Love Inspired January 2016, Box Set 1 of 2

by Carolyne Aarsen

  Chloe took in a shaky breath, which made him feel even worse for her. She was clearly upset, and that bothered him even more than it did to find out she was pregnant.

  “Why would you think I would feel the same way that Jeremy did?”

  “Because of what you said about Cody. Just before you fell. But it was what you said that made me pull away from you. Not you falling.”

  Grady skipped back, trying to remember. “I’m sorry. I can’t remember.”

  “You said...you said that you didn’t want to think of starting a relationship with the responsibility of a child. You said that was heavy.”

  “I said that? About Cody?” Grady tried to catch up as he realized what she was referring to.

  She nodded, reaching up to swipe at her cheeks with a gloved hand.

  Grady’s heart melted at the thought of her tears and he cradled her even closer. He wished he could see her face. Wished he could tip her chin up to look into her eyes, wished she could see the sincerity in his own. “What I said was referring to the fact that Cody had a mother we knew nothing about. That he was dumped on my grandmother’s doorstep without any notice. It was the mess that came with it. Vanessa, my brother in a coma. I was referring to that. The responsibility of that. The heaviness of all that.” He struggled, wishing, hoping he was making himself clear. Because he felt as if he and Chloe were balancing on the edge of something large and life changing, and the right or wrong words could send him in either direction. And he knew he couldn’t hold back any longer.

  He leaned closer, pressing his cheek to hers. “I don’t know if you’re ready to hear this or not, but I have to tell you how much I care about you. I’ve been miserable the past few days, and it isn’t just because my leg’s been bugging me. My heart’s been bugging me more. I missed you and I hope you missed me.” He took in a breath, sent up a prayer, then said, “I love you. I want you in my life no matter what happens.”

  In spite of the movement of the horse, Chloe suddenly became perfectly still. He heard her draw in a shaky breath and he wondered if he had spoken too soon. He shifted a bit to try to see her, but her face, this close in his peripheral vision, was a blur. He couldn’t read her expression or guess what she was thinking.

  “Oh, Grady,” she whispered, bringing one gloved hand up to his face. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this. It’s so much.” She released a light laugh and he could feel her cheek lift in a smile. “I have to say I’ve been miserable without you, as well. I missed you so much.” She pulled in another breath. “And I love you, too.”

  Grady’s heart felt as if it was going to explode out of his chest. At the same time he felt as if a burdensome, uncomfortable pack had slipped off his back leaving him feel weightless. Free.

  “You love me?” He could hardly believe it.

  “I love you.”

  He wanted to kiss her. But for now he had to content himself with holding her tight with one arm, his cheek pressed to hers, his heart beating against her back.

  I love her.

  She loves me.

  * * *

  Chloe wanted to cry, to laugh, to turn and give Grady a hug, but all she could do was press her hand to his cheek, hoping he could feel how her heart sang with a joy she couldn’t find words for.

  “I shouldn’t have assumed” was all she could say. “I should have stayed and talked to you, but I was so afraid.”

  “So was I,” he said. Then he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

  She lay her head back against him, still holding Cody who, thankfully, sat quietly in her lap. She was about to say something more when a voice called out from the darkness.

  “Grady? Is that you?”

  Chloe saw a shadowy figure on horseback coming toward them through the falling snow.

  “I just got here. All set to head out and rescue you,” Emilio said as he came nearer, sounding disappointed. “Clint is on his way, as well.”

  “How far is the ranch?” Chloe asked, squinting through the snow and gathering dusk.

  “Only a couple hundred yards ahead,” Emilio said. “You all okay?”

  “We’re all fine,” Grady said.

  “Mamie will be glad to see you. Josh had to hold her back from saddling up and heading out herself,” Emilio said as he turned his horse around, waiting for them to catch up. He glanced down at Cody. “You look overburdened there. You want me to take him?”

  “It might be more comfortable for him.” Chloe’s one arm was growing tired, holding him up and away from the saddle horn. There was only so much room.

  Emilio moved his horse closer and, reaching over, took Cody from her. “Hey, little guy,” Emilio said, settling the baby in front of him. “You’ve had an adventure.” Emilio looked at Grady. “I’ll just bring him to the ranch right away. Let Mamie know you two are okay.”

  “That’d be good,” Grady said, his voice a rumble against her back. “We’ll be along shortly. I don’t want to rush Apollo.”

  “Sure thing.” Emilio tugged down his hat, hunched his shoulders against the wind and set out back to the ranch.

  Chloe couldn’t think of what to say as Emilio disappeared into the snow. Part of her wanted to stop right here and now, but her feet were getting cold, her hands were icy and her ankle was throbbing.

  What a time to have the man you love express his own love for you.

  “We should be there in a couple of minutes,” Grady said, wrapping his one arm around her middle, pulling her tightly back against him.

  It was less than that by the time they got to the yard. The glow of the house lights was inviting and Emilio’s horse was tied up close to the house. Clearly Mamie had already heard the news about their safety and Cody was in good hands.

  Grady steered the horse toward the barn. He stopped by the large rolling door and dismounted slowly. Chloe could see he was stiff and sore and struggled with her guilt. She should have been working with him. It was what she had been hired for.

  I was going to, she reminded herself as Grady led the horse into the warm, softly lit barn. Eventually.

  He brought the horse to the nearest stall and tied him up. His crutch was still leaning against a wall. He grabbed it, then he walked to Chloe’s side and held his arms up to help her.

  She managed to put her weight on her good leg and slowly dismount, Grady supporting her. She got down, but as soon as she put even the smallest amount of weight on her foot, she stumbled.

  Grady caught her, wavering, as well.

  They stood, leaning against each other.

  Grady laughed. “I guess you can identify with me right now.”

  “I can,” she agreed, finding her balance again. She still clung to him, but that was as much for emotional support as physical.

  “And I guess right now we need each other. To support each other.”

  “In more ways than one,” she said, looking up at him, tugging off her gloves. Though her fingers were chilled, she cupped his dear face in her hands, the stubble on his chin only making him more rugged and appealing.

  Then he did what she had been longing for him to do. He bent his head, pulled her close and kissed her.

  She sighed as he pulled away, her heart full.

  “Is this real?” she asked, trying to absorb the wonder of it all.

  “I hope so,” Grady said. He shifted his weight, winced and nodded. “Yup. It’s real.”

  Chloe laughed then grew serious as she looked up at him, asking the question that she both dreaded and yet knew needed to be dealt with. “And my baby?”

  Grady put his hand on the tiny swell of her stomach that seemed to have come out in only the past few days, his hand warm, comforting.

  “I love you,” he said. “I love you so much. And I know I will love this baby, because he or she is a part of you. I wo
n’t lie that I’m nervous about it. I think I said what I did about Cody because I’m not sure what kind of father I could be. But this baby, this child, we would be taking care of together. And I know you’ll be an amazing mother and will help me learn to be an amazing father. We’ll be doing this together. I don’t know if I’ll be able to be the active father I had always thought I could be—”

  Chloe put her finger on his lips. “I love you just the way you are. You are the best man I know. You are everything I want, and you will be everything this baby and any baby we have together needs.” She put her weight on one foot, then stretched up to kiss him, underlining her vow.

  He smiled back at her then gave her another hug. “I’m so thankful for you. And I pray that God will bless us and our life together.” Then he pulled back. “And now we should make our way back to the house to get Emilio to take care of this horse and to tell Mamie. I’m sure she’s wondering what’s happening.”

  “I have a feeling she knows exactly what is happening,” Chloe said with a grin. “But I’m sure she wants to hear for herself.”

  “Then, let’s go,” Grady said. “Let’s go back to the house. Let’s go back home.”

  And leaning on each other, supporting one another, they did exactly that.

  * * * * *

  Dear Reader,

  Chloe has a secret and she is ashamed of it. Grady has a disability and he, too, is ashamed of it. Both have valid reasons to be concerned about how they will be viewed by the other. But life and relationships are all about being vulnerable to each other. And being vulnerable requires trust, as does any relationship. I know I have a hard time letting myself be vulnerable and letting people see my insecurities, but I have found when I do this within the bounds of a loving relationship, that relationship is enhanced and deepened.

  I hope that you enjoyed reading Chloe and Grady’s story and that you will read the rest of the books in the Lone Star Cowboy League series to solve the mystery of the thefts and baby Cody!

  Blessings,

  PS: I love to hear from readers. Drop me a line at caarsen@xplornet.com. You can also stop by my website at www.carolyneaarsen.com and sign up for my newsletter to stay informed of new releases.

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

  You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives—always.

  Enjoy six new stories from Love Inspired every month!

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  ISBN-13: 9781488006968

  A Family for the Soldier

  Copyright © 2016 by Harlequin Books S.A.

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

  ® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and in other countries.

  www.Harlequin.com

  Hometown Healing

  Kimberly Gallagher’s back in town to run her mother’s thriving wedding business. For a seasoned pro like Kimberly, fixing the high-stress nuptials of a senator’s daughter is no problem. But facing former police officer Drew Slade—the senator’s security chief and her brother’s former partner—is not what she signed up for. Drew knows that Kimberly blames him for her brother’s tragic death. But to single dad Drew, Kimberly feels like coming home. And despite her best efforts, Kimberly can’t help falling for him. Will their past continue to keep them apart, or will an unexpected truth reveal their happily-ever-after?

  “Who broke it off?”

  He did not just ask that, did he? As if it was his business? Because it wasn’t. Remembering the price tag on this gig made her play nice when she longed to tell Drew Slade to mind his own business. She couldn’t do that so she shrugged lightly. “He did.”

  Drew studied her for long, thick seconds, long enough for her heart to do that step-toe dance again. Then he leaned closer. “He’s a moron, Kimber, but I might just send him a thank-you note.”

  Kimberly was pretty sure her breathing paused as their eyes met. “What for?”

  He winked.

  Her heart stuttered. Because Drew Slade had just flirted with her. Sure, he was just trying to ease an awkward moment, but that one brief exchange was enough to stir up those old schoolgirl feelings.

  But that was then and this was now, and a whole lot of ugly had passed under their respective bridges.

  Multipublished, bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne loves God, her country, her family, dogs, chocolate and coffee! Married to a very patient man, she lives in an old farmhouse in upstate New York and thinks possums should leave the cat food alone and snakes should always live outside. There are no exceptions to either rule! Visit Ruthy at ruthloganherne.com.

  Books by Ruth Logan Herne

  Love Inspired

  Grace Haven

  An Unexpected Groom

  Kirkwood Lake

  The Lawman’s Second Chance

  Falling for the Lawman

  The Lawman’s Holiday Wish

  Loving the Lawman

  Her Holiday Family

  Healing the Lawman’s Heart

  Men of Allegany County

  Reunited Hearts

  Small-Town Hearts

  Mended Hearts

  Yuletide Hearts

  A Family to Cherish

  His Mistletoe Family

  Big Sky Centennial

  His Montana Sweetheart

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  AN UNEXPECTED

  GROOM

  Ruth Logan Herne

  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

  —Ephesians 4:32

  This book is dedicated to the family of NYS Trooper Andrew “A.J.” Sperr, a fine young man from my church who lost his life in the line of duty in 2006 while serving as a NYS State Trooper. May God bless his family and his fellow officers who still mourn A.J.’s loss daily. A memorial has been erected in Big Flats, NY, to commemorate A.J.’s life and service. The website for Sperr Memorial Park is sperrmemorialpark.org.

  Acknowledgments

  I actually got paid to research this book!

  For eight years I was blessed to work as a bridal consultant in a wonderful store, Bridal Hall, in Rochester, New York, run by the Hall family. The Hall family taught me the ins and outs of wedding planning, bridal sales, organizing wedding parties, alterations and teaching me to be that friendly listener, so crucial to happy weddings! They then went on to employ two of my kids as they attended the Univer
sity of Rochester on the “tuxedo” side of the store, renting out men’s formal wear and booking groom’s parties. On slow winter nights, my boss encouraged Beth and then Luke to bring their university books to study as needed. Their strong family ties and the way they embraced so many of their employees and customers was a first-class example of small business at its finest. I’m proud to acknowledge them in this book.

  Also huge thanks to my local police departments. I am honored to include several local police officers/sheriffs among my friends and they deserve a public shout-out for their ongoing dedication and service. May God bless them heartily and keep them from harm.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  CHAPTER ONE

  It’s not that you can do this, Kimberly Gallagher’s conscience prodded as she strode through the elegantly appointed welcoming area of her mother’s central New York wedding and event-organizing enterprise. It’s that you must do it. And you hate having someone else call the shots. Although having other people call the shots had been her new status update the past few months.

  She’d been dumped by a fiancé, had been let go from a job she excelled at and her father’s grim diagnosis of brain cancer had stripped Kimberly of the notion that she was in charge.