear Lettie offer their house to her mother. Of course, he’d agree. He was still leery of Evelyn Montrose, but he’d support Lettie in her strides of forgiveness.
Yet, when Lettie told her mother that he respected and cared for her, he had to make his presence known. She had to know the truth. Couldn’t she see it every time he looked at her, feel it every time he touched her?
She spun in her seat, shocked to see him standing there. “What are you doing home so soon?”
“I heard we had a visitor.” He walked over to Evelyn and offered a hand. “Randall McCade, Lettie’s husband. Evelyn Montrose, I presume?”
“Yes. Nice to meet you, young man.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a word alone with my wife. It seems we have some small issues to discuss.”
“I’ll just wait outside.” She pushed her chair back and began to stand.
“Actually, would you please watch the babies for a few minutes, so Lettie and I can talk on the porch uninterrupted?”
“I can do that.”
Lettie looked at him, her wide eyes full of questions.
“Trust me,” he mouthed to her.
She stood upright and moved to hand Naomi to Evelyn. Taking her hand, he led her outside to the porch. Dark clouds persisted, but the rain had ceased. The carriage still lingered out front.
“Wait here a minute,” he told her.
He went to the carriage and paid the driver some money. Returning to the porch, he went to Lettie’s side.
“Did you mean what you said in there?” she asked, her voice shaky.
“Every word. That’s what I wanted to tell you tonight. I love you, Lettie McCade. For better or worse, I always will.”
Pink dusted her cheeks. “But I overheard you yesterday afternoon. You were having a conversation, telling Mellie that you still loved her and that’s okay.”
Understanding dawned on him. That’s why she’d been curt yesterday. “My dear Lettie. Yes, I said that, but you didn’t hear the entirety of my words, or you would have heard me releasing that vow I made to her, acknowledging that I’m free to love you without guilt of breaking the vows I’d made to her.” He took her hand and pointed to a break in the clouds.
“Do you see that patch of blue in the sky, fighting to be seen through the clouds?”
“Yes.” She nodded, but her brows were scrunched in obvious confusion of what his point would be.
“That was my life when I met you. After Mellie died, my life was a constant rainy day. I couldn’t imagine the sun ever shining again. Then I met you, and the dark clouds started to drift away. I could see blue skies again and they were pushing out the clouds. As I got to know you, there were more blue skies and sunshine in my life.”
“That’s a lovely way to state it.”
“It’s true, though, and I mean every word. The thing about dark skies and rainy days is that, if you wait long enough, the sun will always shine again. And you, Lettie, are my sunshine after the rain. You brought me back to a better place and I love you.”
“It’s really true,” she whispered, finally accepting it as fact.
“I love you,” he repeated, saying each word slowly. And he would repeat it every day, one hundred times a day if that’s what it took for her to believe it.
“I love you too, Rand McCade.”
Epilogue
July’s heat was a brutal contrast to the cold temperatures Lettie had arrived to five months prior. Today, everyone took a break to have a picnic down by the stream. Her mother sat on a quilt that was spread out over the grass. She’d extended her stay indefinitely, leaving a close friend in charge of her affairs in Baltimore. Holding Danny up in the air, she blew kisses onto his stomach, eliciting squeals of delight. Beside her, Myrtle sat, playing with Naomi. Flynn wasn’t able to attend as he was occupied treating patients for summer colds and ailments.
Taking advantage of their babies being under someone else’s care, Rand and Lettie went downstream several hundred feet for a private moment. They reclined in the grass, lying flat on their backs, watching the clouds float along.
“Can you skip a stone over the water?” Rand asked.
“Better than you, I bet.” That might have been an exaggeration.
“Let’s have a contest.” Rand jumped up, pulling her up with him.
She followed him several steps to the water’s edge. They stooped down, searching for the perfect stones.
“Found mine,” she said.
“And I have mine. We’ll stand here, at the same spot and send them off on the count of three. Whomever’s rock goes further will be the winner.”
Lettie got her hand into position. She hadn’t skipped rocks in years.
“One… Two… Three.”
She let go of hers at the same time Rand’s left his hand.
One… two… three skips before hers stopped and sank into the water. Rand’s continued for three more skips.
“I guess you win,” she conceded.
“Best two out of three,” he declared, changing the game, his eyes flashing a challenge.
“Okay. Let’s find another set of rocks.”
Stooping back down to the water, she searched for a rock with the perfect smoothness.
“Over here, Lettie, come look at this one.”
She stood and waded into the shin-deep water. “Where?”
“You have to crouch down to get closer. It’s right between these two larger one.”
Bending her knees, she tried to find the one of which he spoke. Too late, she saw the mischievous glint in his eyes. Before she could move, he pushed her shoulder with just enough effort to throw her off balance. Teetering, she had no choice but to fall in the water, soaking her clothes from the waist down. She had to admit, the cool water felt great on this excessively hot day.
Rand extended a hand to help her stand up, laughter in his eyes. “That was payback for the snowball.”
The memory made her smile, and she laughed. “I think this was more payback than a snowball warranted, which means you are now in my debt.”
“And how can I pay that debt?” he asked with false innocence.
“I think a kiss should take care of it.”
Not wasting a second, he bent his head and pressed his lips against hers. “Never let anyone say that I don’t pay my debts,” he teased when they broke apart.
“Should we go and reclaim our children?” The time alone had been nice, but she missed Danny and Naomi’s sweet laughter and coos.
“Yes, let’s go get them.” He laced his fingers with hers and they shared a smile when the sun peeked out from behind a cloud.
Sunshine after the rain, indeed.
NOW AVAILABLE
Fire And Ice
Brides of Weatherton Two
Pragmatic Maeve Benetton would never have answered an advertisement for a mail-order bride on her own accord, but without her knowledge and on her behalf, her brother replied to one placed by Patrick Holden from Weatherton, Wyoming. When a letter came from Patrick several weeks later, Maeve decided to pen her own reply, giving in to the romantic notions she’d always kept hidden.
After a time of correspondence, she fancied herself in love with Patrick and agreed to marry him. She packed the few belongings she had, said goodbye to her family, and left her home for romance in the west.
When she arrived in Weatherton, Patrick was nowhere to be found. Weeks went by, and with no money to return home, Maeve was stuck in limbo, living with Patrick’s family. When he finally does return, will Maeve be able to adapt to changes? And can she trust herself enough to fall in love or will she fall back to her practical self?
A Note from the Author
Dear Reader,
This summer flew by and is soon coming to an end. After our trip “home” in the spr
ing, my husband and I chose to stay close to our home this summer. I attempted a garden (which failed), repurposed some old home décor (success!) and spent time with my kids. We took a few day trips, my favorite being to an alligator park. We’ve been several times and I still find myself in awe whenever I watch the alligators chomp their jaws over a piece of meat. It’s loud! You can hear the force and power. I hope that I never meet up with one in the wild.
I’ve also been very busy working on several different manuscripts, including After the Rain, Come to Me Alive, which is a contemporary Christian romance, and a Christmas themed novelette whose title is still undecided. The ideas flow faster than I can put them to paper, but that’s a good thing! I can’t imagine a world where I couldn’t write and ideas keep me going, even if those idea change once I start writing.
Lettie and Rand’s story first began last winter but was put on hold. Something about the original plot didn’t feel right, so I set it aside for several months. The end result was worth the wait. I really enjoyed spending time with these characters and getting to know them.
Rand has such a large capacity for love, but it takes him some time to realize that. Lettie has been through much and her personality is completely different than that which you would expect from someone of her upbringing. Together, they grow and work beyond the grief of their pasts, and not without a little fun.
Whether you are a new reader or a loyal fan, I thank you for spending time with Rand and Lettie. As I write my stories, my characters become such a part of me that I want everybody to love them as I do. If you enjoyed After the Rain, please consider leaving a positive review on Amazon.
The second Brides of Weatherton book will be released in Late December 2014/Early January 2015. You can find more information online at www.leahatwood.com . Yes, I now have a website! I told you this has been a busy summer.
As this season comes to a close and autumn approaches, may you find joy in the small things and not get so busy that you miss out on simple pleasures.
Until next time,
Leah
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Other Titles Available from Leah:
Contemporary Romance Novels
Come to Me Alive
Come to Me Free
Come to Me Again
Come to Me Joyful (Bonus NOVELLA)
Brides of Weatherton Novellas
After the Rain
Fire and Ice
Winds of Change
Whiter than Snow
Dancing on Dew (December 2015)
Texas Wildflowers Novelette Series
Free to Love
Free to Heal
Free to Protect
Free to Serve
Free to Roam
Free to Forgive
Mail-Order Short Stories and Novelettes
The Ultimatum Bride
A Man to Be Proud Of
Their First Noelle
The Not Quite Mail-Order Bride
The Mail-Order Bride’s Quilt
Riches of the Heart
Unlikely Substitute
The Most Wonderful Bride of the Year
Excerpt from Come to Me Alive
Leah’s First Contemporary Christian Romance now Available on Amazon
“Watch out!”
Interrupted from her reading, Sophie Thatcher looked up to see a crazed duck with a bright red beak heading straight toward her. She dropped the latest Gwendolyn Gwen romance novel to the ground, jumped and ran, with no destination in mind except to escape the mad waterfowl. The duck continued after her, relentless in its pursuit. Who knew a duck was able to move with such speed?
The man who’d called out the warning ran up behind her, swinging a clear bag of… bread? The duck retreated, opting to chase food instead of her. She leaned over and tried to catch her breath, her heart beating at an erratic pace. Maybe this was a sign she should exercise on a regular basis. Or it could be it wasn’t the exertion as much her body’s reaction to the duck’s pursuit.
“Are you okay, miss?” The man with a plastic bag approached her. “I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault,” she managed to say through short, choppy breaths. Returning to an upright position, she got her first good look at the man who’d called the warning. He was attractive, even if not her type. He looked to be around her age, or possibly a few years older. Short brown hair matched deep chocolate-hued eyes, which were framed with eyelashes long enough to make any girl jealous. Rugged stubble lined his jaw. A slate blue t-shirt covered a muscular upper body, and she thought she saw a tattoo peeking out from under its sleeve. She didn’t stare long enough to be sure.
His chest shook, and he clamped his lips shut. He looked as if he were torn between being horrified or wanting to burst out laughing.
“Actually, it is.” He flashed a smile full of a sheepish charm. “My daughter and I were feeding the ducks and the rogue one got mad when the others took all the food. Next thing I know, he started running straight toward you.”
Her cheeks hurt from holding back her own laughter. She gave up trying and soon the stranger joined her as a little girl walked their way.
“What’s so funny, Daddy?” The little girl tugged on the man’s jeans.
“Nothing, sweetheart.”
“Can we finish feeding the ducks now?”
“I think the ducks are full. How about we swing for a little while before going back to Gram’s house.”
“Okay,” agreed the young girl, with a cheerful temperament.
Sophie wiped away a tear from laughing. “Thanks for the rescue.” She began walking back to the tree where she’d discarded her book.
“Least I could do,” he called out, in a deep, melodious voice that set her skin tingling.
Stop it, Sophie. He had a daughter, which meant a good chance existed that he was married, which meant she had no business thinking about the silkiness of his voice, or the cute factor earned by bringing his daughter to the park.
Her phone buzzed and sang Come to Me Alive, the latest hit from country music star, Bryce Landry. A glance at the screen told her it was an unknown number. Probably a telemarketer. She hit “ignore” and replaced the phone to her pocket.
“You’re a Bryce fan?”
Startled, she jumped and looked behind her. The man was following her.
She shoved one hand in a side pocket of her shorts. “This song at least. I’m not too familiar with his other music, but the lyrics are beautiful and came to me when I needed them after a breakup.” Good grief, Soph. A simple yes or no would have sufficed. She never spilled her thoughts to a stranger, especially not to a male.
“Sorry to hear. About the breakup, not the song.” He rocked on his heels but maintained eye contact.
She shrugged, giving off the impression the breakup was no longer a big deal. “It was for the best; I see that now.”
Partially because of the song, Come to Me Alive. When she’d first heard the song on the radio two weeks ago, she’d immediately looked it up, and downloaded it as her ringtone. The lyrics and music combined into a beautiful ballad, touching her in a way that made the breakup with Ryan make sense.
Ryan. They’d dated for three years, since the summer before their senior year of college. Last month, he’d broken off their relationship, just when she had thought they were heading toward an engagement.
“I’ll always love you as a friend,” he’d said, “but I don’t feel any passion between us. Staying together wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”
His words still stung, yet they were true. Especially after listening to the lyrics of Come to Me Alive. Was a relationship that didn’t invigorate the right one? With Ryan, she’d been coasting, along for the ride but never looking out the window to enjoy the trip.
“Most of the time, life doesn’t turn out how we plan, does it?” The stranger glanced to hi
s daughter, a peculiar expression crossing his face. “The funny thing is, in hindsight, you can see God’s hand in every moment.”
His words stopped Sophie in her tracks from where she had started back toward the tree again. “You’re a Christian?”
“I’m approaching my one year birthday.”
A smile curled her lips. “Congratulations.” Stranger or not, he was a brother in Christ. She looked at her watch. “Yikes. I’m going to be late for my tutoring session.”
“You tutor?”
“During the summer and as needed throughout the school year.”
“Let me guess— you’re a kindergarten teacher.”
“First grade,” she corrected.
“I was close. Gracie will be in kindergarten this year.”
“I’m five,” the cherubic girl piped up.
She stooped down, putting herself eye-level with Gracie. “Five is a very special age. You’ll love kindergarten.”
“Mommy was a teacher too, but she’s in Heaven now.” The little girl spoke the words with the innocence of a child, but they broke Sophie’s heart.
“Her mom died last year.” Gracie’s still-nameless dad offered the information that she had been wondering, although it wasn’t her business.
“I’m sorry,” she told the man, unsure what the appropriate response was. She glanced at her watch. “I really have to go. Have a good day and stay away from the ducks,” she added before laughing with a nervous edge.
Something about the incident unsettled her in an indescribable way. With a turn of her feet, she hurried to her economic-but-reliable sedan.
“Wait,” the stranger called as she buckled her seatbelt. “You forgot something.”
He ran toward her car, pulling his daughter along in one hand and holding Sophie’s book in the other. Either he was very thoughtful or a psycho. Intuition told her the former was the truth.
“Thanks.” She took the book from him; his hand lingered on the cover.