Love Inspired November 2013 #2 (58 page)

“Yes, Gavin.” In the end, she settled for showing him what she felt because getting words past the ache in her throat was too much. The flyer crumpled against his chest as she put all of the love and gratitude she felt into her kiss.

She never wanted to move, to let him go an inch away from her. She felt the world shrinking to the space of two people gloriously in love.

His hand was warm in hers, and she gripped it tightly, letting her heart feel hope for the first time in a long while. She was laughing in earnest now, not quite believing that they were getting yet another chance.

He was pulling her close, arms wrapped around her waist. Evie let herself fall into his kiss in a way she never had before, with complete trust and abandon. No fear, only hope.

“Evie? Didn't my mom tell you guys to stop that?” A small voice sounded right near her elbow, and she looked down into the face of Gavin's godson.

“Sean!” Allison's horrified voice came from the doorway.

“I thought you were waiting to talk to Santa.” Gavin's face was serious, but his voice was full of laughter. He pulled away from her, eyes bright with happiness.

“My mom had to go to the bathroom. She said to stand in line and not come out here.” He stated it as naturally as if he had actually obeyed his mother, not the other way around.

Allison's face flushed deep pink. “Sorry you guys.” She grabbed Sean's hand and started tugging him back to the party.

“You don't have to leave.” Gavin looked up at Evie and she nodded. She felt herself glowing with pure happiness. “We've worked it out.”

Allison burst into tears and ran to hug them both, shoulders shaking with sobs, her green ribbon squashed against Gavin's jacket.

“Whoa! Overreaction,” Gavin said, laughing.

“No...I'm just so happy. I couldn't stand two of my favorite people not speaking.” She stood back, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

Sean cocked his blond head. “Does this mean you're going to be kissing more?”

“Come on, buddy. Let's get back inside.” Allison grabbed Sean's hand and walked him to the Mission doors. “You guys have exactly five minutes. You don't want to miss the pageant.”

Evie felt her face go hot, and Gavin chuckled in her ear, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine.

“One thing, Evie...” His arms were strong around her and she leaned into him, inhaling the familiar scent of him. “Can you put some airbags in that old car? The worry is just about killing me.”

Laughter bubbled up from inside and she nodded. Some things wouldn't change, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Her heart felt as if it was unfolding, second by second. She was so thankful, so amazingly grateful for second chances. And thirds. And fourths.

Evie looked up into his face, laying a hand on his cheek, feeling as if it all wasn't quite real. His lips moved, whispering words she couldn't quite catch over the sound of the party and the beat of her heart. But she knew what he'd said, felt it deep in her bones.

His words were just a reassurance, an echo of the faith he'd shown in her. She stretched up on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“I love you, Gavin.” The words came from that unfolding place inside and came out sounding like a breath of pure hope.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from TAIL OF TWO HEARTS by Charlotte Carter.

Dear Reader,

The idea for Evie's story came to me in early spring
about two years ago. A close friend had just explained why she didn't read any
news articles about celebrities. She didn't want to be part of the culture of
gossip. Well, I sure wasn't a gossip in person, but I did click those fun links
to see what famous people were doing, good and bad. I'd never considered that I
might be fueling our country's thirst for tabloid articles. What an
eye-opener!

Season of Hope
starts years after
Evie changes her life. She clings to God's grace and His promises for a fresh
start, but still carries guilt and feelings of never being good enough to
balance out all the bad she's done to other people.

Gavin is the kind of man who wants to protect the world, but he
also carries hurts from his childhood. Later, when his sister is embroiled in a
very public scandal, Gavin's dislike for reporters grows even stronger. His fear
of the unknown stands in the way of his growing faith.

Evie and Gavin are searching for forgiveness, in themselves and
from others. Evie's freedom from guilt can happen only when she decides to stop
looking back on her past, and Gavin has to move forward from his fear to become
the man God wants him to be.

I love all social media! But my friend inspired me that spring
day to avoid wasting time on even the silliest “news” sites about famous people
and instead invest my words in something better. Building up, shoring up and
lifting up the people around me. To be less “social” and more “community of
faith.”

I would love to hear about the special times in your life when
someone's words lifted you out of a dark place! You can reach me on Facebook at
Virginia Carmichael, my blog,
virginiacarmichael.blogspot.com
, or at the cyber
recipe site Yankee-Belle Café. You can also write me a letter c/o Love Inspired
Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279.

Virginia Carmichael

Questions for Discussion

1. The book begins as Evie steps into the Downtown Denver Mission on her way to her first finance board meeting. Have you ever stepped up to take a community role, even though you felt less than prepared? How did it turn out?
   
2. Gavin has a lot on his plate, but he still makes the Mission a priority. Do you think God rewards our efforts when we keep our promises to other people?
   
3. When the city of Denver struggles under the threat of a pertussis epidemic, Gavin works almost around the clock. Is there a time in your life when you felt completely overwhelmed by your work? How did you find balance?
   
4. Allison's little boy, Sean, is an innocent child born of a very bad choice. Gavin's love and care of Sean shows us his generous heart. He also cares for Allison when their own parents have disowned her. Do you know people like Gavin, who love without boundaries or judgment?
   
5. Evie lives in fear that her past will catch up to her. When she faces Allison for the first time, it's a turning point for both of them. Have you ever faced a fear that was ruining your peace of mind?
   
6. Evie asks Allison for forgiveness but Allison tells her that Evie probably saved her life. Looking back on your past, has anyone saved you from making a terrible mistake, but you didn't know it then?
   
7. Gavin is desperate to slow the numbers of pertussis cases, but working with Evie makes him uneasy, especially since his own childhood was scarred by the careless and hurtful words of a reporter. Is there a childhood memory that still hurts the person you are today? Can forgiving the person who spoke those words give you a new direction?
   
8. Gossip is a fun, entertaining way to pass the time. At least, that's what internet sites and magazines tell us. Do you think that Evie's refusal to print any entertainment stories at all is right? Can we celebrate music and film without following a celebrity's every move?
   
9. Jack warns Evie about “overcompensating.” Sometimes we feel we need to make up for actions in our past, even though we've already been forgiven. Is there an area where you need to let go of guilt? How would it feel?
   
10. Evie doesn't want to hide her past, but her feelings for Gavin get in the way of being completely honest with him. It's easier for her to talk with the person she hurt than with the man she loves. How is it harder for us to be honest with those we love than with strangers? Does perfect love truly cast out all fear, like the verse says?
    
11. Gavin accuses Evie of being behind the new stories about Allison. He speaks more out of his betrayal at not knowing her full past than out of believing she had a part in it. Evie's lack of trust in him hurts him deeply. His angry words make her feel as if he didn't know her at all. Is there a time when you reacted in anger, because you were hurt? Why is it so hard to tell someone when they have hurt us, but always easier to be angry?
    
12. When Gavin decides to find the perfect spot for Evie's baby supply drop spot, he shows how much he believes in her dream of helping at-risk families. Why is his energy and effort so much better than mere words? Is there a time someone showed faith in your dreams by putting in their energy and expertise?
    
13. Evie's afraid of making another mistake and it keeps her from living completely in God's grace. Gavin is afraid of not being able to keep the city from disaster and it keeps him from living completely in “rejoicing hope.” When have your fears of failure kept you from God's perfect plan for your life? If God will also be there to help us, why do you think it can be so hard to step out in faith and try new things?
    
14. When Gavin asks for forgiveness outside the Downtown Denver Mission, and Evie gives it with her whole heart, it's a new beginning for two people learning to love each other. Falling in love is a wonderful, exciting process, but it can be scary, too. Love nudges Evie and Gavin to overcome their fears and embrace God's plan for their life. Has love ever helped you move past fear and into a place you never dreamed you would be?
    

Chapter One

V
ivian Duncan stepped out of Happy Endings Bookstore onto the sidewalk in the small Kansas town of Bygones. Watching leaves and bits of paper racing down the street blown by a brisk breeze, she inhaled the crisp November air. Only a few weeks until Thanksgiving, one of her favorite times of the year.

Her mother made the best turkey and stuffing, and her older siblings who had moved away from home always made it a point to come back for the holiday.

A gaggle of laughing and shouting schoolchildren barreled past her en route to Fluff & Stuff, the pet store that had opened on Main Street in July. Vivian was on her way there as well, just two doors down the street. The colorful awnings above each of the new stores fluttered in the breeze.

She hoped the owner of Fluff & Stuff, Chase Rollins, would help her put together a special event at the bookstore to promote books about dogs.

Who better to ask for help on the topic than Chase?

As she opened the door, she faced the big green-cheeked parrot near the cash register who squawked his greeting, “What's up? What's up?” He proudly bobbed his head and did a little dance on his perch.

“Hello, Pepper.” Vivian smiled at Chase's recently acquired bird that was looking for a new home.

“Good birdie! Good birdie!” he vocalized.

“I'm sure you are.” She looked around for Chase. Hearing the high-pitched voices of the youngsters she'd seen running into the shop, she headed toward the back where puppies were kept in a pen.

She eased past two boys who were running Chase's dog, Boyo, through his trick repertoire: rollover, shake, play dead. The ridiculous-looking bassetoodle—a combination of a basset hound and poodle—performed brilliantly for the boys, and they all vied for a chance to show off their skills with the dog.

“It's my turn! It's my turn!” one boy insisted.

“You don't even know what to do,” an older youngster complained.

“I do so!”

From a shelf high above the action, Fluff, a long-haired cat with enough hair for two, looked down on the action with disdain. Vivian gave Fluff a scratch between her ears.

“You're too smart to do their bidding, aren't you?” she whispered to the cat.

Fluff responded with a faint purr.

Chase really did love his animals. For that matter, so did Vivian.

She walked past displays of dog and cat beds, stacks of canned and dried animal food, and toys for all manner of pets and finally found him supervising the youngsters around the puppy pen. He made sure they didn't manhandle the puppies too badly but did socialize them to make for better pets.

His warm brown eyes lit up when he spotted Vivian, and he produced a delighted smile. “Hey, Viv. How's Roger doing?”

“He's doing fine—healthy and active.” She chuckled at the reference to the hamster she'd purchased from Chase and had named in honor of Roger Bannister, the first man to break the four-minute mile. “He's so busy running on his wheel and playing with his toys. If I want to get any peace and quiet, I have to put him in the extra bedroom.”

“They can be pretty active.”

Still smiling, he stepped toward Vivian. When she'd first met him, she'd thought he was an attractive man. She still did. At six foot two with a muscular body, he towered over her five foot four, even when she was wearing heels. His short dark hair had a natural wave that sculpted his head. His nose was straight, his lips nicely full. If it weren't for a slight scar on his chin, he might be too handsome. But the scar gave him an air of mystery.

“What can I do for you?” he asked.

“I, uh...” Snapping back from her train of thought, she started over. “Allison and I at Happy Endings have realized books about dogs are particularly popular. We'd like to put on a special event and thought you could give us some guidance about where to get a dog or two for show-and-tell. I know the puppies you have are from the local shelter.”

“That's right. The puppies and kittens from Happy Havens Animal Shelter attract customers and sometimes get adopted, so it's a win-win situation.”

“Either way, it's a nice thing you're doing.” In the short time she'd known Chase, she'd discovered he had a generous heart, particularly when it came to animals.

Chase kept one eye on the boys and the puppies as he spoke. “I like the idea of my customers rescuing a dog and giving it a good home.”

“I do, too.” Admiration for his principles filled her chest. “I wonder if it would be best to show off the puppies for our event or find some older dogs.”

“I'd say older dogs. For one thing, they're much harder to place in a new home, and the shelter is overflowing with them right now. Plus, most of them have at least some training. Trying to explain something when you've got a handful of puppies would be like a juggler trying to give a speech.”

She chuckled at the image. “Using older dogs sounds like it would be for the best. If you have the time, we'd like you to be part of the event, talk about breeds, training, care and feeding. That sort of thing. We thought that would bring attention to both businesses.”

“Sure. I'd be happy to come talk about dogs.” He noticed someone at the cash register, and they both walked in that direction.

“I'm a big supporter of the local shelter,” he said. “Since Randall Manufacturing closed down the factory and laid off their employees, the turnover forced a lot of people to surrender their pets. Some of those folks are moving away, and their new places don't allow animals. Or they're broke and can't afford to feed their animals.”

“That's a shame.” Her family had always had dogs and cats around the wheat farm. She'd hate the thought of handing any of them over to a shelter. Even a no-kill shelter. They were always a part of the family.

He stepped behind the counter to help his customer. “Hello, Mrs. Murdock. How's your arthritis doing these days?”

“Not bad for now, but if it gets cold and rainy, it'll act up. I can be sure of that.”

He scanned the sack of cat food Mrs. Murdock had placed on the counter. “Anything else today? We're starting to get in some nice toys and soft beds for Christmas gifts. Your Sadie might like one of those.”

She tilted her head. “I do believe you're trying to tempt me, Mr. Rollins.”

“Only because I know how much you love to spoil Sadie.”

Mrs. Murdock gave Chase a twenty-dollar bill. Chase made change, and Mrs. Murdock went out the door smiling.

“Come again! Come again!” the parrot squawked.

Chase ignored the bird. “The shelter is getting overcrowded, so I've started a monthly Adopt a Pet Day here at the shop. In fact I'm having one this Saturday.” He handed her a flyer from the stack on the counter.

“What a nice thing for you to do.” She glanced over the flyer, which featured a cute poodle with a pink bow on top of her head. “She sure is a cutie.”

“Yeah, she is. The big dogs are the ones they have the most trouble placing in new homes. They need a lot of space and eat a lot of food.”

She chuckled. “I'm sure they do. But if you're doing your adoption day, will you be able to leave the pet store to talk to our people?”

“I've got a friend who can fill in for me. It'll be okay.”

“I'm glad.” She was relieved, too, that Chase could help out.

“When you visit the shelter, you'll have to be careful not to fall in love.” His eyes twinkled, and his lively grin was pure temptation.

Vivian blinked. Her cheeks flushed. Had he said
fall in love?
With who? And why had she zeroed in on that thought?

“Some of those dogs are pretty lovable,” he continued, unaware of her reaction. “You might want to adopt one or two yourself.”

She chided herself for misunderstanding what he meant. “Uh, no, I'll have to stick with Roger and my cat, Essie, for now.”

“That's all right.” His eyes glinted with humor. “Chances are good I'll have another opportunity to tempt you with a puppy or two. I don't give up easily.”

She nodded, thinking that was an admirable trait. “I'm sure that's true. I'll just have to do my very best to resist your persuasive ways.”

His brown-eyed gaze softened as he studied her face. “I can only hope you won't try too hard to resist.”

She swallowed hard. Chase Rollins was a man who knew how to flirt, and she was reacting just the way he had intended: with a nervous flutter in her stomach.

She stepped toward the door. “I'll tell Allison about the shelter, and that you'll help us out.”

“Right. I'll be happy to.”

Vivian pulled the door open and escaped outside just as the flame of embarrassment heated her cheeks.

Her recent forays into the dating world had been less than successful. Indeed, they'd been a flop. As soon as she had announced to the men in question that she'd never be able to give them a baby, the guys had dumped her.

She had always dreamed of having a big family. Apparently God had decided two years ago, when she had had her hysterectomy, that she wouldn't be able to give birth to her own children. But that wouldn't prevent her from having the family she wanted. She'd recently taken charge of her dream by putting in her application at several agencies to adopt a baby.

Since the guys she'd dated had been clear about wanting to have children who carried their own genes, she'd decided being a single mother was the way she would go. Even though she knew some people would not approve of her choice, she was determined to set her dream in motion.

She had faith that God understood how she had longed for children and would provide when the time came.

* * *

Chase watched Vivian until she moved out of view toward the bookstore.

“Pretty lady. Pretty lady,” Pepper chanted.

“Yes, Pepper, she is pretty. Nice, too.” In the few months since Chase had arrived in Bygones and had opened the pet store, he'd enjoyed her visits to the shop. He liked seeing her walk in the door with her auburn hair swinging at her shoulders. An eager smile on her face and a smattering of cute freckles across her nose. A bounce in her step.

She liked animals, too. Vivian gave Boyo a pat or Fluff a chuck under the chin as she strolled through the shop.

And she was smart. Until the town of Bygones had come on hard times, she'd been a librarian. Which meant she sure had a lot more education than he did. He hadn't dropped out of high school, but working a night shift at a warehouse in Wichita during his senior year had made his grades tank. He'd been grateful to graduate.

He'd worked at the warehouse for nearly thirteen years until he had moved to Bygones for the chance to open a business of his own.

Strolling to the back of the store, he joined the boys around the puppy pen. “Puppies need a lot of sleep, kids. Why don't you let these guys rest now? You can come back tomorrow.”
And bring your moms and dads along so you can talk them into adopting one of these lovable guys,
he added silently. “Tell your folks we've got some cute puppies down here.”

“I already have, Mr. Rollins,” one little boy with a missing front tooth piped up. “My mom said she didn't want to clean up after a puppy.”

Chase bent down to the boy's level and looked him in the eye. “You can tell your mom that the animal shelter has dogs who need a home and are already housebroken.”

“Really?” The boy's eyes brightened.

“Absolutely.”

“Come on, Becker.” He tugged on a younger boy's jacket. “We gotta get home 'n tell Mom.”

The twosome plus the rest of the puppy lovers raced for the door.

Chase smiled to himself. Maybe there'd be one fewer dog looking for a home at Happy Havens Animal Shelter by the weekend.

He'd like that. A lot.

And the chance to see Viv again.

* * *

When Vivian returned to the bookstore, Allison was helping Oliver Fibley, a regular customer, search on the computer for a new book about stamp collecting. Knowing he was such a devoted philatelist, Vivian imagined he already owned every book ever printed on the subject.

“Hello, Mr. Fibley.” Her cheerful greeting caused him to lift his gaze from the computer screen.

In his usual sweet way, he nodded and gave her a small smile.

Vivian was anxious to tell Allison about Chase's idea to use shelter dogs for their event, but she could wait until Mr. Fibley left. For now she'd keep herself busy by reshelving the books in the Kids' Korner section, where children's books were located. Just as it had been when she had worked in the library, she found young readers often didn't return books to their proper place.

She adjusted her casual calf-length skirt so she wouldn't step on the hem and squatted down to reorder the books.

A few minutes later, after seeing Mr. Fibley out, Allison joined Vivian in the children's section. She sat down on one of the child-size chairs. Her pink T-shirt was stenciled with the slogan “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Aesop.”

“So what did Chase think of our idea for Doggie Daze?” she asked.

Crouched down in front of the lowest bookshelf, Vivian smiled at the name her boss had given their event. “He thought it was a great idea. He suggested we borrow a couple of dogs from the shelter.”

“I hadn't thought about that.” Surprise raised Allison's nicely arched brows. “I was just thinking that he always has puppies in his shop. The kids go crazy for them.”

“True. But Chase thinks the event will go better with older dogs who have some training.”

“Good point. Then that's what we'll do.”

“Sounds good to me.” Vivian shifted aside the books on the lowest shelf and slipped one into place.

“Viv? You're smiling.”

“I smile most of the time, don't I?”

Allison eyed her curiously. “Of course you do. But it's a different kind of smile. Did something happen at the pet shop?”