Kitabı oku: «Season Of Hope»

Chapter One

Jake hated betrayal.

Six years in the military fighting against injustice, terrorism and the oppression of the weak prepared him for great battles. But he didn’t expect to be fighting one in his own backyard. For something that had been promised to him, to his family. By one of his own.

But Claudia wouldn’t do that.

Would she?

No way.

She wouldn’t be the first person to break her word...

Still, there had to be a good reason. It wasn’t like her to go back on a promise, especially to family.

Well, he might not be family by blood, but Claudia Gaines had been his mother’s best friend since college. And like a second mother since tragedy stole his five years ago in a freak accident.

Jake sucked down a breath, just enough for his heartbeat to slow in his ears, and rapped weather-beaten knuckles against the red-painted door.

Midmorning June breezes stirred Claudia’s collection of colorful wind chimes, creating a symphony of low-toned woods clamoring with high-pitched metal. Just enough sound to rouse memories of the scorching desert sun, the air veiled with smoke and sand, the look of hopelessness in the faces of people trapped by a tyrannical government, and the night his life changed forever.

The night of ultimate betrayal that set him on a journey to bring hope to those courageous soldiers clawing for a way out—an escape from their private wars that raged long after returning home.

A journey that hit too close to home.

No wonder he’d taken to stretching out on his back deck and listening to the crickets and cows. Where the stillness served as a balm to the echoes in his head he couldn’t seem to deafen.

Nestled between a national forest and a man-made lake, the lakefront community of Shelby Lake in northwestern Pennsylvania was a far cry from the Middle East. He preferred hanging out on his family’s dairy farm spanning across most of Holland Hill on the edge of town.

His place of security.

Although he disliked coming into town on a regular basis, for once, though, he was thankful for Gossiping Gwen at the feed store. Otherwise, he might not have learned about the sale until it was too late.

He needed that land. He had a promise to keep. To atone for sins of his past.

But without Claudia’s land, those promises would remain unfulfilled, and that was a risk he just couldn’t take.

What was taking her so long to answer the door?

Cupping his hands around his eyes, Jake peered through the slit in the curtains hanging on the other side of the glass, but he couldn’t see much. His barn boots clomping against the painted gray planks, Jake crossed the wide covered porch, ducked his head under one of the hanging red geraniums and peered around the side of the house to see if her car was parked in the garage.

Not only was her cherry-red SUV parked in the driveway, but also a champagne-colored Lexus sat behind it.

Claudia had company.

At least he knew she was home.

He flung a leg over the railing and jumped down, missing the hot pink peonies blossoming in the side flower bed. Gravel crunched beneath his feet as he strode to the back porch, where the storm door stood open. Childish giggles streamed through the screen followed by barking.

Claudia didn’t have a dog...

Jake opened the door and stepped into the pristine mudroom that smelled of fabric softener. Toeing off his boots, Jake called, “Claudia?”

“Jake? That you?” She appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, wearing a sleeveless blue dress and leather sandals. She dropped the dish towel she’d been holding into a basket on the washing machine and opened her arms for a hug.

Jake walked into her embrace, breathing in scents of vanilla and baked bread, and allowed himself to relax. For half a second, he’d worried something had happened to her, and he couldn’t bear losing her, too. His family had suffered too much loss over the past five years. Claudia had been the glue that held them all together.

“I knocked on the front door, but you didn’t answer.”

“Knock? Since when does family need an invitation?” She released him, then grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the kitchen. “Come in and grab some coffee. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

Jake removed his sunglasses and hooked them on the edge of his gray T-shirt. He pulled off his tattered Ohio State ball cap, stuffed it in the back pocket of his jeans and finger-combed his hair quickly as he followed Claudia.

A childish squeal followed by giggles and more barking sounded overhead as footsteps thundered across the ceiling. He squinted gritty eyes against the bright sunshine pouring through the open kitchen window, over the sink and onto the ceramic floor tile. “I can’t stay for coffee. I just need to talk to you for a minute.”

“Sure, honey, but conversation is always better over coffee.” She poured coffee into three red stoneware mugs and handed one to him.

With one hand gripping the back of the wooden kitchen chair, he sipped the dark roast she favored. The first sip went down smooth, warming his stomach. He released a sigh, feeling a little more relaxed since Gwen had shared her news. Claudia would assure him all was well and she intended to make good on her promise.

He’d stressed out for nothing.

Needing the caffeine jolt to his weary system, Jake gulped a mouthful of coffee, caught a movement out the corner of his eye and turned.

He stiffened.

Jake choked, shooting the bitter brew out his nose and across the white tablecloth. His eyes watered, and his chest burned as his lungs seized. Still coughing, he scrubbed a hand across his tired face.

Claudia pounded him on the back and handed him a towel.

He wiped his eyes and tried to scrub the coffee off the front of his T-shirt, but it was no use.

Heat scalded his neck and crawled across his cheeks. Bracing both hands against the back of the chair, Jake closed his eyes and forced air into his lungs.

A moment later, he dared a glance and wished he could turn back time to thirty minutes ago when he debated between calling Claudia or stopping by. If he’d known, he wouldn’t have stepped foot on the property.

What was she doing here?

And today of all days?

Struggling for composure he didn’t feel, Jake straightened all six feet two inches of himself and stood with his shoulders back, chest high, feet apart and hands clasped in front of him.

Claudia crossed the room and linked her arm with the wide-eyed woman frozen in the archway between the kitchen and living room. In her arms, she held a small child with blond hair who tucked her face in the woman’s neck. A Yorkie with a black-and-tan coat wearing a pink collar sprinted over to Jake, sniffed his feet and then put her paws on Jake’s leg.

“Tori, darling, I want you to meet someone special.” Dragging the woman over to the table, she gestured to Jake. “This is Jacob Holland, the oldest son of my dearest friends. Jake, this is my niece Victoria Lerner and my great-niece, Annabeth. She belongs to Tori’s sister, Kendra, who is currently deployed overseas. And that troublemaker begging to be picked up is Poppy.”

Lerner? Of course. Did he really expect anything different?

The whisper of a memory filtered through his mind, but he forced it back into the dark corner where it belonged. Remembering equaled pain, and he’d had enough heartache to last a lifetime.

“Victoria.” Her name slipped passed his lips in a mix of a whisper and a gasp. He swallowed and reached down to scoop up the furry animal begging for attention.

Victoria’s clover-green eyes tangled with his. She set down the child, who gave Jake a shy glance before running into the other room.

Poppy wiggled in Jake’s arms, and he set the dog on the floor so she could chase after the little girl.

Victoria’s manicured fingers smoothed the top of her sleek head and toyed with the ends of her caramel-colored braid resting in front of her left shoulder like one of his niece’s Disney princess dolls. She wore a pink sundress that complemented her creamy skin and white strappy high heels. She crossed one foot over the other and lifted her hand. “H-hi, Jake.”

So maybe she wasn’t as confident as she appeared.

Good.

He didn’t need to be the only one feeling like he’d been kicked in the gut.

She smiled, creasing the dimples in her cheeks that could charm an ornery bull.

But not him.

Not anymore. He was immune. Had to be. His only protection against the devastation she was capable of causing.

With hands laced tightly in front of her, Tori looked at him with the soulful eyes that cinched his insides.

Give me strength.

He stuffed a hand in the front pocket of his faded, muddy Levi’s and dragged the other through his hair that was about two weeks past needing a trim. He spiked a finger on a stray piece of hay. Feeling the effects of being awake since 4:00 a.m., Jake forced out a breath.

Claudia watched them with puckered brows and narrowed eyes. “What’s going on? You two know each other?”

Jake shot a look at Tori, who dropped her gaze to the floor, then looked at her aunt. “We met years ago when I worked at the NCO club on base where Kendra—” she waved a hand toward Jake “—and Jake had been stationed. I spilled a tray of drinks on him and he was a perfect gentleman about it, helping me to keep my job.”

That’s it? That’s all she was going to say? What about—

Claudia swatted his chest. “You never mentioned you’d met my beautiful niece.”

“I didn’t know she was related to you until now.”

“Small world, huh?”

And getting smaller by the second...

“Something like that.” He turned to Tori. “So, Victoria, what brings you to Shelby Lake?”

Before she could reply, Claudia pulled out a chair and tugged on Jake’s arm. “Jake, have a seat. I need to talk to you.”

“Me, too, but I’d prefer to do it privately.”

“Okay, but hear me out first. Since it involves Tori, too, I’d like her to stay.” Instead of sitting, Claudia opened a bottom cabinet near the stove and pulled out a small frying pan. She grabbed a carton of eggs from the fridge and set them on the counter. “Want some breakfast, Jake?”

Jake caught her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m fine. Really. Can we talk? I need to get back to the farm.”

“Of course.” She smiled, then caught the corner of her lip between her teeth. Reaching for the half-empty coffeepot, she refilled his cup. “Let’s sit.”

Tori pulled out a chair across from his, her expensive designer perfume wreathing him, jostling more imprisoned memories clamoring to be freed.

Feeling trapped, Jake had no choice but to oblige. The quicker they talked, the faster he could retreat to the farm.

Claudia sat between them, folded her arms on the table and looked at Jake. “I know why you’re here.”

“You do?”

“Yes, and it’s not what you think.” She covered his hand. “I’d never go back on my word, especially with your family.”

“Then what’s going on? When I stopped by the feed store, Gwen said your land had been sold.”

“That woman needs to find better use of her time than spreading rumors and half-truths. After Dennis was diagnosed with cancer, we needed money for medical bills. Owning a business had its perks, but health insurance...well, that’s a different kind of animal. I went behind my husband’s back to see my brother, Frank. We haven’t been close for many years, but I had no other choice—Dennis was my world. I sold the land and the house to Frank with the condition I’d have first option to buy it back should he choose to sell.”

Jake clenched his teeth and forced himself to stay calm. “You should have come to us. We could’ve worked something out.”

Claudia cupped his cheek and shook her head. “With all you guys have been through with losing your mother, your dad’s back surgery and rebuilding the farm after the tornado nearly destroyed everything? You had enough on your plate without my problems, especially after Tuck lost his wife... No, I couldn’t burden you with this.”

“But you’re family, too.”

“I just couldn’t, okay? Besides, Frank came through for me. Dennis and I stayed on Holland Hill until he became too ill to keep up with the mowing and house maintenance. Moving into town allowed us to be closer to the hospital. In the year since he passed, I’ve been buried in grief and paperwork to get his life insurance checks. But before I could buy back the property, Frank passed away from a heart attack. Two months ago.”

“I’m sorry.” Jake glanced at Tori, who kept her gaze on her untouched coffee mug and traced the rim with her finger. “So that means...”

She looked at him, her eyes sad, yet almost...determined. “I own the property.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“All of my father’s assets have been divided between my sister and me. I’m now the owner of the house and property Aunt Claudia mentioned.”

Jake jumped to his feet and paced. “Claudia...”

“When Dennis and I bought your grandparents’ property after they passed away, we promised to give your family first dibs if we chose to sell it so it would never be sold outside the family. And it hasn’t. So my promise is still intact.”

Jake jerked a thumb toward Tori. “She’s your family. Not mine.”

Not anymore.

He ground his teeth together and forced breath into his lungs, then jerked his attention back to Tori. “I’d like to make an offer to buy that land.”

She shook her head. “It’s not for sale.”

“What are you going to do with it?”

“I’m going to live there.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

Claudia draped her arms around the two of them. “See? There’s a silver lining in all of this. With the two of you being neighbors, I have the feeling you’re going to hit it off right away. Oh, and not only that, but Tori can help you get your Fatigues to Farming project off the ground. She works in public relations.”

Claudia couldn’t be further from the truth. Jake needed that land to make good on a promise made years ago and to fix what he’d broken. He’d figure out another way because living down the road from Tori was something nightmares were made of.

And to work with her? Yeah, right. Forget that.

How was he supposed to survive being neighbors with the woman who didn’t have the guts to face him when she ended their brief marriage six years ago?

* * *

Fresh starts came with a price. And Tori was about to pay hers.

If she’d taken two minutes to do some research before coming to Shelby Lake, she wouldn’t have come face-to-face with the biggest regret of her life. How could she have forgotten where Jake was from?

The last six years had done little to detract from his good looks...or temper his anger.

Could she blame him, though?

What’d she expect? For him to take her in his arms and beg her not to leave again?

In her dreams, maybe.

Tori had no one to blame but herself. And she had to live with the consequences.

Now to convince Jake she wasn’t a Disney villain and simply wanted a safe place to call home.

Where was that exactly?

Not in Pittsburgh anymore. If ever.

Even though she’d grown up with a roof over her head and food in her belly, she’d felt more like an uninvited guest than a wanted daughter. Her father may have met all of her material needs, but she would’ve taken his love over his money any day. She dreamed of having a family and a place where she belonged. Falling in love with Jake had given her security and the sense of belonging she craved, but that had been short-lived.

She pulled her Lexus into the dusty barnyard and idled while deciding where to look for him. A whitewashed cinder-block building with a metal roof and a large front window etched with Holland Family Farm sat in front of her. To her right, a newly built rustic barn with an evergreen-colored metal roof sat next to a silver silo and a white barn with metal siding. Hay fluttered down from the small second-story window of the rustic barn.

She’d start there.

Opening her door, she stepped out of her car. The humid air pasted her dress to her skin as the early afternoon sun beat down on her head. Wishing she’d thought to grab her sunglasses, Tori waved away the pesky black gnats swarming her face. She wrinkled her nose against the ripe smells of manure, freshly cut grass and warm milk, and sidestepped a suspicious-looking mud pile. Maybe she should’ve taken the time to change into something more appropriate before barreling after Jake.

Black-and-white cows in the shaded pasture across the road eyed her as they chewed their food and swatted at flies with their tails. A trail of chickens flapped and waddled along the white fencing separating the barnyard from a large two-story house shaded by a row of pines and a sturdy oak.

She stood in the expansive doorway, allowing her eyes a moment to adjust to the sudden decrease in lighting.

Country music blared from an old boom box resting on one of the rungs of a ladder that led to a loft. A heavy, thick rope, darkened with age, hung from one of the sturdy barn beams and swayed in the light breeze that blew through the building. The scent of new wood heated by the summer sun filled her nose.

“The barn’s not much of a place for high heels and sundresses.”

Tori swiveled to seek the source of Jake’s voice. He appeared with a pitchfork in his hand. He’d stripped off his gray T-shirt and stood next to neatly stacked bales of hay in his faded jeans, grimy ball cap on backward, and worn leather gloves. His muscled chest was damp with sweat. He crossed to the old radio, flicked it off and leaned his pitchfork against the barn wall before retrieving his shirt hanging from a nail in the wall and pulling it over his head.

Was she relieved...or disappointed?

Forcing her eyes away, Tori glanced down at her sundress, toed off her heels and kicked them off to the side out of the way. “What are you doing?”

“Checking the roof and floor for any needed repairs, pitching old hay out the back window into the compost unit, and restacking some fresh stuff. You should’ve called.” Jake reached for a bale and lifted it over his head to add to the growing stack.

“You’re right. Sounds like you could use another hand.”

“Sure, when there’s one around.” Jake jerked his hat off his head, pulled a navy bandanna from his back pocket and mopped his forehead. Pocketing the cloth, he righted his cap. “What are you doing here, Victoria?”

She hated the way he used her given name, laced with disdain and veiled anger...like her father used to.

“I wanted to apologize. I’m sorry my presence caught you off guard.”

“Why today?” Jake yanked off his gloves and slapped them against his reddened palm. His eyes lifted and searched hers. “Why not yesterday? Or even tomorrow?”

The ragged edges of pain around the whisper in his voice sliced through her. “You remembered.”

“Even though you filed for divorce less than three weeks after we were married, I will always remember our anniversary.”

She dropped her gaze to the floor as her cheeks burned. With her big toe, she traced a circle in the dust. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. “Jake...”

“Forget it, Tori. I’m not here to rehash the past. You’ve apologized. I accept. Now if you don’t mind, I have work to do.”

She ran a thumb and a forefinger under her eyes, probably smearing her eyeliner, and exhaled. “Aunt Claudia told me about the tornado and how much you’ve lost. I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks.”

“She also mentioned your project. I can help.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“You’re a real one-man show, aren’t you?”

“You know nothing about me anymore, so stop pretending you care.”

“But I do care. I never stopped.” Tori sat on a stray bale. The hay poked the backs of her legs. The pain was minor compared with the verbal barbs piercing her heart. “Tell me about your Fatigues to Farming project.”

“The program will enable disabled vets to learn about farming so they can start their own small businesses.”

“So how does my property tie in?”

He leaned the pitchfork against the ladder and reached for a water bottle on the floor. After taking a long drink, he wiped his mouth and looked at her. “Our property is necessary for growing crops and cow pastures. After Claudia and Dennis moved into town, we planned to buy back her property—it used to belong to my grandparents. We want to build accessible cabins for vets and their families to live in while they go through the program. Plus, there’d be space for a community garden.”

“Would you consider a trade?”

His eyes narrowed. “What kind of trade?”

“My sister, Kendra, is deployed overseas, so I have temporary custody of her four-year-old daughter, Annabeth. We need a...safe place to live. Staying with Aunt Claudia isn’t an option since her lease doesn’t allow long-term guests. Help me get the house ready to move into, and you can use the rest of the acreage for your project.”

“Sell it to me. Then you can have the money for something that won’t need work.”

“I don’t want to sell.”

“Why not?”

She raised her chin. “I have my reasons. That’s my offer. How are you raising awareness for your program?”

“Haven’t had time for that yet. Still working on grant paperwork. We need funds to get the program started.”