Cheryl Wolverton - Healing Hearts

In Drake’s eyes was not only intelligence but gentleness and need. She wasn’t sure what he needed, but it was there in his eyes. Without another word, she held out her pet parrot, which transferred itself onto his shoulder. She silently vowed at that moment to stop staring at this man.

His voice interrupted her thoughts. “Wow.”

Her gaze went to him. His eyes sparkled with pleasure and his teeth showed when he smiled. Grinning up at her, he winked. “Pirate.”

She returned his grin, then turned to go back up the ramp. Even with her back to Drake, the spell over her emotions was still in full force. She wondered if there was such a thing as meeting someone that you just knew was going to play an important part in your life—like God saying, “Look here, don’t miss this. He’s important to you.”

If so, then Tessa was certain that was what had just happened to her.

grew up in a military town, though her father was no longer in the service when she was born. She attended Tomlinson Junior High School and Lawton High School, and was attending Cameron when she met her husband, Steve. After a whirlwind courtship of two weeks they became engaged. Four months later they were married, and that was over seventeen years ago.

Cheryl and Steve have two wonderful children, Christina, sixteen, and Jeremiah, thirteen. Cheryl loves having two teenagers in the house.

As for books, Cheryl has written nine novels for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired line and is currently working on new novels. You can contact Cheryl at P.O. Box 207, Slaughter, LA 70777. She loves to hear from readers.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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…we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are

wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed

day by day. For our light and momentary troubles

are achieving for us an eternal glory that far

outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what

is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is

temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

—II Corinthians 4:16-18

In the good times, in the bad times, in all times give

thanks—to paraphrase a Bible verse. And that’s

what I want to do here—give thanks to my family

for their love and their long-suffering patience.

A writer who works at home could not succeed if

their family did not support him or her.

Thank you, dear ones, with the love in my heart.

Pam Schlutt, who has taken over my mailing lists,

etc…. Pam, you are such a lifesaver. I would not

have finished this book if you hadn’t assisted me.

Thank you, dear one.

And finally, to my Heavenly Father.

Through the ups and downs, triumphs,

disappointments, my Father is always there,

my best friend, my confidant, my Father who

laughs with me, holds me when I cry, but especially

who died for me. Without Your love, Father,

I would not know love. Thank You.

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

Chapter Fifteen

Letter to Reader

“T essa? Tessa?”

Tessa Stanridge heard her name and turned on her knees to locate her visitor. The soft ground, still slightly damp in the early morning hours, gave her easy access to pivot. She’d been watching her turtle build a nest for her soon-to-be eggs in her little fenced-in area. She loved to spend mornings outside. And her friend knew that well. That was obviously why she’d come to the backyard. “Back here, Dr. McCade,” Tessa said.

She had taken quite nicely to the offbeat woman—a woman who reminded Tessa of herself in some ways. Except that she wasn’t a doctor like Susan “Freckles” McCade, nor was she married. She was simply a school-teacher working to eke out a living in the town of Hill Creek, Texas. A peaceful town, quiet, a place to heal and recover.

Freckles McCade came around the corner, hands curled in the pockets of her sweater which she held against her body to fight off the chill of the windy, late springlike weather they were experiencing. Her red curls bounced and her freckles—where she’d gotten her nickname from—stood out against her pale skin. A huge grin spread across her face when she spotted Tessa. “I’m so glad I found you. I just might have some information for you about a summer job.”

That was Freckles. She always spoke what was on her mind. Tessa smiled. “Good morning to you too, Susan.” After pushing herself up from the ground, Tessa stood and brushed off her hands. Her turtle would be all right for now. She’d check on her again later. “Come in and have some tea.”

Freckles chuckled, her cheeks turning pink. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Tessa started toward the back door. “Careful of your step,” she warned. “We don’t want you falling in your condition.”

Freckles sighed dramatically. “I’m only a few weeks pregnant, Tessa. And stop referring to my pregnancy,” she chided with a chuckle. “If you keep treating me differently, everyone is going to figure it out.”

Tessa hurried up the wooden steps and pulled open the creaking door. She shoved it back, giving Freckles time to catch it as she entered the kitchen. Crossing the dark wooden floor she paused to rinse her hands at the old-fashioned porcelain sink.

Sam the parrot waddled over, his toenails clicking, his green and red feathers flapping as he perched himself upon the nozzle of running water. Moving the parrot to the side, Tessa paused to give him fresh water and peel a banana for him. After cutting it up, she slipped it into the holder on the large wooden table that was set up with perches and ropes and all kinds of paraphernalia just for Sam.

She then put on water to boil. “I’m not treating you differently,” Tessa said lightly to Freckles.

Seeing Freckles attempting to warn off a rabbit that was insistent on nibbling at her toes where she sat, she chuckled. Going over, she seated herself at the rickety wooden table and nudged the rabbit’s chew toy toward it. The rabbit promptly gave up Freckles’s toes and happily went to work on his toy. “I treat all women in your condition the same.”

Freckles sighed loudly. “Okay, Tessa. You win.”

Tessa breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone knew how clumsy Freckles could be. The only one who would be surprised that Freckles was pregnant would be Freckles herself when she told everyone. It was obvious that Freckles carried a child. The woman glowed and her hand kept going to her abdomen. Her husband, Julian, walked around like the baby had already been born, pride shining off his face and his gaze constantly on his wife. And he was so careful with her it wasn’t even laughable. If he could get away with packing her away in a padded room for her entire pregnancy, Tessa wouldn’t doubt that Julian would do it.