Their Unexpected Love
Sunshine Carston is looking for more than beautiful scenery when she moves with her daughter to Hunter Ridge, Arizona. She’s looking for answers. According to family legend, her ancestors were cheated out of their land by the Hunter family. But when she meets Grady Hunter, Sunshine’s mission is endangered—how can she investigate the Hunters when she’s falling for one? When Grady’s mother becomes ill, Grady steps in to help her run against Sunshine for town council. But what will Grady say when he finds out about Sunshine’s investigation? To rise above the past and forge a future together, they’ll need a love stronger than any feud…
“Hey! How is everybody this morning?”
Her heart inexplicably lifting at the sound of the familiar voice, Sunshine turned to see Grady striding toward them with that distinctive masculine gait, his impossibly broad shoulders clad in a windbreaker.
“Grady!” To Sunshine’s surprise, her daughter let out a cry of welcome and abandoned the swing to run toward him.
When Tessa reached Grady, she grabbed his hand and gazed happily up at him. “Now you can see how high I can swing.”
He glanced at Sunshine, looking slightly taken aback at Tessa’s grip on his hand. “I can do that.”
Willingly, he allowed her to pull him forward to stand next to her mother.
Tessa dashed for the swings. In a flash, she had herself moving.
“Are you watching?” a demanding voice called.
“We’re watching!” they yelled in unison, then exchanged a glance and laughed.
The kindergartner was pumping herself higher and higher, a determined look on her little face.
“You’re doing great, Tessa!” Grady’s words of encouragement impelled her to pump harder, and her triumphant smile widened.
Sunshine’s heart swelled with love.
GLYNNA KAYE treasures memories of growing up in small Midwestern towns—and vacations spent with the Texan side of the family. She traces her love of storytelling to the times a houseful of great-aunts and great-uncles gathered with her grandma to share candid, heartwarming, poignant and often humorous tales of their youth and young adulthood. Glynna now lives in Arizona, where she enjoys gardening, photography and the great outdoors.
Claiming the Single Mom’s Heart
Glynna Kaye
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
—Jeremiah 29:11
The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
—Deuteronomy 31:8
To Jim and Phyllis Dorman, whose deep love of God and faithful ministry have greatly influenced my life. Thank you.
Contents
“A family legend is worthless unless you have proof.”
“I’m going to get proof.” With more confidence than she felt, Sunshine Carston gave her longtime friend Tori a reassuring nod. “It’s just taking longer than expected.”
Much longer.
She shifted restlessly in the passenger seat of Victoria Janner’s steel-blue Kia compact as they searched for a parking spot in the crowded graveled lot of Hunter’s Hideaway. Her own ancient SUV was in the shop—again—and out-of-town visitor Tori had agreed to take a detour while running errands Saturday morning.