Under a Georgia Moon: Georgia Moon Romance Book 1 (36 page)

Betsy chuckled. “Your brothers are just looking out for their little sister.” She patted Ellie on the back. “Honey, we just need to find you a man.”

Ellie grimaced. “Please don’t! The last thing I need is a man.” Having been thrown back into the dating world, Ellie hated being back on the market, so to speak. She hated how everyone seemed to think she needed help dating and finding another husband. She didn’t want anyone else—not after what Thomas had done to her. It would be a struggle to trust a man ever again. The wounds he’d inflicted still hadn’t completely healed.

Betsy smiled at her knowingly. “Ellie Garrett, you are a beautiful woman, and I know the Lord is preparing someone special for you.”

Why did everyone think that? She’d already had a husband, thank you very much. As for her beauty…it wasn’t enough to keep him from leaving.

“Hey, I’d better go inside to shower.” She avoided Betsy’s eyes by looking at her watch. “Cade’s class is out in thirty minutes.”

Betsy laughed and nudged her in the shoulder again. “I get it. You don’t want to talk about it right now.”

Ellie took a couple of steps backward. “That’s why I like you so much.”

“Yeah,” Betsy said with another laugh. “I said right now. You and I need to have another talk, young lady.”

“Did I just say I liked you?”

Betsy grinned and waggled her finger. “You
love
me. By the way, I made an extra loaf of bread for you and Cade.”

“You’re right. I do love you.”

Ellie decided to leave while she had the chance. She turned toward her house and waved goodbye. “Have fun today.”

Fifteen minutes later, Ellie left to get Cade. As she drove out of the cul-de-sac, she passed a white Denali. At the stop sign, she glanced in her rearview mirror. The SUV turned into the driveway next to the moving truck. It was probably the new owners.

Ellie paused as she debated about whether or not to wait and see who the new neighbors were. When they didn’t immediately get out of the vehicle, she pressed on the gas and made a left turn.

Her curiosity could wait. Cade couldn’t.

* * *

Nick Coulter grinned as he made the last turn toward his new home, and the GPS declared he made it to his destination. His phone buzzed just as he pulled in beside the moving truck. Grabbing the phone from its cradle, he saw the name on the screen and thought about declining the call. His manager, Alec Lawson, would put a damper on his good mood.

Nick’s thumb hovered over the decline button. He probably should answer it, especially since he had promised to return the call a couple of hours ago. He pressed to accept. “Hey, Alec. Sorry I didn’t call you back.”

Alec snorted. “Yeah, right.”

Nick leaned back in his seat and stretched out his legs. “No really. I’ve been busy driving. And thank you for asking, but yes, I made it safely.”

“Wonderful. How is Pleasure Garden?”

Nick rolled his eyes. “
Pleasant
Wood
.”

“Whatever.”

He glanced out the window at the tall maple shading the driveway. “It’s beautiful. Retirement is going to be awesome.”

Alec let out another sarcastic laugh. “Don’t get too relaxed. You’ve got a packed schedule and a few proposals to look over. Incidentally, I still think we should do a press release right away about your move to Colorado. The news would get your name out there and boost your revenue.”

Nick thought about having a few days without the media knowing about his new location. That would be better than the Colorado Smashburger he hoped to have for dinner. “Nah, let’s keep it until next week like we planned.”

Alec let out a deep breath. “I still can’t believe you opted for Podunkville instead of L.A. Do you know what you’re missing?”

Yeah. Life in the fast lane. At thirty-four, Nick, a recently retired pro-football player was ready to settle down. The rural community outside of Denver had been home to his best friend and college roommate, Jared Huntsman. Whenever Nick had needed a break from his crazy life in California, Jared’s house had been like a refuge.

Then, six years ago, Jared and his wife had been killed by a drunk driver. Their deaths had changed Nick. Suddenly, he hadn’t felt as invincible. He had taken a good, hard look at his life, and didn’t like what he had found. All the money and fame he’d gained over the years had filled every part of him, leaving no room for his Christian faith.

Days after the funeral, Nick had gone home to stay with his parents for a few weeks. There he’d found the solace he was seeking, and had come away with a renewed commitment to his faith.

Although Nick loved his parents, when it had come time for him to retire, Pleasant Wood, Colorado had sounded more appealing to him than staying in California. Plus, it was where he was supposed to be. A decision confirmed by prayer.

“I won’t be missing anything, Alec.”

“I really don’t get you.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Nick, ABC sent over another request. Are you sure—”

“I’m not doing it. I can find a wife on my own.” ABC wanted Nick to be their next bachelor. Having seen previous episodes of
The Bachelor
, Nick had declined the offer. Despite what everyone thought, sitting in a hot tub with more than a dozen scantily clad women vying for a rose was not his idea of having a good time. No amount of whining on Alec’s part was going to change Nick’s mind.

“You’re kidding?” Alec said sharply. “Do you have any idea how much money this could get you?”

“We’ve already talked about this. I’m not doing it.”

“Fine. Make sure you read the email with your schedule for the next month. Call me if anything comes up.”

The phone went silent. It wasn’t the first time Alec had hung up on him, so it didn’t offend Nick. His relationship with his manager wasn’t exactly symbiotic, but Alec did play a valuable part in Nick’s life. He had saved Nick’s reputation a few years ago, making him forever in his manager’s debt.

Nick slanted forward and propped his hands and chin atop the steering wheel, his eyes sliding over the beautiful home. He purchased the house sight unseen because it fit the needs he’d requested. In all honesty, it was too large a house for a single man. However, he needed the square footage to host the mandatory parties required to maintain his charity foundation which helped underprivileged kids throughout the United States.

Anxious to be out of the car, he climbed out of the Denali and made his way to the front door. He stepped into the large entryway and looked around. It was a beautiful home—sparsely decorated, though. Why hadn’t he listened to his mother and hired a decorator before moving in? He made a mental note to call his mom later. She’d said something about having a friend who could help him.

The two men from the moving company came down the stairs. Larry grinned and stuck out his hand. “All done, Mr. Coulter.”

“Thanks.” Nick gave him a firm handshake. “You guys were fast.”

He pulled his check book out of his back pocket and had the men follow him into the kitchen where he wrote out the check. As he handed it to Larry, he reminded both men about the bonuses they’d receive if his move wasn’t leaked to the press.

Offering the men the extra money was one way to ensure his privacy until his new location was revealed. His realtor valued word-of-mouth references and wouldn’t dare to jeopardize his reputation. The only other person who knew his identity was Pastor Stewart. He happened to live across the street and, like everyone else, vowed to keep Nick’s confidentiality.

After thanking them again, he stood on the sidewalk and waved goodbye as the truck turned the corner, disappearing from his sight. With his hands on his hips, he glanced around and took in his surroundings. The neighborhood was beautiful and secluded. Just what he’d wanted.

It appeared to be empty right now. Really empty. And quiet. Despite what he’d just told his manager, part of him had kind of hoped for a welcome-to-Colorado party.

As the former quarterback for the Sacramento Defenders, he was used to the media and the fans. He hated to admit if he’d gone ahead with the press conference, he’d definitely have a welcoming committee. But that was not why he’d moved here. Instead, he wanted peace and quiet. Normal.

He looked around again and felt…
lonely?
No. He was just a little tired. As he turned to go back inside his house, he heard a door slam. Looking across the street, he saw a woman coming toward him. She wore a big smile and carried a basket on her arm. As she drew closer, he could see she was probably about his mother’s age. He wondered if this was the pastor’s wife.

“Hello!” She waved with enthusiasm, crossing the street.

Nick raised his hand to wave at her. At least somebody was going to welcome him to the neighborhood.

“Hello,” she said again as she drew closer.

“Hi. I’m Nick, your new neighbor.”

“Well, I’ll be.” The woman stopped dead in her tracks. “Owen is in so much trouble.”

Discovering Sophie

a novel

by

Cindy Roland Anderson

Chapter One

It
was love at first sight. Those baby blue eyes captured Sophie Kendrick’s heart the minute she looked into them. “Hey, sweetheart,” she said running her fingers through soft brown curls. “Don’t you look handsome today.”

The only reply she received was a firm tug on the stethoscope that hung around her neck, bringing her face close to skin scented with one of Sophie’s favorite smells—baby lotion.

Sophie smiled at the little boy and gently reclaimed her stethoscope, only to have chubby fingers grasp onto dark brown strands of her chin-length hair. Laughing, Sophie freed her hair and passed the child back to his mother. “He’s beautiful and perfectly healthy.”

“Thanks, Dr. Kendrick. I wasn’t sure if you’d remember us or not.”

“You’re welcome, and I do remember you.” Sophie caressed the little boy’s cheek. “I just can’t believe how much he’s grown.”

“Me either.” The mother cuddled the little boy close. “Well, we just wanted to stop and say hello.”

“I’m glad you did.”

Sophie watched mother and child leave the Denver Children’s Hospital multipurpose room, grateful that a mere six months ago her steady hands had successfully repaired the baby’s defective small intestine a few days after his birth.

As a pediatric surgeon, she didn’t often get to see the kids she’d helped once they were healed. However, today the hospital was celebrating the opening of a new wing by throwing an open house for the public. It gave Sophie an opportunity to see some of the children she’d provided medical care for since she’d come to Colorado almost two years earlier.

Sophie surveyed the gathered crowd, noticing other doctors, hospital administrators, and a few notable donors among the community of patrons and former patients. She caught sight of her boyfriend, Peter Elliot, standing in the corner. He’d arrived an hour ago, greeted her briefly, and then excused himself to take a business call. She’d seen very little of him since that time.

As always, whenever she looked at Peter, she couldn’t help thinking how incredibly handsome he was. Dark wavy hair styled to perfection and a strong jaw line made him stand out in any crowd. Given the way his shoulders filled out his Armani suit, Peter fit the image of the successful attorney that he was.

Most of their acquaintances thought they were the perfect couple—a doctor and an attorney—and since both of them had dark hair and brown eyes, they were bound to have beautiful, dark-haired, intelligent children.

If only it were that simple.

While Sophie loved Peter, she wasn’t
in love
with him. It was crazy. Sophie longed to get married and start a family, and although Peter was a very sought after bachelor, she hadn’t been able to give him an answer when he’d asked her to marry him a couple of weeks ago.

The familiar pang of unease lodged in her chest as she continued to watch him. Peter had said he’d give her time, especially with everything that was going on in her life, but how long would he wait?

Before she looked away, Peter met her gaze and gave her an impatient look, then gestured toward his watch. He had wanted to leave thirty minutes ago. Knowing she’d made him wait long enough, she nodded her head and stooped down to pick up her purse.

A wave of dizziness made her start to lose her balance. As she straightened back up, Sophie drew in a long, cleansing breath and waited for the dizzy spell to pass. The weeks of sleepless nights were finally getting to her.

The nightmares had started a month ago. At first they only came once or twice a week. Now, each night when Sophie closed her eyes, the recurring dream would awaken her, remind her that her father was still missing and that she had no idea what had happened to him.

Sophie crossed the room, hoping she didn’t look as bad as she suddenly felt. She finger-combed the wispy layers in her hair, hoping it helped restore some of its style. Reaching inside her purse, she pulled out her tinted lip gloss. What she really needed was a shower, but she didn’t want to miss having dinner with the Elliot family.

As she approached Peter, a twinge of guilt pricked her conscience. She might not be madly in love with him, but she was completely in love with his family. His parents were wonderful people who loved being surrounded by their children and grandchildren.

The fact that she loved Peter more for his family than for him troubled her. But at the same time, while Peter had said he loved her, Sophie had a feeling his affection had more to do with her looks and her chosen profession. He had often said that dating a beautiful doctor was good for his image and that he loved having a girlfriend men envied him for.

Meeting Peter’s gaze, she could see his brown eyes no longer held irritation. Now he watched her with concern. “Are you okay?”

“Just a little dizzy.” She gave him what she hoped was a confident smile. “It’s been a long day.”

He reached out and took her hand in his. “Mom delayed dinner. I’m sure you’ll feel much better once you can sit down and eat.”