A Forever Family

by Jamie Sobrato

• ISBN13: 9780373782819
• ISBN10: 0373782810
• Edition: Large
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-01-13
• Publisher: Harlequin

Summary

This is so not what she expected. Promise Lake is supposed to launch single mom Emmy Van Amsted's new life. It's not supposed to be her past revisited. But thanks to the unwelcome tenant in the family home, that's exactly what's happening. And the tenant is none other than her college sweetheart Aidan Caldwell--the man whose marriage proposal she turned down flat. The awkwardness doesn't end there, however. Emmy is still very attracted to Aidan.But she has a clear vision for her future. Which is why she can't get involved with him...no matter what sparks fly between them. That's just asking for trouble, isn't it? Or is Aidan her chance to create the family she's always wanted?

Excerpts

I am haunted by the image of a woman I saw running from the militia, a baby in one arm and a small boy gripping her hand. They looked terrified. There is little chance they survived, but I do not know for sure, because they were the last people I saw before my capture, the final vision of a city destroyed by war and descended into chaos. Sometimes it's not the sight of violence and death that is most disturbing, but rather the moments just before.FromThrough a Soldier's Eyesby Aidan CaldwellPresent DayPromise Lake, CaliforniaThis was not her fairy-tale ending.This old Mercedes loaded down with possessions, artifacts of a scattered life and broken marriage, this weary, battered pair of travelers, limping toward a new life, they were no prince and princess riding off into the sunset.The contrast almost made Emmy Van Amsted laugh.Almost.She glanced into the rearview mirror at the one happy thing she could point to in her life right now. A round, scruffy head bowed, studying a book about rocks and minerals that Emmy knew from bedtime reading last night contained words she had trouble pronouncing.When everything else about her life sucked beyond words, she comforted herself again and again with the physical fact of Max.At the age of thirty-five, she had at least acquired enough wisdom to know her son was a much more precious prize than any Prince Charming. She knew enough now, a year after the end of a very public and very painful divorce, to understand that there were very few helpful truths in fairy tales anyway.If only life were as simple as evil stepmothers and valiant men on white stallions.But no, a woman had to make her own happiness, slay her own dragons and ride off into the sunset on her own steed. Exactly what Emmy was doing now. Well, not into the sunset, but rather the soothing comfort of the northern California redwoods and the peaceful silence of Promise Lake, that placid blue body of water in the woods that had haunted her dreams since childhood."Mom, can we look up Tibet on the computer again when we get to the cabin?"Emmy's stomach lurched."Sure, soon as we get an Internet connection. We might not have one for a few days, okay?" She suffered a stab of guilt at denying her son even the ability to search for things online right now, when it seemed as though nearly everything about his normal life had been taken away."Um, okay," he said.Maybe she was overreacting a wee bit, she'd realized yesterday when she'd caught herself promising him any toys he wanted once they were settled in their new place.But if their old life had crumbled, she felt like she might be able to grab on to some real and lasting happiness for them both if she could build a new life here in the midst of so much rubble.No, not if.When.Looking in the rearview mirror at Max reminded her that there was no option of failing now. She owed him--and maybe even herself--a better life than they'd left behind. She could not live with herself if her own failures caused her son permanent scars that wouldn't heal."Do you think Daddy has the Internet in Tibet?""I doubt it, honey. At least not every day."As she steered her car onto the gravel road that led to their family's summer house, she willed the anger to drain from her. She was not going to be one of those bitter divorced women who blamed her every problem on her ex. She was going to accept the part her choices had played in leading her to her current destiny, and she was not going to point fingers.She didn't want to give the selfish bastard that much power over her."Does Tibet have Internet cafes like in San Francisco?""Yes, I imagine there are some.""Will Daddy write e-mails to me?""I'm sure he will. And he'll call too, okay?"Except he hadn't in the two weeks since he'd left the U.S. on his spiritual quest."Mommy, what's the capital of Tibet?""I'm not sure, honey.