Almost Like Being in Love (44 page)

Caron sat silent, unsure of what to say. She hadn't even thought to request a song to dance with her father today. If he didn't want to even be at her wedding . . . if he refused to walk her down the aisle, why would he want to dance with her?

Her father stepped forward, holding out his hand. “So . . . Caron, would you please do me the honor of dancing with me on your wedding day?”

Even as she stood and took her father's hand, Caron blinked back tears. Her father's invitation was an unexpected gift. “I would love to.”

The dance floor was empty as she walked beside her father and then stood facing him, waiting for the music to begin.

“I'm old-fashioned, you know. So I picked a classic song.”

“Whatever you chose is perfect.”

Her father took her hand, and she positioned herself like she used to when she was much younger, trying to learn the steps, and he would say, “Just follow me.” As Dean Martin began to croon “I Wish You Love,” she caught a glimpse of Kade standing with his arm around her mom, both of them smiling.

It was a dance . . . just a dance. But hidden within these moments was a glimpse of the future and what might come, given time and prayer and choosing to love.

She didn't have to figure it out all by herself. Together, she and Kade would allow God to change them into who he wanted them to be . . . starting today.

Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.

(PSALM 115:1, NIV)

I
f I didn't try my family's patience a little more during the writing of
Almost Like Being in Love
, it wasn't for lack of (unintentionally) trying. Writing a book is one thing. Deciding to tear a book apart and rewrite it after you've turned that book in to your editor is asking so much more of your family. It's like saying, “I'm off deadline!” and then announcing, “Oops! I didn't mean it!” Truly
my family
was extraordinarily supportive as I wrote and rewrote this book. They are the best of the best when it comes to loving a writer wife and mom, who is now also a “GiGi.”

I am a heartfelt believer in teams because I know the wisdom of others makes my initial book idea all the better. My writing is stronger because I have
Preferred Readers
who give me insightful feedback about what is working and what is not working in my story.
Shari Hamlin, Mary Agius,
and
Sonia Meeter
have been faithful members of that team for several years.

I also value the pursuit of dreams, and the book you are holding in your hands is a tangible expression of my writing
dream coming true. A number of people known as my
Dream Team
have invested in my life to help spread the word about my books because they believe in my dream. I will never be able to repay them for their encouragement and support. My hope and prayer is that I will be able to support their dreams, too. A special thank-you to
Casey Herringshaw,
who keeps the efforts of the Dream Team flowing smoothly—and keeps me sane as my VA.

It's always fun to create characters when I'm brainstorming a new book and decide to, oh, make my hero and heroine Realtors. And then I realize that while some of my friends are Realtors, and yes, my husband and I have bought and sold a couple of houses, that's the extent of my knowledge about that career field. Enter
the experts,
people like my friend-through-the-years
Faith Gibson,
who was a Realtor in Niceville, Florida, and my friend-thanks-to-our-daughters-playing-volleyball
Rachel Neilson,
who is a Realtor in Colorado Springs, and
Linda Turner,
a Realtor on the Emerald Coast, who became my friend thanks to her saying, “Sure, you can interview me.” All three women graciously answered my questions—and believe me, I had lots of them. Rachel even read my manuscript and offered some great input. I also decided Alex Madison would be an air-conditioner repairman, and guess what? I know nothing about that, either. But thanks to my friend and fellow writer,
Alena Tauriainen,
who owns an air-conditioning and heating business in Texas with her husband, I had my expert.

Writing this book had an aspect of “new” to it—several new editors, to be specific. I've known
Beth Adams
ever since I've been a Howard author, but now she is my lead editor. She's the kind of editor who listened when I said, “I want to change the story—quite a bit,” and then said, “Go ahead”—even though I messed with the production schedule. Knowing she believes in
me helps me believe in myself more.
Katie Sandell
 . . . what can I say? To feel a kinship with an editor is a gift. And
Ami McConnell
is the kind of editor who knows books, but also wants to know her authors—and that is priceless in the publishing world.

I continue to be thankful for the input of
Linda Sawicki,
my production editor, and
Bruce Gore,
who creates my wonderful book covers!

There are some people whose names will always show up in the acknowledgments section of my book. Not because they have to . . . but because of who they have been in my life and who they continue to be.

Rachel Hauck and Susie May Warren:
The two of you are forces to be reckoned with in the writing world. Your mentorship and, even more, your friendship are gifts to me.

Rachelle Gardner:
Some people would say, “Of course you acknowledge your agent!” But there's no “of course” about this. Were I to try and “acknowledge” all you've done for me while I've written this book, well, I'd need an extra page or two. You are the best of the best and I thank God for you.

W
inning an all-expenses-paid Colorado destination wedding might seem like a dream come true for some people—but it only causes doubt for Caron Hollister as she evaluates if her boyfriend Alex Madison is “the one.” Caron takes a trip to visit Colorado to catch her breath, but runs into the man she walked away from, Kade Webster. Spending time with Kade has Caron questioning everything. The man intrigues her—at times infuriates her—and reminds her of what she lost. Has she been settling for what everyone expects of her? Just because others believe she and Alex are the perfect couple, does that mean they should get married? And how can Caron say “I do” to one man when she's wondering “What if?” about another?

1. When
Almost Like Being in Love
opens, Caron Hollister works for her father as a Realtor. Do you think her decision to
quit was the right decision, or should she have continued to work for him after he brought on Nancy Miller as his partner? What do you think about family members working together? What does it take for family members to successfully work together? Have you ever worked for a family member? How did that go for you?

2. What did you think of Caron's decision to go visit her friend Margo in Colorado rather than staying in Florida, finding another job, and facing her father after quitting? When dealing with major life changes, are you a step-back-and-evaluate-the-situation kind of person or a keep-moving-ahead kind of person?

3. Kade Webster is focused on achieving his professional dreams as a Realtor in Colorado, but that doesn't mean he forgets his friends. Mitch and Kade became friends through their time as Army Rangers, and that bond is even stronger now that Mitch faces life as a double amputee. Do you know anyone who deals with either a physical or mental challenge on a daily basis? What is life like for them? How do friends and family help them?

4. Kade convinces Eddie Kingston to let him be a part of the Peak Tour of Homes, hoping it will benefit them both in the long run. Have you ever participated in a Tour of Homes in any way—as a Realtor, home builder, decorator, judge, or just had fun as a spectator, touring the homes open to the public? What was that like? Discuss why you think these Tour of Homes events are so popular.

5. Caron's friend Margo is planning her wedding even as Caron begins to question her relationship with Alex. What are some of your experiences as a bridesmaid or maid/matron of honor? Have you ever participated in a bridal fair? Maybe won a prize, like Caron did?
How important are the relationships between a bride and the members of her bridal party? Imagine you're a bride: How do you decide who your maid of honor is? Who your bridesmaids are?

6. And then there's Alex. After a rough day dealing with his mother's alcoholism again, he thinks this about Caron:
This was one of the reasons they were so right for each other. She knew his secrets. Kept his secrets. Loved him in spite of his secrets.
What was your response to this? What happens when secrets are the foundation of a relationship?

7. Sometimes people who know us the least understand us better than those closest to us—and such is the case with Nancy Miller for Caron. How did the development of their relationship surprise you? How were Nancy Miller and Caron alike? How were they different?

8. Family knows us best, right? What did you think about Caron's brother's reaction when she told him that she'd quit working for her father? Was he speaking the truth in love or was he speaking out of turn? What about Vanessa's promise to pray for more imperfection in Caron's life? How was that prayer answered throughout the rest of the book?

9. What did Jessica symbolize to Alex? What did she provide for him that his life lacked? What did you think about their relationship at the beginning of the book? At the end of the book? Did it turn out the way you expected? Were you conflicted in your feelings about their friendship?

10. A professional crisis causes Kade to ask Caron for help. When she says yes, they are both convinced they can ignore their past romantic relationship. What would you have told
Caron to do if she'd called you for advice about whether to take a temporary job with her ex-boyfriend?

11. After quitting her job and helping stage Eddie Kingston's home for the tour, Caron begins to question whether she wants to be a Realtor. When have you questioned who you are and what you want to do with your life? How did your life change—or did it stay the same? What helped you make the decision about what you wanted to do?

12. We often hear the saying “Honesty is the best policy.” Kade tried to be honest with Caron about his feelings for her. Caron tried to be honest with her father about what she wanted to do with her life—and about her feelings for Kade. Alex tried to be honest with his father (and the Hollisters) about how he was hurting. How did being honest work out for Kade? For Caron? For Alex? Have you ever had to be honest with someone—a friend or family member—about a tough or painful topic? How did you prepare for the conversation? Do you believe it's always best to be honest, or is it best to leave some things unsaid? How do you decide?

13. What did you think of the title
Almost Like Being in Love
? Why do you think the author chose this title? If you had the chance to pick a title for this book, what would you choose?

14. There's no such thing as a perfect wedding day, and that was true for Caron and Kade. What was your reaction to their destination wedding ceremony? Would you have written the scene—both the ceremony and the reception—differently? If you're married, what were some of the less-than-perfect moments on your wedding day? If you're not married, share some less-than-perfect moments from weddings you've been a part of or attended.

1. 
“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?”
(Galatians 1:10). It's so easy to get caught up in the “Am I okay?” mind-set and seek approval from others, just as Caron Hollister sought approval from her father—something that affected her life for years. What are some truths that help you remember to focus on God's approval, not the approval of others?