It's Always Been You (Seasons of Hope Book 4)
Page 11
“I never got around to it.” Cassie waddled toward her, about to pop. Due next month. Twins. Cassie said Jax nearly had a breakdown at that doctor’s appointment. She would have liked to have seen that.
“In two years?” Sierra asked.
Jax held a pair tongs. “Don’t get me started on that again.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” Cassie rubbed her enormous belly. “The summer pranks have begun. Someone toilet papered the square. Carol got security cameras at the Last Course.”
“Blast that little punk Brett Minor.” Audrey balled her fists. Didn’t look like she’d ever gotten over the fact that her van had been stolen. They’d found it in the middle of the cow pasture, cows grazing around it. Flowers wilted. They could never prove Brett’s guilt. But they knew. Down deep.
Ezra kissed Sierra’s cheek and made his way to the grill. A man’s water cooler.
Cassie collapsed into a lawn chair. “Been by The Bistro?”
“We just got into town,” Sierra said, and took a glass of lemonade from Eden. She and Audrey perched at the picnic table. “Jaynie’s done a fabulous job running it. I’m so proud of her.”
When they’d left for France, she couldn’t sell the legacy. Instead, Ezra convinced her to keep it open and let Jaynie take the helm. Paul Monteith had gotten over his infatuation with Sierra and had been dating Jaynie for the last eight months. He lived in the lovely gray home. Alone. For now.
Cassie shifted. “These babies need to come on already. I’m dying.”
At least they’d be here for that. They’d had the cottage remodeled and purchased the lake house next door from the Davis’s. They were turning it into a bed-and-breakfast, and starting their family in the lake cottage. Ezra would also run the Chicago gallery.
“You going to get back in the choir since you’re home?” Audrey asked.
“Did your preacher husband put you up to asking that?” Cassie snorted.
“No,” Audrey said and snatched a brownie. “Just curious.”
They spent two hours catching up, passing babies around, and eating.
“Hey, fireworks are starting,” Knox said.
“I’m too big and fat to waddle to the water. Let’s watch from here,” Cassie said as Jax sat beside her.
“Fine by me,” Eden said and cuddled Rachel on her lap. “Eli, you can go down to the water.”
“Can I go too, Daddy?” Daisy Ray asked.
“Yeah, baby. Be careful.”
The two ripped across the yard toward the lake.
Knox draped his arm around Eden.
If Sierra hadn’t taken the plunge and trusted God even when she was afraid, she would never have had these amazing opportunities to fall in love again, be a wife and mom, and travel.
She looked around at the friends she considered family and thanked God for painting the canvas of her life with vivid colors and strategic strokes as He created a masterpiece of faith, love, and hope. Whatever season. It was always a season of second chances with God.
Ezra caught her eye, winked.
Baby Chance jumped in her womb.
And bursts of color exploded in the night sky almost as bright as the joy in her heart.
Other books by Jessica R. Patch
Hope Under Mistletoe: Book 1, Seasons of Hope
Just the Way You Are: Book 2, Seasons of Hope
More Than Words: Book 3, Seasons of Hope
Fatal Reunion (Love Inspired Suspense) releases January 2016
Protective Duty (Love Inspired Suspense) releases June 2016
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A note from the author
Sierra struggled with a couple of things. The fear of the unknown and disappointing others, including God. I think for her it boiled down to not trusting God completely. We have to trust Him to guide us to the unknown places. We have to take those steps of faith, don’t we? It’s never easy. Uncertainty scares me! I like to know where I’m going and what is going to happen when I get there. But our journey with Jesus isn’t always laid out in a nice outlined itinerary. I pray that after reading Sierra’s fears, you’ll be courageous enough to overcome your own.
Ezra tried to use his gift of painting to heal his broken heart and fill empty places instead of turning to God. And that never works. Not for long anyway. He learned that God gave him those abilities to use for His glory alone, not replace God. I pray that if you’re running to other outlets to heal your heart, you’ll remember that God can and does heal. It hurts a little, and sometimes a lot, but He’s good and faithful and can be trusted to mend us to wholeness.
I love to hear from readers. You can email me at jessica@jessicarpatch.com or visit my FACEBOOK page, my BLOG, and join me (@jessicarpatch) on TWITTER. And don’t forget about It’s Always Been You Pinterest page! Come by and see who I cast for Ezra and Sierra, as well as take a peek at some of the fun scenes from the book.
Warmly,
Jessica
About the Author
Jessica R. Patch lives in the mid-south where she pens inspirational contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. When she’s not hunched over her laptop or going on adventurous trips in the name of research with willing friends, you can find her sneaking off to movies with her husband, watching way too much Netflix with her daughter, dominating her son at board games, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she'll probably never cook. Fatal Reunion releases from Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense in January 2016 and is available now for order in eBook and Paperback. She is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.
Acknowledgments
As always, I have so many people to thank. A book takes more than one person to come to life on the page. Any mistakes or typos that may have been left are all on me.
To my husband: I love the way you color my world. I’m forever grateful for you.
To my children: You always make me laugh and respect my writing time. You’re the fun splashes of paint on the canvas of my life. I love you two!
My agent Rachel Kent with Books & Such Literary Management: I treasure your partnership, your feedback, and your godly wisdom. Thank you for pushing me to write stronger and take chances.
Susan Tuttle: We’ve brainstormed this whole series through laughter and tears, all mine of course, but you listened, encouraged me, and kept me pressing on. Thank you.
Jill Kemerer: Thank you for believing in me and treating my books as if they were your own. I appreciate you carving out time to help me when I know you are on major deadlines! I owe you lots of chocolate and hot beverages.
Michelle Massaro: Thank you for taking the time to put your editorial eyes on each line of this story when you had a lot on your plate. Anything that slipped through the cracks is on me because of rewrites after you finished!
Vickie Carroll: Thank you for always being willing to read and give me honest feedback. I love our early morning Starbucks chats.
Melanie Williamson: Thank you for always being willing to proofread. If there are any typos, it’s my fault for toying with it again after you read it!
Cynthia Herron, Brett Minor, and Jeff Redding: Thank you for your prank ideas. I hope you have fun seeing your names as characters in the story!
Table of Contents
It’s Always Been You
Copyright
Title Page
Dedication
Unnamed
Chapter TWO
Chapter THREE
Chapter FOUR
Chapter FIVE
Chapter SIX
Chapter SEVEN
Chapter EIGHT
Chapter NINE
Chapter TEN
Chapter ELEVEN
A note from the author
About the author
Acknowledgments