The Father He Deserves

by Lisa Jordan

  He grinned. “Just a little.”

  Natalie dragged her hand through her hair, knocking her glasses off her head. She reached down to pick them up off the ground and tossed them on the front seat of her car. “I’ve put up walls—for personal protection—but as I learned over the past few days, those walls will not keep my son safe. In fact, my fears caused Aidan to run away. Once we returned from getting him checked out at the hospital, he confessed to overhearing part of my conversation with my mom. After you and I had argued at the wedding, I told my mom I wanted to take Aidan and run.”

  Evan’s muscles tightened.

  Natalie held up a hand. “Relax. It was just my fear talking. Mom talked me off the ledge, but by then it was too late—Aidan had left. So while I thought I was protecting my son, I was putting him in jeopardy. I’m so sorry, Evan. I hope you can forgive me.” A tear drifted down her face. She brushed it away. “Anyway, I’ve realized the walls are shutting out the people I love most.”

  She turned and reached for the piece of fencing. “I brought you a housewarming gift.”

  “Don’t people usually wait until the house is in place for something like that?”

  She shrugged. “Apparently, I’m not most people.” She slid her hand across the top slat. “This is the gate piece that attaches to vinyl fencing. A gate is surrounded by walls, but it opens to allow others to enter. I’m meeting with a new therapist on Monday to learn how to break down those walls. In the meantime, I’m giving this gate to you and inviting you into my life.” She smiled through a sheen of tears. “I love you, Evan. And I will do whatever it takes and go where you want to go if it means we can be together as a family.”

  The words he’d been waiting so long to hear should have had him reaching out for her and pulling her to his chest. Yet, he didn’t move. He couldn’t.

  He dragged a hand through his hair. “Nat...”

  “I’m too late, aren’t I?” She dropped her gaze to her feet.

  “No, it’s not that. More than anything I want to accept the gift you’re offering, but I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because...” He turned away from her as pressure mounted in his chest. “I have nothing to offer you.”

  She looked at him with a crease in her forehead. “What do you mean?”

  He waved a hand over his arm. “My career is over. I live in an RV. I have to figure out how to pay for a house that I can no longer afford. And I have my own fears. After this past week, the last place I want to be is on the water. Imagine that—a paddler afraid of the water.”

  He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He reached out for her, but instead of touching her, he dropped his hand.

  “All I have is my heart.” His voice cracked on the last word.

  A slow smile lit up her face. “Out of all those things you’ve mentioned, that’s the only thing I’m after.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, Evan, really. Your life is a mess. Guess what? So is mine. But if we keep God in center of our messy lives, then we will do just fine.”

  He searched her face, looking for a hint of sarcasm, but all he found were her beautiful bottle-green eyes filled with love and sincerity. He reached for her, lifting his hand through her hair and pulling her close. “I love you, Natalie. I don’t know what the future holds and I can’t promise what kind of security I can offer you, but as long as you and Aidan are a part of it, I know it will be perfect.”

  “I love you, too, Evan. God will provide us with the security we need.”

  “I’m so grateful to hear you say that.” Evan cupped Nat’s cheek and caressed his thumb over her cheekbone. He lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers.

  Who could have predicted that losing everything would give him exactly what he’d always wanted?

  Epilogue

  Who knew the year would end like this?

  With a steaming mug of hot chocolate in her mittened hands, Natalie stood on the back deck of Evan’s beautiful home, stamping her booted feet together to generate heat, and watched as father and son built a snowman together.

  Tall evergreens and leafless branches behind them wore heavy blankets of snow, turning the otherwise bare limbs into a winter wonderland. A light wind swirled snow around the duo as flurries dusted their reddened cheeks.

  Dressed in his royal blue snow pants and matching jacket with a red Spider-Man hat on his head, Aidan rolled the last ball and allowed Evan to lift it up to put on the snowman’s shoulders. Then he thrust his arms in the air and called out to her. “Look, Mom, we did it. We made a snow family. One for each of us.”

  “You sure did.” Natalie pulled off her mitten with her teeth and reached into her back pocket for her phone. She snapped a picture of them in front of the trio of snow people. “You guys ready for hot chocolate yet?”

  Evan waved an arm for her to join them. “Come on down and we’ll get a picture of all of us with our snow family.”

  She stowed her phone, tugged her mitten back on and wrapped her favorite blue scarf around her neck. She’d be fine in her red sweater and white down vest for a few minutes. She hurried down the deck steps to the backyard and posed next to Aidan in front of their newly built snow family. Evan moved in next to her, pulled out his phone and stretched out his long arms to snap the selfie.

  Natalie rubbed her hands over her arms and stamped her feet together. “It’s freezing out here. Let’s head inside and get warm before we head down to the farm for the New Year’s Eve party.”

  Evan unzipped his coat and shrugged it off his shoulders. He wrapped it around Natalie. “In just a minute. I need to ask Aidan something.”

  Natalie gave him a quizzical look, but he just smiled.

  He turned to Aidan and hunkered down on one knee front of him. “Hey, A-man, how would you like it if you, your mom and I lived in the same house forever and ever?”

  Aidan’s eyes widened, and then he threw his arms around Evan’s neck. “Yes! I would really love that!”

  A gasp caught in her throat as her heart hammered against her rib cage.

  Did he...

  Shifting Aidan to his left side, Evan turned to Natalie, reached into his front jeans pocket and pulled out a delicate silver ring that glimmered in the moonlight. “These past four months with you and Aidan have showed me exactly what I want in my life—to be together as a family under one roof. I love you, Natalie Grace—will you marry me?”

  Laughing through a blur of tears, she nodded. “Yes, Evan, I will.”

  He slid the ring onto her finger. “My dad gave this opal ring to my mom on the day I was born. I know it’s not a traditional engagement ring, but let’s face it—we’re not exactly the most traditional family. If you’d prefer a diamond or something else, say the word and it’s yours.”

  She held up her hand to admire the iridescent stone sparkling from the delicate setting, and she shook her head. “No way. This one’s perfect.”

  She pulled Evan to his feet, curled her arms around his neck and feathered a kiss across his lips.

  “Gross. Kissy kind of love.” Aidan stuck out his tongue.

  Evan laughed, the rich timbre of his voice warming her from the inside out. “That’s right, pal. Get used to it.”

  He pressed his forehead against Natalie’s. “I promise to love you until I take my last breath. Thank you for being my champion these past few months. I know it’s been tough as we’ve been working hard to get the River Therapy project off the ground, but when spring hits, we’ll be ready.”

  She cupped her hand over his cold cheek. “Thank you for standing by me as I work through my fears. And for not laughing at me when I became a fostering failure by not being able to give up Daisy.”

  Evan dropped a kiss on the end of her nose. “You’re so tenderhearted, Nat. While I will support you in every way throughout this p
rogram, we now know you don’t make a good foster dog mom.”

  “It’s hard to say goodbye.”

  He brought her hands to her lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “And soon, we won’t have to say good-night and go our separate ways.”

  “When would you like to get married?”

  “Is tomorrow too soon?”

  “It would be the perfect way to begin the New Year, but let’s do it right.”

  “Hey, you two. Your hot chocolate’s getting cold.” Aidan waved to them from the glass sliding door that led into the open kitchen.

  Hand in hand, they walked across the backyard and up the deck steps. Natalie stepped into the warmth of the kitchen, but Evan stopped. He flung his arms out wide and took a deep breath.

  “What are you doing?”

  “The air is so fresh. It’s like breathing in God’s grace—it cleanses from the inside out.”

  And breathing in God’s grace had given her all the peace and security she needed to find what her heart truly wanted. A family to call her own and the father her son deserved.

  * * *

  If you loved this story,

  pick up Lisa Jordan’s previous books set in Shelby Lake:

  Lakeside Sweethearts

  Lakeside Redemption

  Lakeside Romance

  Season of Hope

  A Love Redeemed

  Available now from Love Inspired!

  Find more great reads at LoveInspired.com.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from A Dream of Family by Jill Weatherholt.

  Dear Reader,

  Several years ago, I bought a canvas with the verse Joshua 1:9 printed on it. It hangs by my front door, and each time I leave, I’m reminded God is with me wherever I go.

  I’m not necessarily a strong person. But in the last decade or so, I’ve had to learn how to trust God and step out of my comfort zone in order to live my best life—a life in the center of His will. As someone who internalizes fears and anxieties, it hasn’t been easy, but God’s faithfulness helps to grow my strength, my courage and, yes, my faith. Throughout my life, I’ve missed out on blessings because of my fears. But I’m learning how to be brave and to embrace His grace when I’m not feeling very strong or courageous.

  When I wrote Evan and Natalie’s story, I wanted to write about characters who struggle with fear and anxiety. Evan has nonmilitary PTSD after a traumatic accident that nearly killed him. Natalie struggled with childhood trauma. But through their faith in God, they are learning how to overcome their fears. One day at a time.

  If you, my dear readers, struggle with fears and anxiety, please know you are not alone. And remember God is with you wherever you go. He provides resources to help you—trained counselors, medications, support groups and books written by others who have walked the same road. I encourage you to seek help if your fear and anxiety stand in the way of you living your best life. Mental illness is a medical condition that deserves to be recognized and treated without being stigmatized. Stay strong, warriors, even on days when you don’t feel brave or courageous, because God sees you, and He’s with you every step of the way. Allow Him to use you for His glory.

  I love to hear from my readers, so feel free to email me at lisa@lisajordanbooks.com.

  Embracing His grace,

  Lisa Jordan

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  A Dream of Family

  by Jill Weatherholt

  Chapter One

  Past Due. Molly Morgan’s hand trembled. The invoice with its bold red block-style font taunted her. Delinquent. Until recently, she’d never been late for anything in her life. She placed the piece of paper facedown on the counter along with the other late notices and scanned the room. Bound to Please Reads was the bookstore she’d dreamed of owning as a little girl. Would she lose her dream?

  Books had saved Molly’s life. She’d sought refuge in the dark closets of countless foster homes, hiding from the adults who’d taken her in for the money. There had been a few nice families, but her time in those homes had been short-lived. She’d learned early not to get attached.

  Molly straightened her shoulders. She refused to think about the large chain bookstore that had recently opened its doors in a neighboring town. Within a week, their presence had quashed Molly’s once impressive sales along with her hopes of adopting a child.

  Outside, a truck’s engine rumbled. A piercing beeping sound filled the room. Molly breezed across the store. Her long fiery-red hair brushed her slender shoulders. With her nose pressed to the front door, she spotted a white-and-orange truck, absent a logo, parked along the curb. She glanced at her watch. Strange. It couldn’t be a delivery. Wilson’s Hardware didn’t open until nine thirty. The space on the other side of her bookstore had been vacant since the owner of Huggamugg Café had passed away. Was this the new tenant?

  The driver’s side door of the truck opened, and a long, jeans-clad leg extended to the pavement. Molly’s heartbeat doubled in speed at the sight of a tall, broad-shouldered man stepping from the vehicle. Wearing tinted sunglasses and with a head of dark, wavy hair, the stranger held her attention hostage. Whoa. He had to be new in town or visiting. She would have remembered seeing him.

  In four strides, the handsome man rounded the truck and opened the passenger side door. Her emerald-green eyes popped open. Wait—he wasn’t a stranger. What in the world? No way! It couldn’t be. But it was. Her stomach roiled. Cramming his hands inside the pockets of his fitted boot-cut jeans was Derek McKinney. Memories seared her brain. He was the reason she’d been left at the altar two years ago.

  Seconds later, a chocolate German shepherd puppy bounded from the vehicle. The animal danced at Derek’s feet while he removed a box from the seat and turned. Molly dropped to her hands and knees and then half laughed at herself. Why did she need to hide? He should be the one ducking. She pushed herself off the cold terrazzo tile, dusted off her hands and took another peek. Why was he standing in front of the vacant store next door with his face pressed to the glass? Unable to peel her eyes away, she watched as he placed the box on the ground and checked his watch. Next, he picked up the dog, gave it a quick peck on its forehead, and took it back to his vehicle. Although the kiss was sweet, Molly’s stomach twisted when he headed toward her store.

  Keep walking. The front door was unlocked for the day. Derek would see her if she attempted to relock the entrance. Don’t panic. Running her hand over her head to smooth the flyaway hairs, she bit down on her lower lip, scurried toward the counter and squared her shoulders.

  The bell chimed and footsteps tapped closer. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined seeing Derek again. With her back to the door, Molly fingered through the nearby heap of papers from the adoption agency.

  “Hello. I’m sorry to bother you, but—”

  Derek’s deep voice trailed into nothingness. Molly sucked in a breath and whirled around to face the man who’d ruined what should have been the happiest day of her life.

  With saucerlike eyes, he strolled closer. His brow arched. “Molly? What are you doing here?” He half smiled and moved forward.

  She could ask him the same question. Molly took a step back, but not before a whiff of his spicy aftershave tickled her nose. She refocused on the problem standing in front of her. This was her town. He didn’t belong here. “I own this store.”

  “So you live in Whispering Slopes? That’s great.” Derek took in his surroundings, turned his icy-blue eyes back to her and flashed a smile.

  Molly nodded and gripped the edge of the granite countertop. Why was he acting as though th
ey were long-lost friends? Back in their college days, Derek had never showed interest in where she was from or anything about her. He’d been her fiancé’s best friend, and she’d tolerated him. But she’d known the truth. He hadn’t thought she was good enough for Ryan. Why the sudden interest? Did he feel guilty? Well, she hadn’t just fallen off the turnip truck, or however the saying went. “Yes, since I was in junior high. So I should be the one asking you what you’re doing here.”

  “I’m opening up a coffee shop next door.” He pointed to the door. “It looks like we’re going to be neighbors.”

  Was he joking? No. This couldn’t be true. There had to be a mistake. Maybe she was dreaming. She pinched her arm. Nope. He was still here. Rats. “But my landlord said he was renting the space to a big-time franchise owner.”

  Derek’s cheeks flushed. “I wouldn’t call myself ‘big time,’ but I do own quite a few shops.”

  Could her Monday get any worse?

  The front doorbell tinkled for the second time.

  Molly’s stomach twisted when she spied her landlord, Rusty McAllister, stepping inside. Had he come with hopes of collecting his money? Over the past two months, her sales numbers had taken a dive, prompting his recent late notice. Guilt gnawed at her insides. Rusty had been a great friend to her adoptive mother. He’d also been a strong shoulder for Molly to lean on after her mother lost her battle to cancer three days after Molly was left at the altar.

  “Just the people I was looking for. Hello, Molly.” Rusty headed toward them and extended his hand. “You must be Derek. It’s good to meet you in person, son.” After they shook hands, he reached inside the pocket of his tan slacks. “Here’s the key to your new space. I can speak for the entire community when I say we’re thrilled you have decided to set up shop in Whispering Slopes. I’ve read a lot of articles on your expanding franchise. Your coffee is famous.”