He leaned back and wiped her tears. "Not exactly the reaction I was looking for."
She smiled and sniffed.
He ran his hand over her cropped hair. "I've been going crazy. Did you hear? Did the hospital call?"
"That's what I was coming to tell you."
His eyes narrowed. He seemed to be holding his breath.
"Negative. I'm still NED."
He wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to his chest. "Thank God. Thank God."
"It's not a guarantee."
He faced her again. "There are no guarantees, Jo. That's something we both need to learn."
The relief in his gaze, as much as anything else, proved his concern, his love.
The joy of that realization faded as fast as it came.
He had a daughter.
What if Sara didn't like her? What if his parents didn't? What if she was a terrible parent and God had taken away her ability to have children for a reason and she screwed this all up and Carter walked away from her, sorry he'd ever met her?
He studied her face. "What are you thinking?"
"I...I don't know."
He sat back, looked down. Took a long breath, and looked up. "Will you meet her? Promise me you'll meet her. Casual, like a friend, and maybe then you'll understand how I needed to protect her. Maybe then you can forgive me."
19
Jo carried a white paper sack in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other. Her whole body trembled as she walked the few blocks from her house to the little elementary school she'd attended a million years before.
It was a chilly Sunday, more so when the sun hid behind the puffy clouds filling the sky. Rain was predicted for later, but right now the air was supposed to stay dry. At least that one thing had worked in their favor.
It had been three days since she'd learned about Carter's daughter. Three days to worry and fret and make up her mind about meeting little Sara—then change it over and over. She'd worked the day before, morning to close, like she did every Saturday, like she did six days a week and would continue to do forever, if she didn't force a change. So she'd called Carter the night before and set up this meeting for today. They would both go to their separate churches. They'd meet after. If things went okay, then maybe...maybe.
She wished she had some context for this. Most girls could at least compare this to meeting a boyfriend's parents or something, but she'd never had a serious boyfriend. She'd been too busy in high school to care about boys. She hadn't met anybody worth dating when she'd been working for UPS and attending college online. And then leukemia had kept her too sick to meet anybody but fellow patients in the hospital.
Here she was, a twenty-eight-year old-woman who had no idea what she was doing, a woman who, until three days earlier, had never even been kissed.
She remembered the kiss and felt the familiar heat in her cheeks. The desire she'd had for Carter in that moment returned like an old friend, a frightening friend.
And now, not even able to handle a simple kiss with her boyfriend, she was about to meet his five-year-old daughter.
Boyfriend. The word felt weird. He seemed so much more than that. But if this didn't go liked she hoped, even that moniker would fall away. He'd go back to being a friend, or worse, nothing more than a customer. She couldn't imagine how she'd survive that blow.
Which explained her trembling.
She reached the school and saw the little playground behind it. The simple metal monkey bars and swings sets from her youth had been replaced with some contraption that was all brightly colored and complicated. Hidey-holes and bridges and slides. But there were still swings. And bars to hang from.
Carter had his back to her as he stood beside one of those bars, arms by his side like he was forcing them to stay down, while a beautiful little girl hung from her knees upside down. She was swinging and laughing, her hair reaching in curly ringlets toward the ground.
She reached for him, and he snatched her off the bar and swung her around. They were both laughing when he caught sight of Jo.
His smile remained in place as he settled Sara on his hip and spoke into her ear. She looked at Jo, then wiggled until he let her down. They walked hand in hand to where Jo stood. Their approach tore at her last nerve.
"Good morning," he said from about fifteen feet away.
She smiled at him, then at Sara. "Hi there." Her voice was steady, hardly giving away the fear. "You must be Sara."
She stopped in front of Jo and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"My name is Jo."
"That's a boy's name."
"It's short for Josephine."
Her light blue eyes widened. "Ooh, that's pretty."
"Okay, then, you can call me Josephine, if you want."
Sara nodded once and sat on the bench. "Daddy said you brought a treat."
Jo looked up at Carter, who was watching the scene with a slight smile. He nodded, and she sat beside Sara. "Your daddy told me you like doughnuts."
Her little eyes widened over baby cheeks. "Can I have one, Daddy?"
"Of course."
Jo set her coffee on the ground beside the bench, reached into the bag, and pulled out a glazed doughnut. Carter'd told her they were Sara's favorite, and by the way her eyes lit up, he must've known his daughter well. Jo held out the doughnut, and Sara took it.
"Thank you."
"You're very welcome." She grabbed another doughnut and handed it to Carter, who took it and sat on Sara's other side.
Jo bit into the third doughnut. It was probably delicious, but she couldn't taste it. Couldn't think of anything but the little girl beside her.
She slid the rest of her donut in the bag and picked up her coffee. "How old are you?"
"I'm five. How old are you?"
Carter said, "Sara—"
"It's okay." Jo smiled at her. "I'm twenty-eight. Doesn't that seem old to you?"
"You're almost as old as Daddy." She turned to him. "Right, Daddy?"
"That's right."
Satisfied, she took a bite of her doughnut. When she'd swallowed, Jo asked her, "Is this your school?"
"Uh-huh."
"I went to school here, too." She pointed to the classroom on the very farthest corner. "That's where I went to kindergarten. I had Mrs. Pringle, but she's gone now. Where's your classroom?"
"The same one." Sara bounced with excitement, as if this one little thing they had in common was so amazing. Not really, though. They lived in a small town. There were only two kindergarten classrooms. "Those papers in the window are our turkeys," Sara said. "We all had to make turkeys. We traced our hands and then pasted on different colors for the feathers, and..."
As she described the project, Jo remembered doing the same thing so many years ago. She asked questions, Sara answered, and before too long, they were having a real conversation. When Sara finished her doughnut, she said, "Let's swing."
Carter stood, but Sara shook her head. "There are only two swings, Daddy. Me and Josephine are going to swing." She held out her hand for Jo.
Jo set her coffee down, glanced at Carter, and slipped her hand in Sara's.
It was cold and sticky and perfect.
20
Carter passed the unpacked boxes he'd stacked in the dining room and returned to the living room, where the new Christmas tree stood proudly—if a little tilted—in front of the picture window.
"It's perfect," Jo said.
He turned to see her sitting on the sofa, gazing at the tree. "Thanks to you."
"Oh, pshaw."
She sounded like Mom. He laughed. "Please don't pick up any other habits from my mother."
"Why not? She's amazing."
When Mom had met Jo, when she'd understood how important Jo had become in his life, she'd put aside her fears about him getting involved her. Yes, Mom was still worried about her cancer—they all were. But she respected his decisions. And how could she not love Jo? They'd become fast friends. "You think she's amazing because she loves yo
u."
"There is that."
He wrapped his arm around her and tucked her in beside him. He still marveled at how perfectly she fit there, in the crook of his arm, in his life. They both gazed at the Christmas tree.
"Shame you'll only have it up for a week," she said.
He looked around at his new house, at the Christmas decorations Jo, her mother, his mother, and Sara had put all over the place. The four of them had giggled like schoolgirls all afternoon while he and his father had fought to make the stupid tree stand up straight. Christmas was only a week away, and they'd barely had a chance to get settled in the house since he'd closed on it the Friday before. But he was determined to make this a great holiday for his daughter. And for this woman beside him.
They'd been together a month. Hardly long enough, or so he would have told himself at one time. But it was enough. She'd fallen in love with Sara, and Sara had fallen in love right back. He'd moved too fast with Heather. But with Jo, he felt like he'd never felt before, like he'd found a home. His life wasn't about surviving another day as a single father anymore. No, his life was about thriving, and this woman beside him, she was teaching him to do just that.
She was still healthy, still NED, and they had every reason to believe she'd stay that way. There were no guarantees, though. Not about her health, nor about his, nor about anybody's. So what was the lesson—that life was too precarious to hope? No, the lesson was that God would manage it, had always managed it. God was writing a great story, and it would have a happy ending.
They didn't know all the pieces yet. Carter had suggested that, perhaps, she could consider hiring a manager for the UPS store. Andrew was young, still in college, but it was his dream to own his own business someday. For now, he could act as her manager, but maybe someday, he could buy it from her. The store was doing better, and by all indications, it should survive and be profitable the following year. So she could pay him more, hire another helper, and have more time with Carter and Sara. That was his desire, and he knew it was hers, too. But he had to move slowly with her. Let her mind catch up with her heart.
Slowly worked for him. As long as they were together.
He shifted to face her.
She turned to him, a question in her eyes. "You okay?"
"I'm fine. Better than fine." He took her hands and brushed his thumb across her ring finger with a prayer. He looked up.
"I've been pretending for years that I could be happy with Sara, just the two of us, because I was afraid to hope God might have something else for me. He knows I don't deserve more. I don't deserve what I have. So I was content. I was. But then I met you, and now... I want to spend my life with you, Josephine Domani."
Her eyes widened. Her mouth tipped open, compelling him to lean forward and plant a kiss on that bottom lip.
He forced himself to sit back, to finish this and not get sidetracked by those red lips.
"I have no idea what the future holds, but whatever God has in store, I want you by my side. Forever."
He reached into the pocket of his sweatshirt, pulled out the little velvet box, and flipped it open.
21
Jo's breath caught in her throat. She gazed at the solitaire, a perfect round diamond reflecting a million colors in the lights of the Christmas tree.
She looked up to Carter.
He leaned forward, brushed her hair away from her face, kissed her lightly. "I love you, Josephine. Will you marry me?"
That casket of fear, all her broken dreams, rattled in her mind, but she pushed it away. Because a new dream covered her like a fresh layer of Christmas snow. This was the future she'd always been meant to have. Not the travel she'd thought she wanted. Because if she'd had that, she would have missed this.
This day with their families, decorating this house—today had been the most beautiful adventure. Helping Sara hang the ornaments on the tree, reminiscing with her about the ornament she had made in preschool the year before. That had been the perfect moment. They were still getting to know each other, but she already loved the little girl. They could bond like mother and daughter in time.
And of course there'd be difficult days, too. There was still the cancer. The store. What mother could work six days a week? But if she worked it all out, maybe then, some of those trips Carter went on, she could go too. Take little Sara. Hadn't he told her he wanted that?
There was a huge adventure stretched out in front of her, one she wanted with all her heart.
Could it really be as simple as saying yes?
She stared at the tree, at the few presents already waiting beneath it. Gifts came in so many different shapes and sizes, whether they were wrapped in glittery paper or wrapped in brown or—her gaze shifted to the tiny box in Carter's hands—wrapped in black velvet, one never knew the value until the gift was unwrapped.
She looked into his eyes. It could all go wrong. It could look nothing like she expected. Expectations had only gotten her into trouble. No, she'd try not to have those. Instead, she'd look at the future ahead and remember what she'd always wanted—adventure.
She grazed his lips with a kiss. "Yes."
Dear Reader
If you liked A Package Deal, would you take a moment and leave me a review? Then tell all your friends. I’d be so grateful.
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In Christ,
Robin Patchen
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Also by Robin Patchen
Chasing Amanda
Finding Amanda
Hidden Truth series
Convenient Lies
Twisted Lies
Rival Hearts by Susan Crawford
For Corban:
My youngest daughter, brainstorming partner, and the creative genius responsible for the premise of this story. Watching you grow and flourish in your God-given gifts brings me more joy than I can express. I love you, sweet girl.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank the following for their contribution to this story:
• My family – Thank you for supporting my writing habit. I’d like to say that I’ll get it together and clean the house or respond to messages in a timely manner one of these days, but I don’t want to make empty promises, so… Thanks for putting up with it and loving me anyway. I love you dearly.
• My cousin, Kim Spencer – The way you love and serve people is an inspiration to me. I based the Valentine party in this story on your annual dinner for widows and widowers because I think it’s so awesome. What a beautiful display of our calling as Jesus followers. I want to love like you do, and I’m so proud to call you family.
• My anthology co-authors, Julie Jarnagin, Robin Patchen, and Lacy Williams – I’m absolutely thrilled to be included in this collection with you. Thank you for being so willing to help me along on this writing journey. I treasure my friendship with each of you.
• And to Jesus – Thank you for sustaining me during the difficult season that surrounded the writing of this book. I’m ever aware and grateful that your power is made perfect in my weakness.
1
Morgan Drake didn’t belong in Ross, Oklahoma. Never had, never would.
Fine by her.
The thought streaked through her mind, but as she stepped into the meeting room at the Ross Community Center, she immediately felt awkward and out of place. Just like high school all over again.
As the State Food Bank’s community liaison, Morgan had sat through countless meetings like the one about to
begin. The only difference was, those meetings hadn’t taken place in her hometown. First the reunion committee, and now her job was forcing her to spend more time in Ross than she had since graduation. Way more time than she was comfortable with. Her home was in Oklahoma City now, and even though it was only a two-hour drive, for all the relief she felt when she crossed back into city limits, it may as well have been on another continent. And she couldn’t wait to get back there as soon as this meeting was over.
Only two others were at the table. The rest of the committee would be showing up any minute, so Morgan took a seat next to Mrs. Becker, the Community Center director. Ernie Hankins, the town’s resident grouch, sat across from Morgan. He eyed her for a moment, his gaze snagging on her tiny, silver nose ring and again on the cobalt blue streak in her hair. Disdain curled his lip as he looked away and started in on Mrs. Becker about how young people shouldn’t be able to play basketball in the gym on Thursday nights.
Morgan sank into her chair and nervously wrapped a thick blue curl around her finger. The color contrasted so greatly against the room’s dingy eggshell motif that it may as well have been a blinking neon sign pointing out her weirdness.
Be yourself. It doesn’t matter what they think.
She willed the message to sink deep into her being as she pulled everything she’d need for the meeting out of her bag. She neatly stacked folders and paperwork packets on the table, then settled in with her phone to kill time until the other committee members arrived. Anything to avoid talking to grouchy Ernie. Scrolling through her email inbox, she found three work messages—she’d respond to those later—and one from a sender she didn’t recognize.
Subject: Thanks for creating your profile!
Huh? She clicked to open the email and found confirmation that she’d successfully joined www.FarmFolks.com. The message promised she’d find her Happily Ever After with a match from the dating website for people who “loved country livin’.”
Matched Online: Anthology Bks 1-4 (Contemporary Romance) Page 14
