In Every Heartbeat (My Heart Remembers Book #2) , livre ebook

IN EVERY HEARTBEAT
Books by Kim Vogel Sawyer
FROM BETHANY HOUSE PUBLISHERS

Waiting for Summer s Return Where Willows Grow My Heart Remembers Where the Heart Leads A Promise for Spring Fields of Grace A Hopeful Heart In Every Heartbeat Courting Miss Amsel
IN EVERY HEARTBEAT
KimVogel Sawyer
In Every Heartbeat Copyright 2010 Kim Vogel Sawyer
Cover design by Brand Navigation Cover photography by Steve Gardner, PixelWorks Studio, Inc.
Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Published by Bethany House Publishers 11400 Hampshire Avenue South Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
Bethany House Publishers is a division of Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sawyer, Kim Vogel.
In every heartbeat / Kim Vogel Sawyer. p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-7642-0816-4 (alk. paper) - ISBN 978-0-7642-0510-1 (pbk.) 1. Friends- Fiction. I Title.
PS3619.A97I5 2010 813 .6-dc22
2010014686
For my soul-sister, Sabra . In many ways we re different, but God made us friends, and I, for one, am truly grateful. Love you muchly!
. . . the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
-1 Cor. 1:25 KJV
Contents
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
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
C HAPTER O NE
Chambers, Missouri September 1914
D on t you dare cry.
Libby Conley snapped the wardrobe door shut on her scanty belongings and spun to face her mentor and friend. Well, I guess this is it. Her throat tightened, making her words come out an octave higher than normal. How she would miss Maelle!
She forced her lips into a quavering smile. Thanks so much for bringing the boys and me to college. It was wonderful to have your company on the train. But . . . She flipped her hands outward and angled her chin high. I guess you re rid of me now.
Maelle Harders stepped away from her husband and wrapped Libby in a tight hug. Libby closed her eyes and accepted the hug without contributing to it. If she took hold of Maelle, she might never let go.
Rid of you? Oh, bosh. Maelle s husky voice carried a hint of humor. I think we ll be seeing you again. She released her hold and gave Libby s chin a light pinch, an affectionate gesture left over from Libby s childhood. After all, you, Pete, and Bennett will be coming back to Shay s Ford for Mattie s wedding in less than six weeks. Mattie will need all of his groomsmen in attendance.
Libby nodded. Knowing she would soon return to the orphans school that had been her home for the past eight years had helped Libby say good-bye to the school s directors, Aaron and Isabelle Rowley, yesterday. Libby could bear temporary good-byes, but she never said the word when she thought the separation might be permanent. She didn t plan to say it to Maelle, her favorite person in the whole world, even if she knew it would be a short separation. She hated the word good-bye .
I ll be there for sure. I m excited about the dance after your brother s wedding. Libby caught hold of her brand-new skirt and quickstepped a jig, making the brown worsted swirl above the tops of her patent leather boots. She planned to dance with Bennett, and with Petey, too, even if he was a little clumsy on his peg leg.
It ll be a grand time. Maelle s tawny brown eyes crinkled with her smile. She slipped her hand through Jackson s elbow and beamed up at him. As much fun as our after-wedding party was.
Libby admired the toes of her new shoes as the gaze passing between Maelle and Jackson heated. Although they were far from newlyweds-having married immediately upon Jackson s return from serving in the Missouri legislature five years ago-the pair had eyes only for each other. Libby admitted to some jealousy when Jackson had returned to Shay s Ford. Until he d shown up, she d had Maelle s attention to herself. Closing her eyes, she allowed a familiar daydream to surface.
So you re really going to be my ma? The happiness exploding through Libby s middle erupted in a joyous giggle.
Maelle smoothed Libby s tangled hair from her face. Why, of course. I ve always wanted a daughter, and I can t imagine a better one than you, Libby.
Libby threw herself into Maelle s arms. Oh, I m so happy you re adopting me! Thank you!
No, let me thank you, dear one. Maelle s cheek rested on the top of Libby s head, the contact warm and comforting. You ve made me the happiest mother on earth. . . .
The sound of a clearing throat chased the fanciful musing away. Libby looked up to find both Maelle and Jackson grinning at her. Jackson said, My apologies, Libby. He tucked his arm around Maelle s waist. Sometimes I get lost in my beautiful wife s beguiling eyes and forget anyone else exists.
Maelle shook her head, her tumbling auburn locks swaying with the motion. Goodness, the things you say . . . But the tender look she gave Jackson contradicted her gentle reproach.
Libby clamped her lips tight as her anger swelled. Why hadn t Maelle and Jackson adopted her? When Libby was ten, she d asked Maelle to be her mother, and Maelle had lovingly explained she wanted Libby to have the privilege of both a mother and a father. But then Jackson had returned and he and Maelle had married, and even then they hadn t adopted Libby. Now it was too late. No one had wanted Libby at the age of ten; why would anyone-even Maelle, who professed to love her dearly-adopt an eighteen-year-old? She d never have the joy of calling Maelle Ma , the way her heart longed to.
Maelle shifted to face Libby. Should we go find the boys? I imagine Bennett is hungry by now.
Jackson held his hand toward the door, and Libby scurried past him. As she careened out the door, she nearly collided with two girls in the hallway. Isabelle Rowley s lessons on etiquette rose in her memory, and she automatically excused herself.
The pair looked Libby up and down before they exchanged a quick haughty look. The taller of the two said, You need to slow down.
Or at the very least, look before you leave your room, the second one added.
Libby folded her arms over her chest. I said, Excuse me. And it isn t as if I tried to run you down. It was just bad timing.
The taller one opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Maelle and Jackson stepped into the hallway. The girl snapped her mouth closed, took her companion by the elbow, and hustled toward the stairs.
Girls! She d never gotten along well with other girls. They were too snooty or too prissy or too giggly. The condescending, scolding tones used by the girls in the hallway had sounded too much like the orphanage s founder. How often had Mrs. Rowley berated Libby for escaping into a daydream or for unladylike tree-climbing or frog-catching? Libby had grown to love Mrs. Rowley, but she d never felt completely accepted by her. Girls were no fun . Except Maelle.
Libby clasped her hands beneath her chin and gave Maelle her best pleading look. Can t I go back to Shay s Ford with you and Jackson?
Maelle s brow crunched in confusion. Why would you want to do that? You were so excited about attending the university.
That was before I met Snoot One and Snoot Two. Libby caught Maelle s arm. If I m too old to stay at the orphans school, I could get a job at the newspaper, or even work for you as your assistant. She knew how to operate Maelle s camera. She d spent so much time in Maelle s photography studio, it had become as much a home to her as her room in the orphanage dormitory.
Libby, you know you wouldn t be happy working in my studio. Maelle spoke in a kind yet no-nonsense tone. You ve always wanted to be a writer. God must have opened this door for you, because you re at the perfect place to learn the trade of journalism. Not every college in Missouri allows female students in their journalism programs, but here at the University of Southern Missouri, women can learn right next to men.
Libby already knew she d been given an amazing opportunity, even though she credited Mrs. Rowley s letter-writing skills rather than God for securing the scholarship. How she d looked forward to sitting under the tutelage of the fine professors, learning the best ways to put words together to impact readers emotions! But Maelle had learned photography by practice; surely Libby could learn newspaper writing through practice. I know, but-
When God opens a door, you need to walk through it. Otherwise you ll miss the blessing He has planned for you. Maelle gently disengaged Libby s hands from her arm. Besides, my sister worked so hard to get these scholarships for you, Pete, and Bennett. Think how disappointed Isabelle would be if you just threw it away.
Libby bit down on her lower lip. Mrs. Rowley had been almost giddy with excitement when a donor agreed to sponsor the orphan home s first graduates-their consolation prize for never having been adopted. She d lectured the three of them endlessly on making the most of this tremendous opport