“That’s a good point.” She pulled from his arms and reached for the folders she’d set on the table. “But before I go any further, there’s some paperwork you need to sign.” She opened the manila folder and set the pen on the top sheet, her hand trembling.
“Me? What for?” He took the pen and leaned over, bracing his hands beside the folder, his broad shoulders hovering over the table.
She watched his face. Watched while pensive lines furrowed his forehead as his eyes toggled across the page. His lips slackened as realization dawned.
“What?” His gaze darted to her, then back to the paper. He flipped the page, scanning it, then straightened. “No,” he said firmly. “It’s your house, PJ. You won it.”
“You gave it up for me. And you know what? I was going to give it up for you too.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I went to presentation day prepared to make a case for why you should have the house. Why Crossroads should stay open. It was an easy sell because you made a difference in the lives of those kids, but I never had the chance to give it.”
He dropped the pen. “I’m not taking your dream, PJ.”
“You’re not taking anything. I have my restaurant. That’s all I want. Well, not all I want. I want you to have your dream too. I want those kids to have a safe place to go. I want us to do this together. You with Crossroads, me with my restaurant. Both of us living our dream under the same roof.”
She pulled the second folder from beneath the manila one and opened it on the table.
His eyes fell to the rumpled pages, his face falling. “Where’d you get these?”
“I found them in the garbage after you left. Your Promising pile. Four kids who need a home . . .” She opened her arms wide. “And all this empty space just sitting here.”
He swallowed, his eyes fixed on the papers, on the pictures of those kids.
“We should really do something about that, don’t you think?”
He met her gaze. “I can’t believe you’d do this.”
“It’s actually kind of selfish. I like having you under the same roof.”
He gave a wry smile, rubbing the bruise at his temple. “I’m not sure it’s safe.”
PJ pursed her lips. “If you sign these papers, I will solemnly swear not to wield weighty umbrellas or ceramic pots or any other inanimate object as a weapon against you. So help me God.”
He moved his hand over his jaw, his eyes turning serious. “This is a big decision, PJ.”
“I’ve given it a lot of thought.”
“Are you sure?”
She cupped his cheeks, loving the roughness of his jaw under her palm. “I couldn’t be more sure. It was all I could do not to call those kids days ago.”
He gave her a long look. Green eyes had never looked so warm. “You’re an amazing woman, Sunshine. And I am one lucky man.”
Smiling, she moved into his arms the same way Cole had moved into her heart.
Reading Group Guide
1. Which character did you most relate to? Why?
2. PJ found herself so busy with her new restaurant that she didn’t make time for important things. Have you ever been too busy for God? For your family? How did this affect you and others?
3. PJ felt shame over her former relationship with Keaton, a married man. Discuss her feelings on this. Is it a sin to be tempted? Did PJ do anything wrong?
4. Cole spent years blaming himself for his family’s accident. Was it his fault? Have you ever been in a situation where you blamed yourself for something you had no control over?
5. What did you like about the McKinley family? What did you dislike? Every family has its foibles. What do you love about your family? What annoys you?
6. Sometimes we absorb lies about ourselves that we come to believe as true. PJ’s lie was “I’m not capable.” Cole’s was “I don’t deserve love.” Is there a lie that you believe about yourself? How has it affected the decisions you’ve made?
7. PJ and Cole both dealt with guilt and shame. Have you ever dealt with those feelings? How did you handle them?
8. What’s the difference between guilt and shame? Should they be handled differently?
9. PJ’s mom talked to her about the thorns in her life that kept her from growing. Do you have thorns in your life? What are they and what can you do about them?
10. Cole lost his family at a young age. The foster kids Cole took in had already faced traumatic events in their young lives. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. How is this consistent with a view of a loving and compassionate God?
Find the recipe for PJ’s Wildberry Cheesecake at
www.DeniseHunterBooks.com
Acknowledgments
WRITING A BOOK IS A TEAM EFFORT, AND I’M SO GRATEFUL for the fabulous team at HarperCollins Christian Fiction, led by publisher Daisy Hutton: Ansley Boatman, Katie Bond, Amanda Bostic, Karli Cajka, Laura Dickerson, Elizabeth Hudson, Jodi Hughes, Ami McConnell, Becky Monds, Becky Philpot, Kerri Potts, and Kristen Vasgaard.
Thanks especially to my editor, Ami McConnell. Woman, you are a wonder! I’m constantly astounded by your gift of insight. I don’t know of a more talented line editor than LB Norton. You make me look much better than I am!
Author Colleen Coble is my first reader. Thank you, friend! I wouldn’t want to do this writing thing without my buds and fellow authors Colleen Coble and Kristin Billerbeck. Love you, girls! This is my first finished book since the death of our dear friend Diann Hunt. She helped us brainstorm every book, including this one. I miss you and love you, Di!
I’m grateful to my agent, Karen Solem, who is able to somehow make sense of the legal garble of contracts and, even more amazing, help me understand it.
Kevin, my husband of twenty-five years, has been a wonderful support. Thank you, honey! To my sons, Justin, Chad, and Trevor: you make life an adventure! Love you all!
Lastly, thank you, friend, for letting me share this story with you. I wouldn’t be doing this without you! I enjoy connecting with friends on my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/authordenisehunter. Please pop over and say hello. Visit my website at the link www.DeniseHunterBooks.com, or just drop me a note at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!
About the Author
DENISE HUNTER IS THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MANY novels, including The Trouble with Cowboys and Barefoot Summer. She lives in Indiana with her husband, Kevin, and their three sons.
The Wishing Season (A Chapel Springs Romance Book 3) Page 26
