âIâm here for my challenge.â
Wyattâs gaze flickered down her as if assessing her once more and wondering if heâd gone crazy asking her back. The distrust was there as clear as day. Determination sprang through her like a runner out of the starting blocks. Amanda hiked a brow when he said nothing, deciding a little challenge of her own was in order.
âI guess I am, too,â he drawled in a voice she bet jurors found almost hypnotizing in a courtroom.
She had to give him credit, though; his tone was civil for the first time since sheâd met him. They could build on that.
âI promise you wonât be sorry. Iâll get results.â
âIâll make sure you do.â
His words were meant as a warning, but they made her smile widen. âI think we are going to have some fun, Mr. Turner.â
was a 2004 Golden Heart finalist in the inspirational category, a 2006 Inspirational Readersâ Choice Award winner, a 2007 Golden Quill award winner and a finalist for the 2007 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award. She praises the Lord each time someone votes for one of her books, and takes it as an affirmation that she is exactly where God wants her to be.
Debra is a hopeless romantic and loves to create stories with lively heroines and the strong heroes who fall in love with them. But most important, she loves showing her characters living their faith, seeking Godâs will in their lives one day at a time. Her goal is to give her readers an entertaining story that will make them smile, hopefully laugh and always feel Godâs goodness as they read her books. She has found the perfect home for her stories writing for the Love Inspired line and still has to pinch herself just to see if she really is awake and living her dream.
When she isnât writing, she enjoys taking road trips, reading and spending time with her two sons, Chase and Kris. She loves hearing from readers and can be reached through her Web site, www.debraclopton.com, or by mail at P.O. Box 1125, Madisonville, Texas 77864.
And Jesus answered and said unto him,
If a man love me, he will keep my words.
âJohn 14:23
This book is dedicated to Chuck Parks. My life changed the day God sent you to my front doorâwhat a wonderful beginning that blind date turned out to be! I love you, Chuckâ¦you are my very own God-loving, honorable cowboy for keeps :)
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
Epilogue
Questions for Discussion
âAre you sure this is what you want to do? I just canât believe it.â
Amanda Hathaway met her bossâs sympathetic, if somewhat startled, gaze. It wasnât what she wanted, it was her only option. âYes. It is, Joyce. Iâve given it a lot of thought and I wantâI needâto move strictly to adult cases.â Adults, not children. Not the kids sheâd loved working withâfelt called to work with.
âBut youâve always loved working with children,â Joyce Canton said as if reading her mind. âAnd you have such a gift. Donât you want to think this through?â
Amanda took a deep breath, her chest constricted with the strain she was feeling. âI have, Joyce. This is not easy for me. But I donât have the heart for it anymore.â
âI canât believe that.â
âBeing aroundâ¦â The words trailed off because she couldnât voice the words that being around children right now made her feel ill. What good would she do as a physical therapist when she couldnât look at her patients without crying or feeling hollow? âItâs tearing me up insideâ was all she could manage. She had to change her life. And she had to do it now.
âHe was a jerk, Amanda.â
Joyceâs words emerged in a growl of disgust, one completely the opposite of her normally professional demeanor. Amanda blinked hard as her eyes began to burn. She looked away, willing herself to keep her composure. God had a plan. He did; she just didnât understand it. And that didnât make what she was feeling any less heartbreaking.
âYou canât let what he said and did have this kind of power over you,â Joyce continued. âIf I were a man Iâd go over there and Iâd punch him.â
Any other time Amanda might have smiled at her bossâs show of affection, but today she just couldnât summon one. Her fiancéâno, her ex-fiancéâs decision ate at her. âHe only expressed his true feelings,â she managed, willing herself to truly understand him. Anger wasnât going to help her in this situation. Anger very seldom did help, but in this instance it would simply exaggerate her already shot emotions. âHe canât be faulted for being honest.â
âHonest. Honest! The man knew the facts and asked you to marry him. Then out of the blue he drops this bomb on you. How could he ask you to marry him and then break it off because you canâtââ