His Frontier Christmas Family
A Family Made at ChristmasTaking guardianship of his late friend’s siblings and baby daughter, minister Levi Wallin hopes to atone for his troubled past on the gold fields. But it won’t be easy to convince the children’s wary older sister to trust him. The more he learns about her, though, the more he believes Callie Murphy’s prickly manner masks a vulnerable heart…one he’s starting to wish he were worthy of.Every man in Callie’s life chose chasing gold over responsibilities. Levi—and the large, loving Wallin family—might just be different. But she can tell he’s hiding something from her, and she refuses to risk her heart with secrets between them. Even as they grow closer, will their pasts keep them from claiming this unexpected new beginning?Frontier Bachelors: Bold, rugged—and bound to be grooms
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A Family Made at Christmas
After taking guardianship of his late friendâs siblings and baby daughter, minister Levi Wallin hopes to atone for his troubled past on the gold fields. But it wonât be easy to convince the childrenâs wary elder sister to trust him. The more he learns about her, though, the more he believes Callie Murphyâs prickly manner masks a vulnerable heart...one heâs starting to wish he was worthy of.
Every man in Callieâs life chose chasing gold over responsibilities. Leviâand the large, loving Wallin familyâmight just be different. But she can tell heâs hiding something from her, and she refuses to risk her heart with secrets between them. Even as they grow closer, will their pasts keep them from claiming this unexpected new beginning?
âWhat about you, Callie? Do you want nothing for yourself?â
Her gaze brushed his, and for a moment Levi thought sheâd confess some dream of her own. Then she shrugged as if dismissing it. âYou do right by my kin, preacher, and Iâll be satisfied.â
So brave. He might have given another woman a brotherly hug to encourage her, but something told him Callie wouldnât take kindly to the gesture.
Lord, I thought You sent me here. I thought You were offering me a chance to be the man You want me to be. Give me the words. Help me win her over, for her sake and mine.
âYou donât believe Iâll take care of you all,â he said aloud.
She shrugged as if she didnât believe much of anything.
He released her shoulders. âI want to help you, Miss Murphy. I want to honor your brotherâs wishes.â
She scrubbed at her cheek, but not before he saw the tears that had dampened them. âAdamâs gone. Besides, it wasnât as if you two were partners.â
Partners. The most sacred of ideals where she came from. And that gave him an inkling of how to proceed.
âWe werenât partners,â he acknowledged. âBut you and I might be.â
Thank you for choosing Levi and Callieâs story. The youngest Wallin brother has finally come into his own. Iâm glad he found the right lady to stand by his side. If you missed the other stories about the Wallin brothers, look for Would-Be Wilderness Wife (Drew and Catherine), Frontier Engagement (James and Rina), A Convenient Christmas Wedding (Simon and Nora) and Mail-Order Marriage Promise (John and Dottie).
I smiled when I wrote about Callie throwing her bouquet. It is very like the scene at my own wedding. Most of my friends wanted to remain single at the time, so, when I tossed the bouquet, they punted it into the arms of my flower girl! She is happily married now with two boys of her own, but she did have to wait a decade and more.
I love to connect with readers. Please visit me at my website at www.reginascott.com, where you can also sign up to be alerted when the next book is out.
Blessings!
Regina Scott
REGINA SCOTT has always wanted to be a writer. Since her first book was published in 1998, her stories have traveled the globe, with translations in many languages. Fascinated by history, she learned to fence and sail a tall ship. She and her husband reside in Washington State with an overactive Irish terrier. You can find her online, blogging at nineteenteen.com. Learn more about her at reginascott.com or connect with her on Facebook at Facebook.com/authorreginascott.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!
â2 Corinthians 5:17
To Kristy J. Manhattan, my fool dream, and to the Lord, for encouraging us to dream beyond ourselves.
Contents
Near Seattle, Washington Territory
December 1874
Someone was watching her.
Callie Murphy kept her fingers moving as she pinned another diaper to the clothesline stretching from the cabin to the closest fir tree. She felt as if a gaze was fixed on her back, pressing against the buckskin coat that covered her cotton shirt and trousers. She had to be mistaken.
Her brother Adam had filed for a homestead a good five miles south of Seattle. Heâd wanted space and quiet, claiming he was tired of the crowded gold rush camps in which theyâd been raised. Mr. Kingerly and his wife lived a mile away, and the kindly older man would walk up to Callie if he wanted her help with something. The last stranger had passed this way months ago.
Still, she couldnât help glancing around. The one-room cabin stood in the center of the clearing her brother had widened in the forest, but the forest was trying to reclaim it. Already ferns poked up heads along the edges, and blackberry vines, withering with the coming winter, snaked across the dirt. As for the forest beyond, the most movement was a bird flitting from branch to branch.
