“Nuh-uh!” Ben said. “Tell her, Uncle J!”
Meridith looked up at Jake’s handsome face. “Yeah, tell me, Uncle J.”
He smoothed her hair back, tucked it behind her ear. “Talked to Mr. Goldman yesterday and explained everything. If you want to keep Summer Place, they’re willing to forfeit the property.”
“But they really wanted it.”
“Apparently Mrs. Goldman thinks all this is terribly romantic. And I think between the two of us, we could stay afloat. But it’s your call.”
The joy that bubbled up from inside overflowed in the form of a smile. “As long as we’re together. That’s what matters.”
Noelle whooped, and a group hug followed.
The rapping of the gavel drew them apart.
“I hate to interrupt a good reunion,” the judge said, allowing a small grin. “But I have a schedule to keep. Can I assume we have a happy ending here?”
“Yes, Your Honor.” Jake wrapped his arm around her waist. “A very happy ending.”
“Well, congratulations are in order then. But there’s still the matter of immediate guardianship . . . unless you’re planning a spontaneous visit downstairs to the Justice of the Peace.”
Meridith looked at Jake and found his eyes on hers, his brows lifted. What do you think? his eyes asked.
What did she think? She thought life was full of changes and upheaval. She thought that sometimes love could hurt and feelings could be messy, potentially painful. But she also knew Jake was right. That the wonder and joy of the love that filled her now was worth that risk.
Meridith felt her lips curling upward. She nodded.
Jake’s grin turned into a full-fledged smile. He turned to the judge. “Downstairs, you said?”
The children whooped and hollered.
The judge tapped his gavel. “All right, all right. Settle down, and let’s get this done. You’ll need to apply for a marriage license and you’ll need a court waiver for the three-day waiting period. Fortunately, I can help with that.”
He cleared his throat. “Now, upon the immediate marriage of Mr. Walker and Ms. Ward, I’ll grant shared custody of the three Ward children, if that’s agreeable to you all.” He pointed the gavel at Meridith and Jake. “And remember, you’re still under oath.”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Jake said.
“Yes, I accept.” Meridith met Jake’s gaze and saw the promises reflected there, felt the love she’d longed for all her life.
The judge shuffled his papers. “Fine, fine. I now pronounce you a family. We stand adjourned.” He gave a hard tap with the gavel. “Now, go get married.”
Dear Friend,
If you’re familiar with Nantucket, you’ll know that Driftwood Lane is a fictional street. I take special care to get the details right, so I hope you’ll grant me artistic license in this one thing.
I hope you’ve been entertained and inspired by the special love between Meridith and Jake. Meridith learned through her relationship with Jake that her fear was robbing her of life’s greatest joys. Maybe you’ve faced your own fears, whatever they are, and found that doing so will ultimately set you free, just as it did for Meridith.
Writing this letter is bittersweet because it marks the end of my journey to Nantucket with you. I’ve learned so much about God’s love through these four stories and I hope you have too. Going on these adventures would be no fun without you, so thank you, friend, for coming along for the ride. May God bless you and your family with His lavish love.
— In His Grace,
Denise
Reading Group Guide
1. Meridith’s father left her the gift and responsibility of his children. Has God ever given you a responsibility that you felt was more than you could handle? What did you do about it?
2. Meridith knew about her siblings before she was asked to be their guardian, but she didn’t know them personally until she came to the island. Do you think it’s possible to know about God but not know Him personally? Why or why not?
3. Meridith’s unstable childhood left her with the need to control everything around her. How does this kind of control give us a false sense of security?
4. Jake had a way of making Meridith feel unsettled. Has God ever made you feel unsettled? Are you afraid to let Him have control over every aspect of your life?
5. Piper was afraid of leaving her yard because doing so in the past had caused her pain. Have you ever had the whole world at your feet and settled for the yard?
6. Jake brought a lot of changes and growth in Meridith before she even knew who he was. Has there ever been a situation where God worked, unrecognized, in your life? How did you come to recognize His handiwork?
7. When Meridith realized Jake could offer the children more stability than she, she gave them up. How does this show her coming full circle in light of her childhood?
8. Driftwood is symbolic in the story. In what ways does it symbolize Meridith or, for that matter, all of us?
Acknowledgments
I am so grateful to the fiction team at Thomas Nelson: Publisher Allen Arnold, Amanda Bostic, Jocelyn Bailey, Kathy Carabajal, Jennifer Deshler, Natalie Hanemann, Chris Long, Ami McConnell, Heather McCulloch, Becky Monds, Ashley Schneider, Katie Bond, Kristen Vasgaard, and Micah Walker. You all work tirelessly to plan, perfect, produce, and place my books on the shelves where readers can find them. Thank you!
My editor, Natalie Hanemann, made this a better story with her insight and encouragement. LB Norton helped me fine-tune the story. My readers, thank you! Thanks also to my agent, Karen Solem, who handles all the messy contract stuff and provides invaluable wisdom.
A certain amount of research is necessary for the telling of any story, and sometimes there’s no other way to find answers but to ask someone. Elizabeth M. Brown, a tax collector from Nantucket, was so kind to provide me with details and documents on property taxes. Attorney and fellow author Cara Putman let me pick her brain about the legalities of guardianship. Chad Hunter provided some necessary details for the characterization of Jake.
This story was conceived at Logan’s Roadhouse on my fortieth birthday during a brainstorming session with my writing buddies, Colleen Coble and Diann Hunt. Thanks, girls, for the help and the meal!
Lastly, thank you, friend, for coming along this journey with me. I’d love to hear from you! You can visit my Web site at www.Denise HunterBooks.com or e-mail me at [email protected]. I’m also on Twitter (twitter.com/denisehunter) and Facebook if you care to follow me.
Four Women.
Four Love Stories.
One Island.
Escape to Nantucket.
AVAILABLE NOW.
She came to Big Sky
in search of answers.
What she found
was something
far more lasting.
A Cowboy’s Touch
The first in a new series by best-selling author Denise Hunter.
AVAILABLE APRIL 2011
Driftwood Lane Page 27
