Lone Star Christmas--A Fresh-Start Family Romance by Jolene Navarro

Author:Jolene Navarro
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-08-10T17:04:47+00:00

Chapter Nine

They stood in silence as time slid into an abyss. He pulled her closer until both of his arms circled her. The brim of his hat cast a shadow over them. The steady rhythm of his heart slowed her rapid beats. Boom, boom. Boom, boom. They fell in step.

“You were here? You saw the crash site?”

A single nod was all she had in her.

His lips were so close to her ear, she heard the slight kick of his breath. “Does your father know you followed him?”

“No.”

“Oh, Jackie.”

Pulling away, she filled her lungs, then held her breath. “Let’s go. I need to go.”

Taking her hand, he led her back to the truck and opened the door for her.

He climbed in, turned the key and shifted the gears. But he paused. “Are you sure you want to go on?”

“I’ve waited so long for this.” Then a horrible thought caused her pulse to push hard through her veins. “What if there isn’t enough left to save?”

Max reached for her hand. She didn’t deserve to be calmed by him. “Then we’ll figure something else out.”

All three of Max’s brothers nodded. Ethan reached over the seat and squeezed her shoulder. “Even if the buildings can’t be used, you’ll find history.”

“You’re right.” She had to focus on what she could change. “Thank you, guys.” She glanced at Max. He looked shaken. She hadn’t even thought of him. He hadn’t known where his mother had died. “I’m so sorry, Max.”

“Not your fault.”

But it was. And she was too much of a selfish coward to tell anyone. She bowed her head and prayed for peace and understanding. Turning everything over to God was hard for her, but it was the only way she could survive.

“Look!” Isaac pointed to a rock building with a steeple. “There it is!”

Jerking her head up, she saw it. Her heart swelled. The church was still there. Another building stood across from it. The school was still standing, too. Laughter bubbled up. “There it is.”

It didn’t take them long to get out of the truck and walk around the building. She followed close behind Max.

The boys skipped and ran around. One of them shouted, “We want to go in.”

All the windows and doors had been covered with heavy boards. She turned to Max. “Can we pull those off?”

“No telling what kind of critters have moved in over the years.” He didn’t have the same enthusiasm as his brothers.

“It looks strong.” She laid her palm against the rough stone. “The records state that your family had pieces of stained glass shipped from Italy and commissioned an artist from Mexico to put them back together.” She couldn’t even imagine what it looked like. Even the best pictures were still grainy. Adrenaline surged through her body. “Max, please. We need to get inside and see how much of it is still intact.” She went to his truck and lifted the crowbar from the back.

He reached for the iron, but she stepped away from him. “I saw you flinching when you cut the chain.

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