by Hope White
“What’s that for?” he asked.
“They’re congratulating you for exposing the fraud scheme and surviving the week of being stalked.”
“I... I’m not sure what to say.”
“Hopefully they won’t demand a speech.”
Adam the bodyguard approached them and Spence reached out to shake his hand. “Thanks for everything. I’m sorry I skipped out on you at the resort.”
“Apology accepted but I wish you would have let me help.”
“At the time I felt like I couldn’t risk it. So, what’s next for you?”
“Heading back to Seattle tomorrow. New client.”
“Hopefully lower maintenance than Spence,” Nate said with a chuckle.
The men chatted briefly about the case, and then Spence spent the next hour visiting with each and every person in the room. He was stunned by their overwhelming support. They were curious about the week’s events, genuinely concerned about his injuries, and supportive of his future in town.
Filled with conflicting emotions, he turned to go upstairs for a break and found himself face-to-face with Roger Grimes.
The man whose daughter Spence suspected had been abused reached out to shake Spence’s hand. Spence hesitated.
“Please, Doc,” Roger said.
They shook hands.
“I know I was angry with you, said some harsh words and I’m sorry about that,” Roger said. “Thanks to your suspicions we found out Megan’s boyfriend has been hitting her.”
“That’s terrible, Roger. I’m so sorry.”
Nate joined them.
“That kid is some kind of bully,” Roger said.
“Turns out he was the one sending you the hate email, Spence,” Nate offered.
“You were paying attention when I wasn’t, Doc,” Roger said. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“You’re very welcome.”
“Speech, speech, speech!” the group chanted.
As Spence glanced at the guests, he spotted Maddie step out from behind a few SAR members. She offered her sparkling smile as if encouraging him to speak from his heart.
The guests quieted and Spence cleared his throat. “Thanks for coming to see me today. It’s been quite an interesting week.”
They chuckled.
“All of this, your well wishes and congratulations, means more to me than you can possibly imagine. I want you to know, whatever happens next, that I will hold this memory close to my heart, always.”
He noticed Maddie’s smile fade.
Spence held up his cup of coffee. “To the amazing people of Echo Mountain.”
They raised their cups and cheered. Ripping his gaze from Maddie’s, he placed his cup on the front table and headed for the stairs, needing to decompress for a few minutes. The heady emotions from the past hour were tearing him up inside.
“Spence?” Nate said from the bottom of the stairs. “You okay?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be back down in a few minutes.”
And he would, after he finished packing.
* * *
Maddie could tell Spence was overwhelmed. She suspected he didn’t have much experience with such a supportive network of people. She wondered if he purposely isolated himself from others in order to protect them from his perceived failures. She’d put it together earlier today that he’d been running ever since his brother died. His fiancée’s betrayal confirmed his failure at love, and then his patient dying in the Portland ER probably chipped away at his confidence as a doctor. Although he acted as if he hadn’t been affected, Maddie could tell it cut him to the core.
She stood at the bottom of the stairs, wanting to go up and talk to him. But what would she say? How could she convince him to open his heart and trust love again? Trust himself, and God?
If there was one thing she’d learned from being abandoned by loved ones, it was that she couldn’t control anyone else’s decisions. All she could control was her own.
She’d never forgive herself if she walked away without fighting for something she cared about deeply. Maybe she could help Spence believe it was okay to forgive himself and take a chance, plant some roots in town and accept support from people who cared about him.
As she climbed the stairs, her pulse sped up. God, please help me find the right words.
Once she reached his room, she placed her open palm on the closed door. Took a deep breath, and knocked. “Spence?”
“Come in.”
Opening the door, she sucked in a quick breath. He was packing a suitcase. She knew a part of him didn’t want to go, didn’t want to run away again. Humor and faith had always helped her in the past, and that gave her an idea.
Quirking her mouth into a teasing smile she said, “Hoping to make a clean getaway, huh?”
“Just getting ready.”
“For the great escape?”
He shrugged. “I guess we should talk.”
“About what—world events, church news, or maybe the latest gossip in Cassie’s blog? Come on, I’ll help you pack.” She grabbed a pair of socks and rolled them up.
Handing him the socks she said, “Don’t forget your resentment.”
He narrowed his eyes at her and took the socks.
She handed him another pair. “Or your shame,” she said with a smile.
She tossed a pair of jeans at him. “Oh, and guilt, you wouldn’t want to leave guilt behind. You simply couldn’t survive without all that guilt.”
“Okay, I get it.”
A slight smile teased the corner of his lips.
“Look, I’ve learned I can’t change anyone’s mind, nor should I. I don’t know what your journey is or what God has in store for you, but what I do know is that you’ve been your own worst enemy for a very long time, always beating yourself up. I think people get used to beating themselves up and it becomes routine. That’s what happened to me when my parents left, and then the boyfriend left. So, Dr. Kyle Spencer, I will not try to force you to stay in Echo Mountain, but I will continue to pray that someday you’ll be able to let go of all that pain so you can experience true joy because that is my wish for the people I love.” With a ball of emotion rising in her throat, Maddie wrapped her arms around his waist. This hug would have to last her a lifetime.
She released him and went to the door.
“Wait,” he said.
Her breath caught as she fought back tears.
“Vince Brunson offered me my job back,” he said.
She slowly turned. “No kidding. Then why are you packing?”
“Habit?”
Hope flitted in her chest. “How about trying a new habit,” she said, closing the distance between them.
“Like what?”
She slid her arms around his waist again. “Like...love.”
“Sounds intriguing.”
“And surrender.”
“Uh...not sure—”
“Surrender all that guilt, shame and pain to God. Let Him carry your burden.”
“Maddie McBride, you are—”
“What? Bossy? My cousin Cassie always tells me that.”
“I was going to say amazing.”
“Oh, I definitely like that better than bossy.”
He tossed the jeans on the bed, missing the suitcase completely, and framed her face with his hands. “Maddie, I love you, but I may not stay in Echo Mountain forever. I will go where I’m most needed.”
She smiled, realizing the comfort of home could be found anywhere with the man she loved.
“Hmm, a life of service,” she said. “I like the sound of that.”
And she kissed him.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from BURIED MEMORIES by Carol J
. Post
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Dear Reader
Running away from problems can sometimes seem like the right thing to do, but it’s not necessarily the best choice. Feeling both joy and pain is part of the human experience.
Dr. Kyle “Spence” Spencer has been running most of his life, ever since he lost his brother in a tragic accident when they were kids. He shoulders the full responsibility of his brother’s death. Yet instead of processing his grief fully, he chooses to save as many lives as possible, and run when a situation gets too intense.
Maddie McBride has always cared so much for her family, and even hoped that her nurturing personality would keep her parents from splitting up and moving away, but it didn’t. No matter how much you care about people, you can’t control their choices. Maddie guards her heart, fearing a painful outcome of loving too fiercely.
Will Maddie’s love for Spence and promise of God’s forgiveness encourage Spence to stop running? And if he can’t stop running, will she be able to let go of her pain and open her heart to God’s healing?
Life isn’t always easy or simple. Relationships are complicated thanks to all the baggage we carry with us from our experiences. I hope you are able to process your experiences with love and then let them go. Holding on to guilt, shame or resentment only impedes our path to grace.
Wishing you peace on your journey,
Hope White
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense story.
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Buried Memories
by Carol J. Post
ONE
Nicki Jackson wheeled her bulging carry-on through the carport, the rumble of the plastic wheels against the concrete breaking the silence of the dark night. The golden retriever prancing behind her had enough energy for both of them. Of course, the dog hadn’t spent the past eight hours trapped in the car, battling traffic.
Nicki sighed. The last of her single friends was now married. But at less than a year from thirty, what did she expect? In fact, she’d almost made it to the altar herself. Instead, she was free and single, and her former intended was facing a hefty jail term.
She hesitated in the glow of the Ram’s headlights to finger through her keys, then dragged her bag the final few feet to the kitchen door. Bed was only a few minutes away. Unpacking could wait till morning. So could a shower.
She raised the key and stopped short. The door wasn’t shut tightly, and the jamb was chipped and scratched.
The headlights clicked off automatically, casting her in darkness, and the hair rose on the back of her neck. Someone had broken in to her house. Heart pounding in her chest, she pulled her phone from her purse and dialed 911.
“Come, Callie.” With a small tug on the leash, she moved to the truck and opened the door. The dog stared at her, a question in her big brown eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, she jumped onto the seat, and Nicki slid in after her. Uneasiness crawled along her skin, the sense someone was nearby, watching. Why hadn’t that call gone through yet?
She lowered the phone and stared at the screen. Half a bar. More like a dot. In several places on Cedar Key, her cell service was sketchy. Under her metal carport, it was nonexistent. Sitting inside the truck wasn’t helping, either.
Leaving the driver’s side door open, she moved out into the moonlight, pulling Callie with her. Two bars. It was better than nothing.
The dispatcher answered, and Nicki’s hand tightened on the phone. Perspiration coated her palms, and all the strength seemed to have left her limbs. “Someone broke in to my house.” She quickly provided the address.
“Is anyone there now?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t been inside.” Her gaze darted across the front of the house, and she backed toward the road, putting as much distance between herself and the house as she could. But nowhere felt safe.
A shadow fell over her, and she lifted her gaze. Clouds rolled across the sky, obscuring the three-quarter moon. Thunder rumbled in the distance, a far-off storm that might or might not reach Cedar Key.
After finishing with the dispatcher, she slid her phone back into its pouch. The police would be there soon. Meanwhile, Callie was with her. Of course, Callie was a big pussycat.
She turned to head back toward the truck, the sense of vulnerability too strong to ignore. She was used to living out of sight of the neighbors. She’d grown up in the country, at least from age nine onward. That was when she’d moved to Crystal River and found out what a real family was. The dozen or so foster homes before that didn’t count. Neither did the time she’d spent with her birth mother.
But now, looking at the trees shielding her house on three sides, the privacy she’d cherished when she bought the place felt more like isolation. And not in a good way.
A rustle sounded nearby and grew rapidly closer. Her heart leaped into her throat. Callie stiffened, a low growl rumbling in her chest. Something was barreling toward them through the strip of woods separating her yard from the one next door. Something large. She jerked Callie’s leash, ready to run for the truck, but Callie wasn’t budging.
A male voice cut through the noise. “Sasha, heel.”
Sasha? The breath she’d been holding spilled out in a rush. Sasha was the German shepherd next door, her neighbor Andy’s dog.
A fraction of a second later, sixty pounds of quivering excitement broke from the trees and charged across the yard toward them. Both dogs’ tails waved back and forth at a frantic pace. By the time Sasha’s human counterpart appeared, the two dogs were busy exchanging sniffs.
She watched him retrieve the leash and loop it around his hand. The other end was attached to Andy’s dog, but the man standing in her driveway wasn’t Andy. In fact, he looked sort of like... No way. She squinted in the bit of moonlight leaking through the clouds.
“Tyler?”
He hesitated for two beats. Then recognition flashed across his face. “Nicki.” He wrapped her in a hug, then held her away from him, his hands on her shoulders. “Wow, you look good.” The recognition turned to confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“I live here.” The hesitation in her tone proclaimed her own bewilderment.
Long ago, they’d been friends—close friends—until his mom got sick and moved him to Atlanta, where his aunt could care for them both. He’d been a scrawny fifteen-year-old at the time. She’d been a year younger and pretty skinny herself.
Now he was anything but. Her three-inch heels, added to her own five feet nine inches, put her almost eye to eye wi
th him. But he outweighed her by a good seventy pounds, all of it muscle.
She shook her head, trying to clear it. “What are you doing here with Andy’s dog?”
“Andy’s my brother. I’m going to help him renovate that run-down inn he bought.”
The confusion cleared. Andy’s kid brother. The soldier. Andy and his wife Joan had told her he was coming and had given her a bit of his history, how two years ago, he’d been finishing his third tour in Afghanistan and had come under attack during a recon mission and how he almost didn’t make it out alive. Andy had just failed to mention his kid brother was Tyler Brant.
“He told me you were coming, but I didn’t make the connection.” With different fathers, they didn’t have the same last name. And during the two years she and Tyler had hung out, Andy was already out of the house and married.
“I just arrived this afternoon, and we had a lot of catching up to do. Since I’d kept them up way past their bedtime, I told Andy I’d take Sasha out. I didn’t realize she was going to bolt as soon as I stepped out the door, or I’d have kept a death grip on the leash.”
The teasing grin he flashed her carried her back fifteen years. When she was a cranky adolescent, he’d had a knack for sending the dark clouds scurrying with his quirky sense of humor. Of course, she’d done her share of warding off his storms, too.
She returned his smile. “Sasha probably picked up Callie’s scent. They’re best buds.”
He nodded down at the golden retriever. “She must like late night walks, too.”
“Actually, I’m just getting home.”
He had the late part right. It was three hours later than she’d planned. After the Saturday wedding in Miami, she’d stayed a second night and enjoyed a long lunch with friends. The northerly drive from Miami to the Gulf town of Cedar Key wasn’t a lot of fun anytime. Independence Day weekend, it was the pits. The truck that had overturned and strewn produce all over the turnpike hadn’t helped, either.
Sirens sounded in the distance and moved closer. When the glow of red-and-blue lights shone from the end of the road, Tyler raised his brows. “I’ve only been here a few hours, but when I used to come here as a kid, it was a pretty quiet place. I wonder what’s going on.”