Twilight at Blueberry Barrens

by Colleen Coble

  He nodded as if he’d expected it. “But you’ll be back. This place never lets you leave, not permanently.”

  Maybe he was right, but she was finally ready for a great adventure. “Thank you for saving me, Uncle Paul. You saved all of us—Drake, Luke, Claire, the baby. And even Drake’s nieces. That terrible man intended to kill them too. If you hadn’t shown up, we’d all be dead.”

  His gaze darted away, and he cleared his throat before he glanced back at her. “I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, Kate. Not ever. You tell your man that he’ll have to answer to me if I ever hear he made you cry.”

  Her eyes welled with tears as so many memories flashed through her mind. He’d been a great uncle to her. She reached for the door handle. “I’ll tell him, Uncle Paul.” Blindly, she thrust open the door and stumbled out. Conflicting emotions tore at her chest. Love, grief, guilt, anger. Everyone had good and bad in them. She prayed someday Uncle Paul would find his life and worth in God.

  * * *

  The sun was low in the sky, highlighting the cliffs in gold and red, as Drake walked along the edge of the water with Kate and the girls. The children skipped ahead with Jackson to gather sea glass in their buckets. He was going to talk to Kate about the future. It wasn’t going to be as rosy as he’d tried to make it out. He didn’t want to lose Kate, but he dreaded telling her about his phone call this afternoon.

  She stopped and smiled up at him. “You’re very pensive all of a sudden. Still reacting to everything that’s happened? I know it’s hard to accept such evil in the world. I was in the same place when I realized what my family had done to Claire and to Luke’s mother.” She tucked her arm into his. “We’ll get through it together.”

  “I know we will.” He tried to put confidence in his voice.

  He loved the shape of her face, all sweet curves and gentle planes. He hated to spill the words trembling on his tongue, but he straightened and held her gaze. “I’m going to have to go back to Boston sooner than I expected. We just got a big order for my new drone from one of the biggest electronics stores in the country. I’ve finally figured out the modifications on the one for the Fish and Wildlife Service, too, and Lakesha is about to have a heart attack over being left to deal with all this alone.”

  “How wonderful!” Her smile faltered only a little before resuming at full wattage. “When do you have to leave?”

  “Immediately.”

  “Just like that?” She pulled her arm out of his.

  He took her hand. “Can we talk about my initial idea of leaving the kids with you while I travel back and forth on the weekends?”

  Her blue eyes grew luminous. Tears? She was taking this all wrong. His fingers tightened on hers. “I want to marry you. A marriage shouldn’t be spent mostly apart. Forget I ever mentioned that idea.”

  Her lips parted, and her eyes crinkled in a broader smile. “I think that’s the most prosaic proposal I’ve ever heard of. What, no bended knee, no declaration of everlasting love?”

  He grinned and took her by the shoulders, then turned her to face him. “I love you now and forever. I think you already know that. I’m not good with flowery words. But I’ll always be by your side, Kate. You’ll never have to worry about being someone you aren’t. I love you just the way you are. I love the way you try to take care of people. I love the fierce loyalty you show to family. You’re smart, funny, and beautiful inside and out. But I mostly love the inside beauty you show. You’re tenacious and strong. The girls will be too.”

  She blinked and several tears rolled down her cheeks. “I think you’re pretty darn good with flowery words. I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone. I love you enough to leave Maine and go with you wherever you want me to.”

  He was so busy trying to figure out how to tell her he wanted her to think about going to Boston that it took a second for her words to register. The breath whooshed out of his lungs. “What? Boston? Are you sure?” Idiot. He shouldn’t be trying to talk her out of it.

  “I’m positive. Claire says it’s time for me to fly, and I think she’s right. I might be a little awkward like the puffins when they try to take off, but I’ll keep at it until I’m airborne. I’m not saying you won’t come home sometimes to find me crying, but I’ll be all right. This is what we need to do for us and for the girls.” Her grin slanted up at him again. “I take it that’s a marriage proposal too?”

  Still stunned, he blinked and nodded, then grabbed her and swung her around. The feel of her in his arms was as right as the ocean foaming on the rocks. He was never going to let her go. He set her down and pulled her into a kiss. Her soft lips under his were warm and pliant, giving and taking as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

  He pulled away and looked down into her face. “Soon?”

  “As soon as I can get a wedding dress and plans pulled together. Don’t think I’m going to a justice of the peace, mister.” She wagged her finger at him. “I want a wedding with all the trimmings. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but I want us to get married in the blueberry barrens where I grew up with my sister standing up for me.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way. How long?”

  “Late October? I want us to savor our engagement. I’ll have to find a place to live.”

  “There’s a house for rent in my neighborhood. I’ll snag it for you.” His chest felt as though it might explode from the bubble of joy expanding in it. He gave a whoop and lifted her in his arms again.

  The girls looked up, then came running to them. Jackson barked and ran in circles around them.

  “What’s wrong, Uncle Drake?” Emma’s hazel eyes were round.

  “Kate’s going to marry me. She’s going back with us to Boston.” Drake set her on the ground.

  Phoebe slipped her hand into Kate’s and looked up at her. “Are you going to be our new mommy?”

  Kate knelt beside the little girl and drew her into a hug. “I wouldn’t want to replace your real mommy, and we’ll make sure we always talk about her and go to see your grandparents. No one can really replace your mommy and daddy. But I love you very much, and I’m going to take care of you the very best way I can.” She held out her other hand for Emma, who leaped into her embrace and put her arms around Kate’s neck.

  Drake dropped to his knees, too, and embraced the three of them. “I know it’s going to take us a while, but we’re going to be a family.” The best kind of family—one that was held together by love.

  FORTY

  Kate peeked out the window of her bedroom toward the backyard. The autumn winds had stripped the color from the trees, but they’d subsided into blue skies and unseasonably warm weather for late October. It was over sixty today. The blueberry barrens stretched to the east and west in a carpet of red and gold. Her gaze lingered on the arch Claire had decorated for the wedding. Sprigs of red blueberry leaves contrasted with the white gauzy material. Guests already milled about the lawn, and she caught a glimpse of the girls with their flower baskets.

  She turned from the window as the door opened, and her sister came into the room. “It looks so beautiful. Thank you for doing it. Are you feeling okay?”

  Claire wore a blue dress that skimmed her curves and flared out at her calves. She was glowing. “Just fine. I’m way too excited to have any morning sickness today. Everything is about to start. Are you ready?”

  Kate pressed her hand against her stomach. “I think I’ve got morning sickness for you. My tummy is flipping like a fish on the shore.” Was she doing the right thing? She shot a glance over her shoulder at the red fields. Could she really leave this place where she’d grown up?

  Claire’s fingers bit into Kate’s shoulders, and she gave her a little shake. “Stop it right now. I see you second-guessing yourself. Change is hard, but you’re ready, Kate. Drake is wonderful, and you’re going to have a great life in Boston.”

  “I already love it there.” Kate blinked and forced back the moisture in her eyes. “Whe
n God decided to bring in the right man for me, he chose a special one.”

  “And a ready-made family. God went all out.” Claire messed with Kate’s hair, affixing a pin in a different place. “You look beautiful. Drake may pass out when he sees you.”

  “Let’s hope not.” She moved toward the door.

  Sheriff Colton met her outside the bedroom door. His shirt and tie looked like they were about to choke him, but he was smiling. “I wouldn’t dress like this for anyone but you, Katie girl.” He offered her his arm, and she took it.

  She’d been feeling a little low about not having anyone to give her away. Luke had offered, of course, but in the planning for the wedding, she’d keenly missed having a dad around. Both her real dad and her uncle were in jail. But Danny had shown up at her cottage one day, hat in hand, to ask if he might give her away. She’d thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek until his face was as red as her fields.

  The music started up outside. Claire waved at her, then took Luke’s arm and went out the kitchen door. Kate saw them move past the window toward the blueberry field where Drake and the minister waited at the arbor. Her pulse tried to jump out of her chest, and she took a deep, calming breath.

  Dixie opened the kitchen door. “Let’s get this party started, sugar.” She twirled in the doorway. “I clean up pretty nice, don’t I?” She wore a lavender dress that showed she wasn’t as shapeless as the overalls usually made her seem.

  The flutters in Kate’s stomach intensified as she went out the door with Danny. Her gaze went straight over the heads of the waiting guests to the group standing in the arbor. Pastor Jerry stood tall and distinguished in his black suit, and Drake stood beside him in a gray tux. Her heart squeezed at the sight of him, and a wave of love crashed over her. He was her man in all ways. True, honest, loving, and compassionate. He always tried to do the right thing, and she knew he’d never leave her side while he lived. Luke was beside him and Claire waited on the other side with the girls, who were trying to keep Jackson still beside them.

  The music rose in a crescendo, and Danny tugged her forward, across the yard to the blueberry fields, and down the aisle in the middle of the guests. She spotted the O’Connors with their girls and smiled at Mallory as she passed. Other faces passed in a blur: church friends; Claire’s mother, Lisa; Luke’s sister, Megan; and his dad, Walker.

  Then her gaze landed on Shelley, and she stopped in her tracks long enough to hug her best friend. “I can’t believe you’re here!”

  “I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” Shelley’s red hair was in a smart updo, and she looked bright and happy. She gave Kate a little shove. “Go get married. We’ll talk later.”

  Kate finally dared to lock her gaze with Drake’s, and the love in his eyes nearly buckled her knees. His smile was crooked and tender, and he mouthed I love you as she walked on trembling legs toward him. She reached him, and Danny put her hand on Drake’s. She couldn’t look away from his beloved face and the devotion in his eyes.

  Pastor Jerry began to speak, and Kate tried to focus on his words about love and marriage, but a giggle built in her chest as she remembered the priest from The Princess Bride. It was sitting beside Drake that evening watching that movie that she’d felt the first stirrings of what she later came to recognize as love.

  He squeezed her hand, and seeing the laughter in his eyes, she knew he was remembering too. She swallowed down the giggle and repeated her vows to the only man who had ever held her heart. Her new life was starting as twilight deepened the colors on the blueberry barrens, and it was just as it should be, with her hand and heart safe in Drake’s embrace.

  DEAR READER,

  Shew, we made it through another book together! It was great fun for me to go back to Maine in this story. Have you ever been there? It’s like stepping back in time, and I love that beautiful wild coastline.

  I wanted to explore how often we try to earn the love of everyone around us. We get so focused on making sure people like us that we never relax and be ourselves. We often even apply that mindset to God and try to earn his love as well. Kate had a lot of growing to do in that area. She had to learn to spread her wings and dream a little.

  I love hearing from you! I read and answer all my own e-mail, so let me know your thoughts anytime.

  Much love,

  Colleen

  colleencoble.com

  P.S. If you’d like to try Kate’s okra brownies, here is the recipe:

  4 ounces Lily’s chocolate chips

  ¾ cup butter (1½ sticks)

  ¾ cup frozen okra

  3 large eggs

  ½ cup xylitol

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  2 pinches mineral salt

  ¼ cup coconut flour

  ½ cup coarsely chopped black walnuts (or pecans)

  Melt chocolate with butter on low heat. Meanwhile, put partially thawed okra in blender or food processer with eggs and blend until smooth. Add xylitol, vanilla, salt, and flour to chocolate mixture, then add okra/egg mixture and nuts. Stir together and put in greased 8 × 8-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Have you ever had a serious illness? Did it change your priorities?

  2. What is your view on discipline? Did you identify with Kate or Drake?

  3. Kate always felt she needed to prove her worth because of the way she was raised. Is there anything in your uprbringing that has impacted how you relate to people?

  4. Drake had a lot of things to juggle in his life. Do you think he had his priorities in the right order?

  5. Trying to please other people seems to be a common trait with women. Is that good or bad?

  6. Many of us have lost a loved one. What do you think is the most important thing to do to heal?

  7. God gives all of us gifts and sometimes we don’t notice. Is there any gift of yours that you’re not using? If so, what’s holding you back?

  8. Have you ever been faced with leaving people you love behind in a move? How did you handle it?

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I’m so blessed to belong to the amazing Thomas Nelson dream team! I’ve been with my great fiction publishing house for fourteen years, and it’s been such an inspiring time as I’ve learned more and more about the writing process from my terrific team. I’m blessed to work closely with my editor, Amanda Bostic, and publisher, Daisy Hutton. They are both dear to my heart and have taught me so much!

  Marketing director Paul Fisher is my go-to guy for marketing ideas and has such a great grasp of how to get my books in front of new readers. Kristen Golden (Goldie) took over helping me with promotion and has fabulous ideas. Plus I just love her eidetic memory. Fabulous cover guru Kristen Ingebretson works hard to create the perfect cover—and does. You rock, Kristen! And, of course, I can’t forget the other friends in my amazing fiction family: Becky Monds, Jodi Hughes, Karli Jackson, Samantha Buck, Stephen Tindal, and Becky Philpott. You are all such a big part of my life. I wish I could name all the great folks at Thomas Nelson who work on selling my books through different venues. I’m truly blessed!

  Julee Schwarzburg is a dream editor to work with. She totally gets romantic suspense, and our partnership is pure joy. She brought some terrific ideas to the table with this book—as always!

  My agent, Karen Solem, has helped shape my career in many ways, and that includes kicking an idea to the curb when necessary. And my critique partner, Denise Hunter, is the best sounding board ever. Thanks, friends!

  I’m so grateful for my husband, Dave, who carts me around from city to city, washes towels, and chases down dinner without complaint. My kids, Dave and Kara (and now Donna and Mark), and my grandsons, James and Jorden Packer, love and support me in every way possible, and my little Alexa makes every day a joy. She’s talking like a grown-up now, and having her spend the night is more fun than I can tell you. And you know how I love coffee! My son-in-law, Mark, has a coffee-roasting business now, Capta
inDavysCoffeeRoaster.com, and he sends me the most fabulous IR roasted coffee. You’ll notice my characters drink it!

  Most important, I give my thanks to God, who has opened such amazing doors for me and makes the journey a golden one.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo by Clik Chick Photography

  Colleen Coble is a USA Today bestselling author and RITA finalist best known for her romantic suspense novels, including Tidewater Inn, Rosemary Cottage, and the Mercy Falls, Lonestar, and Rock Harbor series.

  * * *

  Visit her website at www.colleencoble.com

  Twitter: @colleencoble

  Facebook: colleencoblebooks

  ENJOY AN EXCERPT FROM CARRIE STUART PARKS’ WHEN DEATH DRAWS NEAR

  PROLOGUE

  Miriam knew, she knew tonight would be the night the Holy Spirit would anoint her. The tingling filled her chest and ran down her arms. “Shananamamascaca,” she whispered in prayer language, spinning to the pounding, driving music.

  The Spirit was powerful in the church tonight. Around her, the congregation, led by Pastor Grady Maynard, danced, twirled, and praised the Lord in tongues. The bare lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling cast a harsh yellow light on the worshipers. The odor of candles, sweat, and musty carpet rose like incense. Arms were raised, voices lifted, eyes closed.

  The burning power of the Holy Spirit rushed through Miriam’s body. An indescribable sense of joy and peace filled her to overflowing. Time was meaningless. The music faded, singing muffled, shouts muted. Her lips moved in a prayer she could barely hear. “Shaaaanaamaascaca.” Tears slid down her face, pooling on her chin.