Love Inspired April 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: The Shepherd's Bride\Rescued by the Firefighter\Pine Country Cowboy by Patricia Davids

Author:Patricia Davids
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Time dragged for Clint even though he’d returned to work. The chief put him on limited duty, which meant he stayed at the firehouse, “holding down the fort” as the crew called it, while they went out to fight fires. He’d rather be home than feel useless at the station.

Though assigned to easy tasks, he’d taken it upon himself to add extra jobs to his day, and while he worked, his mind centered on Paula. He’d been to her mother’s home twice, and the second time opened his eyes more.

On his first visit, he’d admired the stone fireplace, the open cherrywood staircase and the wide expanse of seasonal porch that gave a great view of the woods, but on his last visit he reevaluated his first impression. His awareness of the damage the environment had brought to Paula changed his perception.

This time he noticed the beige walls, white draperies at the windows and the furniture upholstery a darker beige. The wooden floors throughout most of the house and no pictures or decorations to add color took life from the rooms. The ivy had died and crumbled at his touch. Lifeless. That’s what he’d call it. Even a hospital room had a bulletin board and a wall clock.

Though he was considered to be a strong, rugged male, the word cozy had meaning for him. The house in Roscommon lacked warmth—nothing there left him with a comfortable feeling. The dankness of the rooms echoed the spiritless life still hanging in the air. Picturing Paula growing up in the environment with her mother’s immoral existence helped him understand the lack of love she’d felt.

No wonder she’d been hesitant to take a leap of faith. She’d watched her mother fail at relationships, and he understood why Paula might envision herself in that situation. That’s what she’d learned. Man-hopping. The idea dug deep into the pit of his gut. He couldn’t imagine Paula with that mind-set. Certainly she had more intelligence than to slip into the mire of her mother’s lifestyle. His desire to show her what great things life could offer choked his heart. His determination had grown beyond his ability to hold it back.

An uneasy thought came to him. In that horrific environment for a young girl, could something have happened to her in that house? Images flashed in his mind of her innocence being ripped away by one of the lowlifes her mother had allowed into their home. Into their home with no regard for a young daughter just blossoming into womanhood. His chest ached with concern. Could this be the ugly part of her life that held her back and made her feel less than worthy? His disgust grew as his fist knotted.

He could never ask. Never. Yet it made him long all the more to rescue her, to help her know in her heart that she was as pure as the morning dew.

He was committed. He’d finally met a woman he wanted to be with, a woman he could marry, but.

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