A Heart's Refuge

A Heart's Refuge
Carolyne Aarsen

Handsome but restless Rick Ethier had no use for the stuffy family business, but when his grandfather laid an interesting proposition at his door, he found it hard to say no. If Rich could bring a faltering magazine around to profitability within a year, he'd be free to pursue his true interests. But Rick found an unexpected obstacle in Becky Ellison, the previous owner's daughter and the current editor of the magazine.Though she loved her job, she had yearned to write fiction - until a very negative review of her first published book - by Rick Ethier - had quashed that dream forever. Had God crossed their paths to give them both a new direction?

Rick curled his fingers around hers, wondering if she could feel the increased tempo of his own heart.

“I should go help…help my mom,” Becky whispered. But even as she spoke, she took a slow step closer.

“I think your mom can manage.” Rick rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand, wondering what his next step was.

He didn't usually have to second-guess the next move. A hand under her chin. An encouraging smile. Then the kiss. All carefully choreographed and planned.

But he didn’t want to treat her the same as he treated other women. She was special. He wanted to share more than a kiss. More than the physical expression of love. But she was a sincere Christian who loved her Lord. And he didn’t know if he could share that with her.

CAROLYNE AARSEN

has honed her writing between being a wife, stay-at-home mom, foster mom, columnist and business partner with her husband in their cattle and logging business in northern Alberta. Writing for Love Inspired is a blessed opportunity to combine her love for romance with her love for her Lord.

A Heart’s Refuge

Carolyne Aarsen

…his delight is in the law of the Lord…. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.

—Psalms 1:2 and 3

I want to dedicate this book to Dr. Randy Blacketer and Sandy Blacketer, our pastor and youth pastor.

Two people who complement each other and our community in so many ways.

Thanks for your gifts of time and talents.

As well, I’d like to thank Laurie Carter from Okanagan Life and Karen Ball for their input on the magazine business.

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

Epilogue

Letter to Reader

Chapter One

Becky Ellison pressed her back against the outside door of Going West’s office, balancing her muffin, coffee cup and a batch of folders. Don’t panic. You’re just a little bit late.

“Hey, hon. Welcome back. How was the holiday?” Trixie sang out as Becky entered the reception area.

Becky set everything on the waist-high divider separating the entrance from Trixie Langston’s domain and blew her breath out in a gusty sigh. “Breakfast on the run my first day back. Orders from our new boss that I’m deciphering late last night after spending ten days with hormonal teenage girls at Bible camp.” She grabbed her hair in a ponytail and twisted an elastic around it. “You fill in the blanks.”

“And such a lovely hairdo to impress our new boss.” Trixie frowned as her eyes flicked over Becky’s plaid shirt and blue jeans. Trixie, as usual, was immaculately groomed. Artfully windblown hairstyle. Pale pink sweater and gray skirt. Makeup. Earrings. Becky had never sought to emulate Trixie’s style, but once in a while she wondered if people would take her more seriously if she did. “If this is your good impression,” Trixie continued, “I would hate to see the slob version.”

“Mom’s wash machine broke down. The sewer backed up while Dad and Dennis were out in the orchard. After cleaning up that mess, this was all I had left to wear.” Becky anchored a few loose strands behind her ear and bit her lips to make them red. “Okay, enough primping. I’ll get my messages after the meeting. By the way, how late am I?”

Trixie glanced at the clock in the foyer of the magazine office. “I’d love to say everyone else is running their usual fifteen minutes behind, but for once everyone is early. Except you.”

Becky pulled a face at Trixie, stifling the dread that clutched her midsection. Rick Ethier. Here in Okotoks. What were the odds that he remembered who she was? Probably slim to none. She probably knew more about him than he did about her. She sucked in another breath. “My friend, wish me luck.”

“Give him your best smile and you’ll do fine,” Trixie said, flashing her a thumbs-up.

The door of Nelson’s office was shut and the only sound she heard was an unfamiliar deep voice. Rick, most likely. New publisher of the magazine her father started and Rick’s grandfather, Colson Ethier, recently purchased.

Up until three weeks ago, office gossip was Nelson, the previous publisher, would stay on after the purchase. Then, just before she left on her so-called holiday—camp counselor to ten teenage girls—she was stunned to discover that Rick Ethier, Colson Ethier’s grandson, would take over Nelson’s job. Now she would be making an entrance, and a poor first impression, in front of the man who had shattered so many of her hopes and dreams.

She smoothed one hand over her still damp hair, drew in a slow breath, sent up a quick prayer and carefully opened the door. Flashing everyone an apologetic smile, she dropped into her usual chair beside Nelson’s desk, uncomfortably close to her new boss. She dropped her papers on the corner of Nelson’s desk and chanced a look at Rick Ethier standing beside her.

His face was all too familiar, though the grainy magazine picture indelibly imprinted on her mind didn’t capture the reality of his good looks in person. Shaggy blond hair framed the kind of face that would make women of any age stop and take a second look. The hint of a dimple in his cheek balanced out the self-assured cockiness of his smile, and his eyes were so intensely blue it was as if they glimmered with an interior light. His clothing was a mixture of casual and stylish. He wore a soft cotton cream-colored shirt, a deep brown corduroy blazer and fitted blue jeans.

And as he glanced Becky’s way, a frown.

Please don’t let him state the obvious, she thought, carefully setting her coffee cup on the floor beside her.

Instead he glanced at his watch. Almost as bad.