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  Ian paused to pick up the dog, who was having a tough time keeping up with long people-legs. Tia ran to his side yard to fetch the ball for the dog.

  Ian took the opportunity to touch Bri’s arms. “I’m not that guy, Bri. The brooding man who’s insensitive and crude.”

  “I know. I realize that now. I guess I was just afraid.”

  “And now?”

  “I’m not scared of you, only scared of losing you. And Tia.”

  Ian felt like shouting joy. Tia rushed up and dragged their hands. “Come on! Let’s play fairy checkers.”

  On the way in, Bri faltered at the door. Ian wrapped a reassuring arm around Bri. “You look worried,” he explained. “I might have been a fool in the beginning, but I’m fully in my senses now. Okay?”

  “I’m glad to hear you say that.”

  “But?” he asked.

  “True fairy tales are hard to find.”

  Ian shook his head. “I used to think so, too.”

  “But now?”

  “I think I’m looking Happily Ever After right in her gorgeous blue eyes.”

  * * *

  “Ready for today?” Kate asked Bri, two days after she’d had her cast removed.

  “Boy, am I. My first Eagle Point 5K run since I left for college in Chicago, and I have a scar the size of a shoestring.”

  “You can’t see it. I’m just glad you feel like running. Who’s watching Tia again?”

  “Clara and Ian’s mom. She drove down to see him cross the finish line. She says she wants to see which one of us beats the other across that line.” Bri giggled but noticed Kate was somewhat subdued.

  “You need to go slow. Not try to win. Just try to finish.”

  “I know. But it would still be nice to win against Ian.” Yet even saying it, Bri knew it wasn’t true.

  Where there’d always been an air of competition between herself and Eric, Bri truly wanted Ian to prosper. “I hope he wins.”

  “Oh, believe me. He will.”

  Kate finished adjusting her shoes and they took their places at the front. Bri felt relieved that Ian’s mom and Clara had taken Tia to the library today to do some reading. Communication ceased as they ran Lem’s fundraiser race.

  As Bri approached the finish line, it didn’t say Finish Line, or even The End. It said, Bri Landis, Will You Marry Me?

  Tears rushed her eyes. Ian stood at the finish line with a pensive expression, and she realized that every runner had pulled off the road except for her and Kate.

  Her hands went to her cheeks when she realized they’d rigged the whole race to prepare for Ian’s proposal.

  “Oh. My.” Tia giggled beside Ian’s mom, as Ian flipped the ribbon up and stepped under it, approaching Bri like a man on a serious mission. Two steps away from her, he looked very nervous as he knelt on one knee.

  Bri gasped at the same time. The crowd must have taken that as a positive sign, with cheers and clapping ensuing.

  Ian stood and held up his hands. “Hold up, people! I haven’t asked her yet.” Ian led Bri across the track, to a private spot under Tia’s favorite jungle gym. The world dwindled to just the two of them as he captured her lips in a kiss that made her heart soar.

  Bri swayed when the kiss ended. And clung to the material of Ian’s track shirt. He grinned down at her, but by no means looked down on her. Never again would she mistake Ian’s subdued mannerisms for Eric’s deplorable ones.

  Ian nodded behind Bri. She turned to find Tia rushing up with Mistletoe. Tia set Mistletoe in Bri’s arms, then dashed past her to her dad and hugged him around the legs. He hugged her back but kept his eyes on Bri. “Turn his tag around.”

  Bri gasped and squealed louder than Tia. The puppy’s tail wagged. Tears filled Bri’s eyes as Tia scrambled close. “What is it?”

  “I—I think it’s a ring.” She peeled the packaging off as Ian came close and pulled her in.

  “Bri, you know I don’t make promises and certainly don’t make promises I can’t keep. But as sure as I’m here today, I promise you that as long as there is breath in me, I will love you.”

  “I will love you, too, Ian.”

  Then he knelt to one knee again. “So, you’ll make me the happiest, luckiest guy on earth and marry me?”

  She threw herself around his neck. “Yes! Oh, yes.”

  Tia giggled behind them and knelt in front of the puppy. “Me and Mistletoe are very happy about this.”

  The trio hugged each other. Then Tia grabbed Mistletoe and snuggled him in her arms.

  Ian hugged his new fiancée. “That day I rescued you, Bri, He rescued me. He’s the great physician and I promise to honor Him with our love, always and forever.”

  “Always and forever,” she repeated, and leaned in to collect the kiss and his promise of a lifetime.

  He picked Tia into his arms, delighted when Tia squeezed his neck with the same heartfelt expression as Bri.

  Ian hugged his daughter tight and also his wife-to-be.

  Closed his eyes and thanked God for recovering his lost faith and for rescuing his future family.

  * * * * *

  If you enjoyed this story by Cheryl Wyatt, be sure to look for the third book in the

  EAGLE POINT EMERGENCY series,

  coming soon from Love Inspired Books!

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt of Reunited for the Holidays by Jillian Hart!

  Dear Reader,

  I am so thankful that you have taken time to read my book. Your support and encouragement means so much. I hope you have a community around you as caring as the friends in fictional Eagle Point. When I’m not writing, I am usually praying. If you need prayer for anything, please don’t hesitate to send a request to my “Prayer Box,” better known as my Inbox: [email protected].

  I love connecting with readers and mentoring aspiring authors. Visit my website at www.cherylwyatt.com to sign up for my quarterly newsletter for new-release news, giveaways and other fun stuff. I provide free writing prompts to aspiring authors and book recommendations for readers on my blog. Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CherylWyattAuthor, where I give away frequent e-readers, exclusive opportunities to name characters and settings in my books, and more!

  Cheryl Wyatt

  Questions for Discussion

  Fear and past pain caused Ian to brood around Bri. In what ways do you think Ian could have coped that would have been more healthy for everyone involved?

  Have you had someone in your life whose personality was altered by physical pain or emotional anguish? How did you cope? Was that person ever you? How did you move past it?

  Tia hadn’t seen her dad since she was two years old. Could you understand her reticence to get close to him?

  Just when Bri thought things couldn’t get worse, she took a tumble off a ladder and broke her arm. Do you think God forces us into situations where we have to depend on others at times?

  Why do you think we have such a tough time receiving help? Could you understand why Bri did? At what point did she turn around, and what do you think made the difference?

  What do you think it was about Bri that caused Tia to grow so close to her quickly?

  In what ways do you think Bri’s abandonment by her own father helped Tia to relate to her? Have you had trauma in your life that enabled you to help others through trauma later? Please discuss.

  At what point in the story do you feel Ian should have stopped covering for Ava? Do you think this ultimately helped Tia, or put off her acceptance longer than necessary? How would you have handled the situation if you were Ian?

  What do you think were the deeper reasons for Tia’s acting out? What do you think made the most difference in getting through to Tia?
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  What was your favorite scene and why?

  Which secondary character(s) would you like to see have their own story?

  Could you understand Ian’s rift with God? How do you cope with disappointment in your own life, with regard to your faith walk?

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

  You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives—always.

  Visit Harlequin.com to find your next great read.

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  Chapter One

  Dr. Brian Wallace plucked the ceramic frog out of the flower bed, tipped it upside down and shook hard. The spare front-door key fell onto his palm as he squinted into the watery afternoon sun. It was good to be home. Late November air crisped over him and he shivered, goose bumps traveling down his arms. Weak from an extended illness, he gripped the railing to steady himself. The long trip from rural Texas had taken a toll on him.

  The old adage There’s No Worse Patient Than a Doctor had never been more true, he thought, as he struggled up the stairs. Easily winded, he paused a moment at the top, thanking God he was here to see the colors of sunset. His near brush with death had marked him. He couldn’t deny it. He’d missed his life here in Fort Worth. He missed his kids—although they were grown, they were what he had left of his heart.

  He ambled to the door, leaned heavily against the wall and inserted the key. The door creaked open. Every part of him vibrated with a mix of weakness and exhaustion. As he crossed the threshold into the comfort of the house, memories surrounded him. It had been years since his children had lived here, but he recalled the pound of music from an upstairs bedroom, the chatter of his daughter on her phone, the drum of feet as one of the boys prowled the kitchen.

  Emotion dug into his chest, claws sharp. Yes, looking death in the face changed a man. It stripped away everything extraneous, leaving what mattered most.

  His footsteps echoed in the lonely living room. He eased onto a couch cushion, sighing heavily as fatigue washed over him like water. Maybe he should have listened to his colleague—he’d valued Dr. Travors’s expertise, which had saved his life—but he’d had enough bed rest. He needed to get home; he needed to be here. The Lord had put a deep call into his heart. He couldn’t explain it as he reached for the phone to try his children again. He needed to see them.

  He dialed his daughter’s number first. Dear Maddie. Many things had crossed his mind while he’d lain on a spare cot in the corner of a migrant worker’s temporary home—a shack beside many others on a remote Texas farm. His failings and regrets hit hard, but none as cruelly as his missteps in his personal relationships. He’d always had a difficult time opening up. He had to try to fix that. He’d been given a second chance.

  He waited for the call to connect. A muffled ringing came from what sounded like his front porch. The bell pealed, boots thumped on the front step and joy launched him from the couch. He set down the phone, listening to the faint conversation on the other side of the door. His kids were here? Theirs were the voices he’d missed during his illness, the ones he’d most longed to hear. He gripped the brass knob, tugged and set eyes on his children. All three of them.

  Praise the Lord, for bringing them here safe and sound. “You got my messages.”

  “You left about a dozen.” Maddie tumbled into his arms. “Dad, you have no idea how good it is to see you. No idea.”

  “Right back at you, sweetheart.” The endearment stumbled off his tongue—he wasn’t good with them—but he had to get better at speaking his feelings. He had to try harder. His dear Maddie, so like her mother. His chest ached with affections too intense to handle, so he swallowed hard, trying to tamp them down as he held her hands in his after their hug was done. “I was gone a little longer than I’d planned this time—”

  “A little?” Her voice shot up. “Dad, you have no idea how worried sick we’ve been over you.”

  “I don’t even know how to say how sorry I am—”

  “What matters is that you’re all right.” Her hands gave his a warm, understanding squeeze.

  “Where have you been?” Grayson, his oldest child, stepped in to join the reunion. Tall, dark and handsome. Pride swelled up, making it hard to look at the boy properly.

  “Grayson.” Those couldn’t be tears in his eyes, of course not. Brian wasn’t a man given to tears. Maybe because he had thought of his two other children when he’d been fighting for his life on that cot. Yet another son and daughter, lost to him forever. His biggest regret of all. Emotion clumped in his throat, making it impossible to say more.

  “We’ve been looking for you.” Grayson’s hug was brief, his face fighting emotion, too. “We found your wallet in a ditch and we feared you were missing. The police—”

  “Missing?” He swiped a hand over his face, grimacing, hating what he’d put them through. “I was in rural Texas, you know that, sometimes without phones or cell service. I would have gotten a message to you kids, but I lost my cell—”

  “I know. We found your phone, too.” Carter, his youngest from his second marriage, stepped in, healthy and whole, back from war. “We were afraid you’d gotten ill. Are you all right, Dad?”

  “Now I am.” He wrapped his arms around Carter, holding him tight. When he ended the hug, he held on, drinking in the sight of the boy—okay, he was twenty-three, but Carter would always be his youngest, a seasoned soldier home from deployment safely. When Brian let go, it was hard to see again. He was grateful to God for returning his youngest son home unharmed.

  “We heard you caught a virulent strain of strep.” Carter ambled into the living room, making himself at home.

  “And that you’d been treating a family who were dangerously ill.” Grayson headed straight for the couch.

  “We feared the worst, Dad.” Beautiful Maddie with her auburn hair and a stylish fashion sense swept through the doorway, anguish carved into her dear face.

  “I never meant to worry you.” He shut the door, swallowing hard. His case had been severe and there’d been days, even weeks, where it hadn’t been certain he would live. He didn’t know what to do with the emotions coiled in his chest, so he shrugged, tried to play things down. “I survived, so it wasn’t so bad.”

  “This is just like you. Always keeping us out instead of letting us in.” Maddie sounded upset, on the verge of anger or tears, maybe both.

  He hated upsetting her. Frustrated at himself, he crossed his arms over his chest. Remember your vow, Brian. You have to try harder. “I didn’t mean it that way, honey. There’s nothing to worry about now. I’m on the mend. That you kids are here, that you came, means everything.”

  It wasn’t easy, but he got out the words.

  “Oh, Daddy.” Maddie swiped her eyes. “Don’t you dare make me cry. I’m choked up enough already.”

  “What do you mean? What’s got you choked up? Is something going on?”

  “Dad, you’d better sit down for this.” Grayson patted the seat beside him.

  “This can’t be good.” He studied Carter’s serious face and the troubled crinkles around Grayson’s eyes. “Something happened while I was gone. That’s why you were trying to reach me?”

  “It’s not bad news, but it could give you a real shock.” Grayson cleared his throat, waiting until Brian eased onto the cushion. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to do it. We found Mom.”

&n
bsp; “Uh...” Brian’s brain screeched to a halt, unable to make sense of those words. He was hearing things. No doubt due to his exhaustion and weakened state. “Sorry...say that again? Your mom’s buried. She died when Carter was three. You remember the car accident.”

  “Not Sharla, Dad. Our real mother, at least for Grayson and me,” Maddie added.

  “Your real...? What?” That’s as far as he got. The mention of the mother of his other son and daughter floored him. How could they know? All they could remember was Sharla, his second wife, the woman he’d married when the kids were very young. “Wait a minute. I don’t understand. You’re not making any sense.”

  “I know it’s a shock for you, Daddy.” Maddie settled on the couch across from him. “But it’s true. Take a deep breath. I found our birth mother.”

  “No.” He shook his head, refusing to see how that was possible. The only person Maddie could be talking about was Isabella...his first wife, his high school sweetheart, the woman who’d broken his faith in true love.

  “I found Violet—” she began.

  “Violet?” He blinked, his brain spinning.

  “Thanks to a lucky coincidence, Violet and I came face-to-face in a coffee shop and I found Mom from there.” Maddie’s hands cradled his.

  Isabella was gone, tucked away in the Witness Protection Program with their two other children, never to be seen again. Their lives depended on it. “My mind’s playing tricks on me because I thought you said—”

  “Yes, I did. Mom is in Grasslands, and we’re all together. Violet and Jack, well, they used to be Laurel and Tanner.”