May I help you? Miranda asked, shoving through the inns swinging door.
The tall stranger turned slowly. Afternoon sunlight coming through the front screen door lit broad shoulders, dark hair and an expensive suit that was far too formal for the island. Then he faced her, and her heart stopped entirely.
Tyler Winchester, the man shed never expected to see again. The man whod broken her eighteen-year-old heart when their marriage had dissolved.
The man whod never known hed fathered a son.
Hello, Miranda. Its been a long time.
His voice was deeper than she remembered. More confident.
Tyler. Pain ripped through the numbness of shock when she said his name. She hadnt said it aloud in years. How could two syllables have such power?
MARTA PERRY
wanted to be a writer from the moment she encountered Nancy Drew, at about age eight. She didnt see publication of her stories until many years later, when she began writing childrens fiction for Sunday school papers while she was a church educational director. Although now retired from that position in order to write full-time, she continues playing an active part in her church and loves teaching a class of junior high Sunday school students.
Marta lives in rural Pennsylvania but winters on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She and her husband have three grown children and three grandchildren, and that area is the inspiration for the Caldwell clan stories. She loves hearing from readers and will be glad to send a signed bookplate on request. She can be reached c/o Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279, or visit her on the Web at www.martaperry.com.
Promise Forever
Marta Perry
www.millsandboon.co.uk
Therefore, as Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12
This story is dedicated to my wonderful editor, Ann Leslie Tuttle, with gratitude.
And, as always, to Brian.
Dear Reader,
Im so glad you decided to read this book. The love story of Miranda and Tyler brings the Caldwell Kin stories to a close. Ive loved writing this series on the power of family, and I hate to see it end. So this has been a bittersweet story for me to write.
Maybe it was fitting that Miranda and Tylers story closes out the family series, because their story is a tale of a broken family brought back to wholeness through the power of Gods love. My prayer is that youve experienced that love in your own life.
Please let me know how you liked this story. You can reach me c/o Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279, or visit me on the Web at www.martaperry.com.
Blessings,
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
Epilogue
Chapter One
Tyler Winchester ripped open the pale blue envelope that had arrived in the morning mail. A photograph fluttered onto the polished mahogany desktop. No letter, just a photograph of a young boy, standing in the shade of a sprawling live oak.
He flipped it over. Two words had been scrawled on the backtwo words that made his world shudder.
Your son.
For a moment he couldnt react at all. He shot a glance toward the office doorway, where his younger brother was trying to talk his way past Tylers assistant. Turning his back on them, Tyler studied the envelope. Caldwell Cove. The envelope was postmarked Caldwell Cove, South Carolina.
Something deep inside him began to crack painfully open. The childs face in the picture was partly shadowed by the tree, but that didnt really matter. He saw the resemblance anywaythe heart-shaped face, the pointed chin. Miranda.
The boy was Mirandas child, certainly. But his? How could that be? Hed have known. Shed have told him, wouldnt she?
The voices behind him faded into the dull murmur of ocean waves. A seabird called, and a slim figure came toward him from the water, green eyes laughing, bronze hair rippling over her shoulders.
His jaw clenched. No. Hed closed off that part of himself a long time ago, sealing it securely. He wouldnt let it break open.
The truth was, he didnt know what Miranda might do. It had beenwhat, eight years? He stared at the photo. The boy could be the right age.
He spun around, the movement startling both his brother and his assistant into silence. Josh took advantage of the moment to move past Henry Carmichaels bulk. He looked from Tylers face to the photo in his hand, gaze curious. Is something wrong?
Nothing. Nothing that he wanted to confide in Josh, in any event. He slid the photograph into his pocket.
In that case
Not now. He suspected he already knew what Josh wanted to talk about. Money. It was always money with Josh, just as it was with their mother and with the array of step and half siblings and relatives shed brought into his life. The whole family saw Tyler as an inexhaustible account to fund their expensive tastes.
You cant count on anyone but yourself. His fathers harsh voice echoed in his mind. They all want something.
But Tyler, Josh began.
He shook his head, then looked at Henry. He could at least trust Henry to do what he was told without asking questions that Tyler had no intention of answering. Have the jet ready for me in two hours. Im flying to Savannah.
Savannah? Joshs voice suggested it might as well be the moon. What about the Warren situation? I thought you were too involved in that contract negotiation to think about anything else.
He spared a thought for the multimillion-dollar deal hed been chasing for months. Ill be a phone call or a fax away. Henry will keep me posted on anything I need to know.
Whatever you say. Henrys broad face was impassive as always. Henry was as unemotional as Tyler, which was probably why they worked so well together.
Tyler crossed the room quickly, pausing to pull his camel-hair coat from the mahogany coatrack. It had been a raw, chilly March day in Baltimore, although Caldwell Cove would be something else.
Again the image shimmered in his mind like a mirage. Surf. Sand. A laughing, sun-kissed face. His wife.
They all want something. What did Miranda want?
He shoved the thought away and strode to the door. Hed deal with this, just as he dealt with any project that went wrong. Then hed bury the memory of his first love so deeply that it would never intrude again.
The bell on the registration desk jingled impatiently. Miranda Caldwell dusted flour from her hands as she hurried from the inns kitchen toward the front hallway. The Dolphin Inn wasnt expecting any new guests today, and the rest of the family had taken advantage of that fact to scatter in various directions.
Shed thought shed have an uninterrupted half-hour to bake some molasses cookies before Sammy got home from school. It looked as if shed been wrong.
She shoved through the swinging door to the wide hallway that housed the inns registration desk, along with whatever clutter of fishing poles and baseball bats her brothers had left on the wide-planked floor.
May I help you?
The tall stranger turned slowly. Afternoon sunlight through the front screen door lit broad shoulders, dark hair, an expensive suit that was far too formal for the island. Then he faced her, and her heart stopped entirely.
Tyler Winchester, the man shed never expected to see again. The man whod broken her eighteen-year-old heart when their marriage dissolved. The man whod never known hed fathered a son.
Hello, Miranda. Its been a long time.
His voice was deeper than she remembered. More confident. Through a haze of dismay came the knowledge that Tyler didnt sound surprised. Hed known he was going to find her here.
Tyler. Pain ripped through the numbness of shock when she said his name. She hadnt said it aloud in years. How could two syllables have such power to hurt?
He lifted his brows, eyes the color of rich chocolate expressing nothing at all. Arent you going to say youre surprised to see me?
Iyes, of course Im surprised.
Tyler made no move to close the gap between them, thank goodness. If he attempted to shake hands with her, shed probably turn to stone.
What brings you to the island? She managed to get the words out.
He seemed to move farther away from her, even though he didnt actually move at all. Maybe it was just the effect of the chill in his strong-boned face.
Not a pleasure trip, he said crisply.
No, it wouldnt be that. Tyler probably vacationed in the south of France. He certainly wouldnt choose to come to Caldwell Cove after what had happened between them.
Maybe that didnt matter to him. After all, hed had eight years to forget his youthful indiscretion. While shed been looking at a reminder every day in Sammy
Sammy. She sent a frantic, fearful glance at the clock. Her son would be walking in the door from school any minute now. As soon as he heard the name, hed know who Tyler was.
But Tyler didnt know Sammy existed, and she had to keep it that way.
Oh, Lord, please. She sent up a fervent, desperate prayer. Help me get rid of him before Sammy gets home.
Youre here on business, then. She tried to sound as cool as he did, as if it were an everyday occurrence for the man whod been her husband for one short month to walk back into her life. She moved behind the desk, putting an expanse of scarred oak between them. It wasnt enough of a barrier, but it was all she had.
You might say that. Tyler leaned on the desk, the movement bringing him close enough that she caught the expensive aroma of his aftershave. Maybe youd better give me a room. Ill be here at least for one night.
Panic surged through her like a riptide. He couldnt stay here. No. I mean, Im sorry. She put both hands on the register to hide the pages. Were all booked up.
His brows lifted again. This early in the season? Try again, Miranda. I dont buy it.
When had Tyler become so sarcastic? That hadnt been part of the boy shed married.
Her heart ripped a little. She didnt know him any longer. The boy whod held her in his arms and promised to love her forever had turned into a man she didnt understand at all.
He was rich, of course. Winchesters had always been rich and successful. They were filled with the arrogance that came with always getting everything they wanted just by lifting a hand.
Once what Tyler wanted was hershy little Miranda Caldwell, an island girl who hadnt had the least notion of the world he lived in. But that wanting hadnt lasted long. Just long enough to make the baby hed never known about.
She swallowed hard, trying to come up with the words that would make him go away.
Im sorry, Tyler. She forced herself to meet his gaze. Im afraid we dont have room for you. I think you should leave now.
Some emotion she couldnt identify chased across his face, and the skin around his eyes seemed to tighten. Leave? After youve gone to so much trouble to get me here? That doesnt make any sense.
Get you here? That was the last thing shed ever do. What on earth are you talking about?
Tyler planted both fists on the desk, leaning so close their faces were scant inches apart. She felt the heat radiating from himno, it was anger, so hot it threatened to singe her skin. His lips were a hard, bitter line.
Im talking about the little surprise package you sent me. Didnt you think Id come down here as soon as I received it?
She stared at him, baffled. I didnt send you a package.
With a swift movement he took something from his pocket and tossed it to the desk between them. It fluttered onto the faded red blotter. She forced frozen fingers to pick it up.
Sammy. Her stomach twisted, making her feel as she had during those months of morning sickness. Tyler had a picture of Sammy.
No. He couldnt. Her mind moved slowly, struggling against the unthinkable reality.
With a quick, angry movement he turned it over in her hand. Dont forget the inscription.
Your son.
The printed words struck her in the heart. They rang in her ears, mocking her. All these years of protecting her secret from him, only to have it blown apart by two simple words.
Where did you get this?
You sent it to me.
No! The word nearly leaped from her mouth. I didnt.
He made a quick, chopping motion with one hand, as if cutting her away from him. Who else? I have to warn you, Miranda. If you want child support, youd better be prepared to prove that boy is mine.
It took a moment for his words to penetrate, another for her brain to actually make sense of them. Then anger shot up, hot and bracing. How dare he imply shed had someone elses child?
Common sense intervened. They hadnt seen each other in years. For all Tyler knew, she might have remarried, might have
He doesnt know for sure Sammy is his.
Beneath the anger, beneath the pain, relief flowered. If Tyler wasnt sure Sammy was his son, she might still avert disaster. She wouldnt have to fear the nightmare of Tyler snatching Sammy away from her.
She stood up straight, trying to find the strength Gran always insisted was bred into generations of Caldwell women. My son has nothing to do with you. She picked her words carefully. I think it best if you leave now.
Furrows dug between his brows, and his angry gaze seemed to grasp her with the power that had swept her eighteen-year-old self along with whatever Tyler wanted. Ill leave as soon as Im satisfied, Miranda. I want to know why you sent this to me.
His words rattled around her brain. Who had sent it? None of this made any sense at all. She tried not to glance at the implacable round face of the clock, warning her Sammy could walk in on them.
Nothing else matters. Just get him out of here before Sammy comes in.
I dont know who sent it. I didnt. I dont want anything from you. It took a fierce effort to look at him as coolly as if he were a stranger.