A Place to Call Home
Traveling through the Wyoming wilderness, all Bridger Jamison wants is a job and a safe haven for his brother. Finding work with the lovely Lola Martin solves at least one of his problems. And the charming town of Quiver Creek seems like the perfect place to start a new life.
A string of mysterious deaths has the townâand Lolaâon edge. She isnât sure what to make of the new man in town. But she canât help trusting the handsome carpenter who shows such tenderness toward his brother. When secrets come to light, Lola must put her faith in the man whoâs stolen her heart, or risk letting a perfect love pass her by.â¦
âI meant no offense, Lola.â
Bridger stepped closer but refrained from reaching out. Instead, he dipped his head to catch her gaze.
She brushed a tear from her cheek. âIâm sorry, too. I wasnât fair to accuse you so quickly, either. Weâve had more than our share of grief and sadness in Quiver Creek these past few months. Iâm praying for a better season ahead.â
Bridger nodded. âI hope for your sake thatâs the case.â He turned to the tray, his appetite dulled. âIâm especially sorry to upset you after you went to the trouble of this fine lunch.â
Lola managed a shaky smile. âIâm sorry I allowed my lack of sleep and temper to get the best of me so that youâre forced to eat it cooled.â
âLetâs say weâre sort of even, then, and start where we were a half hour ago,â he said.
âWhoâs to say I trusted you half an hour ago?â Her eyes lit with humor, but he recognized the truth in her jest.
His breathing eased as he focused on her guarded expression. âYou offered me lunch and gave me the key to your fatherâs woodshop. At least Iâm on the right track.â
KERRI MOUNTAIN
grew up surrounded by books and storytellers, writing stories of her own since elementary school. But she never thought of writing books until searching for a degree in childrenâs literature. What she found instead was a masterâs degree program in writing popular fiction. With strong support of family and faculty, she learned to develop the seed of a story into a novel.
Kerri lives in rural western Pennsylvania with her parents on their small family farm, but enjoys traveling at every opportunity. She especially enjoys the mountains of Wyoming and visiting the National Parks. She is blessed by the quiet lifestyle of country living, and by spending time spoiling her nieces and nephews on a regular basis.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
âHebrews 10:36
In honor of my grandparents,
Gilbert and Mae Good, and their legacy of faith, love and storiesâ¦.
I canât say thank you enough to my family and friends, who encourage me in so many ways. With special gratitude for the Whitlock family, who so graciously reacquainted me with Wyomingâs beauty when I needed it most. And thank you to Cindy Elliott, critique partner extraordinaire!
Praise the Lord for His many blessings!
Chapter One
Wyoming, 1870
Lola Martin opened her door and raised a lantern, its flame flickering in the cool night air.
âIâm looking for the undertaker, maâam. Got a body for him.â The manâs voice was worn and gritty like an old straw tick, but his tone gave nothing away.
He glanced over her shoulder, as if the undertaker would appear from the shadows behind. Light reflected off his brown eyes as if off an empty store window. Desperation lurked in the hard lines of his face, making it difficult to guess his age. A deep scar cut across his cheek to the edge of his crooked lip, just escaping the whiskers that wouldnât hide his stubborn jaw.
âIâm the undertaker. What can I do for you?â
His spurs rattled as he shifted, but if she surprised him, his face didnât show it. He rocked his hat on his head and heaved a raw sigh. âI found a man dead out on the trail, not far from here. Head busted on a big rock. Looks like his horse threw him.â
Lolaâs heart tripped. She wished the sheriff hadnât been called out. Pete McKenna always kept an eye on her place, out on the edge of Quiver Creek. Grace, his wife, Lolaâs dearest friend, insisted on it.
Sheâd have to find a way to notify the manâs family, and hoped he turned out to be some drifter. But her conscience pricked her. She should be praying the man died ready to meet his Maker. She hung the lantern outside the door and grabbed her shawl. âLetâs see him.â
The manâs jaw twitched. He stepped back to make way for her. âIf itâs all right by you, maâam, Iâll bring him inside. You tell me where you want him.â