Stone was immediately captivated by the blue-eyed blonde.
âYour sister is the bride?â he asked.
âYes.â She stopped, adjusted her hair. âIâm Tara Parnell.â
Stone was very glad the woman couldnât see his eyes through his sunglasses. If she had, she would have seen the shock and recognition he was sure he couldnât hide. He knew all about Tara Parnell. At least, he knew all about her on paper.
âIâm Stone Dempsey.â
âYouâre the one who was apparently late getting here. Your family gave up on you even coming.â
âMy family gave up on me a long time ago,â he said.
She studied him then, giving him a direct blue-eyed look that became disconcerting in its intensity. Stone almost wanted to look away from her. And yet, he couldnât.
âIâve heard a lot about you. But I donât listen to everything I hear,â she said. She smiled then, which made Stoneâs stomach do a little dance.
He took off his shades. âYou should listen. And you should get away from me as fast as you can.â
grew up in a small Georgia town and decided in the fourth grade that she wanted to be a writer. But first, she married her high school sweetheart, then moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Taking care of their baby daughter at home while her husband worked at night, Lenora discovered the world of romance novels and knew thatâs what she wanted to write. And so she began.
A few years later, the family settled in Shreveport, Louisiana, where Lenora continued to write while working as a marketing assistant. After the birth of her second child, a boy, she decided to pursue her dream full-time. In 1993, Lenoraâs hard work and determination finally paid off with that first sale.
âI never gave up, and I believe my faith in God helped get me through the rough times when I doubted myself,â Lenora says. âEach time I start a new book, I say a prayer, asking God to give me the strength and direction to put the words to paper. Thatâs why Iâm so thrilled to be a part of Steeple Hillâs Love Inspired line, where I can combine my faith in God with my love of romance. Itâs the best combination.â
A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will
put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
âEzekiel 36:26
To the Surf SistersâCindy, Elaine, Sue, Kim,
Jackie, Barbara, Julie, Tina, Charlotte, Carla, Pam and Mary Annâfriends for life, sisters forever.
Dear Reader,
I truly enjoyed writing this story of a man who showed the world his heart of stone, while he longed for a heart of flesh. Sometimes, it takes meeting one special person to change us and make us see that we need to turn back to God for our salvation.
In the moment when Stone met Tara, he saw the man he had become. But after getting to know Tara and her girls, he also saw the man he wanted to be. This is what love and marriage and faith are all about. Love and marriage mean weâre willing to make a lifelong commitment to another human being, so that the two parts can become a whole in the eyes of God. And having faith means that weâre willing to put God first in all of our relationships.
At times weâre all like Stone. We harden our hearts to Godâs love and redemption. We harden our hearts to the people who love us, our families and friends. I hope this story will touch your heart and open it to the possibility of Godâs immense love and grace. And I hope youâll join me for the next story in the Sunset Island series, when Rock and Stoneâs younger brother, Clay Dempsey, returns to Sunset Island, to find some rest and redemption of his own, in A Tender Touch, available in September 2004. And in May 2004, look for my Steeple Hill single title After the Storm, a love story about new beginnings, set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia.
Until next time, may the angels watch over youâalways.
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
Sunset Island Sentinel Society News Reported by Greta Epperson
H e refused to feel anything.
Stone Dempsey watched as his older brother, Rock, kissed his new bride. They had just married on the beach right in front of the Sunset Island Chapel where Rock preached each and every Sunday, with practically the whole island population and a few tourists witnessing the nuptials. Rock looked happy and so at peace it made Stoneâs stomach turn. He didnât know why his brotherâs marriage to Ana Hanson should have him in such a foul mood.
But then, most things kept Stone in a foul mood.
He studied the happy newlyweds behind the cover of his expensive sunglasses. They protected his eyes from the glare of the late-afternoon sun, but mostly they protected his soul from any interlopers. Stone liked watching people, but he didnât like people watching him.
Heâd deliberately arrived late, so he stayed back, away from the crowd, away from his mother who stood dressed in lavender and blue, away from his other brother Clay who had served as best man for Rockâs wedding.