Also by Michelle Stimpson
Last Temptation
Someone To Watch Over Me
Published by Kensington Publishing Corp.
Falling into Grace
MICHELLE STIMPSON
Kensington Publishing Corp.
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Also by Michelle Stimpson Title Page Dedication ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 CHAPTER 13 CHAPTER 14 CHAPTER 15 CHAPTER 16 CHAPTER 17 CHAPTER 18 CHAPTER 19 CHAPTER 20 CHAPTER 21 CHAPTER 22 CHAPTER 23 CHAPTER 24 CHAPTER 25 CHAPTER 26 CHAPTER 27 CHAPTER 28 CHAPTER 29 CHAPTER 30 CHAPTER 31 CHAPTER 32 CHAPTER 33 CHAPTER 34 CHAPTER 35 EPILOGUE Someone to Watch Over Me Copyright Page
For everyone who labors in the name of Christ.
Your toil is not in vain. You will be rewarded.
A thousand years from now,
you will still rejoice that
you did things His way.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank You, Jesus, for the grace of complete surrender that came to me over the course of writing this book. Nine books and almost forty short stories into this writing career, You never cease to amaze me. Thank You, thank You, thank You.
To my family: I know, this particular book took me quite a while to write. Thank you for giving me the space to write. Every writer’s, every teacher’s, every minister’s family loses a part of their loved one while he/she is out there loving on other people. Just so happens I am all three. So, thanks to my peeps for “sowing” me.
Several folks lent their expertise and thoughts to this book. I kept track this time! To my writing group, Lynne, Pattie, Kellie, Janice, Jane, Dana—thanks for reading the outline and giving me feedback. And to Lynne again for consulting with me throughout the drafting process. Tia McCollors and April Baker, thanks for being available to talk me through plot points without any notice. Rev. Rodney Carter, pastor of worship at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX, thanks for sitting down with me between services to talk about life as a minister of music. Lisa Lin, THE cat lady, thanks for telling me everything I ever wanted to know about cats. Sharon Jenkins provided information about how “big churches” run—thanks! To my uncle, Fred Williams, and my cousin, Myron Williams, thanks for answering my questions about the gospel music world and offering time in your studio. Mom, thanks for the medical information. Finally, thanks again to Howard for walking me through all the practical police matters.
A shout-out to all the book clubs who continue to support my works. Few of us get to write this many books, and those of us who do owe you great big hugs! Your dedicated readership ministers to me, reminds me of why it’s important to write the words He has given.
Thanks to my agent, Sara Camilli, and Selena James at Kensington for working with me and believing in these characters and stories that keep arriving in my head. You have made these tough literary times a pleasure for me. God bless you.
To all of my fellow writers—read the dedication again. And to all the writers who are sitting on works that are ordained to bless the body of Christ—read the dedication again. I urge you to allow Him to finish the work He has begun in you (Philippians 1:6).
In His Love,
Michelle Stimpson
September, 2011
CHAPTER 1
Your account is overdrawn.
Camille Robertson unchecked the e-mail notification box on her cell phone. No need in setting herself up for even more depressing announcements. Bad enough she was turning the big three-oh today. She didn’t need to be reminded that she was also broke. Below broke, actually, because by the afternoon, her account would be charged another thirty-four dollars for insufficient funds.
She closed her eyes as the phone’s screen dimmed and then went blank. Insufficient. A good word to describe Camille’s life for the past eleven years.
The dull beep of her neighbor’s alarm clock added another level of ridiculousness to her life. Cheap rent always came with thin walls and bad layout, i.e., adjacent bedrooms. No privacy. Not that Camille needed it. Her life was as uneventful as they came.
She listened to the beeping awhile longer and decided that this fellow tenant