Shelter of Hope Read Online Free PDF

the sea gulls. “Carly is an amazing girl.”
    He didn’t say anything for a moment. When he finally did, his voice held a husky tone to it. “Yes, she is. She has taken her mother’s death better than I have.”
    She touched his arm, wanting him to know she was someone who would listen. “I’m so sorry about your wife. It’s tough being a single parent. My dad died when I was eleven, and my mother struggled to raise me and my two brothers. Thankfully she had family to help and a good set of friends.”
Let me in and I’ll be there for you,
she wanted to add, but didn’t. She sensed that would cause him to totally retreat from her.
    He twisted toward her. “What are you trying to tell me?”
    “You have family here, and I know they’re all ready and willing to help you any way they can. Let them. Your friends, too. You grew up here. Many of your friends still live in town. Let your old
and
your new friends help.”
    He frowned. “I am. Like you and this group of people you’re going to organize. When do you think that will start?”
    “Right away. I’ll still help on the weekends, but it sounds like you need some volunteers throughout the week. Zane and Gideon work with the youth group at church. They’ll be a great place to start. We’ll probably have people pitching in by the end of the week.”
    He backed away a few feet. “I don’t know. That’s a lot of new people. It sounds too complicated, if you ask me. It’s simpler if I do it myself.”
    “That’s your problem. You think you have to do everything yourself. You are not alone. God is here for you. Your family is. I am.”
    Anger hardened his features, and he invaded her personal space. “You know what your problem is? You butt into other people’s lives. People who were perfectly fine before. I don’t need you.”
    Susan opened her mouth to say something, only no words would come out. But Nathan wasn’t finished.

Chapter Sixteen
    Story:
    “Why is it so important to you to run my life? What’s wrong with your own? You came to my ranch, seeking my help with an injured dog, and before I knew it, you start taking over. It might be fine for Zane, but not me.” Nathan peered toward his daughter, still on the blanket. “My daughter was hurt and you even tried to take over with that.” He stabbed his finger into his chest. “
I’m
her father. She doesn’t need to become dependent on you.”
    Susan’s eyes grew wide. Her face went pale. She stepped back, tears shining in her eyes. “I like her, but I’m not trying to get her to depend on me. That’s your job.”
    “Is it?”
    Susan raised her chin. “What are you afraid of? That she might like someone other than you? What is so wrong about me caring about y’all?”
    “Because when you get bored, you’ll move on to your next project. I am not anyone’s project.”
    Two red patches colored her cheeks. She glared at him. “Don’t worry about that.” She pivoted and stalked back toward the group.
    Carly called out to Susan. She glanced back at him then went to his daughter, sat down next to her and began talking to Carly. His daughter was starting to care about Susan, and when she got tired of them, he would have to pick up the pieces of Carly’s broken heart. Just as he had when his wife left them.
    In the middle of the preparations for the hurricane, Caroline had decided she needed to visit her mother in Memphis and told him she didn’t know if she would be coming back. She’d been a mother and housewife for seven years, and she didn’t want to be either anymore.
    Nathan inhaled a deep breath, the scent of the ocean and salt filling his nostrils. He’d wanted more children. She didn’t even want Carly. He’d known their marriage was falling apart, and had tried to give her what she wanted. He’d thought a new start in Hope would be good for them. She could start selling her pottery like she’d talked about. He’d even set up a place at the farm for her so she could make