The Wedding Arbor
HE GAVE HER SHELTER…With a heart full of hope, Sara Stone took refuge in the serenity of the Ozarks. But she never counted on getting stranded in the middle of a raging storm. Like a godsend, brooding ex-cop Adam Callahan gallantly offered her shelter in his mountainside cabin. And although she knew that her trusting nature had gotten her into trouble before, a smitten Sara vowed to bring joy back into Adam's lonely life.SHE GAVE HIM HER HEARTAdam had cut himself off from faith and love a long time ago–with good reason. But despite his self-imposed isolation, his adorable houseguest touched his world-weary soul. He'd thought his chance for peace and happiness was gone, but now he wondered what the future would hold if he conquered the shadows of the past–and married the woman of his dreams….
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âDonât you get lonely out here?â
Sara asked. âThis is beautiful country and all, but if I were you, Iâd miss people.â
Adam couldnât help noticing everything about Sara. She was attractive. Appealing. Almost endearing. He would have turned away and fled if there was anywhere else to go. He finally found his voice. âI donât miss people at all.â
âBut you did once, didnât you?â Saraâs words were soft, gently spoken. Without realizing it, sheâd drawn on her internal resources to express the spiritual love Adam needed. The love that heâd banished from his wounded soul.
He stiffened. âMy life is none of your concern, so donât try fixing it.â
That statement acted like a bucket of ice water in Saraâs face, negating the compassion blossoming in her heart. If anybodyâs life needed fixing, it was hers. Still, she sensed that Adam needed her in his lifeâmore than he even realizedâ¦
VALERIE HANSEN
was thirty when she awoke to the presence of the Lord in her life and turned to Jesus. In the years that followed she worked with young children, both in church and secular environments. She also raised a family of her own and played foster mother to a wide assortment of furred and feathered critters.
Married to her high school sweetheart since age seventeen, she now lives in an old farmhouse she and her husband renovated with their own hands. She loves to hike the wooded hills behind the house and reflect on the marvelous turn her life has taken. Not only is she privileged to reside among the loving, accepting folks in the breathtakingly beautiful Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, she also gets to share her personal faith by telling the stories of her heart for Steeple Hillâs Love Inspired line.
Life doesnât get much better than that!
Call unto me and I will answer you and
will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known.
âJeremiah 33:3
To my special prayer partners, Angie, Bette,
Brenda, Chris, Karen, Wanda and the wonderful, caring ladies of the Seekers Sunday school class.
âHow do I get myself into these things?â Sara Stone said to herself, gripping the steering wheel of the compact car and hoping the road ahead hadnât washed out. Not that sheâd know for sure until it was too late!
Peering into the sheeting gray rain she gritted her teeth and pressed on. Red-clay-colored runoff water was cresting uneven berms on the upper side of the road, carrying with it rocks the size of tennis balls and all sorts of other rubble.
Saraâs knuckles were white on the wheel. She started to pray silently for safety, then paused, uneasy. There was a time when she had blithely sworn God answered all her prayers. Lately, however, she found herself anything but confident.
âPlease, Lord?â she said cynically, only half believing sheâd be heard. âIâm nowhere near ready to die. Okay?â
Suddenly the compact little hatchback began to fishtail. Losing traction it kept sliding no matter what she did. Finally it came to rest precariously on the edge of the roadway. One rear wheel hung off in space. The other was bumper-deep in the sticky clay.
âI can still get out of this.â She gunned the motor. The wheels spun. The carâs chassis shuddered and bucked as it sank even deeper into the mire.
Disgusted, Sara shut off the engine, sat back and took a deep breath. Rumbles of thunder shook the skies. Isolated and alone, she held perfectly still, waiting for whatever peril was sure to follow. Her whirling mind returned again and again to the old comedy line about being in âa fine mess.â
If only she hadnât panicked and run away when the police refused to believe she was being stalked. Tensing, she glanced in the direction sheâd come, half expecting to see the headlights of Ericâs car. That would serve her right, wouldnât it?
Samsonâs ears pricked up. He raised his broad, white head to stare at the door, then at his master, Adam Callahan.
âYou should have thought of that before the rain started,â Adam warned gently. âIf I let you out now youâll have to spend the night on the porch.â
The enormous white dog looked back at him wisely.
âI mean it, boy. Thereâs no room in this cabin for a soggy dog the size of a Shetland pony. I donât care how lovable you are.â
Samson rose. Walking slowly to the door he appeared to listen for a moment before returning to stand beside Adamâs chair. His chin rested on the manâs knees, his chocolate-brown eyes pledged sincerity. When Adam made no move, the dog nudged him gently.
âOkay, but you wonât like it out there. Youâre going to get soaked.â
Already waiting at the door, Samson was not wagging his tail, an unusual reaction Adam found rather disquieting. âDonât go far.â He flicked on the porch light and eased open the door.
