She extended her hand, “April St. James. It’s nice to meet you, although the circumstances could have been better.”
He shook hands with her, holding on a tiny bit longer than necessary. The strength of her grip took him by surprise. So did the warmth. “Garrett Bradley.”
“I know you just got here, and I hate to do this, but I’ve gotten behind at work and need to head to the office. I need to run.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll make arrangements for everything before I leave so you won’t need to worry about a thing.” Garrett hoped it would be as easy as he made it sound.
April shrugged as she bit her lower lip, her head tilted to one side. “I hope you enjoy spaghetti because I made a huge pot of it. I thought it would be easier than you needing to find something to cook soon as you got here tonight.”
She pulled the dog toward the front room. “Stay, boy.” April closed the door behind her, locking him in the room. “If he isn’t put up, he thinks he’s one of the family and should be able to eat at the table accordingly.” She laughed. “I don’t usually him let back out until after dinner.”
“Sounds like a handful. Looks like a handful. Must be a handful.” Garrett forced a smile. April was insane to add a giant dog to her already chaotic mix of responsibility. He followed her down the hall and into the kitchen, the aroma of tomatoes and garlic greeting him. His stomach rumbled. He hadn’t had a thing to eat since this morning on his way to the office.
“You have no idea.” She grinned. “But you’ll get a chance to find out.” Her soft laughter was like music.
Garrett frowned, unsure of what she meant. He was almost afraid to ask, but he sure hoped his mother hadn’t taken in a dog—especially not one the size of Godzilla. He wouldn’t have a clue what to do with it, especially considering his dislike of dogs. He may not have visited his mother often, but they talked at least once every two weeks, and not once had she mentioned getting a dog.
“Let me introduce you to the kids properly. This is Bryan, and he’s nine.” She tapped the top of his head and then moved on down the row of children, almost like a game of duck-duck-goose. “This is Melanie, and she’s seven. And this is Sandy, and she’s three. Sandy doesn’t talk much, but the doctors say she’ll be fine in no time. They’ve all had a lot to deal with over the past few months, and her way of dealing with the emotions has been silence.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” It sounded as though the kids had gone through more trauma than a child should have to deal with, and it made him wonder about their story. When he was Bryan’s age, the trauma of his parents splitting up had been monumental, especially given the divorce was his fault.
April lifted the lid off the first pot. “Just stir this occasionally until you’re ready to eat. The noodles get dropped in the sauce, stir them frequently, and they’ll be ready in ten minutes if you prefer them al dente, otherwise, let them cook a minute or two longer. Easy enough, right?” April looked at him with confidence in her eyes, a confidence he didn’t deserve.
“Smells awesome. Looks as though you made enough to feed an army.”
“That’ll last you a day, tops, but I’m sure your mother’s friends will be stopping by with lots of food to help out. Here’s my card if you need anything. You can call, and I’ll help any way I can. I know this is going to be a tough transition for you—” she reached out to touch his arm, “—but you’ll be fine. I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that. And don’t worry, I’ll be okay. I’ve handled this sort of thing before.”
“If you say so.” April crossed the kitchen to where a wheeled suitcase was parked in the corner. She pulled up the handle and started toward the front door. Garrett and the kids followed, Melanie stopping to let the dog out.
“Here, let me get this for you.” He picked it up and hauled it to her car. He would have expected a much bigger suitcase considering the kids.
“Thanks. Don’t forget, call me if you need me.” She leaned down and hugged each of the kids. “I’ll see you three soon, I promise. Be good for Mr. Bradley.”
April wasn’t making any sense. And why weren’t the kids getting in the car with her? And for that matter, why wasn’t she getting the dog? Something was seriously wrong with this picture.
She slid in the driver’s seat and started the car before manually rolling down her window. “Take care.” April waved, put the car in reverse and started to back up.
The motion of the vehicle snapped him out of his trance. “Wait. Where are you going? You can’t leave your kids here.” Normally calm under fire, Garrett couldn’t keep the panic out of his voice.
She stopped the car and leaned toward the window. “They’re not my kids, they’re yours.” April seemed confused. Which was far better than stupefied, and exactly how he felt. She had this all wrong.
“I don’t have any kids.” The children looked as though they were about to cry, and he felt awful, but he couldn’t let April drive off without them and the dog.
“Should have known he wouldn’t want us.” The boy grumbled in a low voice, grabbing his younger sister’s hand and taking off for the house. Melanie glanced at April and then glared at him before running to catch up with her brother and sister.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Garrett demanded an answer, his patience running out. He could handle a lot of things, but this wasn’t in his wheelhouse.
April got back out of the car and faced off with him. “Your mother adopted these children three months ago. Haven’t you talked to her solicitor yet? I would have thought—”
Garrett wince. Adopted. As in legally hers. Why would his mother adopt kids at this stage of her life? She hadn’t even consulted him about such an important issue. And she’d had three months to tell him.
You haven’t been home in over six months.
“You thought wrong. What am I supposed to do with them? I don’t know the first thing about children. I have a job. An apartment in the city. What am I supposed to do?”
“Step up.” Her answer was short and to the point, the thin set of her lips driving the point home. She was serious
He swallowed hard and turned back to the house where three kids and the dog were waiting and watching.
“I’m sure Charlie will explain everything.” The compassion in her voice was genuine, making him feel slightly better.
“Our meeting isn’t until Monday, and the celebration of life is tomorrow. Don’t you think you could provide me with a few more details? You seem to know a thing or two about the situation.” He was desperate, and he couldn’t let her leave without a better understanding.
“The children lost their parents three months ago, and your mother didn’t want them to end up in the foster care system, so she adopted them with a promise to always do what was best for them. Their mother was a friend of hers from church. I was the assistant caseworker assigned to them, which is why I volunteered to stay with them until you arrived. They know me. They are sweet kids, and it’s been hard for them to lose their parents and now their grams.”
“Grams?” There was so much he needed to ask her, the meaning of Grams the least of them, but that’s what came out.
“It’s the name they called your mother, short for grandma.”
April got back in her car. “I’m a sucker for these kids and will do anything I can to help, but right now, I’ve got to make sure I can keep my job. I’ve missed a lot of work and need to catch up on my caseload.”
“Fine. I’ll figure a way through this situation for the next few days until my sister can get leave and decide what she wants to do. Clearly, she’s the better option to handle this unexpected situation.” He didn’t feel as confident as he tried to sound. There were two problems. He didn’t know when his sister would be home, and he didn’t know a thing about taking care of kids, not even temporarily.
Head to Amazon to purchase or borrow your copy of LOVE & ORDER so that you can keep reading this contemporary romance series tod
ay!
More from Sweet Promise Press
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
The Gold Coast Retrievers
Six special Golden Retrievers help their humans solve mysteries, save lives, and even find love...
* * *
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
The No Brides Club
When six friends make a pact not to let love get in the way of their careers, the No Brides Club is born. But could the right man at the wrong time cause them to break their vows to each other?
The Celebrity Corgi Romances
Meet six Corgis who live the high life as celebrity BFFs. One thing's for sure: When their people fall in love, it better be with someone who loves dogs as much as they do!
The Sweethearts of Country Music
Six musicians come together to form an all-girl country band. But when love comes calling, will the ladies be able to balance their musical worlds with their romantic lives?
Holidays in Hallbrook
Welcome to Hallbrook, New Hampshire. A small-town filled with the unexpected, lots of love, and of course, a beloved dog to ramp up the excitement. Home is where love leads you.
Mommy’s Little Matchmakers
For these moms, a second chance at love may need a "little" extra help.
First Street Church Romances
These sweet and wholesome small town love stories with the community church at their center make for the perfect feel-good reads!
* * *
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
The Pioneer Brides of Rattlesnake Creek
Their fortunes lie out west...and so do their hearts.
Sweet Grove Historical
Go back in time to follow the lives and loves of Sweet Grove's founding families in this historical romance series.
* * *
COZY MYSTERY
Pet Whisperer P.I.
Glendale is home to Blueberry Bay’s first ever talking cat detective. Along with his ragtag gang of human and animal helpers, Octo-Cat is determined to save the day… so long as it doesn’t interfere with his schedule.
Little Dog Diner
Misty Harbor boasts the best lobster rolls in all of Blueberry Bay. There’s another thing that’s always on the menu, too. Murder! Dani and her little terrier, Pip, have a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time… which often lands them smack in the middle of a fresh, new murder mystery and in the crosshairs of one cunning criminal after the next.
Shelf Indulgence
Dewdrop Springs is home to Tattered Pages, a popular bookshop specializing in rare editions, a grumpy Persian cat named Poppy, and some of the most suspicious characters you’ll ever meet. And poor Dakota Adair has just inherited it all. She’ll need to make peace with her new cat and use all her book smarts to catch a killer or she might be the next to wind up dead in the stacks.
The Board Game Murders
Join Texas trust-fund triplets as they investigate larger-than-life mysteries tied to the vintage board games of their shared childhood... One wrong move, and it could be game over for any of them!
The Funeral Fakers
Professional Mourning can be a deadly business. Luckily, these 6 out-of-work actresses are on the job!
Texas Sized Mysteries
The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas... but so is the trouble. These cozy mysteries feature characters who are larger than life and cases just begging to be solved by any reader clever enough to rise to the challenge.
More from Sharon Hughson
Sweet Grove Romances
Love’s Late Arrival
Love’s Little Secrets
Texas Homecoming
Love’s Lingering Doubts
Love’s Recovering Hope (Coming December 2018)
Love’s Unwavering Faith (Coming in 2019)
Sweet Romance Series
Reality Meets its Match
Reality Bites
Reality Ever After
* * *
Biblical Fiction
Reflections from a Pondering Heart
* * *
Or maybe you’re still not sure you’ll LOVE Sharon’s story. You can read a fantasy novella for FREE by clicking here. Even though the title sounds steamy, it’s a sweet romance.
Acknowledgments
Special gratitude to Melissa Storm and the team at Sweet Promise Press who didn’t let First Street Church end with Kindle Worlds.
A huge shout out to Susan May Warren and the Deep Thinkers Retreat group who helped shape Jaz and Bailey into the dynamic and realistic characters on these pages. Those brainstorming sessions were the best form of creative therapy. The sunny Florida sky and Emerald Coast beach didn’t hinder my muse either.
I wouldn’t be able to keep writing if it wasn’t for the support of my wonderful husband and the inspiration and gifting of my Heavenly Father. You two are my rock and fortress.
To the one reading this book, thank you for visiting Sweet Grove, Texas with me. I hope you love Jaz and Bailey enough to come back as I finish their love story with two more novellas.
About the Author
Sharon Hughson is called to share the truth through stories. Her fiction never shies away from difficult circumstances because she wants it to ring true. Her goal is to present relatable characters handling even the ugliest situations in a realistic way that doesn’t dishonor Christ. If it encourages the reader, even better.
Sharon dives into books of nearly every genre but writes mostly sweet and Christian romances. Throughout her life, she’s sought the escape offered in a well-told tale, but as she’d grown older she appreciates the ones that reinforce her principles the most. When she’s not writing or reading, Sharon works as a substitute teacher, travel on adventures with her husband of three decades and waits on her three cats in her Oregon home near the Columbia River.
See all her titles at sharonleehughson.com. Visit the Newsletter page to get a FREE story and the latest updates about new releases, events and giveaways. To connect with Sharon, join her Facebook Group to be notified about new books.
Love's Lingering Doubts (Love's Texas Homecoming Boo 1; First Street Church #9) Page 12