“Yeah,” Bo added. “It’s your life. But Tru, you’re not being fair to either one of you. I’m not saying I’m ready to jump into the pond, but I believe you owe Maggie the truth.”
Tru left then, walked out and went home. But the questions rolled in his head like thunder. Had he taken the easy way out?
And should he have let Maggie decide?
Truth was, if he let Maggie know the truth, then he had to face the hard truth that she could feel sorry for him, and that was something he just couldn’t take.
Maggie woke at seven, loaded her overnight bag into her car with the rest of her stuff, and headed for home. Back to the city and her apartment.
She had a checklist of things to do.
Forget Tru Monahan was at the top of the list.
Talk to Amanda and tell her the truth. She’d felt terrible not letting her in on what had really happened in Wishing Springs—not for her show but for her as a friend.
Start getting her two bedroom apartment ready for Jenna, whom she planned on picking up the next weekend. She was encouraged that Jenna was staying with Peg and Lana long enough to make some decisions about contact with the Hansons and Hope. Adoptions were so different than they once were and Maggie felt better about Jenna’s choice after she stepped back. Just like Tru told her, she had been making choices for Jenna based purely on emotion. Emotion that involved her need to keep a mother and child together, because she herself longed for her own mother to have wanted her. Maggie admired Jenna more now though than even before. Right or wrong, in her heart of hearts Jenna believed this was the right choice. And it hadn’t been made lightly.
And then once more on her list: Forget Tru Monahan.
Maggie stopped at a gas station in town before heading to Houston.
She went in to grab a soda, hoping a little sugar would perk her up. And right there splashed across three different tabloids were pictures of her and Tru.
Maggie’s mouth fell open at what they said. Scrawled across one: Monahan Finds True Love—Only to Be Dumped by Scheming Columnist. One claimed she was an alien. But the last one was of them hugging outside the hospital the day Jenna had had the baby. She was crying and the headline read: All Hope Lost—Cancer Drug Results Reveal Champ Can’t Father Children.
Maggie stared at that. Then she picked it up . . .
Tru was an idiot. He’d said it before and he’d say it again.
He tore out of Pebble’s parking lot and headed through town hoping to find Maggie saying good-bye to some of the friends she’d made. He figured Clara Lyn and Reba’s were the first stops on his way out to Over the Rainbow.
He was breaking the speed limit as he passed the corner gas station and caught a glimpse of her car. An electric shot of joy jolted him as he slammed on the brakes then did a U-turn and drove in front of her, blocking her exit.
She was storming out of the store as he pushed his door open.
“Maggie, we need to talk.”
“That sounds like a good thing for us to do, except I think I’ve told you everything there is to know about me.”
She was hotter than a firecracker, he realized a little late.
“Mag—”
“Nope, just hold on there. I don’t know how I missed this. How I could have read all about your background and cancer at such a young age after you told me and then missed this detail.” She slapped a paper at him. Her gaze singed him. “Is this true?”
He fumbled with it and saw it claimed she was an alien. He almost laughed, but something warned him maybe now wasn’t the time for that. “No,” he said instead.
“Good to know. How about this one?”
“Ow,” he said, as she slapped him in the chest with another one. It claimed he’d dumped the scheming columnist. “No. These things are not true, Maggie. What is wrong with you? Those rags are worthless.”
Her eyes glittered and he saw tears. “How about this one?” She pushed the last one at him.
He was so startled by her tears he almost dropped the paper. He stared down at the headlines and his heart took a roller coaster ride over the edge of a cliff as the words jumped out at him: All Hope Lost—Cancer Drug Results Reveal Champ Can’t Father Children.
“That one is the truth, isn’t it, Tru?” Her words dripped with accusation.
He couldn’t lie to her direct question. Somehow the story had been leaked or some reporter had put two and two together with childhood cancer and infertility and was simply shooting out a story that happened to be true. Either way, Maggie knew.
“Yes, it’s true,” he answered gently, not wanting to cause any more pain to fill her gaze.
“You love me, don’t you?”
Her question startled him. “Huh?”
She slapped a hand to her hip. “Tru Monahan, I swear you had better level with me because I have just about reached the end of my patience. You love me.” She stepped toward him. He backed up. “Say it.”
He bumped into his truck and stopped. She didn’t. She walked right up to him. If he lived to be two hundred, he’d never understand the female brain. “Yes, Maggie, I love you.”
“I knew it! And all this time you put me through this torture.” Sparks reignited in her eyes.
“Maggie, help a guy out. I came to talk to you to try and tell you the truth.”
She was standing so close their toes were touching.
“You lied to me. You love me and yet you didn’t tell me about the cancer drug. You didn’t tell me about the children.”
“The lack of children. I couldn’t do that to you. You told me you loved me, but you want a houseful of kids. I can’t offer you any of your dreams, and I found it out after falling for you.”
“You are the answer to my dreams. I want the man I love first. The man I trust. The man who makes me not feel alone anymore. I need him. I need you, Tru. I need and want you first. And then we’ll see what our future holds. If you want a future with me?”
“Do I want you?” Tru didn’t wait, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a fierce embrace. “Do I want you? How does forever sound? Maggie, I need you so bad. I want you like I want air and sunshine. Honey, I’ve got no hope without you. I’m nothing without you.”
Maggie’s soft lips trembled and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh, Tru, I’m so in the same boat.”
“Kiss her, for cryin’ out loud,” Clara Lyn’s distinctive twang carried on the wind.
Tru looked up and Maggie turned her head and they spotted Clara Lyn and Reba standing outside the Cut Up and Roll along with several ladies in plastic beauty capes and in various stages of beauty applications. Including the formidable form of Bertha, hands on hips and a plastic cap on her head.
“Well, go on, now. Don’t just stand there,” Clara Lyn called, laughingly. “I’ve got to get this perm solution off of Bertha’s hair or she’ll be bald. And no one wants to make Bertha bald—it’d just make her mad.”
Bertha cocked her head to the side, her lips pinched. She still looked more like a drill sergeant than a nurse. “Kiss the man, Maggie. You know you’re wanting to.”
Tru reached behind him, opened his truck and pulled Maggie into a semblance of seclusion. “Maggie, I want you to be my wife more than anything, but you have to be sure. We can adopt. We can do whatever you want. But you have to be sure.”
Maggie was smiling. She couldn’t help it. This was really happening. “All I’ve ever wanted was to have a family that loved me. And Tru, that starts with you, and then we work our way up from there. Now, please make everyone happy and kiss me.”
That amazing, beautiful smile bloomed across his dear face and warmed Maggie through and through. “For the rest of my life,” he said, and then he lowered his head and kissed her. And he took his time, long and slow because they had forever . . . across the street, claps and whoops sounded and horns blared.
And flashbulbs went off too, but Maggie and Tru couldn’t have cared less. They were finally home, lost in their love
. . . and found because of it.
Discussion Questions
1. This story begins with a crazy blunder by Maggie because she’s so nervous she makes a bet and it quickly gets out of hand in the most unexpected way, with unexpected results. Have you ever had something completely unexpected and unplanned interrupt your life? How did it turn out?
2. Do you believe God never wastes a hurt? I do and passed that belief to Maggie. She was hurt in so many ways growing up, but she still believed there was hope and that God could use her. Can you describe a time in your life that God used you to help someone who’d suffered a hurt similar to something you’ve experienced?
3. This story is about sacrifice. Jenna sacrificed keeping her daughter because, despite how much she loved her child she believed in her heart that she wouldn’t be able to provide for her. Because of this belief she made the choice first, to give her baby life-and then, she made the choice to give her precious baby to a loving Christian couple who she’d carefully chosen to give her most precious gift-her child. How did you feel about Jenna’s choice?
4. Tru also was prepared to make a sacrifice by keeping his love for Maggie a secret because he believed that was what was best for her. However, in doing that he was depriving Maggie of the opportunity to make the choice for herself. How does this relate to the choice that God gives us?
5. Because she longed to be loved by her parents and she saw how much Jenna loved her baby Maggie was obsessed with Jenna keeping her baby. But she had to realize that sometimes if you really love someone that requires sacrifice. This is a hard subject in so many ways. How do you feel about the choices that were made in Betting on Hope? Have you ever experienced sacrifice in your life?
6. Which character in Betting on Hope did you relate to the most? Which character did you enjoy the most? Why?
7. Bo became extremely upset when he read Maggie’s column about the cowboys and the firemen and the idea that women might come to town looking for love. Was he trying to control the situation? In my own life I’ve learned that there are aspects that I can control, but ultimately God is in control. Knowing this helps me when things don’t turn out exactly as I had planned. I’ve learned to let it go and understand that God sees the big picture and is the one who is actually in control. Have you ever tried to control aspects of your life so much that you try to take it out of God’s hands?
8. I love writing about the unexpected gifts from God. In my own life I’ve experienced these gifts over and over again in good times and bad times. Maggie had to and she understood that no matter what there was hope if we believe. Maggie understood that though her parents hadn’t loved her that her heavenly Father did and His love is what carried her through. How do you feel about that? Do you believe? Do you have hope in your life?
Acknowledgments
To my father-in-law Walter (Bubba) Clopton—the cowboy I’ll always love. Though your own memories have dimmed, ours haven’t . . . your legacy of strength, loyalty, and love of God inspired this story as you’ve always inspired our lives.
To my wonderful family—I am a blessed woman to have you all in my life, and despite the times I’m buried beneath deadlines or stumbling around from sleepless nights spent talking with imaginary people of my stories, it is all of you I love and can’t do without! You make my life complete and fill my well. I thank God each and every day for all of you. A special hug to Chuck, my sweet husband, who sees me bump into walls more than anyone and still loves me . . . as I love you too.
To my editor—the talented Becky Monds for her most excellent input. And for the numerous others who worked to make this book a reality including my fantastic, supportive Agent Natasha Kern.
There were so many people who answered questions that helped in making this story authentic . . . any mistakes are mine!
And a special thanks to Bobby and Billy Walters—I could never, ever be as funny and as witty as the two of you, but I’m forever indebted to you for inspiring the mischievous twins in this book, Doobie and Doonie Burke—I believe they’ll make my readers smile like the two of you make all of us who know you smile.
About the Author
Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist first published in 2005 and has written more than 22 novels. Along with writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra is the author of the acclaimed Mule Hollow Matchmaker Series, and her goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words. Visit her website at www.debraclopton.com Twitter: @debraclopton Facebook: debra.clopton.5
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