A Treacherous Mix

by Kathy Herman

  Kate smiled. It had been so much fun making pies with Jordan and Riley, both of them so eager to learn. She had known Jordan for only six weeks, but it felt as if she’d always been part of the family. Hawk didn’t talk much about his intentions, but number-one son was smitten. Kate had never seen him this way with any woman before and wondered how he’d kept her a secret for the past ten months while the two of them went through an intensive recovery workshop.

  “Well, Riley. How about helping me make the sweet potatoes? We’ve got to keep the momentum going if we’re going to eat at three.”

  t

  Hawk stopped the Jeep and turned to Jordan. “Promise you won’t peek.”

  “I won’t peek. But I may die of curiosity if you go any slower.”

  He hopped out and ran around to her side and opened the door. “Keep your eyes closed. Now give me your hand and step down. That’s it. Okay, you can open your eyes.”

  Jordan’s eyes flew open. “I see beautiful trees. What am I supposed to be seeing?”

  “A big log house with a covered front porch. And a barn. You don’t see it?”

  “No, I don’t, David Copperfield.”

  “But it’s right there.”

  Jordan’s eyebrows came together. “Is this supposed to be something like a snipe hunt?”

  “Absolutely not. I’ve never been more serious in my life,” Hawk said. “Look really, really hard. Imagine the future. See those eight acres there—between that red flag and that sign way down there? They’re mine.”

  “You never told me you had land. Nice. Great view.”

  “Can’t you picture that big log house, with the front porch facing those rolling hills and the lake?”

  “What happened to the barn?” she said, a grin tugging at her cheeks.

  “Oh, it’s there. Can you picture it?”

  “Yes, I can imagine horses in that barn,” Jordan said.

  “There are! Now you’re getting it.”

  Jordan got a serious expression and seemed to look deep inside him. “Hawk, what are saying? What’s this about?”

  “Babe, this is about you and me and everything we love.”

  “Could you be a little more specific.”

  “As a matter of fact, I can.”

  t

  Kate stood at the sink rinsing off the celery stalks she planned to chop for her dressing.

  Elliot came up behind her and put his arms around her. “Smells terrific, honey. Can I do anything to help?”

  “Not yet,” Kate said, “but when I get closer, I’m sure I’ll have something … Oh my, is Hawk doing what I think he’s doing?”

  Elliot looked out the window. “That would be my guess. Oh, definitely. That’s what he’s doing, all right.”

  Kate wiggled out of Elliot’s arms and rushed to the kitchen door. “Everybody outside on the porch! Hawk is proposing to Jordan! Come on, Riley!”

  The entire family poured out onto the porch. Off in the distance, Hawk was kneeling on one knee, holding something in his hand.

  Riley’s face beamed. “Does this mean Jordan is going to be another big sister?”

  “No, she’ll be your sister-in-law,” Jesse said, “but only if she says yes.”

  t

  Hawk looked up at Jordan, whose eyes glistened. “I love you more than anything on this earth. And I’ve dreamed of building a house on this land ever since I was old enough to understand that I never wanted to leave it. Sure Foot Mountain is in my blood. And you’re in my heart, in my soul, and on my mind, with every breath I take. You are, in the deepest sense of the word, a pure gift from God. I can’t imagine a future here that doesn’t include you. Will you marry me?”

  A tear trickled down Jordan’s face. “And that includes the barn, right?”

  Hawk laughed. “Yes, that includes the barn.”

  “Then yes! I’ll marry you.” She threw her arms around him.

  Still laughing and completely flustered, Hawk said, “Wait, babe, I forgot to give you the ring.” He opened the tiny black box and revealed a marquise solitaire.

  Jordan put her hands to her cheeks and drew in a breath. “It’s perfect!”

  Hawk smiled, and slipped it on her finger. “It’s a size four. I’m so glad I guessed right. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  t

  “Hawk, just kiss her, for heaven’s sake,” Kate said. “There, finally. Oh, I’m dying to know what they were laughing about. Jordan’s got such a quick wit.”

  Elliot pulled Kate close and kissed her cheek. “I’m sure you’ll manage to pull every detail out of them before you’ve served dessert. I’m so happy for Hawk. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s ready for this. And Jordan’s going to fit right in.”

  “So she said yes?” Riley said.

  Jesse grinned. “Looks to me like she’s still saying yes.”

  Buck took Jesse’s arm. “Come on, boy. Let’s give them a minute to themselves. We still have a ways to go before this football game is decided.”

  Kate waited to speak until she and Elliot were alone in the kitchen. “You’ve been so good to mentor Hawk. I wondered if he would ever recover after his affair with Kennedy. But he’s allowed God to use it to make him stronger.”

  “I’m so proud of him. He’s going to make a good husband,” Elliot said. “He appreciates on a much more mature level the decision he’s making and what a blessing it is to love a woman who shares his values and his dreams. He and Jordan seem perfectly suited.”

  “They do, don’t they?” Kate giggled and wiped her eyes. “I just love that girl. She’s added so much to our family already. And she loves my son. Really loves him. Only God could have turned Hawk’s life around this way.”

  Elliot pulled Kate into his arms and smiled. “You’re right. Well, unless you need help, I’ll leave you alone with your thoughts.”

  “Thanks.” Kate brushed his cheek with back of her hand. “You know me too well.”

  Kate went over and stood at the sink. It looked to her as if Hawk and Jordan, hand in hand, were walking the perimeter of the acres that Hawk had chosen. How excited they must be at this moment in anticipation of planning their future together. It had been two years to the day since Elliot had gotten down on one knee and proposed to Kate, right there in the dining room with her dad and all the kids present. She remembered how gloriously happy she was, and it had just gotten better and better since they married.

  And now Abby and Hawk had tasted that same joy. She had no doubt that Jesus was the Lord of their lives and would direct their steps through times of joy and times of sorrow. She wished she could make an easy way for them, but only He knew the path they needed to take in order to grow into His image.

  Kate wiped a tear off her cheek. How she loved each of her children. How blessed she was that Abby and Hawk wanted to stay on Sure Foot Mountain. She hoped that Jesse and Riley would make that decision too, when the time came. And she hoped with all her heart that one day her grandchildren would carry on the legacy of this mountain resort called Angel View.

  As for Kate, her roots had grown deep and strong, and she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. She was content to share her life with Elliot and looked forward to many more happy years as they grew old together.

  … a little more …

  When a delightful concert comes to an end,

  the orchestra might offer an encore.

  When a fine meal comes to an end,

  it’s always nice to savor a bit of dessert.

  When a great story comes to an end,

  we think you may want to linger.

  And so, we offer ...

  AfterWords—just a little something more after you

  have finished a David C Cook novel.

  We invite you to stay awhile in the story.


  Thanks for reading!

  Turn the page for ...

  • A Note from the Author

  • Discussion Guide

  A Note from the Author

  “O, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive!” Sir Walter Scott

  Often we’re so skilled at deceiving ourselves that it’s not until the Holy Spirit shines His light on our sin that we realize how ugly it really is. Anytime we take the pure truth of God’s Word and water it down with worldly values, half-truths, and excuses, it becomes something else entirely—a treacherous mix full of spiritual poison.

  Hawk would probably never have outright “chosen” to have an affair. Instead, he deceived himself into believing his motive in giving Kennedy a Jeep ride was just wanting to help a lonely newcomer to Foggy Ridge not to feel so isolated. It wasn’t until after Kennedy disappeared and the Holy Spirit began to expose Hawk’s sin and the true motives of his heart that he admitted he had known from the beginning that he was playing with fire. Kennedy was gorgeous and vulnerable and available, and he knew to guard himself against any situation that could turn sexual. But instead of helping her pick up the spilled groceries and then politely walking away, he opened the door that every guy knows is dangerous, and lust exploded into a full-blown affair.

  But it’s not as though it just “happened.” In hindsight, Hawk could see, when he deliberately failed to tell Laura Lynn about his plans that evening and wore the new Ralph Lauren shirt and cologne that had been in his drawer since his last birthday, that he planned to keep his options open. He had a strong moral compass—but he ignored it, and with serious consequences. Kennedy was just as guilty of sinning, but she wasn’t yet a believer in Christ and didn’t have the same moral compass or the power of the Holy Spirit to help her appropriately deal with her deep grief over losing Reza.

  It’s important that we don’t point only to sexual sin to find examples of moral compromise. Most employee theft starts small, and usually leads to more and more stealing, often with the thief feeling justified because they “aren’t paid enough.” And then there’s taking sick days when you’re not sick because you think you deserve more vacation time. And then there’s cheating on tests because you’re too lazy to study or just didn’t make the time. Not returning something you didn’t get charged for. Or taking something that isn’t yours. We all make moral compromises of some kind. But the point is that every grave sin starts out with something small and deceptive. If only we would listen to our moral compass, we would avoid so much heartache. Few people start out compromising with the belief that one day it will cause heartbreak. Most think they’ll never get caught. Some don’t. But a believer in Christ will come under the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit, who will not turn a blind eye. Who will not allow us to deceive ourselves for long. Hawk learned that the hard way. And were it not for the mercy and grace of God, he might never have fully recovered.

  We believers have a strong and accurate moral compass—the very Word of God. Let us fill ourselves with His truth and refuse to blend it with the lies and deceptions of the world, lest it become for us a treacherous mix.

  Oh, friends, it is bittersweet having to say good-bye to the characters I have grown to love and respect. Perhaps with this series, more than any previous, I have delved more deeply into their hearts and minds and exposed their true motives, both good and bad. I was so proud to see them grow.

  I’ve loved every moment spent in Foggy Ridge, and at Angel View, high atop Sure Foot Mountain, where Beaver Lake, like a million blue sapphires, sparkled beneath the lush Ozark hills, forming a maze of inlets and islands as far as the eye could see.

  This series was born out of my love for that region and my many happy experiences there with my late husband, Paul, with my mother-in-law, my sister Pat, and several friends over the years. For anyone who has ever looked out over the Ozark Mountains, especially at sunrise when the billowy fog that settles over the White River turns the color of lava—and a handful of sunrays fan out across the pristine expanse of earth, water, and sky—there is no doubt that it was God breathed.

  I would love to hear from you. Join me on Facebook, where you can find me at www.facebook.com/kathyherman, or drop by my website at www.kathyherman.com and leave your comments in my guest book. I read and respond to every email and greatly value your input.

  In Him,

  Discussion Guide

  1. These words spoken by Hawk’s pastor stuck with him: “Just remember you can’t have it both ways. If you walk in the pure light of God’s Word, you know the truth. But if you start compromising what you know is right, your truth becomes an ugly, watered-down shade of gray. It’s a treacherous mix.” Hawk had taken them to heart, and yet he still fell into the trap. What are some things he could have done to avoid falling into sexual sin? Once it happened, what might he have done to lessen the consequences?

  2. Galatians 6:7 tells us clearly, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Do you know Christians who have deceived themselves into believing that premarital sex is okay because times have changed? That it’s old fashioned to think people actual remain virgins until they marry? That experience will make them better spouses? Do you think people who think they are the exception eventually realize they’ve cheated themselves? What are some of the consequences they have shared or you have observed?

  3. Do you know any couples who, like Abby and Jay, took a vow to save themselves for marriage and didn’t fall into the trap of compromising? Did their wedding day seem more special to them? More special to those who were privy to their choice?

  4. Why do you think young people in our culture, even many who are Christians, tend not to see the value of waiting until marriage to engage in sexual relations? How does that balance up with what Scripture says about sex and marriage? What factors in our culture seem to speak more loudly than the Word, the parents, the church?

  5. Why does it seem that adulterers and homosexuals are the only groups of people who are publicly singled out for their sexual activity? Is fornication just as offensive to God? Why do you think it’s not as offensive to most people anymore? In a culture where people live together before they marry, what are some of the justifications they give for choosing to do so? Is it possible that this is one of the most watered-down shades of gray in our society today? Has it been further watered down with each subsequent generation?

  6. Why do you think God ordained sexual intimacy to be enjoyed only in a marriage relationship? Was God wrong? Then why have people since the beginning of time rebelled against Him on this issue? Why do you think surveys consistently show that Christian married couples are the most sexually adjusted? How important do you think it is to have the right premise about what sex is and why it was created?

  7. Do you think it’s harmful that so many kids today just want to get their virginity “out of the way”? That for many, sex has become merely entertainment void of rules or commitment? Where did this thinking come from? Do you think many of these kids carry their sexual baggage from relationship to relationship? How might that affect their marriages?

  8. An increasing number of single senior adults today have adopted this blasé attitude about sex. The very values they taught their children they are abandoning and adopting values more like their grandchildren’s generation. What are some of the excuses they use to justify their behavior? How has society influenced their thinking?

  9. Do you think pornography has become a watered-down shade of gray for a lot of people today—in other words, if you’re not physically involved in fornication or adultery, does it really matter that your mind is completely immersed in it? Do you think this would affect more than just a person’s mind?

  10. What are some other ways people in our culture today compromise and water down their values in the workplace? At school? In politics? In Hollywood? On social media?

  11. How closely do yo
u think the world watches the behavior of Christians? Are we judged by a different standard? Should we be? Which do you think has more power to influence: our behavior or our words? What should this tell us?

  12. Finish this sentence: If I could go back in my life and change any one thing I’ve done, it would be _______________________________________________. Do you, like Hawk, believe it’s never too late to do the right thing? How different would a believer’s life be if he or she consistently took to heart the words of Isaiah 1:18 as a reminder: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow”?

  13. Which character in this series did you relate to the most? What was your takeaway from this story? From the series as a whole?