The Soldier's Sweetheart

by Deb Kastner

  She frowned and shook her head. “See what, Will? What is it that you think is going to happen if you let yourself be with me?”

  “I’m dangerous, Samantha. It’s my fault Haley is dead. If anything were ever to happen to you because of me, there’s no telling what I’d do.” He took a deep breath, and finally let the rest spill out. “I don’t deserve you, or your love.”

  * * *

  Samantha took a step back, stunned not only by the words Will had uttered, but by how vehement his tone had been. His eyes were dark and reproachful—he was condemning himself.

  Criminal, judge and jury. Guilty as charged.

  But how could he say that, much less believe it?

  Samantha stayed very still, as if Will would disappear if she made the wrong move. She ignored the very strong urge she had to wrap her arms around him and tell him what an amazing man he was. “Will, it’s not your fault she’s dead.”

  He leveled her with his gaze, cold and accusing. “Isn’t it?”

  “No, it isn’t. You can’t blame yourself for what happened in a dark alley a continent away from where you were at the time.”

  “Haley wouldn’t have been in Amarillo working as a waitress in a truck stop if we hadn’t been separated. If I had been a better husband to her, she would never even have been in that dark alley. So you see, it is my fault.” His words held such agony that Samantha felt her heart ripping into shreds, her eyes pricking with tears.

  “I see no such thing, Will Davenport,” she retorted. She could stand it no longer—she took his face in her hands, trying to make him look at her, to see the truth in her eyes.

  He groaned and tried to pull away, but she wouldn’t let him.

  “Do you want to know what I see when I look at you?”

  He couldn’t answer her. She could practically see the battle that was being fought within him, and she realized that now it was her turn to stand by him, to offer her support, to help him win his war.

  “I see a strong man. An honorable man. A man who puts his whole heart into everything he does. A man who puts his daughter’s needs above his own. A man who is brave and unselfish.”

  “I’m not any of those things,” he rasped.

  “You are in my eyes.” She was going to make him hear her, even if she had to put her own heart on the line. She gathered her courage and finished what she’d started to say the other night outside the Grange. “I love you, Will Davenport.”

  He took a harsh, deep breath, as if someone had punched him in the stomach.

  “Samantha, you can’t. You shouldn’t. I’m not—”

  “Why can’t you forgive yourself?” she asked before he could finish telling her all the reasons why he was undeserving of love. “God forgives you.”

  “How can God forgive me?” He shook his head, unwilling to believe it, yet Samantha could see the hope gleaming in his eyes. He wanted to believe. He just didn’t know how yet.

  “How can God forgive any of us, Will? We’ve all sinned. No human is worthy of what God gives us. Jesus died so we could have forgiveness. So we could find love.”

  “Even me?” The hope in his eyes had turned to understanding. She could see the fear receding, replaced by strength and courage. She could see the man she loved coming back to her.

  She leaned her forehead against his and reveled in the moment when two hearts became one.

  “Even you, Will. Even you.”

  He framed her face with his large, strong hands, and caressed her cheek with his thumb. “God must have blessed me, if I’m here with you.”

  He brushed his lips softly against hers, once, and then again.

  “Likewise, I’m sure,” she whispered against his mouth.

  He kissed her again, pulling her close. She could feel the strength of his embrace, yet his touch was infinitely gentle for all that. Tough, yet tender.

  When he lifted his head, she had a brief moment of panic. Was he turning away from her again?

  But, no. His gaze caught hers, and his mouth moved as if he were going to speak, but no words came. Not at first.

  “You know I’m not a man of words,” he said softly, “but these words need to be said. Over and over again. Every day, for the rest of our lives.” His eyes glimmered with emotion.

  “I love you, Samantha Howell. I want to cherish you. Protect you. And show you every day that I love you.”

  His smile was radiant. That was the only word Samantha could think to describe it. And it matched the glow of her heart perfectly.

  “I love you,” he said again, stronger and louder this time. “I love you.” The sound echoed through the sanctuary, and he laughed.

  He tucked her head against his chest, his cheek resting against her hair. “I love you.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  It was so quiet in the Grange hall that Samantha could have heard a pin drop. It wasn’t because the hall was empty. On the contrary, it was full-to-brimming-over with town folks, once again out to support the Howells and Sam’s Grocery.

  Samantha had taken her place at the front right table, where she’d sat just a week before, facing off against Cal Turner and the Stay-n-Shop legal team. Will sat beside her, his fingers laced with hers. She took a deep, calming breath, and Will squeezed her hand, adding his silent encouragement.

  There was no more arguing to be done. The town council had called together this assembly to render their decision. Samantha just hoped she could hear and accept it with strength and dignity. Whatever the outcome, she had Will, her family, her friends and the townsfolk whom she held so dear.

  Frank banged his gavel, although why he thought he had to do that was beyond Samantha. No one was speaking. Everyone’s attention was already trained on the council.

  “I’ll come right to the point,” Frank said without preamble. “No sense dragging this thing out.”

  Samantha’s heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. If Frank and the council didn’t want to draw out the news, it must be bad.

  “After much discussion and a thorough review of the issues, we’ve come to a resolution.”

  Samantha couldn’t help herself. She glanced across the way. Cal grinned and winked, like he was flirting with her. Or rubbing her nose in her pain and loss.

  “...Sam’s Grocery.”

  Samantha had been so caught up in Cal’s unbelievably callous behavior that she’d missed Frank’s pronouncement, but she didn’t need him to repeat it.

  The crowd cheered. Will stood, pulling her with him as he whooped and turned her around.

  “You did it.” He kissed her cheek and slid his arm around her shoulders as he turned her to face her exultant family.

  “No, Will,” she protested, tightening her grip on his waist and meeting his adoring gaze. “We did it.”

  * * *

  “Hey, you two,” Samantha called as Will and Genevieve came in the front door of the store. For some reason she was reminded of the first day Will had walked into her life, hoping he had a job and a place to stay. She knew he hadn’t been looking for love—quite the opposite, in fact. But love had found him.

  And she was never going to let him go.

  “The week is almost up,” Will reminded her as he sent Genevieve out back to play with some of the neighborhood children.

  His eyes sparkled, and it was then that she realized he was holding something behind his back. His expression didn’t reflect his usual serious demeanor. It was light, merry—almost boyish in its enthusiasm.

  She smiled. She could get used to this side of Will.

  “All right, there, mister. Give it up. What do you have behind your back?”

  Why d
id he look that way? What was behind his back?

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” he teased.

  She waited for him to reveal his prize, trying very hard not to imagine the diamond solitaire that Alexis and Mary would have wished for her ring finger. There was time enough for that later. She and Will hadn’t even talked through many of the serious issues couples discussed—they were too busy enjoying each other’s company for that.

  She darted around the counter and made a play for his hand, but he danced back out of her reach.

  “Uh-uh. You’ve got to give me something first.”

  She reached for the lollipop tub on the counter. “Sucker? I believe I offered you one the first day we met.”

  He chuckled. “You know that’s not what I want. Plant one, right here.” He pointed to his cheek. Samantha stood on tiptoe to oblige, but at the last moment turned so her lips landed squarely on his.

  “Now then,” he continued cheerfully, “I’ve got something special for you. Something I think you’re really going to like.”

  “Are you going to keep tormenting me, or are you going to show me?”

  “I’ll show you,” he said, bringing his hand out from behind his back.

  It wasn’t a ring box.

  Of course it wasn’t a ring box. She was being silly. But she was surprised by the small moment of disappointment that flashed through her. Hopefully it didn’t show on her face. The last thing she wanted to do was make Will feel like he’d somehow disappointed her when in fact he just kept exceeding her expectations at every turn. She loved him so much she sometimes thought her heart might burst from it.

  She looked closely at what he was holding. It was a small scroll of paper, tied with a red ribbon.

  “Let me guess. Is it a Dear John rejection letter? Is it from you?”

  “No, it is not,” Will denied. “On both counts. And I even tied it with red ribbon because I knew that was your favorite color.”

  “It was last week,” she said with a grin.

  “Oh, you ladies. So unpredictable.”

  “I’ll show you unpredictable if you don’t give me that paper.”

  He slipped it into her hand and then crossed his arms, watching with glowing eyes as she pulled the ribbon and rolled the page down flat. She scanned the contents and then squealed in exhilaration and leaped into Will’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his knees.

  “It’s official!”

  “Yes, ma’am. Stay-n-Shop is pulling out of town, and the council is saying good riddance.”

  Tears pricked at her eyes as joy welled in her heart. Seeing the decision on paper made it final. Certified.

  Over.

  “I’m going to have to bring you good news more often if I’m going to get thanked liked that,” he added, setting her to the floor.

  “Just your presence is enough,” she assured him.

  “Still,” he said, “there might be one more surprise for you...”

  She narrowed her eyes on him. As far as she could tell, his hands were empty, but his gaze was not. It was full of all the love in the world, and she knew it reflected her own. “One more thing what?” she prompted.

  “Well,” Will said, reaching into the front pocket of his jeans, “if you insist, I might give you this.”

  He held up a ring. There was no box, but it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

  Or rather, it was the most beautiful moment in the world when Will knelt before her and smiled up at her. He took her hand in his, and she could feel his fingers trembling.

  “I want to do this right, Samantha. Starting from this moment.” He paused and his lips quirked. “Samantha Howell, will you be my wife?”

  She stared first at him, and then at the ring. She would have pinched herself to see if this was real, except the gleam in the depths of Will’s brown eyes told her it was true. The diamond solitaire, surrounded by tiny rubies and emeralds, sparkled in the sunshine that poured through the front window.

  “Green and red, just in case you change your mind about the color,” he teased.

  “Oh, you,” she exclaimed, holding out her left hand. “Now put that on me.”

  He stood and wrapped his arms around her waist, then kissed her thoroughly. “I want you to know I love you,” he said, his voice deepening with emotion. “I need you with me always. And I promise I’ll always have your back.”

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Rocky Coast Romance by Mia Ross.

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for embarking with me on a new series once again set in Serendipity, Texas. I’m excited to introduce the Serendipity Sweethearts, otherwise known as the Little Chicks, for those of you who have been following the stories set in Serendipity. These lovely ladies appeared in all of the Email-Order Bride books and are now anxious to have stories (and heroes!) of their own. The first one follows Samantha Howell as she meets strong and silent ex-soldier Will Davenport. He’s looking for peace and she’s just lost hers, so it’s a wild ride for them both to find what they’re really after—which of course is true love, both in God and with each other.

  I hope you’ve enjoyed your time with Samantha and Will, and that you’ll watch for the next book in the series, which will be Mary Travis’s story. You can also find many of my backlist titles available for order from online booksellers in both print and ebook format.

  As always, my prayers linger over those who read my books, that they would be a blessing to you in some way. Hearing from you is a great treasure to me. Please email me at debkastnerbooks@gmail.com or leave a comment on my fan page on Facebook. I’m also on Twitter, @debkastner. Hope to see you online soon!

  Keep the Faith,

  Questions for Discussion

  Most of us at one time or another feel like David up against Goliath. Relate an experience in which God helped you through what seemed like impossible circumstances.

  Though he was not related by blood, Will was welcomed into the Howell household as one of their own. What defines a family?

  Music plays an important part of Samantha’s life and worship. How does music touch your life?

  God often takes what we consider bad situations and turns them to His good purpose. Relate an incident where God took the bad and used it for good.

  Grandpa Sampson reminded Samantha that there is safety with a multitude of counselors. What does that mean?

  Will thought he had too dark of a soul to be redeemed. Why is this not true?

  Why do you think Samantha kept her fight with Stay-n-Shop to herself, choosing not to involve her family?

  Do you think building a big-box store in Serendipity would change the town?

  Who is your favorite character in The Soldier’s Sweetheart? Why?

  Samantha prefers to be self-sufficient. She’s a giver and not a taker. Is this pride? How do you know the difference?

  By the end of the novel, Will has accepted the forgiveness of Christ. Was this a sudden conversion, or was it a process?

  What does Samantha need to learn about herself? What spiritual growth do you see in her throughout the novel?

  What is the takeaway value of The Soldier’s Sweetheart? What will you remember the most?

  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�
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  Chapter One

  “Comin’ in to Hahliday Hahbah!”

  The driver’s announcement cut through her sound-canceling headphones, and Bree Farrell glanced up from the movie playing on her tablet computer. Outside the grimy window she saw a whole lot of nothing. Then the bus lumbered over a hill, and on the other side was a town.

  Surrounded by endless miles of ocean, Holiday Harbor looked like it was barely clinging to the rugged Maine coastline. Off in the distance a rotating beacon drew her eye to a lighthouse that looked as if it had sprouted from the rocky cliff it was perched on.

  All very nice poetic descriptions, she thought, opening her notes file to capture her observations before they vanished. A born and bred city girl, she wasn’t crazy about this edge-of-the-world assignment her prospective editor had given her. But a long string of missteps and bad choices had drained her savings account and left her with a less than stellar reputation.

  And no options. If she couldn’t wrangle a permanent byline at Kaleidoscope, she’d have to dust off her waitressing skills and move back in with her mom. Determined to avoid such drastic measures, she knew she had to make this article shine.