Rescuing His Heart, page 1
DEDICATION
To the brave military men and women who serve and protect our country. Thank you.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
RESCUING HIS HEART
First edition. November 14, 2023.
Copyright © 2023 Charlene Groome.
Written by Charlene Groome.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Rescuing His Heart (A Moonlight Valley series, #2)
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Epilogue
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Also By Charlene Groome
About the Author
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am grateful every day for the opportunity to share my stories. It's one thing to dream and
another to be doing it.
Sue Grimshaw, you're simply amazing. Thank you for your enthusiasm, support, and for making my characters shine. I'm lucky to be working with you.
To Dar, you are so talented! Thank you for designing my covers. You nailed it!
Writing this story took some research. One person I need to thank is Tom Huxley for helping me understand the mechanics of small airplanes. Thank you for your patience and knowledge.
Before I step onto a plane, I'll remember your words, 'it's safer to fly than to drive.'
Thank you to my family and friends for supporting me.
And to you, reader, for picking up my book and spending your time in Moonlight Valley. I hope you enjoy Sara and Colton's story.
Chapter One
Sara Quinn let the words from her inspirational desk calendar sink in.
Find love, find yourself, travel the world!
If the quote were right, Sara’s vacation in less than two weeks would cure her adventurist mind, and she’d maybe find what was missing in her life. It was an opportunity she couldn’t refuse having never traveled outside of the United States. It was something she wanted to
accomplish sooner rather than later.
Sara typed on her computer, not letting the click-clacking of Deloris’ heels distract her from finishing writing her paragraph. She saved her story and emailed it to her editor before looking up at the receptionist.
“Special delivery!” Deloris sang, holding out a bouquet of mixed flowers. “For you, my dear.” She set them down on Sara’s desk and dusted off her hands. “My goodness. A flower delivery this week, a box of chocolates last week. Who is this charming fellow?”
“Oh, just somebody.” Sara shrugged, feeling her cheeks warm. Keeping Johnathan Beck a secret created more questions and her answers were an extension of the truth, because how could she admit she was planning on meeting a guy she didn’t know? She didn’t realize how much people cared about her love life until the recent attention sparked curiosity after a dating dry spell. It had been five months since her last date, and it ended with a kiss she wanted to forget. She shuttered at the memory and dipped her head to smell the lily.
“This isn’t from just somebody.” Deloris touched the clear wrap surrounding the flowers. “They’re beautiful. Are you sure you’re not dating him?”
Sara shook her head. “Yup. I’m still single.”
“Well, he has good taste.” She gave a skeptical eye. “What’s this gent’s name?”
The idea of keeping her new friend a secret was harder than she thought. Maybe because she was twenty-seven, single, and up until now, she wasn’t looking for a relationship. Until she met Johnathan online. Having similar interests kept her hanging on, even if she felt like the whole online dating thing was over-rated. What if he was nothing like she imagined? She didn’t even know if she was attracted to him. Sure, they FaceTime, but it wasn’t the same as being with someone in person. “Um. John.” Her stomach clenched. “His name is John.”
Deloris’ eyebrows jumped. “So, where does John live?”
“Seattle.”
Deloris clapped her hands. “Well then. When is he coming here?”
“I don’t think he—”
“I can’t wait to meet him!” Deloris’ body shook with enthusiasm. “You’ll bring him around, won’t you?”
Sara’s mind was spinning to say the next thing, but she drew a blank. They lived far apart. If she fell for this guy, would she consider moving out of Moonlight Valley?
She used her safe word. “We’re just...friends.”
Deloris laughed. “This is a guy trying to win you over. You’re not interested?”
“I...don’t want to date right now.” Someone had to believe her.
“You should!” Her hands went to her ample hips. “You’re young. This is the time.”
“Yeah, but I want to travel and do things for me.” The more Sara told the same story, the more she was believing it herself. “If I date now, I’ll miss out on opportunities.”
“What opportunities? You have everything here.” She waved a hand. “What can’t you do when you’re with the right person? Wayne and I do lots of things together, and I’ve never missed out on anything.” She brushed back her shoulder-length greying, brown hair. “When you’re with the right person, it’s a complement to your life. What happened to the last guy you were with, Derek? That was his name, right?” She side-stepped from the desk. “You dated him for a while.”
“It didn’t work out,” Sara said casually. She failed to mention bad-kisser guy, but he didn’t count.
“When you meet someone you can’t live without, you’ll know.”
If Sara wanted to date, she had to look outside of Moonlight Valley, where everyone didn’t know everyone’s business. It was the only way she could build a relationship without anyone’s interference, so she joined a dating website for singles, and Johnathan seemed to be the best match, at least one with potential.
“You’re young,” Deloris sang. “You’ll meet someone. Just don’t wait too long. It gets harder the older you get.” She tapped her beaded necklace. “We get set in our ways.”
It was unfortunate but true. Deloris wore the same hairstyle for years, and her makeup was always the same: Blue or cream eyeshadow, dusty rose color lipstick, and blush on her plump cheeks.
“I’m not worried.” Sara placed her hand on the Fall Festival flyer sitting at the edge of her desk. She slid it towards her, glancing at the bold print.
“Maybe the man of your dreams will be playing bingo and taking part in the pie-eating contest.” Deloris chuckled.
The idea made Sara’s spine straighten. “I sure hope not.”
“Don’t forget the pig races.” Deloris pointed a finger and turned on her foot. “I’ve got my bet on Bronco to win.”
Sara closed her eyes briefly before sinking into her chair. Is this what her life had become? A revolving door? Same stories. Same people. A change was what she needed, and maybe she’d appreciate the local banter and silly games while she was away. Satisfied with her decision to spend the first two days in Seattle to meet Johnathan, then fly solo to Australia would do her some good.
The timing couldn’t be so perfect.
Her heart fluttered, thinking about the Seattle newspaper reporter. He had a pinched smile, a little mischievous, a bit intriguing and...average? How could one judge by a photo or live screen, anyway? Would it be enough to fall in love? They had a lot in common, having the same job, wanting to travel, and being family-oriented. He said all the things she wanted to hear and gave her high hopes for a promising companion. He even called her sweet and sweetest when addressing her name, like her dad used to do. If it worked out, could she move out of town?
Sara logged off her computer and grabbed her phone from her duffle bag. She checked her messages before packing up.
“Sara!” Jerry rounded his neck at his office doorway, like he was afraid to step out into the light. “I need to speak to you for a minute.”
“Okay. I’ll be right there,” Sara called back. Maybe Jerry changed his mind and agreed she could write an opinion piece or write about trends. Something to boost its lifestyle section. It needed a new look to attract a younger crowd.
Sara stood up, picked up her phone to message Johnathan.
Hey Johnathan! Thanks for the flowers. They’re beautiful. It was very thoughtful.
Hey Sweet Sara, You’re welcome. I’ve told my family all about you, and they can’t wait to meet you. I hope it’s okay. My mom wants us for dinner on one of the nights you’re here. Let me know.
TAPPING HER HEEL, SHE stared at her phone. Was it too soon to meet Johnathan’s family?
Sure. Meeting your family
would be great. I’m there for
only two days. If it doesn’t work
out, maybe next time?
What if there was no next time? No chemistry? It was impossible to know someone in forty-eight hours. Was it enough time to see if she liked him enough to see him again?
Sara shoved her phone into her bag and stepped into her editor’s office to remind him she was leaving in twelve days. The smell of stale air lingered in the windowless room. Sara
wrinkled her nose. Jerry was hunched over his desk, surrounded by loose papers and old
newspapers. He looked up in a daze.
“Why did you change the font of your headline?” he asked, running his hand over the newspaper.
“I thought it added to the page. It made it stand out.”
“We don’t need it to look like a tabloid. It’s a community newspaper.” His voice rose. “Save the fancy stuff. We just need the story to be legible. It’s what people want.”
Sara slid her teeth together.
“You added a border around the second news story,” he said. “We’ve talked about this before. We don’t need to change it. No borders.”
Sara sighed. “I thought it added to the piece. Making it stand out. Without a photo, my eyes go directly to the story.”
“Nothing wrong with white space, either.” Jerry’s eyes shot up over his glasses. “Why do you want to change it?”
“I...I’d like to freshen it up a bit. Make it, I don't know, modern?”
“People are reading for information, not for art. Although the photos are good, it’s not a magazine.” He creased the corner of the page.
“Okay.” It didn’t matter how hard she tried to make the paper look better. Jerry wasn’t into it. He didn’t care, so why did she? Maybe her trip would give her a long break she needed to forget about work and everything else in her life she didn’t have control over.
“Did you give any more thought to the lifestyle section?” She gripped the armchair and swung her feet from under her.
“We need to stick to local stuff. It’s a small-town paper.” He adjusted his glasses. “What’s going on? You’ve been working here for five years. Nothing’s changed.”
That was the problem.
“I thought we could add some soft news, you know, touch on what’s happening outside of town. Freshen it up.” She gave a playful smile to hide her disappointment. “Make it...interesting.”
“We cover what happens here, not what happens in Hollywood. If people want garbage, they can search the Internet.”
Sara’s mouth swished to the side. She wasn’t winning the battle, so why was she trying?
Jerry placed his hands on his desk. “The reason I called you in is to tell you my mother is ill.” He jabbed his fingers under his glasses to massage his lids. “She’s dying...”
“I’m...sorry.” Sara crossed her arms. Her stomach muscles tensed. “I didn't know she was sick.”
“She’s been battling cancer, and there’s nothing they can do for her.” He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m going to see her before she...she dies.”
“Of course.”
“I need you to cover for me.”
“Oh, but I—”
“Her dying wish is for me to sing Come Fly With Me...Frank Sinatra.” His voice
monotoned. “I need to be there.”
“You sing?”
Jerry put his glasses back on his face. “I used to.” He opened his eyes and blinked double time. “You’ll have to postpone your trip if I don’t make it back. I don’t know what else to do. I have nobody to cover for me.”
Sara shook her head and swallowed.
“When I get back, you can go.”
She stared at him, hopelessly. “I bought my ticket.” Her voice hitched. It was an expensive ticket. If she didn't act on impulse, she would miss the opportunity to meet Johnathan. What if he was...the one? She needed to give it a chance. And what about Australia?
“I know. I know.” Jerry slumped in his chair. The lines in his face grew deeper. It was like the years of stress were catching up with him. “I don’t know what to say.”
Her heart picked up. “I’ll find someone to cover for me. I’ll edit while I’m away.”
“You can’t do that.”
“No?”
“No.” His voice sharp and irritated.
She huffed. “I never take vacation. This is all I'm asking for.” Her heart started to race. She never asked for anything. Maybe she should start.
“This isn’t my ideal situation,” he shot back.
“I can edit on my flight,” she said. “It will be for a couple of work days.”
“No. It won’t work. I need you here.”
“I have no one to cover for us. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.” Jerry’s brown eyes were wide behind the lens. “Sorry, but what can I do?” He shrugged.
“What’s wrong with Liam? He can write copy and—” She stopped herself from telling him he should split the assignments with the sports reporter, but she didn’t know how much Liam could handle. If she didn't meet Johnathan now, she’d lose her chance and it was too soon to
invite Johnathan to Moonlight Valley. She couldn’t offer him a place to stay when she didn’t know him. “I’m sure if I—”
“My mother is dying.”
“Yes. Do you think it would be a good idea to hire someone, a temp, for situations like this?” She leaned back in her chair. “It would be good to have a casual person.”
“Not right now.” His sparse eyebrows came together. “We’re managing fine.”
“Are we?” she challenged because it would be helpful to have someone to count on.
“Liam could write a news story, but I can’t make him cover for you or—” He shook his head. “Edit the newspaper.” He flattened out his hands on his desk. “I’m counting on you to do my job.”
Sara pinched her lips together, refusing to believe she couldn’t go on her trip. She’d been waiting so long to date a respectable guy. Someone who she could be proud of showing her mom and her friends. A guy who she could relate to and build dreams together. She let out a breath. “When are you leaving?” Sara gripped the armchair. There had to be another way around this.
“Tonight.” His hands braced the edge of his desk.” I’ve got a ride to Omak. Taking a
private plane to Idaho and I fly out from there. My mom lives in Wyoming. You have
cancelation insurance, right?”
She closed and unclosed her hands. “I don’t.” Her stomach sank. “I didn’t think I’d need it.” Her shoulders ached—all the money she saved. “You told me it was fine for me to take holidays.”
He cupped his hands on his head like he had a headache. “They’re giving my mom days.”
She felt a pang in her chest. “I’m sorry.” Life was more important than a job or meeting her potential boyfriend, but she never asked for time off. There wasn’t anywhere to go until now. He brought up his head. “It must be hard for you.”
“It is.” His face faltered. “When I get back, we can find someone to cover for you. Maybe you can extend your vacation. We’ll figure something out when I get back. I appreciate your understanding. It’s unforeseeable circumstances, as you know.”
She didn’t have a choice, did she?
“You’re the reporter people know and trust,” Jerry said. “They depend on you. Without you, I can’t run this paper alone.”
“We should hire a casual reporter,” she said again. “Someone who can fill in when one of us is away, sick. It doesn’t help when we both are gone.”
“I’d consider it. I’ll run it by Georgia. I’m supposed to have a meeting with her soon.” He patted his thinning hair. “Someone who can step into our shoes and work without fail. No handholding.”
As flattering as it was, it didn’t help right now. Sara wanted to meet Johnathan. She wanted to hang out with her cousin, tour beaches, see koala bears and kangaroos. Begin an adventure. She would experience more in her two-week vacation than she had her whole life living in a small town. She was tired of the same people and the same routine. It was her chance to explore and add some excitement to her life. She was ready to fall in love, even if it was with someone outside of Moonlight Valley.
