At His Command

At His Command
Brenda Coulter

In one short month, cheerful army nurse Madeline Bright has become the darling of Prairie Springs, Texas.And if ex-pilot Jake Hopkins isn't careful, she might just conquer his heart. She's young, pretty and blithe-spirited…he's older and jaded. But being around Maddie brings back too many painful memories. Jake still feels guilty about failing to save Maddie's brother in an army helicopter crash years ago.So no matter how much Maddie wants to be in his life, for her own good, Jake can't allow that. He'll never have a normal, stable life. And sweet Madeline deserves nothing less.

Maddie’s eyes glowed with happiness.

“I’ve been house-hunting.”

House-hunting. Jake almost groaned aloud. Why couldn’t she just stay on post where she belonged? If she moved into town, Jake would bump into her even more often than he did already.

Just yesterday he’d seen her at the offices of Children of the Day, an international Christian charity founded five years ago by Prairie Springs resident Anna Terenkov to assist innocent victims of war. He liked Anna, but lately she’d been getting on his nerves because she couldn’t stop talking about her new friend Maddie. She was so sweet, Anna’d gushed. So eager to help everyone. It had been pointed out on more than one occasion that a man would have to be dead not to notice how pretty she was.

Jake definitely wasn’t dead.

Homecoming Heroes: Saving children and finding

love deep in the heart of Texas

Mission: Motherhood—Marta Perry

July 2008

Lone Star Secret—Lenora Worth

August 2008

At His Command—Brenda Coulter

September 2008

A Matter of the Heart—Patricia Davids

October 2008

A Texas Thanksgiving—Margaret Daley

November 2008

Homefront Holiday—Jillian Hart

December 2008

BRENDA COULTER

started writing an inspirational-romance novel the same afternoon she finished reading one for the first time. Less than a year later, she had a completed manuscript and an interested publisher. Although that first book went on to win both a HOLT Medallion and a Romantic Times BOOKreviews Reviewers’ Choice Award, it took three rejected manuscripts before Brenda figured out what she had done right the first time. She did it again, resulting in another sale to Steeple Hill Books. That second novel was a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA

Award.

Married for over thirty years, Brenda and her architect husband have no pets because, after bringing up two rascally boys, they have earned a rest.

At His Command

Brenda Coulter

Published by Steeple Hill Books

Special thanks and acknowledgment to Brenda Coulter for her contribution to the Homecoming Heroes miniseries.

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed

my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.

—Psalms 30:11–12

With gratitude to every hero who stands ready

to protect the freedoms I enjoy as an American,

and with love to James E. Riley (U.S. Air Force,

1951–54), Kenneth D. Coulter (U.S. Air Force,

1947–51) and John Stokes (U.S. Marines,

1943–45; U.S. Army, 1947–49).

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine