Love Inspired March 2014 - Bundle 2 of 2: North Country FamilySmall-Town MidwifeProtecting the Widow's Heart

by Lois Richer

  As Caleb walked out of the room, he heard brother and sister teasing each other. The banter made him smile, reminding him of the exchanges he had with his younger brother, Sawyer. Now that Sawyer had his degree and no longer needed Caleb’s help, there was no reason for Caleb to continue working in the rodeo.

  Lately, he’d been dreaming of his own ranch and wondered if that distraction caused the disaster or at least contributed to the accident.

  Opening the side door to the horse trailer, Caleb hung his clothes and put his duffel bag on the bunk. He walked out to the corral behind the barn. His horse, Razor, trotted up to him, looking for a treat.

  “Sorry, big guy. I don’t have anything.”

  The horse nudged him. Razor could always be depended on to bring him out of his funk. “Did you see her? Kaye is home. I’d only seen pictures of her, but meeting her in person—wow.” Absently, he rubbed Razor’s nose as he thought of those blue eyes, which could bore through a man. You weren’t going to hide anything from her.

  Too bad he hadn’t met her before Albuquerque.

  Razor lifted his head and galloped around the fence. It brought a smile to Caleb’s face.

  “I see your horse is in high spirits.” Joel stopped beside Caleb.

  Caleb rested his booted foot on the bottom rail of the fence. “How’s your grandfather, really?”

  “Doc says he should be fine. They want him to keep his arm in a sling for the next few days, but nothing was broken. Badly bruised, but not broken. How that tractor didn’t do more damage than it did, I don’t know. God was looking out for Gramps.” Joel kept his gaze on Razor.

  “That’s for sure. I’m glad I rode out to that pasture.” Caleb still remembered the numbing fear that had raced through him when he’d seen the overturned tractor.

  “I’m thankful, too.”

  They both kept their cell phones in their back pockets, and it had proved to be a blessing. Caleb had called and Joel had come within ten minutes.

  A deep sigh escaped Joel’s mouth. “It’s been a day of surprises.”

  An understatement. “Did you know your sister was coming?”

  “Not a clue. I talked with her last week, and she mentioned she was feeling stronger but didn’t say anything about coming home. The equine therapy has helped. First time I saw her in the hospital in San Antonio after she’d been wounded, it shook me, and that was weeks after the explosion. It gets to a guy’s gut to see his little sister so broken.” He looked down at his clasped hands and took a deep breath. “Seeing her now, it’s mind-blowing.”

  “And she’s home.”

  Joel laughed. “Yeah. I often wondered what she was going to do after the army, if she would come home.”

  “You have part of the question answered.” Which was more than Caleb knew about his own life. “Are you glad she’s here?”

  “Of course, but I’m not sure if she sees it that way. She was good at what she did. The career she loved is over thanks to a suicide bomber, and she comes home to find—” he swept his arm in a wide arc “—this mess with Gramps and the drought. Not to mention she doesn’t even know yet about the charity rodeo that I somehow got appointed the head honcho.” He blew out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck. “How that happened, I still don’t know. This is just one more thing to add confusion to her world. And my world.”

  They watched Razor.

  An idea popped into his brain. “I think I know something that can keep your sister busy and might help her decide what she wants to do.” Caleb wanted to laugh out loud at his great idea.

  “Yeah, what’s that?”

  “Put her in charge of the charity rodeo. Let her organize it. You’ve been complaining constantly about all the things you have to do since you drafted me into this shindig. I thought you were going to drop like a sack of feed when you saw Nan White on the organizing committee.”

  Joel shuddered. “Who would’ve thought?”

  Anyone with eyes, but Caleb decided not to mention it. “I think with all the different things you and I need to do, giving it to Kaye would keep her busy and she could think of the future.”

  Joel’s distressed expression turned into a grin. “I like how you think, friend.”

  “Do you think she’ll accept?”

  Joel shrugged. “Don’t know. But I’m going to give it a shot, because heaven knows I don’t want to ramrod it.”

  Caleb shared his friend’s feelings about being in charge, but with Kaye running the show, their prospects looked mighty good. And oddly enough, the idea of working with Kaye appealed to him in ways that he didn’t understand.

  Copyright © 2014 by Barbara M. Harrison

  ISBN-13: 9781460327951

  SMALL-TOWN MIDWIFE

  Copyright © 2014 by Jean Chelikowsky Gordon

  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.

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  www.Harlequin.com

  To Love and Protect

  Ginger Sloan’s had enough of heartache. She just wants a peaceful place where she and her son can start over and feel safe. Getting stranded in a lakeside cabin outside Dover, Mississippi, isn’t part of her plan. Then again, neither is falling for the cabin’s handsome owner. Injured on the job, detective Tyler Durrant retreats to his cabin to heal. He’s shocked to find the single mom and her son there. And surprised at the way Ginger affects his heart. For the first time in years, he has hope for the future, but can he convince Ginger that she can find safe haven in his arms?

  Home to Dover: A small town with a big heart

  Ginger raced toward him, her

  deep green eyes wide with worry.

  “Ty! Are you all right?”

  Words stuck in his throat. How did he answer that? “Yeah. I’m fine.”

  Suddenly she was hugging him. He put his hands to her back, holding on. Somewhere deep inside he felt a seismic shift, a tilting of his once solid and level foundation.

  “I was so worried.”

  “Nothing to worry about. Everyone was out of the fire before I got there, but the cabin is probably a total loss.” He expected her to release him, but she clung to him tightly.

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t come back.”

  “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

  She pulled back then, her eyes locking with his. “But you’re my only friend. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  His heart raced erratically for a moment. “Are we friends?” He realized with a jolt that he wanted her as a friend, and more than that, as well. The thought scared him.

  Books by Lorraine Beatty

  Love Inspired

  Rekindled Romance

  Restoring His Heart

  *Protecting the Widow’s Heart


  *Home to Dover

  LORRAINE BEATTY

  was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, but has been blessed to be able to live in Germany, Connecticut and Baton Rouge. She now calls Mississippi home. She and her husband, Joe, have two sons and six grandchildren. Lorraine started writing in junior high and has written for trade books, newspapers and company newsletters. She is a member of RWA and ACFW and is a charter member and past president of Magnolia State Romance Writers. In her spare time she likes to work in her garden, travel and spend time with her family.

  PROTECTING THE WIDOW’S HEART

  Lorraine Beatty

  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

  —1 Peter 5:6–7

  My Lord and Savior, who taught me a better way

  to use the gifts he gave me.

  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

  Dear Reader

  Questions for Discussion

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  Ginger Sloan kept one hand on her son’s shoulder and one on her small suitcase as they topped the wooden stairs hugging the side of the raised lakeside cabin and followed their benefactor, Mr. Nelson Cooper, across the wide deck. A patio table and chairs, two large rocking chairs and a big grill barely made a dent in the expansive space. All had been covered in heavy plastic to protect them from the weather. A quick glance past the railing revealed a large body of water sparkling in the moonlight. Its beauty escaped her. All she could think of was how isolated the place was, and what a fool she’d been to lose track of time.

  Her seven-year-old son, Elliot, had begged for a break from the cross-country drive they were making from Shelton, Connecticut, to the small town of Spring Valley near Phoenix, Arizona. He’d been so good about being cooped up in the car for two days she’d wanted to reward him. So when they’d seen a sign for a Mississippi state park touting their expansive playground and a lake, she’d agreed to the small detour. But they’d lost track of time, and had made a wrong turn leaving the park, ending up on the far side of the lake after dark. Thankfully, she’d spotted some cabins and stopped to ask directions. But when she’d turned the key in the ignition, her car had refused to start, leaving them stranded and dependent upon the kindness of strangers for help and causing every nerve in her body to tighten in anxiety.

  “I think you’ll find the place real cozy.” Cooper pushed open the door, smiling over his shoulder. “Let me get the lights for you.”

  Mr. Cooper, the owner of the cabin next door where she’d sought help, had been more than kind. He and his wife, Mae, had drawn her a map to I-55 and then, after her car wouldn’t start, had offered to let her stay in the empty cabin next to them. While she was grateful, her fears far outweighed her gratitude.

  “Mom, is that the same lake we saw before?” Elliot pointed to the water beyond the trees.

  “Yes.” She steered him into the cabin, her eyes taking a moment to adjust to the light. The main room was open concept with an L-shaped kitchen along the back wall. A long island with bar stools separated it from the living area. A massive stone fireplace with raised hearth, perfect for cozying up to, dominated the far wall. Windows, rising to the rafters, afforded an unobstructed view of the lake from the front. At the moment, it only revealed darkness, but Ginger allowed a quick second of anticipation to override her fear. The view in the morning would be amazing.

  Mr. Cooper had stepped from the room briefly, muttering something about a water valve. He returned with a broad smile on his dark face and rubbing his hands together in a gesture of accomplishment. “Well, I think you’re all set. The lights are working, the water is turned on, though I’d let it run a few minutes to clear out the pipes, and the pilot light is lit, so you should have heat soon.”

  Ginger pulled Elliot against her chest, keeping her hands on his slender shoulders. Mr. Cooper seemed kind enough, but it paid to be cautious. “Thank you, but are you sure this will be all right with the owner? He might not appreciate strangers staying here without his permission.”

  The man shook his head and smiled more broadly. “Don’t you worry none about that. I know Mr. Durrant, and he’d be the first one to offer you aid. Besides, he’s never here much. I take care of the place for him. Mae and I live out here full-time now that I’m retired.” He rested his hands on his hips and glanced around the large room. “Let’s see. I doubt if there’s any food in the place.” He walked to the fridge and pulled it open, then checked the cabinets, as well. “I’m going to go back to the house and gather up some things for you and your boy to eat. You get settled in, and I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that. We’ll be fine. I appreciate all you’ve done, Mr. Cooper.”

  He smiled and pointed a finger at her. “Now, no more of that Mr. Cooper stuff. You call me Nels. We’re friends now.”

  His words eased some of her tension, but she kept her guard up. Over the years she’d been conditioned to expect the worst at any moment.

  “Until we know what’s wrong with your vehicle, you need a safe place to stay and some food. But right now, you get yourselves settled in. We’ll get your car towed to Zeke’s in the morning, and let him take a look at it.”

  Towed? “How much will that cost?” The seriousness of her situation slammed into her again. Money was tight. Really tight, and car repairs weren’t in the budget. Neither was lodging or unexpected delays.

  “Don’t worry about that, either. Right now you and the boy get some rest. We’ll tackle the big problems when the sun rises. Things always look better under the Lord’s sunshine.”

  After Mr. Cooper, Nels, left, Ginger made a quick tour of the rest of the cabin. A master bedroom with attached bath was on one side of the cabin, a smaller bedroom was across the narrow hall with a full bath and laundry area next to it. She noted with interest that the small storage space beside the washer was stuffed full of sports equipment, which might come in handy to entertain Elliot tomorrow.

  There didn’t appear to be any other access to the cabin besides the front door. At least there was only one way in and one way out of this place. That gave her a measure of comfort. No one could sneak up on them unexpectedly out here in the wilderness.

  “Mom, can I sleep in this room?” Elliot sat on the double bed in the smaller room, a big smile on his face. “It has fish in it.” He pointed to the outdated wallpaper border along the ceiling depicting various kinds of fish flailing about on hooks. The bedspread was an ugly brown quilt with plaid fish in the center of large squares, and a brown-and-white checked border. Every item in the room reinforced the fishing theme. Only a man could appreciate such a decor.

  “I think you’d better sleep with me tonight since we’re in a strange place.”

  “Please? This room is way cool. There’s even a fish lamp.”

  Ginger tugged on her hair. It was late. They were tired, and she didn’t feel like arguing. She had too much to sort out. “Fine. But leave the door open so I can hear you in case you change your mind.” Finding fresh sheets in the closet, she busied herself with putting them on the beds.

  “Mrs. Sloan?”

  The shout from the front of the cabin pulled a gasp from her throat and sent her heart thudding wildly. Nels. She’d forgotten he was g
oing to return with the food. “Coming.” She hurried out to the living area to find the older man and his wife busily unloading a box filled with a week’s worth of food.

  “Oh, you didn’t need to bring so much. Milk and cereal for Elliot would have been fine.”

  Mae Cooper smiled and shook her head. “Nonsense. You might be here for a few days. I want to make sure you have enough food for that growing boy of yours.”

  Days? She hadn’t thought that far ahead. What if the car couldn’t be fixed? How would she get to Arizona then? Her head spun with the implications. Why did each new day of her life bring more unexpected problems? She’d spent the past two years living in fear of the next disaster.

  “Now, then. That should hold you. We’re going to get out of here and let you settle in, but if you need anything, anything at all, you come right next door and get me, all right?”

  Mae smiled and patted her husband’s shoulder. “Nels is a light sleeper, so he’ll hear you if you call. I left our number on the counter for you.”

  After a quick bowl of cereal, Elliot scrambled into bed, eager to spend the night with the fish. Ginger returned to the kitchen to clean up, her glance falling on a tall, narrow cabinet in the far corner of the living room. Her throat seized up, trapping air in her chest. A gun case—rifles lined up in a neat row behind a glass door. Memories unfurled, yanking her back to the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant—she and Elliot waiting in the car as her husband, John, went inside. The strange popping sound. Realizing it was gunfire. The police. Sirens. Shielding Elliot from the horror. John being wheeled out on a stretcher. The hospital. Bullet to spine. Never walk again.

  Ginger sucked in air, turning from the gun cabinet. Her life had changed forever that day. The surgeries, the complications that had dragged on, maxing out their insurance, forcing them to sell their home and destroying their credit. When John had died, she’d been left with over one hundred thousand dollars in medical bills and struggling to keep her head above water.