Angel Smits - A Message for Julia

Julia repeated his name, praying that somehow that could make Linc materialize there before her. For the first time in weeks she closed her eyes and pictured his face. Not the face that had been lined with anger and red with rage as he argued with her. Not the face of the man who silently drank his coffee each morning before work and barely spoke to her. Not the face of the man who’d stridden from the house the other night.

She saw the boy she’d fallen in love with back in high school. The boy she’d stayed up late with cramming for finals in college. The man whose face shone in completion as he made love to her.

Dear Reader,

Whenever a catastrophe strikes, the media are quick to descend, and we often see events as they happen. During the Sago Mine disaster in 2006, one picture of a woman crumbling into tears touched my heart. I wanted to put my arms around her and comfort her. She stayed with me over the next few days and I wondered about her, about her story.

She developed into Julia. I could see that Julia cared deeply—it was etched into the pain on her face in that picture. Linc soon appeared, and I knew their story was powerful. From there the words and images came—of a tough breed of people who go to work each day and risk their lives. And while I can’t understand how they can bear to let their loved ones go, I know many families do just that each and every day. Julia and Linc travel a rough road and have to—literally—try to move a mountain in healing their love. I hope you enjoy reading their story as much as I have appreciated writing it.

I love to hear from readers. Please feel free to contact me at angelsmits@q.com or at P.O. Box 63202, Colorado Springs, CO 80962-3202. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter, as well.

Happy reading!

Angel Smits

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Angel Smits’s background as a geriatric social worker has given her a glimpse into many varied lives and generations. She often finds her characters and stories in the people she’s met. A people watcher, she is frequently at the mall or nearby bookstore simply observing all the craziness—especially during Christmas, where there’s so much to see. Angel has received Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award and has previously published two paranormal romances and several nonfiction articles. A Message for Julia is her first book for Harlequin Superromance. Angel lives in Colorado with her husband and soon-to-be-moving-out son and daughter. The cat and dog plan to stay.

For all the men who go to work each day and face the danger, and the women who kiss them goodbye and let them go.

Pat, you would have loved this one.

The mimosas are on me.

And Ron. Simply—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

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

EPILOGUE

Thursday Afternoon, 3:00 p.m.

NORMALLY THE SMELL OF CHALK dust comforted Julia Holmes, but not today. Maybe never again.

Shaking her head, she turned back to the blackboard and finished erasing the scrawled lessons, wishing she could erase the day’s events just as easily.

The letter of reprimand from the school board lay on her desk, as disturbing to her peace of mind as the empty seat in the second row.

She’d only been trying to help.

Ryan Sinclair, one of her students, had dropped out of school last week to take a job at the mine. She’d tried to talk some sense into him. He was bright and talented with too much potential to be stuck working in a coal mine the rest of his life. The school board hadn’t appreciated her “meddling” as they called it, and the letter on her desk told her so quite clearly.

Her presence was requested at tomorrow night’s school-board meeting. She swallowed the lump of apprehension that threatened to choke her.

A cough in the doorway pulled her out of her thoughts. Julia turned to see Missy Watson standing there. The girl had been quiet in class today, and Julia was surprised to see tears in her eyes now. “Missy? Are you okay?” She stepped around to the front of the desk.

A sob ripped from Missy’s throat. Dropping the eraser, Julia hurried to her. Tears cut pale tracks in her too-heavy makeup.

“What’s the matter?” Julia spoke softly, carefully, laying a hand on her student’s arm.

“It’s…it’s all my fault.”

“What’s your fault?”

“The whole mess you’re in. With Ryan.”

Understanding dawned. Julia gently squeezed the arm she held. “It’s okay, Missy.” Obviously talk had gotten around about the reprimand she’d received. Or, at the very least, the tongue-lashing the principal had given her. She’d known last week that news of Ryan’s father’s blowup had been all over the school.

All because she’d cared.

“No, it’s not.” Missy dissolved into tears again. “I didn’t really want him to leave. But…but…”

Julia’s heart ached for the girl. She remembered all too clearly being seventeen and feeling as if the world rested on your every decision.

Despite the warnings against touching students, Julia slipped her arms around Missy’s slim shoulders.

“I teased him.” Missy’s voice wobbled. “He asked me to the prom and I said no.” The last word was more a wail than anything.

“Oh, I’m sure he recovered from that.” Teenagers and dating. It was a minefield, and while Julia wanted to help Missy, she knew better than to venture in too far. Besides, she wasn’t exactly qualified to give advice about love. She hastily put thoughts of her own marriage out of her mind.

“No. I…I told him I didn’t want to date boys. I wanted to go out with a man. But that’s not true. I really like him.”

“Oh, dear.” Julia could imagine the slap in the face those words had been.

“It’s not your fault he left school. It’s mine.” She sobbed into Julia’s collar. “And now you’re in trouble and might lose your job.”

Missy’s guilt seemed all too powerful right then. Julia knew she needed to ease the girl’s tears, though she hoped Missy had learned something from this. Maybe she’d think twice before spouting off hurtful remarks in the future. “I’m not going to lose my job.” Julia wasn’t sure who needed to believe it more, her or Missy.

“You’re not?” Missy pulled back and looked up. “Oh, thank goodness. You’re the best teacher. I’m doing lousy in all my other classes.”

She wasn’t doing that well in this one, either, but Julia left that unsaid. Missy hastily wiped her face. Smudges of black mascara ringed her damp blue eyes.

“To be honest, Missy, I’d do it again.” And she would. “Sometimes you have to fight for the things you care about.”

Missy seemed to consider that. “So, you think I should fight for Ryan?”

“Well…” Julia wasn’t getting sucked in again. She’d already done enough damage by trying to give a kid advice. “That’s up to you. Just think about it.”

“I will. Thanks, Mrs. Holmes. You’re the best.”

Before Julia could say anything more, Missy headed to the door and probably straight to the restroom to fix her makeup. Ah, the resilience of youth.

Julia returned to her desk and sank into her chair, wishing she were as resilient as Missy. She stared at the letter, not really seeing it, not needing to read the words. Despite what she’d told Missy, she could lose her job.