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his already handsome features. Brought him to life.
“Actually, I’m not too swamped with wedding preparations to keep me from popping over to see your new place.” Paris Perslow’s voice carried over the phone with a surprisingly carefree lilt for someone who was only weeks away from her wedding day. Most brides were a bundle of nerves at this point. “Like I said, we’re keeping things simple, which is why you’re my only attendant this time. Too bad Cody’s best man is married.”
“Believe me, that’s for the best.” Delaney’s relationship with coworker Dwayne Moorley, like her job in Sacramento, had expired only weeks ago. This morning when drying her hair, she’d firmly reminded herself that although the outcome of their time spent together the past two years was disappointing, another unforeseen loss in her life, she wouldn’t look back. In retrospect, she’d stayed in the relationship much too long, for reasons she was only now coming to fully understand.
“You’re well rid of that guy,” Paris continued as if reading her thoughts, ever loyal since a grieving Delaney, several years her junior, had arrived in Canyon Springs all those years ago. “He’s way too controlling, thinking it’s up to him to not only run his life, but yours, too. I’m beyond relieved you’ll be my maid of honor without him showing up in my wedding photos.”
“I, too, am delighted to save you from that blot on your special day.” Delaney restlessly rose from the borrowed sofa to peep out a street-facing window where the sun cast lengthening shadows across the road. Movement caught her eye and hope sparked as she angled for a closer look. Was that activity in front of the Hunter Enterprises office? Yes. But, unfortunately, no one she knew. Only a handful of people who’d paused outside to visit.
She hadn’t so much as caught a glimpse of Luke since he’d left with his daughter on Thursday. At their agreed-upon time Friday afternoon, two young men identifying themselves as cousins of Luke arrived with a pickup truck, offering an apology on his behalf.
How silly to be disappointed at the substitution. She was too old for crushes. Besides, even if Luke was a free agent, so to speak, an eight-year-old came with the package. So it was just as well.
“You are getting your jewelry into the Hunter Ridge Artists’ Co-op, aren’t you?”
Paris’s words drew her back to the present. “It’s not a sure thing. I have an appointment on Monday to present samples of my work. So say a prayer that they’ll like what they see.”
“They will. I absolutely love the earrings you made for me.”
“I know Hunter Ridge’s art community is small, not anything like Sedona, Jerome or Santa Fe, but if I can get my foot in the door here, it’ll be a start. Hopefully, one that will encourage Aunt Jen to see my artistic leanings in a more positive light.”
“I saw her at church this morning.” Paris’s words came cautiously. “I don’t think she looks well.”
“I don’t think she does, either. But she insists she’s fine and is mad at me for taking the church position so I can stick around in case she needs me. She says the longer I’m unemployed, the more unemployable I’ll become.”
Which might well be true. But when her parents, widowed grandmother and younger sister had been killed in a car accident, her childless aunt and uncle had opened their home to her. Not too many years later, Uncle Del died in a boating accident, so how could she not be there for her aunt now?
“Well, I think you’ve made the right decision, Delaney. She’s obviously not her usual self.”
When the conversation ended with a reiteration of Paris’s promise to visit soon, Delaney pocketed her cell phone and returned to the seating area. She had things remaining to be unpacked, but the open space now held a welcoming touch with soft lamplight and fat flickering candles rowed up on top of the woodstove. She’d arranged comfy, oversize throw pillows around the area for additional seating and, keeping the teenagers in mind, subs, chips and veggie sticks were on the coffee table.
Her introduction at the church service had gone well. Or at least she assumed so since no one had booed or thrown rotten eggs as Luke had led her to anticipate. But he and his daughter were nowhere to be seen that morning.
She straightened a stack of napkins, then stepped back to look around the room. She already loved this place, the openness of it and the way the sun shone through a fixed window at the front, above the porch. How the ponderosa pine branches cast moving shadows across the polished wooden floor.
Would the kids enjoy coming here?
And how would they respond to the annual summer project she’d chosen for them? With the help of Lois Grant, the women’s ministry leader at the church, and a thumbs-up from Pastor McCrae, she’d quickly committed to an undertaking that was already near and dear to her heart. One that without a doubt had God’s seal of approval, too.
“Delaney?”
With a sense of anticipation, she turned as the pastor of Christ’s Church and a handful of teens stepped through the door. Introductions were quickly made. Brothers Kendrick and Nelson Bennett, both redheaded and freckle-faced, towered over her though they were probably not much older than sixteen. Curly-haired Sybil, her eyes rimmed in black as dark as her obviously colored tresses, wandered the room with interest, and “Scottie” Scott, a petite brunette with a pixie haircut, immediately made herself at home as well.
But Anna—a ponytailed, tomboyish-looking blonde dressed in well-worn Levi’s, a striped knit top and Western boots—hung slightly back. Unlike the other teenage girls, her face was devoid of makeup but, nevertheless, a natural prettiness was clearly evident. Hunter, she’d said her last name was. Could half the town be somehow related?
Fifteen minutes later, when the group grew to a dozen teenagers chatting and meaningfully eyeing the food, Garrett clapped his hands to draw their attention.
“Let’s give God thanks and dig in.”
A murmur of agreement rippled among the young people and, following Garrett’s prayer, they loaded their plates.
That’s when she saw them in the doorway.
Without a doubt they were father and son, although the younger’s darker hair, parted in the middle, lay in unruly layers down to his shoulders. As tall as his father standing beside him, the lankier, sullen-eyed teen brushed by the older man to saunter over to the seating area where he plopped down on the couch beside Scottie. Bare legs outstretched from his baggy, below-the-knee shorts and feet encased in leather sandals, he cast his father a you-can-leave-any-time-now stare. Then he deliberately slid his arm around the girl next to him and pulled her close.
Scottie giggled.
“Delaney.” Luke leveled a meaningful look on the boy, who she guessed to be sixteen or seventeen. “I’d like you to meet my son, Travis.”
The teen gave her a cursory nod of acknowledgment before reaching for a sandwich.
Luke frowned, then motioned to the pretty tomboy glaring at Travis. “I assume you’ve already met my daughter, Anna.”
Delaney steadied herself with her hand to the back of a chair. Luke had three kids, not one? And two of them were teenagers?
The girl who’d earlier identified herself as a Hunter gave Delaney a reassuring smile, almost as if determined to make up for her older brother’s dearth of manners. Delaney didn’t see much resemblance between father and daughter. She must take after her mom.
Garrett made a sweeping motion toward the coffee table. “Help yourself to a sandwich, Luke. Delaney’s put out quite a spread here.”
Luke’s querying gaze met hers as if seeking permission—and maybe forgiveness for his son’s behavior?
She nodded encouragingly. “There’s more than enough.”
“Thanks.” A barely-there smile surfaced, causing Delaney’s heartbeat to skip. He looked especially attractive tonight in