Shades of Truth
Page 21
A cheer went up from the crowd.
Darryl reached across the pew and gave Kim a hug. “You did it, sis.”
Kim’s heart felt ready to burst. She turned to Ethan, but Aaron leaned forward between them.
“Congratulations, Kim. I’m happy you got what you wanted.”
“This is good news for you, too. Your job is secure.”
Aaron’s gaze slid to Ethan before answering. “You haven’t heard? I resigned. Got a better offer. PR director of a Fortune 500 company out of Toronto.”
“Toronto? You’re leaving us?”
For an instant, he seemed pleased by her dismay, but then he shrugged it off. “It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.” He lifted her hand from the back of the pew and pressed his lips to her fingers. “I’m only sorry it means leaving you. It’s been a pleasure working with you.”
“Don’t you have a train to catch, Sheppard?” Ethan grunted.
Aaron’s chin jutted up, but he made his way to the end of the pew.
Kim stared after him in confusion. “What was that about?”
“After I showed him a few photos I took at the beach, he resigned from his position.”
She gasped. “You didn’t!”
“I didn’t think he had the integrity needed for the job. He agreed.”
“But what will we do now?” Kim glanced at the faces of her fellow workers making their way to the auditorium for refreshments. As much as she admired each one, she couldn’t imagine any of them capable of filling Dad’s shoes.
Ethan nudged her attention back to him. “Hope Manor’s board of directors asked me to take over your father’s job.”
“Oh, Ethan,” she squealed. “You’ll be perfect.”
He caught her hands. “I haven’t said yes.”
“But you will.”
His thumb skittered across the back of her hand, and she realized he was trembling. He glanced at the people milling about them. “This isn’t where I wanted to have this conversation.”
Confused by his sudden frown, her lips trembled into an awkward smile. “Ethan, you’re scaring me.”
“Kim, I love you. You know that.”
At his hesitation, she squared her jaw, bracing for the but.
“But I don’t think I could bear seeing you every day if…” He scraped his fingers through his hair. “What I’m trying to say is I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
The tender emotion in his voice took her breath away.
He cupped her face. “Not just as a coworker, but as your husband.” He whisked her damp cheek with his thumb. “Please tell me those are happy tears.”
“Yes! Oh, yes.”
He brushed his lips across hers, his eyes beaming a longing to let them linger. Then he folded her into his arms, and as she laid her head against his chest, she thought she heard him whisper, “Thank You, Lord.”
* * * * *
Dear Reader,
Readers often ask me where I get my story ideas. The idea for this story came from listening to our pastor’s daughter share, at an evening get-together, stories from her time working as a youth-care worker at a detention facility. What struck me the most from her story was her admission that she often learned more from the kids than the other way around. Her enthusiasm for her work and her excitement about the positive impact she could have on residents’ lives was the inspiration for my heroine’s character and occupation. I hasten to add that while Beth graciously answered all my questions about her work, my heroine is entirely fictional, as is the detention center where she works and the cast of characters who populate her world.
I admire those who can engage others in conversation so naturally, exuding genuine interest and empathy. And I wanted my hero to be smitten by my heroine’s empathy and challenged to reconsider his own misperceptions of the residents and himself.
I’d love to hear from you. Join the conversation about the characters in this book and about life in general at www.sandraorchard.blogspot.com. You can also reach me via email at SandraOrchard@ymail.com or by snail mail c/o Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279. To learn about upcoming books, please visit me online at www.sandraorchard.com or www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard.
Wishing you abundant blessings,
Sandra Orchard
Questions for Discussion
Ethan comes to see that while God and those Ethan has hurt offer their forgiveness, he will only be truly freed from the guilt that haunts him if he forgives himself. Are you gripped by guilt over something you’ve done? What might you do to be freed from that guilt?
Because of Kim’s unhappy experience with the guy she thought wanted to marry her, she’s wary of becoming too attached to another. The moment a guy starts getting serious, she cuts him loose. How have you let past experiences control how you respond to others? How might we overcome such fears?
Kim’s mom talks about how she didn’t want her husband to go to the police when she was pregnant with Kim because she was afraid he’d be arrested and she’d be left alone. Do you regret a past choice you’ve made? Why or why not?
Ethan remarks that the residents always claim incidents are never their fault. When you make a mistake in your life do you tend to blame someone else or do you take responsibility for your actions?
Curt, the boy who defended his mom against his father’s abuse, hides his pain and insecurity behind a tough, “I’m okay” exterior. Do you know someone like that? How might you reach out to show them you care about what’s troubling them?
Kim wants to believe the best of everyone. How does that make her good at her job? How might it endanger her? How might others benefit if you were quicker to believe the best of someone rather than the worst?
Kim tells Ethan that Joy brings a heart full of hope and joy to those she counsels whereas Ethan brings a heart full of sadness and regret. What’s in your heart? Are you happy with its condition? If not, what can you do to become more joy-filled?
Darryl let his mother talk him into doing something he knew was wrong, but that he felt would be okay since they had a noble reason. Is there ever justification for doing something contrary to the law—God’s or your country’s? Why or why not?
Unable to face her father’s approaching death, Kim throws her energy into trying to preserve the work to which he’s devoted his life. Her brother tells her she’s only trying to hold on to their Dad and that it won’t work. Is there something in your life that you don’t want to face? Why? What’s the worst that would happen if you did? Do you believe God is big enough to carry you through the worst?
Kim ministers to youths from various troubled backgrounds. Have you ever had the opportunity to reach out to a troubled teen? How did it affect your life and the teen’s?
ISBN: 9781459223820
Copyright © 2012 by Sandra van den Bogerd
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