Chapters (42)
- Cover Page
- Dedication
- Dear Friend
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Acknowledgments
- Reading Group Guide
- An Excerpt from the Goodbye Bride
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- About the Author
“After Emily died, I couldn’t live in that house anymore.” He seemed about to say more, but stopped.
Kate wanted to know more, but what right did she have to pry? After finding Emily dead in the house, Lucas probably couldn’t put the image from his mind. Who could blame him for moving on, starting over? But instead of choosing his own place to live, he’d built beside his parents, to be available for them, and instead of starting over with a new love, he’d stepped in and rescued her. The more she learned about Lucas, the more she realized she hadn’t known him at all.
Thirteen
Thirteen
Once you know what you’re looking for in a man, don’t settle for less. And most important, make sure the man you’re dating meets your qualifications before you become emotionally invested.
—Excerpt from Finding Mr. Right-for-You by Dr. Kate
“Let’s go sailing,” Lucas said as Kate stepped off the treadmill the following Saturday, toweling the sweat from her forehead.
He’d just returned from walking Bo, and the dog trotted over to Kate and nudged her toward the bathroom as if to escort her to the shower. Like she needed help deciding where she was going. She stopped at the doorway and pushed Bo with her knee, glaring at the dog.
“I can’t,” she said. “I need to clean and catch up on laundry and prepare for a phone interview. Plus we need groceries, and I need to run to the bank.”
“I saw your list.” Lucas filled a glass with tap water. “We can do those things tomorrow. I’ll help.” He gulped down the water.
“The bank is closed tomorrow.”
“We can run by the bank on our way to the harbor.”
“My phone interview—”
“Can wait until tomorrow after church.” He set the glass on the countertop. At her look, he opened the dishwasher and set it inside. “Any more excuses?”
They weren’t excuses. Well, not exactly. She just wanted to get through her list. But she’d never seen Lucas’s eyes lit like they were now, and he’d done so much for her lately in return for so little.
“Come on. It’s seventy-five degrees, the sky is clear blue, and there’s a good steady breeze.”
“I’ve never been sailing,” she said lamely, hoping he’d rescind the offer.
“Doesn’t matter.” His Colgate smile illuminated his face. “Get your shower, and I’ll gather supplies.”
Two hours later, Kate watched Lucas from a bench seat on the boat. He hadn’t stopped since they’d left the harbor, pulling on this line and that, tying them off on their cleats.
“Can I do anything?” She tightened the strap on her bulky orange life vest.