Pay the Price (Harmony Grove Book 3) by Carol Post (which ebook reader txt) 📕

since taking up my nomadic lifestyle. One is stability—a cozy place to come home to, close friendships, a church where everyone feels like family.”

She sat on the seat opposite him and opened the container he slid in front of her. It held a submarine sandwich and a generous serving of chips. “Are you sure you’re not going to get bored? Harmony Grove is relatively quiet. I doubt that we can offer the excitement you’ve had with the FBI.”

“I’m not looking for excitement.” He paused, his gaze filled with meaning. “Everything I’m looking for is right here in Harmony Grove.”

He picked up his sandwich but instead of taking a bite, he closed his eyes. Jessica sent up her own prayer of thanks for the brief opportunity to compose herself, because her stomach was doing somersaults and backflips, and her hands had started to shake.

Shane had said there were things he’d missed, plural. One was stability. Another would obviously be the relationship he’d had with his wife. Was he seriously considering allowing her to fill that void? Was she even ready to try?

She’d made too many bad choices, dozens of mistakes. She was broken. But she’d been working on that. Or she’d been working on allowing God to work on that. But she had so far to go. He had so far to go.

She watched Shane open his eyes and bite into his sandwich. “I’ve been doing a lot of talking with your God over the past week and a half. My friend even dragged me to her church in Miami last week.”

Not really dragged. She’d invited her, and Jessica had been surprised that she’d actually wanted to go.

Joy lit Shane’s face. “That’s awesome. But He’s not just my God. He wants to be yours, too.”

“I’m working on that.” She frowned. “My friend’s pastor talked about surrender. You might have guessed that’s not something that comes easy for me.”

“I remember.” He grinned. “Staring down a pistol barrel helps, but God’s a lot gentler than that.”

“Thank goodness.” She paused. “I’ve told Him I’m sorry for all my mess-ups. What’s surprising is that I actually feel forgiven. I’m just waiting for the gold dust, because the cracks aren’t very pretty right now.”

“It takes time. I’m sure Kutzori isn’t done overnight.”

She smiled at the way he’d butchered the word. “Patience isn’t one of my virtues, either.”

While she worked on her sandwich, a mother pushing a baby stroller moved down the walkway toward them. Tia, the shelter manager she’d met at church, walked next to her. Maybe the woman was one of her residents. Jessica didn’t envy the young mother. When she’d fled Harmony Grove eight years ago, she’d only had herself to worry about.

Tia waved a greeting. A sense of contentment emanated from her, likely stemming from the knowledge that she was making a difference in the lives of so many people. Jason might have something to do with it, too. According to BethAnn, that was her second successful match. If BethAnn had her way, Harmony Grove’s former bad girl and the straight-as-an-arrow former FBI agent would soon be an item. The woman was on a roll.

After they’d moved past, Jessica laid down her mostly-eaten sandwich and started on her chips. “Any interesting developments in the Driggers case while I’ve been gone?”

“A few. They brought down several other people who were involved in the operation, even a local judge.”

“This local judge wouldn’t happen to be named Daniel Peterson, would he?”

“Yes. You know him?”

“He’s the probate judge I told you about who’s been blocking every attempt I’ve made to take care of Prissy’s affairs.”

“I’m guessing that’s going to move along a lot more quickly now. Also, the charges Branch put against you for the break-in at Driggers are being dropped.”

“Good.” She’d assumed that would be the case, but it was still a relief to hear Shane say so.

When they’d finished their lunch, Shane gathered up their trash and stuffed it into the plastic bag. “I’ve still got another twenty minutes till Alan will be at the park entrance to pick me up.”

“He’s coming here?” She grinned. “You must have been pretty confident that I was going to go along with your lunch plans.”

“Or really hopeful.” He put an arm around her, and they strolled down the walkway toward the back of the park. At the end, the path forked to circle the lake. A clump of cattails grew along the edge of the bank, and beyond, two mallard ducks cut a path through the smooth surface of the water.

He pulled her against his side. “Now you know my plans. I’m putting down roots here. What about you?”

“It’s a little too early to say.” Maybe Harmony Grove would eventually feel like home, but in a good way. She wasn’t there yet. “I am leaning that direction, though.” She grinned up at him. “It depends on what kind of incentive I have to stay.”

“How about a former FBI agent who’s wild about you? Is that incentive enough?”

He stopped walking to hold her away from him just enough to be able to look into her eyes, his own suddenly serious. “You said you thought I was angry with God. I wasn’t angry with God, but I hadn’t allowed Him to heal my heart, either. It was easier to vow to never love again than to risk that kind of hurt.”

She reached up to cup his cheek, and he turned enough to plant a soft kiss in her palm.

He continued, his breath warm against her hand. “Somehow in these last few weeks, you’ve gotten past the walls I put up, and I’m afraid I haven’t only fallen in love with Harmony Grove. I’ve fallen in love with you. I admire your spunk. Your refusal to feel sorry for yourself, no matter what life throws your way. Your tenderness and compassion in caring for Prissy’s dog, even though the last thing you wanted was the responsibility of a pet. It’s everything about you, Jess. You’ve somehow managed to slip right past