Family Ever After. Margaret Daley

Чтение книги онлайн.

      But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

      — Psalms 37:39

      To my new granddaughter

       I love you.

      Contents

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Chapter Thirteen

       Epilogue

       Questions For Discussion

       Chapter One

       A clap of thunder vibrated the air. Cara Winters jumped at the sudden sound. Staring out the windshield of her blue Chevy, she could barely see the front door of the restaurant ten yards away. Sheets of gray rain hammered the packed parking lot. With a glance at the clock, noting it was twenty minutes after noon, she grabbed her umbrella from the seat next to her.

      She hated being late. Again she studied the distance to the restaurant and noted a lessening in the intensity of the storm. If she hurried, she shouldn’t get too wet.

      Clasping the handle, she readied herself for the mad dash. She shot out of the car, opening the umbrella as she slammed the door closed with her foot. Then she rushed toward The Ultimate Pizzeria, her total attention on the entrance.

      Halfway across the parking lot, a blaring horn froze her. She pivoted toward the noise, her eyes growing round. A red sports car swerved to avoid her and splashed a puddle of water down her front. The wind caught on her umbrella, and turned it inside out. What the puddle of water didn’t get wet, the pouring rain did.

      She sidestepped another small lake and continued her sprint to the restaurant. Maybe they had a towel—or several—she could use. Being drenched was a fitting end to her horrible morning.

      As she reached to open the door, out of the corner of her eye she noticed the red sports car park in the back. She thought about waiting to give the driver a piece of her mind, but that would take time and energy she didn’t have.

      Shivering from being cold and wet, she welcomed the warmth in the pizzeria as she scanned the tables for her son and Laura Stone. Her friend waved from the other side of the restaurant, and Cara quickly made her way to the table beside one of the large picture windows that faced the street.

      “I’m sorry I’m late. The second interview ran over, but I didn’t get the job. Either one.” Cara slipped into the chair across from Laura and smiled at Timothy, whose mouth was full of a bread stick.

      Her friend’s gaze widened. “I’m sorry about the jobs, but what happened to you? Did you go swimming? I know you’re new to town, but it’s only March and still cold in Cimarron City.”

      “Funny. I’m laughing on the inside.”

      “Seriously, what happened?” Laura dumped a packet of sugar into her iced tea and stirred it.

      “I almost got run over in the parking lot, and the guy didn’t even bother to check and see if I was all right. What has happened to chivalry in this century?”

      Timothy swallowed his food. “What’s chiv-alry?”

      “Hon, it’s about courage, honor and protecting the weak.”

      “You aren’t weak, Mom.”

      Cara chuckled. “No, but I am wet.”

      She noticed her friend’s gaze shift to something behind Cara. Before she had a chance to peer over her shoulder to see what had captured Laura’s attention, a thick terry cloth towel was dropped onto the table in front of her. She must really look bad if a stranger was giving her something to dry off with.

      Cara twisted around in her chair to thank her rescuer. A tall, lean man with shaggy dark brown hair filled her vision. Her gaze traveled up his torso and came to light on the somber expression of the man who had nearly hit her. All words fled from her mind as she stared into his hazel eyes.

      “Noah, when did you arrive? When I came in, they said you had a business meeting and had gone to your office.”