“How’s Caden?”
Changed. Just like Sam. “Sleeping soundly.” A breeze blew across the bay, carrying the scent of his musky soap. “What are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t sleep.” Then, as if realizing he hadn’t answered her question, he added, “I wanted to be closer.”
Sam looked at him then. The heat from his eyes warmed her all over. “I never said thank you,” she whispered.
“You don’t have—”
“You risked your life for us. Without a thought of your own fears.”
“I did what anyone would have done, Sam.”
“Shut up and let me say thank you.”
The corner of his lip tipped up, but he remained quiet.
Words would never be enough to express how truly grateful she was. Still, she said them. “Thank you.” The moon’s curtain must have lifted, because light played on the ridges of his face. “You’re supposed to say, ‘You’re welcome.’”
His eyes roved over her face. “You’re welcome.”
Sam’s hands trembled as if it were their first date. But they’d never even had a first date. She felt her lips twitch and turned away, looking out toward the horizon where the dark sky met the black sea.
“What?” he asked.
She looked at him, then lifted her palms, gesturing around them. “This. Us. How many times do you suppose we’ve sat here on this pier?” A seagull, out past its bedtime, called out, its shriek echoing across the water.
“Dozens. Hundreds.” He smiled as if remembering.
They’d grown up out here on the bay. It had been her escape. He had been her escape. And then she’d left him, left the island, without leaving word for him. And when she came back, she did nothing but hurt him more.
Sam thought of Bailey and how her mistake had cost him his life. Had robbed Landon of his brother. Regret swelled in her, almost unbearable. If only she could go back and do the night over again. “I’m so sorry about Bailey.”
He squeezed her hand. “You already apologized,” he said softly.
Her eyes burned. “Is that enough?” It didn’t feel like enough. Not even close.
He touched her chin with his fingertips. “It is for me.”
All her mistakes oozed like sewage into her mind. Her silence after Bailey’s death, her dalliance with Tully, the way she’d told Landon about Bailey only to push him away. The shame of it made her skin heat. How could he forget what she’d done?
“I’ve hurt you so much.” And all he’d done was love her back. “But I intend to make it up to you.” She let her face betray her feelings. She couldn’t have stopped it if she tried.
“You already have.”
The love she saw in his face gave her every assurance she needed to take it one step further. “Do you think I could change my mind about that question you asked before?” Her courage scattered like grains of sand in a storm.
The corners of his lips tilted. “It’s a woman’s privilege.”
Sam touched the crest of his cheek, then traced the edges of his jawline to the cleft in his chin. His skin was warm and rough against her fingers. She felt a stirring inside for more. More than just a whisper of a touch. Much more.
He leaned close, and his mouth closed over hers. Sam’s skin blazed, burning all the way to her heart, where Landon now resided. What had she done to deserve this man? His claim came back to her. “Love isn’t earned, Sam. It’s a gift.”
A gift she would accept. She’d be foolish not to. She let her lips linger on his until he pulled away, but only so he could hold her. Sam wrapped her arms around his back and nestled against his chest. His shirt smelled like sunshine and fresh air, and the tenderness of his hand against her face made her feel cherished. I could stayhere forever.
She felt his chest expand then deflate with his breath.
“It’s not so bad here, is it, Sam? The cobblestone streets, the warm breeze, the smell of the ocean . . .”
She listened to the steady beating of his heart, felt the warmth of his flesh against hers, and closed her eyes on a sigh. “No, it’s not so bad.”
His fingers threaded through her hair. “I’d follow you to Boston if you wanted.”
Sam smiled against his shirt. “No.” She still had work to do, coming to grips with her past. But it was something she needed to face for her own good. And Caden’s. Where better to do it than here? With Landon at her side.
For a moment, fear crept in and rattled her. Sam grasped the material of his shirt, and she pulled herself close to him. “I’m still afraid,” she admitted quietly. “Just so you know.”
He tightened his arms around her, the strength of them making her feel safe. “It’s okay to be afraid,” he said. His hand pressed her cheek, holding her against his heart. “I’m not going anywhere. I love you, Sam.”
His words seeped into the empty space and remained there. It was a start. “I love you too,” she whispered, relaxing in his arms, choosing to believe, choosing to surrender. One moment at a time.
Reading Group Guide
1. From the beginning of the story (and even before that), Sam pushes Landon away because she is afraid to love. What are some of the things Sam does to keep Landon at a distance? What are some of the things people do to push God away?
2. What are some of the things Landon endures in his efforts to pursue Sam? How has God pursued you?
3. Sam’s abandonment and the difficulties of her childhood caused her to make decisions that caused others pain. Do you live with regrets related to things you have done? Things that have been done to you? How have these things impacted your relationships? How can you break the cycle?
4. Sam was willing to settle for much less than Landon had to offer. What are some of the things we settle for? Why are we often willing to accept so much less than God wants to give us?
5. Sam’s biggest fear was being abandoned. How did that fear affect her relationship with Caden? What is your biggest fear, and how has it impacted the way you live?
6. Sam felt she wasn’t good enough for Landon because of the harmful things she’d done in the past. Have you ever felt that way toward God? What does Psalm 103:12 say about our past transgressions?
7. Sam’s stepfather made claims that repeatedly played like a tape in her head, influencing her choices. What cruel or misleading words were said to you as a child that still influence your choices or attitudes? How can you change these destructive thoughts? How can you use words to positively influence others around you?
8. Landon told Sam that his love was a gift, not something to be earned. Why is it sometimes hard for us to understand that God’s love is a free gift with no strings attached?
An Interview with Denise Hunter
Thomas Nelson Fiction: Tell us a little about yourself. How didyou get started writing?
Denise Hunter: I’m a Midwestern girl, married to a wonderful man, and I have three terrific boys. When I was a child, my mother took me to the library regularly, and I was introduced to the world of fiction. In my elementary years, I wore out our school library’s Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and throughout my middle school years and into high school, I always had my nose in a book. (Still do—just ask my husband.)
In my early twenties, I began to wonder if I could write a novel. I had two of my children at that time, and when my grandfather became very ill, we were told he was going to pass away soon. I visited him in the hospital, and as I watched him lying on the bed, I recalled the many things he had done for Christ during his long life. I knew he’d lived a full life with few regrets, and I wanted to be able to feel that way when my life drew to a close. On my long drive home, I decided I was going to stop wondering if I could write a book and just do it. I wrote my first novels during my children’s nap times.
TNF: What was your inspiration for writingSurrender Bay?
Denise: My earliest vision of the story was simply about best friends who fall in love. The story evolved as it brewed in my head for almost a yea
r and as I brainstormed with my writing buddies (authors Colleen Coble, Diann Hunt, and Kristin Billerbeck). But Surrender Bay truly took on a new dimension when the Thomas Nelson staff suggested making the romance in the story a picture of the romance between us and God. The story grew, bit by bit, from there, with lots of brain-racking, hair-pulling, praying, and rewriting.
TNF: There is no overt Christianity in the story. Why did youwrite it as an allegory?
Denise: I love the way Jesus told stories. His parables made His listeners think for themselves and draw their own conclusions. In His story of the prodigal son, Jesus never said, “Listen, folks, the father in the story is God, and the prodigal son is you.” The son never had a “come to Jesus” moment; he simply returned to his father and was welcomed home with open arms. Jesus required the listeners to draw the connection for a reason.
An allegory allows us to see the familiar in a fresh and powerful way, and that’s what I hoped to do with Surrender Bay.
TNF: What would you like readers to take away from this story?
Denise: I hope readers walk away from this story with a fresh view of the way God pursues us. I hope women find comfort in the kind of love He has for them, the kind that never fails, the kind that puts our sins as far as the east is from the west. “He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
TNF: Nantucket sounds like a beautiful place to visit. Did you gothere to do research?
Denise: Nantucket is a lovely island, a truly unique place. My family went with me for a brief visit so I could do some research as part of our vacation last year. I was so inspired, I sat on the beach and wrote the first pages of the story while my kids and husband frolicked in the water. The quaint town, the history, the cobblestone streets, and the people really make this an ideal setting for a novel.
TNF: IsSurrender Baypart of a series?
Denise: Yes and no. Surrender Bay is the first of four books that will be set on Nantucket, romance novels that will reflect the attributes of God listed in Zephaniah 3:17. The books will feature different characters, though, and stand completely on their own. I’m hoping they’ll necessitate another research trip to Nantucket.
Acknowledgments
With grateful appreciation to all the people who had a hand in making this book happen: Amanda Bostic and all the wonderful people at Thomas Nelson. What an amazing group of talented people! I’m so blessed to be a part of your team. Agent extraordinaire Karen Solem. Erin Healy, who makes me look like a better writer than I am. My awesome brainstorming friends, Colleen Coble, Diann Hunt, and Kristin Billerbeck; I can’t imagine doing this writing thing without you. BarlowGirl, whose song “I Need You to Love Me” inspired me time and time again during the writing of this story. Jim Bell and Cara Putnam, for their help concerning legal matters. Denny and Joy Geiger for help on research. Thanks to my husband, Kevin, and my boys, who had to put up with deadline madness and edits on the way home from vacation. You are a blessing from above!
Reviews for Denise Hunter’s Past Novels
“. . . a romantic adventure about unconditional love and forgiveness.”
—Library Journal review of Surrender Bay
“Hunter’s characters are well drawn and familiar. [W]ill appeal to all women readers with the taste for a good love story.”
—Foreword magazine review of Surrender Bay
“[In Surrender Bay], Denise has turned the spotlight on the depth of God’s love for His children in a story that will remain with you long after the last page is read.”
—RelzReviewz
“No one can write a story that grips the heart like Denise Hunter. If you like Karen Kingsbury or Nicholas Sparks, this is an author you’ll love.”
—Colleen Coble, author of Abomination and Anathema
“In Finding Faith Denise Hunter once again brings me to tears with her thought-provoking story. For depth and emotion, this author always hits her mark.”
—Kristin Billerbeck, author of Split Ends
“Saving Grace kept me turning pages from the minute I opened the cover and kept me up way past my bedtime . . . A story of triumph over heartache.”
—Deborah Raney, author of A Nest of Sparrows
“You absolutely have to read Mending Places . . .”
—Dancing Word
“[Finding Faith] kept me in tears as the characters struggled to find truth. A captivating story that will touch every woman’s heart.”
—Diann Mills, Writing Coach and author of sixteen books
Other novels by Denise Hunter include
Surrender Bay
Finding Faith
Saving Grace
Mending Places
© 2008 Denise Hunter
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Thomas Nelson, Inc. titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hunter, Denise, 1968
The convenient groom / by Denise Hunter.
p. cm.
ISBN 1-59554-258-2 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-1-59554-258-8
1. Women authors—Fiction. 2. Marriage counselors—Fiction . 3. Radio personalities—Fiction. 4. Advice columnists—Fiction. 5. Weddings—Fiction. 6. Temporary marriage—Fiction. 7. Nantucket Island (Mass.)—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3608.U5925C66 2008
813'.6--dc22
2008003380
Printed in the United States of America
07 08 09 10 11 QW 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Jesus, my tower of strength,
my shelter in the storm
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Acknowledgments
Reading Group Guide
“The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17
Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Psalm 31:16
&nbs
p; Dating is like shopping for a garment.
Everything looks great in the display
window. Once inside the store, some of
the dazzle disappears.
—Excerpt from
Finding Mr. Right-for-You
by Dr. Kate
Chapter One
The red light on Kate Lawrence’s cell phone blinked a staccato warning. But before she could retrieve the message, her maid of honor, Anna Doherty, waved her pale arms from the beach, stealing her attention.
Anna’s smooth voice sounded in her headset. “Kate, can you come here? We’ve got a few glitches.”
“Be right there.” Kate tucked her clipboard in the crook of her elbow, took the steps down Jetty Pavilion’s porch, and crossed the heel-sinking sand of the Nantucket shoreline. In six hours, thirty-four guests would be seated there in the rows of white chairs, watching Kate pledge her life to Bryan Montgomery under a beautiful hand-carved gazebo.
Where was the gazebo anyway? She checked her watch, then glanced toward the Pavilion, where workers scurried in white uniforms. No sign of Lucas.
She approached Anna, who wore worry lines as naturally as she wore her Anne Klein pantsuit. Anna was the best receptionist Kate could ask for. Her capable presence reassured the troubled couples she ushered through Kate’s office.
Right now, Anna’s long brown hair whipped across her face like a flag gone awry, and she batted it from her eyes with her freckled hand. “Soiree’s just called. Their delivery truck is in for service, and the flowers will be a little late. Half an hour at the most.”
Kate jotted the note on her schedule. “That’s okay.” She’d factored in cushion time.
“Murray’s called, and the tuxes haven’t been picked up except for your dad’s.”
Bryan and his best man had been due at Murray’s at nine thirty. An hour ago. “I’ll check on that. What else?”
Anna’s frown lines deepened, and her eyes blinked against the wind. “The carriage driver is sick, but they’re trying to find a replacement. The Weatherbys called and asked if they could attend last minute—they were supposed to go out of town, but their plans changed.”
Nantucket Romance 3-in-1 Bundle Page 24