The Wedding Arbor

The Wedding Arbor
Valerie Hansen

HE GAVE HER SHELTER…With a heart full of hope, Sara Stone took refuge in the serenity of the Ozarks. But she never counted on getting stranded in the middle of a raging storm. Like a godsend, brooding ex-cop Adam Callahan gallantly offered her shelter in his mountainside cabin. And although she knew that her trusting nature had gotten her into trouble before, a smitten Sara vowed to bring joy back into Adam's lonely life.SHE GAVE HIM HER HEARTAdam had cut himself off from faith and love a long time ago–with good reason. But despite his self-imposed isolation, his adorable houseguest touched his world-weary soul. He'd thought his chance for peace and happiness was gone, but now he wondered what the future would hold if he conquered the shadows of the past–and married the woman of his dreams….

Table of Contents

Cover Page (#u3c318d88-6069-5a86-be17-6ccef7db2c59)

Excerpt (#u437cef9d-e787-50ca-9627-ae52b1831bba)

About the Author (#ud379a8ac-aab0-5902-832e-7b30ed22a839)

Title Page (#u8d919e7b-6a37-5adf-9a76-b71a7f8f7e04)

Epigraph (#u6ba57733-0888-51a9-af7a-1797cb9f2024)

Dedication (#uc6c9306d-dbca-5ccb-af7c-e0f968e3bd5b)

Chapter One (#u9dc3be5a-2c11-516d-ba01-caa22b517819)

Chapter Two (#ucc7133aa-31cb-5183-9c9b-77c120dc20fb)

Chapter Three (#uc578e829-0c50-5259-8cb7-216944e69e7e)

Chapter Four (#ua2e9a432-c58f-5ee2-a286-e780785da286)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Dear Reader (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

“Don’t you get lonely out here?”

Sara asked. “This is beautiful country and all, but if I were you, I’d miss people.”

Adam couldn’t help noticing everything about Sara. She was attractive. Appealing. Almost endearing. He would have turned away and fled if there was anywhere else to go. He finally found his voice. “I don’t miss people at all.”

“But you did once, didn’t you?” Sara’s words were soft, gently spoken. Without realizing it, she’d drawn on her internal resources to express the spiritual love Adam needed. The love that he’d banished from his wounded soul.

He stiffened. “My life is none of your concern, so don’t try fixing it.”

That statement acted like a bucket of ice water in Sara’s face, negating the compassion blossoming in her heart. If anybody’s life needed fixing, it was hers. Still, she sensed that Adam needed her in his life—more than he even realized…

VALERIE HANSEN

was thirty when she awoke to the presence of the Lord in her life and turned to Jesus. In the years that followed she worked with young children, both in church and secular environments. She also raised a family of her own and played foster mother to a wide assortment of furred and feathered critters.

Married to her high school sweetheart since age seventeen, she now lives in an old farmhouse she and her husband renovated with their own hands. She loves to hike the wooded hills behind the house and reflect on the marvelous turn her life has taken. Not only is she privileged to reside among the loving, accepting folks in the breathtakingly beautiful Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, she also gets to share her personal faith by telling the stories of her heart for Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired line.

Life doesn’t get much better than that!

The Wedding Arbor

Valerie Hansen

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Call unto me and I will answer you and

will tell you great and hidden things

which you have not known.

—Jeremiah 33:3

To my special prayer partners, Angie, Bette,

Brenda, Chris, Karen, Wanda and the wonderful,

caring ladies of the Seekers Sunday school class.

Chapter One (#ulink_3b2ab994-4329-58f3-b035-a8aedbd990bf)

“How do I get myself into these things?” Sara Stone said to herself, gripping the steering wheel of the compact car and hoping the road ahead hadn’t washed out. Not that she’d know for sure until it was too late!