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Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. PRAISE FOR JANICE CANTORE
  3. Map of Rogue’s Hollow
  4. Dedication
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. Epigraph
  7. PROLOGUE
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. 53
  61. EPILOGUE
  62. 1
  63. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  64. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

He released Tess and held her at arm’s length, loving the light there in her vivid green eyes. “We need to talk. I wanted to find you yesterday, was on my way to your house when that man came to my door. I still can’t believe I was so gullible.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. That was what he did, conned people. What did you want to talk about?”

“I wanted to apologize. I’ve been so irritable with you lately, questioning your judgment, giving you a bad time about how you do your job. I realize now, more than ever, how hard that job is. But I confess I was operating a little out of fear.”

“Fear? You?”

To Oliver, Tess seemed truly perplexed by his confession. “Yeah, me, afraid. I lost sight of the big picture and I stopped trusting God.” He gripped both of her hands in his. “Yesterday you told me that you loved me. Well, I realized a long time ago that I love you too, Tess. No, let me finish.” He held his hand up when she started to interrupt.

“You’re such a hard charger, jumping feetfirst into everything. That’s a very appealing quality. But because of everything that happened here the last few days—and before, with the fire—I let fear creep in that I could lose you like I lost Anna.” He pulled her close, noting the mist in her eyes. “But I have to practice what I preach. You’re in God’s hands, and I can’t interfere in the way you do your job. I have to trust, not fear.”

She freed one hand from his grasp and wiped her eyes before holding on again. “Well, since we’re confessing, I have one of my own to make.”

“Really?”

“I had—have, because it’s still lurking—this fear that I can’t truly be good for you because of my career. I can’t be totally devoted to supporting you—”

He put a finger over her mouth. “Tess, if you think that’s what I want out of a relationship, you’re wrong. I love you because you’re you, and I wouldn’t change a thing.” He pulled her close again, and his heart fluttered when she whispered in his ear.

“Ditto.”

And then the inevitable happened: they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

Tess grinned. “Duty calls.”

“As usual.” He let her go and she stepped to the front of her desk.

“Come in.”

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