Secret Agent Father (16 page)

“And what about you, Shelby?” he asked, gripping the edge of her side rail, tightly. “I know you’ve been afraid of men, but now that I’ve found you, I don’t think I can let you go.”

She blinked and the room spun dizzily. “I’m not afraid of you, Alex.”

“You’re sure?” He leaned over, reaching out to gently stroke her cheek. “Because if you need time, I can wait, for as long as it takes.”

His offer was so sweet. “I’m sure, Alex. In those
brief moments I thought I might die, my biggest regret was not telling you how much I love you.”

A broad smile bloomed on his face. “I love you, too, Shelby. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Before she could formulate a response, the head of her bed moved upward and Alex reared back in surprise.

“What’s going on?” she asked, fumbling for her controls. The foot of her bed began to rise up too, and for a moment she feared she might be a human sandwich. “Cody? Are you playing with the controls?”

His earnest face popped up from the other side of her bed. “My giraffe is stuck!”

Alex lunged to grab the toy wedged between the mattress and the controls of the bed rail. Her knees were almost to her chest and her head was raised up as high as it would go.

“Got it.” He raised the toy, the expression on his face so similar to that of Cody’s that silent laughter bubbled up inside her chest.

“Don’t laugh, don’t laugh,” she moaned, holding her stomach tightly, even as her shoulders shook.

“Are you all right?” Alex asked anxiously as he pressed the buttons on her bed to put it back to normal. “Should I call the nurse for more pain medicine?”

“No, that’s okay.” She scrunched up her face but tears leaked out the corners of her eyes. She pulled herself together, taking a shaky breath. “Laughing hurts.”

“I made the bed move.” With the crisis over, Cody jumped up and down. “Did you see that? I made the bed move.”

Alex scooped the boy into his arms, tickling him in the ribs. “You sure did, troublemaker, but you were
supposed to be quiet for a few more minutes. At least until she’d given me an answer.”

“What answer? What’s the question?” Cody demanded.

Shelby gazed at them, her heart filled with joy and peace. The man she loved with her whole heart and the boy she loved like a son. “The answer is yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

“Did you hear that, Cody? We’re going to be a family.” Alex set Cody on his feet, gazing at Shelby with love in his eyes.

“Really?” Cody glanced at both of them. “A family that lives together?”

“Yes.” Shelby reached out to take Alex’s hand in hers, interlocking their fingers together. “A family that lives together, forever.”

“Faith and love, Cody,” Alex said softly, drawing Cody into their embrace. “All it takes is faith and love.”

Shelby smiled through tears of happiness. “No fear.”

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed reading Alex and Shelby’s story. As a mother, I know that I would do anything to protect my child and in this book Shelby must find Cody’s biological father in order to keep her nephew safe even if that means she might lose custody of the child in the end. She loves Cody as if he was her own son, and throughout the story, Shelby prays to God for guidance and as always, He answers her prayers.

For Alex, this story is all about second chances. He made a mistake in the past, but has the opportunity now to make amends. Alex is more than willing to keep his son safe, but taking on the role of fatherhood is much more challenging.

Both Alex and Shelby must face their deepest fears, learning to put their faith and trust in God before they will find love and finally become united as a family.

I hope you enjoyed
Secret Agent Father
. I always enjoy hearing from my readers and I can be reached through my Web site at www.laurascottbooks.com.

Yours in faith,

Laura Scott

1. In the beginning of the story, Shelby has to make an impossible decision, to flee ensuring Cody’s safety while leaving her seriously injured sister behind. Have you ever had to make a difficult decision and if so, how did you handle it?
   
2. Do you think Shelby does a good job of explaining to Cody about what Alex’s role is in his life as his “other dad” or could she have handled this better?
   
3. In the early part of the book, Shelby is not very impressed with Alex’s ability to be a good father to Cody. Do you think she is being unfair? Why or why not?
   
4. Alex doesn’t have much experience with faith or believing in God, but at what point does he realize what he might be missing?
   
5. Shelby is more concerned about Cody’s emotional health and his future, while Alex is more concerned with his son’s immediate safety. Which should be the key priority and why?
   
6. Does Shelby do a good job of explaining heaven to Cody when he asks where his mother is? Why or why not?
   
7. Alex learns to pray when he’s leading the way through the blizzard, knowing he must keep Shelby
   and Cody safe. Discuss the circumstances in your life when you first learned to pray.
   
8. Shelby is determined to give Cody the chance to say goodbye to his mother at her funeral service. Did you agree with her decision? Why or why not?
   
9. One turning point in the story is when Alex decides to grant Shelby sole custody of Cody. Do you think he is really making this decision based on what’s best for Cody? Why or why not?
   
10. At what point in the story does Shelby fully embrace her faith in the Lord? Have you ever had a similar experience?
    
11. How does Alex use his newfound faith to save Shelby’s life?
    
12. Both Shelby and Alex must face their respective fears. Discuss a point in your life when you used your faith in God to face your fears.