Jayme's Journey

by Laura Scott

  “She stayed in class to take notes.” Caitlyn looked surprised as everyone rose to their feet to welcome the youngest sibling with hugs.

  Tears pricked at Jayme’s eyes as she realized Gage was right about how blessed they were to be there together.

  “Caitlyn, you look amazing,” Hailey gushed. “So grown up! I’m not sure I would have recognized you on the street.”

  “I totally agree,” Darby chimed in. “You’re beautiful.”

  “You’re here.” Caitlyn’s expression was dazed as she looked from one foster sibling to the other. “You’re all here.”

  More introductions were made to include Caitlyn.

  “I hope there’s not a test.” Caitlyn plopped down onto the sofa beside Jayme. “I’ll fail for sure.”

  “No test,” Jayme assured her. Then she turned to look at her foster family. That they’d come so far out of their way to visit was humbling. Her gaze turned serious. “I have some news to share. You should probably know the Preacher didn’t die in the fire that night.”

  “What?” Sawyer’s expression was shocked. “He must have died, I poisoned him and Ruth with pokeweed berries hidden in the blueberry pie.”

  “And I spilled moonshine all over the floor beneath their bed,” Darby added.

  “I brought in wet wood,” Trent admitted. “Figured the smoke was part of the reason they never got out of the cabin.”

  “I spilled my oil paints and left them near my sketchbook,” Cooper said. “I thought for sure that’s how the fire grew out of control.”

  “Hold on,” Jayme said, lifting her burned hand in the air. “I had no idea you all felt responsible for the fire, but it was me. I was the one who started it. The Preacher was trying to pin me down to, uh—well, it doesn’t matter. I hit him with the oil lantern. The fire started on the sofa.” She displayed her hand. “This is where I was burned that day.”

  The group fell silent, staring in shock.

  “I never knew,” Hailey whispered. “I smelled the smoke and woke the others, but I didn’t realize you actually started the fire.”

  “Not on purpose,” Jayme said somewhat defensively. “But yeah, I was desperate to get away.” She glanced at Sawyer. “Pokeweed berries? No wonder Ruth stayed in her room.”

  “I didn’t know the Preacher attacked you, Jayme.” Sawyer’s expression was grim. “I’m glad you started the fire, although I’m not happy you were burned. Still, the fire is the reason we escaped that night.”

  “That’s true,” Cooper added. The others nodded in agreement. “You saved our lives, Jayme. I’m just sorry you had to be burned while doing that.”

  “But I don’t understand. How do you know the Preacher is still alive?” Darby asked, pressing a hand to her abdomen as if she felt sick. “Have you seen him?”

  “Yes.” Jayme stared at her feet for a moment. “He taunted me by starting fires—my car, the physical therapy clinic where I work, Linc’s car.” She drew in a deep breath. “Then he drugged me and took me to my house. There, he tied me to a chair and tried to burn me alive.”

  “No!” Trent stared in horror. “That’s terrible. I can’t believe he found you after all this time!”

  Jayme nodded. “Me either. Like you, I had assumed he was dead. Linc found his and Ruth’s obituary.”

  “It was terrifying,” Caitlyn added. “He was obsessed with seeking revenge on Jayme.”

  “I’m fine, though.” Jayme glanced over to where Linc watched. “Linc saved my life. And don’t worry, the Preacher has been found and placed in police custody.” She smiled rather grimly. “The good news is that he’ll spend the rest of his life in jail where he’ll never hurt anyone ever again.”

  A heavy silence fell amongst the group as they digested this information.

  “Praise God,” Sawyer finally said.

  “Yes, thank You, Lord,” Hailey agreed.

  Jayme was stunned as the rest of the fosters all joined in their praise to God. Not only had each of the fosters survived, but they’d also thrived. Had fallen in love, gotten married or engaged, and despite everything they’d been through, they’d become believers.

  Well, except for Caitlyn, whom she’d barely had time to talk to about God. Still, the look on her youngest sister’s face indicated she was open to the idea.

  A warm joy spread through her. God really had been watching out for them. For all of them. God had brought Linc into her life when she needed him the most. Her gaze locked with Linc’s across the room. He smiled, and as if he knew what she was thinking, he mouthed the words, “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Linc.” she said loud enough for everyone to hear. “Very much.”

  “Yay!” Caitlyn clapped her hands. “I hoped you two would get together.” Her youngest sister beamed. “I knew you would be perfect for each other.”

  Jayme smiled and shook her head in amazement as the others joined the celebration. “Cheers to Linc and Jayme,” Cooper said, raising his water bottle.

  The others lifted their water bottles in a toast. Their excitement only grew more frenzied when Linc announced the pizzas had arrived.

  “Smells great,” Trent said, rising to his feet and offering his hand to his wife.

  “You can always eat,” Serena teased, jabbing him with her elbow.

  The group moved from Linc’s living area into the kitchen. She was about to stand when Linc came over with a plate. “Don’t move, I’ve got you covered.”

  “Oh, Linc.” She took the plate and gazed up into his dark eyes. “I can’t thank you enough. This is the best pizza party ever.”

  “Your family is incredible.” He reached up to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. “The way you all triumphed over your past to find faith, hope, and love is amazing.”

  “It really is,” she agreed. She set the plate aside and shifted toward him. “I love you, Lincoln Quade.”

  “And I love you, Jayme Weston.” He lowered his head to hers, and she gladly kissed him.

  When the entire room burst into applause, she broke off the kiss and shook her head ruefully. “How embarrassing.”

  “Never,” Linc said in a husky voice. “They’re happy for you, Jayme. For us.”

  “I know, it’s just, it’s all still so new.” She glanced at him. “After taking care of me for a few weeks, you might change your mind.”

  “Not a chance.” Linc didn’t hesitate to kiss her again. “Have faith, Jayme. Our love will get us through, no matter what.”

  As Jayme soaked up the joy and laughter of her foster family surrounding them, she believed God’s journey had brought her here to him.

  Epilogue

  Hailey’s wedding day . . .

  Linc pushed Jayme’s wheelchair from the church into the gathering area where they would have a light lunch. “The ceremony was so wonderful,” Jayme gushed.

  “Hailey made a beautiful bride.” He gazed down at Jayme, realizing he’d misspoke. This woman he loved with his whole heart would be a stunning bride.

  “The only bummer is being stuck in this wheelchair.” Jayme grimaced. “Sorry, I know I promised to stop complaining.”

  “You don’t have to apologize to me, Jayme.” He understood how frustrated she’d been with being restricted to a wheelchair. Being immobile and dependent on others wasn’t easy, especially not for someone who’d been independent as long as Jayme had been. The good news was that her burned feet were healing nicely. At their last visit, the doc seemed to think she’d be able to walk on them by the end of the month.

  “How are you feeling?” Darby came over to stand beside them. Darby had been Hailey’s matron of honor, her little boy, Leo, the ring bearer. Cooper had stood up as Rock’s best man. Linc thought it was awesome how Hailey and Rock had included several of the fosters in their celebration.

  And that they were all able to attend the wedding.

  “I’m fine,” Jayme assured her. “Leo did such a wonderful job as ring bearer.”

  “He was a star
,” Darby agreed with a smile. She glanced over at her husband who was chasing Leo. “Gage is a wonderful father.”

  Over the course of the reunion, he and Jayme had learned how several of the fosters had overcome their fears to fall in love. Hailey had tried to ditch Rock several times before accepting his help. Sawyer had convinced Naomi to trust him to help care for her younger sister. Darby had betrayed Gage to save herself and her unborn child, but Gage had won her back. Mia had tried to leave Cooper so that he wouldn’t have to give up his newly found foster family. Serena had refused to give up on Trent, despite his issues with alcohol abuse.

  They emulated the epitome of love and acceptance.

  When they were all gathered together, each holding a glass of sparkling grape juice, Linc cleared his throat. “I know we’re here today to celebrate Hailey and Rock, and I do want to congratulate the both of you on your new life together.”

  “Here, here,” Trent shouted.

  “But I hope you don’t mind if I take a moment for Jayme,” Linc pressed.

  “Of course not,” Hailey assured him. “We each owe our lives to her.”

  He nodded, suspecting most of the fosters would feel that way. He turned and dropped to one knee beside Jayme’s wheelchair. He held up the diamond engagement ring that Caitlyn had helped him choose. “Jayme, will you please marry me?”

  Jayme gaped in surprise, then flushed and laughed. “Yes, Linc. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  “Cheers to Jayme and Linc!” Cooper said, lifting his glass of sparkling grape juice.

  “Yay, sis!” Caitlyn rushed over to give Jayme a hug. “I’m so happy for you both.”

  “Does this mean you’ll invite us to your wedding?” Trent teased. “I really like these family reunions.”

  Darby laughed. “I can get on board with that plan.”

  “Me too,” Hailey agreed. “Having all of you here today has made our wedding very special.”

  “Welcome to the family, Linc,” Sawyer said. “We’re happy to have you.”

  Linc smiled down at Jayme. This was God’s plan for him, and as much as he missed Gina and Melody, he was truly blessed to be given a second chance at love. At a family. A much bigger family than he’d anticipated.

  “How do you feel about a Christmas wedding?” he murmured to Jayme. “I’m thinking your feet will have healed by then. And there’s no better time for another family reunion than right before the holidays.”

  “I love it,” she whispered. “But not as much as I love you, Linc.”

  He kissed her. “I love you more.” Now and forever.

  * * *

  Thank you so much for reading Jayme’s Journey. I hope you enjoyed all the books in my Smoky Mountain Secrets series. If you’re curious about Caitlyn’s story, I’ve written a Christmas Novella to give her the happily ever after she deserves. Would you like to read Caitlyn’s Christmas? Click Here!

  Dear Reader

  Thanks again to all of you who took the time to let me know how much you’ve enjoyed this series. I wanted to write a series of stories about a group of kids who were bonded through tragedy and who rose above their awful past to find God and love.

  If you enjoyed this story, please consider taking a moment to leave a review. Reviews are very important to authors, and I would really appreciate your kind gesture.

  I’m truly blessed to have such wonderful readers! Please know I’d love to hear from you! I can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LauraScottBooks, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/laurascottbooks, and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laurascottbooks/. I can also be reached through my website at https://www.laurascottbooks.com. If you’re interested in hearing about my new releases, consider signing up for my newsletter. You’ll receive a free novella that is not available for purchase through any platform. It is exclusive only to my newsletter subscribers.

  Lastly, this series wouldn’t be complete if Caitlyn didn’t also find love. Next month, I’ll release Caitlyn’s Christmas! I’ve included a sneak peek here.

  Until next time,

  Laura Scott

  Caitlyn’s Christmas

  Caitlyn Weston gasped and slammed on the brakes as a white animal streaked across the road. Wrenching her small car over onto the shoulder, she immediately pushed open her driver’s side door to climb out, despite the blustery December wind.

  The animal had been a small cat, and she was fairly certain she’d glimpsed blood marring the side of his or her coat. As a veterinary technician, she adored animals and couldn’t bear the idea of this small cat being out in the cold, especially while injured. She glanced over her shoulder nervously as she quickly headed into the woods where the cat had disappeared. Her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee, nestled near the Smoky Mountains, was only five miles away. Still, it was late, just after midnight, and the moon and the stars were hidden behind thick clouds.

  “Here, kitty. Nice kitty.” The white cat might be feral, although she found it strange that it would be running around this far out of town where it would be more likely to end up as a coyote’s meal ticket.

  “Kitty? Nice kitty?” she called again. Patches of snow lingered from a storm a few days ago making it difficult to see the white cat.

  There! Light-colored eyes winked at her from the darkness.

  “Here, kitty.” She wished she had food to entice the animal closer. While working at the veterinary clinic, she always had treats in her pockets. Tonight, though, she’d been out on a date, a failed experiment since Nate Powers, the guy she’d been with, had been far more interested in the female lead in the country-western band they’d gone to hear. She doubted he’d even noticed she’d left.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” she murmured, edging closer. “I just want to help. You’re cold and hungry, right? I can help you.”

  The cat blinked but didn’t move. Caitlyn came a little closer, frowning when she realized the feline was shivering. She unwrapped the red scarf from around her neck and held it out. “Here, kitty. Do you want to warm up?”

  She’d been told by Dr. John Vice, one of the veterinary docs at the clinic, that she had a voice animals responded well to. She continued inching toward the cat when the ball of fur stood and came over to nose the scarf.

  Yes! Caitlyn slowly and carefully folded the other end of the red scarf around the cat. The feline burrowed into the scarf, seeking warmth and comfort.

  Definitely not a stray, she thought as she gathered the cat and the scarf up from the ground. Cradling the animal to her chest, she wondered if the cat was microchipped as she turned to head back to her car.

  A muffled scream stopped her dead in her tracks.

  What was that?

  Caitlyn turned, raking her gaze over the wooded area. Some wild animals could sound like people, especially while mating. Was that what she’d heard? She took another step when she heard a deep male voice.

  “You’re going to pay, not me!”

  “No, please—”

  A harsh slapping sound made her gasp. Caitlyn shivered as repressed memories of the time she lived with the Preacher flashed in her mind. The Preacher had slapped her across the face when one of the older foster kids had stood up to him in a way he deemed unacceptable. He’d liked using her as a pawn to control her older foster siblings.

  But that was a long time ago. She was safe now.

  Yet another woman wasn’t.

  She needed to do something. She had her phone, but she was worried the man might hear her make a 911 call. Maybe she could take him by surprise, give the woman enough time to get away. Yes, that was a good plan.

  But first she had to find them.

  Easing through the woods, she made her way toward the muffled sounds of someone struggling.

  Movement between two thick trees caught her attention. The cat in her arms began to purr, making her wince. Was the sound loud enough to be heard by the arguing couple? She made her way through the brush as silently as possible. Where were they? Finally
, she was close enough to see them. A tall man wearing a black coat was using his large hands to choke a woman with long dark hair. Her heart thundered in her chest as she watched in horror. How long had he held her like that? How long had it taken her to get through the woods? Too long. The woman’s entire body was slack as he continued cutting off the circulation to her brain.

  No! Caitlyn fumbled for her phone but then froze when the woman dropped in a crumpled heap to the ground. Even from here, she could see the whites of the woman’s open eyes, staring up at the dark sky. The man glared down at her for long moments, breathing heavily, before mumbling something under his breath and turning away.

  Run!

  Caitlyn sensed there was nothing she could do for the woman now. She’d been too late. The woman was dead.

  And the man could easily kill her too.

  Shrinking backward, she retraced her steps, trying to remember where she’d left her car. The sense of urgency propelled her forward, and she feared she was making too much noise. That the man who’d just murdered that poor woman would realize she’d seen him.

  The cat in her arms was silent now, maybe realizing the precariousness of her position. Tossing a furtive glance over her shoulder, she nearly tripped over a log half hidden in a patch of snow.

  When she burst through the trees, Caitlyn nearly sobbed in relief when she saw her small gray Honda. She ran toward it, yanking the door open and sliding in behind the wheel. Keeping the cat on her lap, she started the car and gunned the engine. Peeling away from the side of the road, she didn’t have time to relax. The moment she drove around the bend, she saw the dark pickup truck. And the man striding purposefully toward it.

  Her headlights flickered over him, and she caught a better look at his face.

  And recognized him. Not by name, but his face. The guy had been at the tavern called Flannery’s where she’d met up with Nate to hear the country band. For a split second, their eyes locked before she passed him.