Love Through the Seasons Read online

  Stormy Weather ©1999 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

  King of Hearts ©1997 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

  Falling for Love ©2023 by Tracie Peterson

  Silent Nights ©1998 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

  Print ISBN 978-1-63609-474-8

  Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-63609-475-5

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher. Reproduced text may not be used on the World Wide Web.

  All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

  Cover Model Photograph: © Buffy Cooper / Trevillion Images

  Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com

  Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  Table of Contents

  Stormy Weather

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Epilogue

  King of Hearts

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Falling For Love

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Silent Nights

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Epilogue

  STORMY WEATHER

  CHAPTER 1

  Gina looked at the instructions in her hand for the tenth time. “Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit,” one side read. The other side had “Contains Functional Sharp Points” as its title.

  “What in the world are functional sharp points?” she asked, looking down into the questioning eyes of her eight-year-old son. “Do you know what this means, Danny?”

  The boy shrugged. “Mr. Cameron didn’t say. He just said all the Cub Scouts were going to race them some Saturday.”

  Gina nodded and turned back to the kit. A block of wood, four nails, and four plastic wheels stared back up at her, along with the confusing instructions. “And we’re supposed to make this into a car?”

  “A race car,” Danny corrected.

  “Did your scoutmaster say how you were supposed to make this into a race car?” Gina asked, pushing back limp brown hair.

  “You have to cut it into the shape of a car and then paint it. He said to have your dad call if he had questions. I told him I didn’t have a dad, and he said moms could call him too.”

  “I see,” Gina said. Three years of widowhood had left a great many holes in her life, including a father to assist Danny in times of crisis. And this was definitely a crisis. The Cub Scout pinewood derby was, according to the date at the top of the page, only a couple of weeks away and she’d not yet gotten up the courage to carve on the chunk of wood, much less produce a finished race car. Looking from the instructions to the kit to her son, Gina felt an overwhelming desire to lock herself in her bedroom until after the pinewood derby race had passed.

  “I guess I’ll call him,” she muttered and went to the list of phone numbers she kept on the refrigerator. Of course, the refrigerator was also covered with a multitude of other papers and pictures, which made her task even more difficult. By Gina’s calculations the memorabilia and paperwork added a good twenty pounds to the already well-worn fridge door.

  “Cub Scouts,” she muttered, fanning through the precariously placed information. Cub Scout letters were always on blue paper. Telaine Applebee, the mother of twin boys who always managed to outperform all of the other Scouts, had created their den’s newsletter. She thought by putting it on blue paper it would make parents more organized. She could hear Telaine, even now, her high-pitched voice announcing the newsletter like a prize at one of those home-product parties.

  “And look,” she’d nearly squealed with pride, “it’s blue! You’ll always know it’s Scout information, because it’s blue like their uniforms.” Only it wasn’t blue like their uniforms but a sugary shade of sky blue that seemed to match Telaine’s perfect eyes.

  Gina sighed. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Telaine. She did. Telaine was a wonderful woman and Gina would give just about anything to be as organized. But looking at Telaine and seeing her perfect life was like looking into a mirror and finding all your own inadequacies.

  “Here it is!” she declared, forgetting about Telaine and the thought that no doubt her twins had already completed turning their wood blocks into race cars.

  “They’ll probably be featured on the front of Great Mechanics,” she muttered and picked up the receiver.

  Dialing the phone, Gina noted that Danny seemed oblivious to her feelings of inadequacy, but that was the way she wanted it. To share with her eight-year-old the fears and loneliness of being a widow seemed an injustice of grand proportion. Danny just stood there staring at her with such hope—like he expected her to have some magical formula for changing wood into cars. How could she disappoint him when he believed so strongly in her ability to make things right?

  The number she’d dialed began ringing and Gina immediately tensed. What would she say? How could she explain that she’d let the project get away from her and now it was nearly time for the race and she hadn’t even begun to help Danny put it together?

  “Hello?”

  The baritone voice at the other end of the phone immediately commanded Gina’s attention. “Yes, is this Mr. Cameron, Cub Scout leader for den four?”

  “Among other things,” the man replied in a tone that betrayed amusement.

  Gina smiled to herself and took a deep breath. “Look, we’ve never met, but my son is one of your Wolf Cubs. No wait, I think he’s a Bear Cub or a Bobcat. Oh, I forget.” The man laughed, making Gina feel uncertain whether he was laughing at her in a nice way or because she’d just managed to sound like ditz of the year. “I’m sorry,” she muttered and tried again. “This is Gina Bowden, Danny’s mother.”

  “Ah, your son is a Bear.”

  “Especially in the morning,” Gina countered.

  The man chuckled. “Well, I can’t vouch for that, but on Tuesday night, he’s definitely a Bear. What can I do for you?”

  Gina looked heavenward and rolled her eyes. Take me away from the monotony. Give me a reason to put on mascara. Teach me what to do when the sidewalk opens up with cracks big enough to swallow small children or when the dryer won’t dry but just dings at you like you should know what that means.

  “Hello?”

  The masculine voice broke through Gina’s thoughts. “Sorry, it’s been a bad week,” she said softly, shaking her head. “This is the problem. I’m looking at this pinebox derby stuff—” Hysterical laughter erupted on the end of the line, causing Gina to pause. “Is something wrong?” More laughter. “You are the Cub Scout leader I’m supposed to call if I need help, aren’t you?”

  The man collected himself. “Yeah, but it’s pinewood derby, not pinebox. We aren’t racing coffins out there.”

  “You might as well be,” Gina replied, then laughed at her own mistake. “I’m afraid if I start in on this thing that’s what it’ll resemble. Come to think of it, it already resembles that. And just what are functional sharp points?”

  “Would you like me to come over and help you and Danny?”

  Gina sighed. “Mr. Cameron.”

  “Gary. Call me Gary.”

  “Okay, Gary, I would be very grateful if you would come give us a hand. I’m a widow, and although I’ve tried to be father, mother, taxi driver, Little League coach, and general all-around good sport, I’ve yet to master woodwork.” She paused for a moment, then remembering that strange “check engine” light in the van, she added, “Or car mechanics.”

  His chuckles warmed her heart. “I have talents in both areas. Do you have time to work on the car right now?” he asked.

  Gina smiled, unable to resist. “Which one?”

  “Let’s start with the wooden one and work our way up,” Gary countered.

  Gina breathed a sigh of relief. Just thinking about not having to be responsible for the functional sharp points was making it much easier to face the day. “Sure, come on over. The address is 311 Humboldt.”

  “Be there in ten minutes.”

  Gina hung up the phone and looked at her forlorn child. “Mr. Cameron is coming right over.” Danny’s face brightened. Glancing down at her sweat suit, she added, “I’m going to go change my clothes so I don’t look like a bag lady. You let him in when he gets here.”
r />   Seven minutes later, while Gina was just pulling a brush through her hair, Gary Cameron was ushered into the house by Danny. She could hear their animated conversation as she came down the stairs.

  “Hey, Mr. Cameron, I’m sure glad you could help me make my car.”

  “No problem, sport. Where’s your mom?” It was that wonderful voice. That wonderful masculine voice. Gina paused at the door just to listen, fearful that if she crossed the threshold too soon, she just might break the spell of the moment. She needn’t have worried. Danny broke it for her.

  “She’s upstairs changing her clothes. She didn’t want to look like a rag lady.”

  “A rag lady?” Gary questioned.

  Gina stood six feet away in complete mortification. Gone was the feeling of satisfaction that had come in fixing her hair and putting on makeup. Gone were the plans of appearing in total control and confidence.

  “That’s bag lady, and Danny, you really should learn the better part of discretion.” The boy shrugged and Gary laughed. Gina felt self-conscious and glanced down at her sweater and jeans.

  “You look nothing like a bag lady.” He smiled, and Gina noted tiny crow’s-feet lined the edges of his eyes. He was obviously a man who liked to laugh. He extended his hand and formally introduced himself. “I’m Gary Cameron.”

  Holding his gaze a moment longer, Gina felt her pulse quicken. She put her hand in his and felt warm fingers close around hers. “I’m Gina.”

  For a moment neither one moved, and Gina felt hard-pressed to force herself to be the first to break the companionable silence, but finally she did. “I left the mess on the kitchen table.”

  “Let’s get to it then,” Gary said with a smile. “The sky is starting to cloud up and, knowing springtime in Kansas, we could be in for almost anything. Part of our work will need to be done outdoors so as to save you from extra cleanup.”

  Gina nodded. “It’s this way.” She walked to the kitchen, Gary following close behind her with Danny at his side. She pointed at the mess. “Nothing like waiting until the last minute,” Gina apologized, bending over the pieces, “but I kept thinking sooner or later I would figure out what to do with it.” She gazed up mischievously. “I came up with a few ideas, but none of them seemed to benefit Danny or the derby.”

  Gary held up a small red toolbox. “We’ll have you on your way before you know it. We can carve it out today, and if Danny is willing to work hard at sanding it down, I can come back over and we’ll work on it some more tomorrow.”

  “We go to church tomorrow,” Danny declared.

  “So do I,” Gary replied. “But I was thinking maybe the afternoon would work out for us.”

  “Won’t your wife feel neglected?” Gina asked without thinking.

  “My wife and son were killed in a car accident four years ago,” Gary said matter-of-factly.

  “I’m sorry. Danny’s father died in an accident three years ago. His car was hit head-on by a drunk driver.”

  Gary picked up the car kit. “Lot of them out there.”

  Gina studied the sandy-haired man for a moment, and when he looked up and met her gaze, she suddenly knew that here was a man who understood her pain. Here was a man she could relate to. The look he gave her made Gina tremble at the faded memory of feeling young and loved and happy.

  “So would tomorrow work out for you?” Gary asked as though they hadn’t just shared a very intimate moment.

  “It would be fine with me. What time?”

  “How about whenever you’re finished with lunch?”

  “Why don’t you just come for lunch and stay to work on the car?”

  Gary smiled. “Sounds great.”

  “My mom’s a good cook,” Danny told the man. “’Cept when she burns something.”

  Gina tousled his hair. “Which is nearly once a day because some eight-year-old demands that I come see what new creation he’s built in the backyard.”

  “She burned the macaroni and cheese, today,” Danny announced. “Do you want to see the pan? Mom says it looks like—”

  “Danny, I think Mr. Cameron would prefer not to hear about our shortcomings. How about you sit down and let him get started with that … that … thing,” she interrupted, looking sadly at all the bits and pieces.

  Gary laughed. “Your mom’s right. We need to get a move on. We’ll want to do our cutting outside, and those clouds are getting darker by the minute.” Then he turned to her and flashed a quick smile. “Lunch sounds great. Church is out at noon, so, say I come here directly after?”

  “Perfect,” Gina replied.

  Sitting down at the table, she was relieved when Gary picked up the conversation and began to explain the process of carving out the race car. She felt almost exhausted from their first encounter and needed the neutrality of woodwork. It wasn’t long until Danny and Gary settled on a plan and were off to the backyard to start sawing away at the block of wood.

  Watching from the kitchen window, Gina couldn’t remember the last time she’d had this much fun. She and Danny had remained rather isolated after the accident, but now she honestly felt ready to deal with people again. Oh, it wasn’t that she didn’t have friends. She had several she felt comfortable enough to spend time with. But for the most part, it was go to church on Sunday, homeschool Danny through the week, and go to Scouts on Tuesday nights. Well, Danny went to Scouts. Gina usually sent him with Telaine and her boys and used the quiet evenings to get personal matters done that she couldn’t accomplish with Danny in tow.

  Telaine had been sympathetic to her needs and, because of her continual ability to be organized even in the face of adversity, Telaine had honestly helped Gina to get through the last three years. But now, Gina felt it was time to throw off her isolation.

  It was funny how spending an afternoon with Gary Cameron had helped her to realize that she was ready to get on with her life again. She felt rather like a flower, opening up to the sun. Hadn’t God promised He’d turn her mourning into laughter? At this she heard Danny’s giggles and saw that Gary was bent over examining something in Danny’s hand.

  It was the rain that finally drove them into the house. Lightning flashed and thunder shook the windows, but the storm moved through quickly and the trio seemed perfectly content to ignore it as Gary explained how to sand the wood smooth.

  The afternoon passed nearly as quickly as the storm, and Gina was almost ashamed when Danny complained of being hungry. She’d completely forgotten to feed the child lunch after the macaroni and cheese fiasco.

  “I could use something myself,” Gary said, putting away his coping saw. “How about we go have a hamburger?”

  “Can we, Mom?”

  Danny’s hopeful expression seemed to match the one on Gary’s face. Gina grinned. “French fries too?”

  “And onion rings!” Gary declared as though closing an important business deal.

  “And maybe a banana split,” Danny added.

  “Yeah,” Gary agreed.

  “Let me get my purse,” Gina said, but Gary stopped her before she could move.

  “My treat,” he said in a voice that was nearly a whisper.

  Gina could only nod. It’d been so long since anyone had offered to pay their way or treat them to anything. “Let’s go.”

  Later, with half-eaten burgers on the table and Danny off to climb the restaurant’s playground equipment, Gina found herself companionably settled with Gary. It was amazing that a chance encounter with Danny’s scoutmaster could leave her feeling as though she’d finally found all the answers to a lifetime of questions.

  When Gary reached out to cover her hand with his, she bit her bottom lip and looked deep into serious blue eyes. “This seems unreal,” she whispered.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Gary replied.

  Gina swallowed hard. “You can’t possibly understand, but I haven’t even been out with anyone since Ray died.”

  “I can understand. I haven’t dated since Vicky and that was high school. I never thought I’d have to do it again, and when she and Jason died, I decided I never would. But there’s something about this,” he said, looking off to where Danny was happily climbing the wrong way up the slide. “I suppose it sounds cliché, but I don’t want it to end. I’ve been alone for four years and now, all of a sudden, it seems unbearable to go even one more week this way.”