Storm Clouds

“This tender tale…is a suspenseful and enjoyable read.”

—Romantic Times on Shelter from the Storm

“A captivating delight. Among the Tulips is a heartwarming Cinderella story for the keeper shelf. (41?2 stars)”

—Romantic Times

“What an incredible, spiritual journey for readers.”

—Romance Reader on the Run on A Wife for Ben

“Ms. Wolverton’s love of writing and joy in God once again shines through In Search of a Hero.”

—Scribesworld

“For Love of Zach delivers a great beginning that gains momentum all the way to the conclusion.”

—Romantic Times

“Ms. Wolverton does a lovely job of demonstrating how two Christians turn to the Lord for help with their innermost struggles in this warm, touching and fun book.”

—Romantic Times on A Father’s Love

RITA® Award finalist Cheryl Wolverton has well over a dozen books to her name. Her very popular Hill Creek, Texas, series has finaled in many contests. Having grown up in Oklahoma, lived in Kentucky, Texas, Louisiana and now living once more in Oklahoma, Cheryl, her husband of more than twenty years and their two children, Jeremiah and Christina, always considered themselves Oklahomans, transplanted to grow and flourish in the South. Readers are always welcome to contact her at P.O. Box 106, Faxon, OK 73540, or e-mail at [email protected]. You can also visit her Web site at www.cherylwolverton.com.

ISBN: 9781408967270

Storm Clouds

© Cheryl Wolverton 2005

First Published in Great Britain in 2005

Harlequin (UK) Limited Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, including without limitation xerography, photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This ebook is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated, without the prior consent of the publisher, in any form or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All characters in this work have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.á.r.l.

® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended: but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 3:13–14

To my dear Australian friends at Harlequin,

since chatting with you in e-mail, I have always hoped to set a book in your country. You guys are the greatest!

Also to my friends online: Aussie, aka Lisa from

ChristianRmWriters, who read my story to correct me on anything wrong—so if you find mistakes, as I’m sure you will, they’re mine.

And to my mom—it’s so much fun to live nearby

again after twenty years and have you getting on me for missing a day of writing!

And as always to my dear kids, who are now

adults, Christina, twenty-one and Jeremiah, eighteen and to my husband, Steve.

And finally, Steve’s dad, John, for giving us this

wonderful eighty-eight-acre farm to live on— a place that truly inspires my life and writing.

You guys have been wonderful

through this entire book. Thanks.

Dear Reader,

Wow, do you have any idea the hundreds and hundreds of letters and e-mails I’ve received begging me to write Angelina’s and Todd’s stories? Guess what? I’ve wanted to write them, too—especially Angelina’s. She tried to take over in Shelter from the Storm, so I had to send her to Australia. And here is her story.

She is such a strong woman that she wore me out trying to write about her. I fell absolutely in love with this stalwart yet vulnerable woman. We all have pasts, no matter how innocent, because at one time we were all without the knowledge of God’s love and forgiveness. And in Angelina, we see how sometimes we just can’t learn to let go of the past, forget about it and strive onward, toward the goal that God has set for us—and that is Jesus Christ. If you hurt or have pain, please let it go and let God show you His love. Know that God will use those things to shape us and form us so that we can do His work as he did with Angelina. He loves you, dear one, and He won’t ever leave you.