Nantucket Romance 3-in-1 Bundle (34 page)
Landon. Her racing heart flipped over at the sight. For a moment, she wondered if she’d conjured him up out of need. But when she blinked, he was still there.
Not wanting to startle him, she whispered his name as she approached.
At the sound, he jerked upright and turned toward her. “Sam.”
She limped down the pier and lowered herself beside him, easing her sore ankle over the side.
“What are you doing up?” he asked.
She tucked her long shirt under her and settled her hands in her lap. “I’m not tired.” The sounds of the night, the feel of Landon beside her began to soothe her mind.
“How’s Caden?”
Changed. Just like Sam. “Sleeping soundly.” A breeze blew across the bay, carrying the scent of his musky soap. “What are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t sleep.” Then, as if realizing he hadn’t answered her question, he added, “I wanted to be closer.”
Sam looked at him then. The heat from his eyes warmed her all over. “I never said thank you,” she whispered.
“You don’t have—”
“You risked your life for us. Without a thought of your own fears.”
“I did what anyone would have done, Sam.”
“Shut up and let me say thank you.”
The corner of his lip tipped up, but he remained quiet.
Words would never be enough to express how truly grateful she was. Still, she said them. “Thank you.” The moon’s curtain must have lifted, because light played on the ridges of his face. “You’re supposed to say, ‘You’re welcome.’”
His eyes roved over her face. “You’re welcome.”
Sam’s hands trembled as if it were their first date. But they’d never even had a first date. She felt her lips twitch and turned away, looking out toward the horizon where the dark sky met the black sea.
“What?” he asked.
She looked at him, then lifted her palms, gesturing around them. “This. Us. How many times do you suppose we’ve sat here on this pier?” A seagull, out past its bedtime, called out, its shriek echoing across the water.
“Dozens. Hundreds.” He smiled as if remembering.
They’d grown up out here on the bay. It had been her escape.
He
had been her escape. And then she’d left him, left the island, without leaving word for him. And when she came back, she did nothing but hurt him more.
Sam thought of Bailey and how her mistake had cost him his life. Had robbed Landon of his brother. Regret swelled in her, almost unbearable. If only she could go back and do the night over again. “I’m so sorry about Bailey.”
He squeezed her hand. “You already apologized,” he said softly.
Her eyes burned. “Is that enough?” It didn’t feel like enough. Not even close.
He touched her chin with his fingertips. “It is for me.”
All her mistakes oozed like sewage into her mind. Her silence after Bailey’s death, her dalliance with Tully, the way she’d told Landon about Bailey only to push him away. The shame of it made her skin heat. How could he forget what she’d done?
“I’ve hurt you so much.” And all he’d done was love her back. “But I intend to make it up to you.” She let her face betray her feelings. She couldn’t have stopped it if she tried.
“You already have.”
The love she saw in his face gave her every assurance she needed to take it one step further. “Do you think I could change my mind about that question you asked before?” Her courage scattered like grains of sand in a storm.
The corners of his lips tilted. “It’s a woman’s privilege.”
Sam touched the crest of his cheek, then traced the edges of his jawline to the cleft in his chin. His skin was warm and rough against her fingers. She felt a stirring inside for more. More than just a whisper of a touch. Much more.
He leaned close, and his mouth closed over hers. Sam’s skin blazed, burning all the way to her heart, where Landon now resided. What had she done to deserve this man? His claim came back to her. “
Love isn’t earned, Sam. It’s a gift.
”
A gift she would accept. She’d be foolish not to. She let her lips linger on his until he pulled away, but only so he could hold her. Sam wrapped her arms around his back and nestled against his chest. His shirt smelled like sunshine and fresh air, and the tenderness of his hand against her face made her feel cherished.
I could stay
here forever.
She felt his chest expand then deflate with his breath.
“It’s not so bad here, is it, Sam? The cobblestone streets, the warm breeze, the smell of the ocean . . .”
She listened to the steady beating of his heart, felt the warmth of his flesh against hers, and closed her eyes on a sigh. “No, it’s not so bad.”
His fingers threaded through her hair. “I’d follow you to Boston if you wanted.”
Sam smiled against his shirt. “No.” She still had work to do, coming to grips with her past. But it was something she needed to face for her own good. And Caden’s. Where better to do it than here? With Landon at her side.
For a moment, fear crept in and rattled her. Sam grasped the material of his shirt, and she pulled herself close to him. “I’m still afraid,” she admitted quietly. “Just so you know.”
He tightened his arms around her, the strength of them making her feel safe. “It’s okay to be afraid,” he said. His hand pressed her cheek, holding her against his heart. “I’m not going anywhere. I love you, Sam.”
His words seeped into the empty space and remained there. It was a start. “I love you too,” she whispered, relaxing in his arms, choosing to believe, choosing to surrender. One moment at a time.
1. From the beginning of the story (and even before that), Sam pushes Landon away because she is afraid to love. What are some of the things Sam does to keep Landon at a distance? What are some of the things people do to push God away?
2. What are some of the things Landon endures in his efforts to pursue Sam? How has God pursued you?
3. Sam’s abandonment and the difficulties of her childhood caused her to make decisions that caused others pain. Do you live with regrets related to things you have done? Things that have been done to you? How have these things impacted your relationships? How can you break the cycle?
4. Sam was willing to settle for much less than Landon had to offer. What are some of the things we settle for? Why are we often willing to accept so much less than God wants to give us?
5. Sam’s biggest fear was being abandoned. How did that fear affect her relationship with Caden? What is your biggest fear, and how has it impacted the way you live?
6. Sam felt she wasn’t good enough for Landon because of the harmful things she’d done in the past. Have you ever felt that way toward God? What does Psalm 103:12 say
about our past transgressions?
7. Sam’s stepfather made claims that repeatedly played like a tape in her head, influencing her choices. What cruel or misleading words were said to you as a child that still influence your choices or attitudes? How can you change these destructive thoughts? How can you use words to positively influence others around you?
8. Landon told Sam that his love was a gift, not something to be earned. Why is it sometimes hard for us to understand that God’s love is a free gift with no strings attached?
An Interview with Denise Hunter
Thomas Nelson Fiction: Tell us a little about yourself. How did
you get started writing?
Denise Hunter: I’m a Midwestern girl, married to a wonderful man, and I have three terrific boys. When I was a child, my mother took me to the library regularly, and I was introduced to the world of fiction. In my elementary years, I wore out our school library’s Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and throughout my middle school years and into high school, I always had my nose in a book. (Still do—just ask my husband.)
In my early twenties, I began to wonder if I could write a novel. I had two of my children at that time, and when my grandfather became very ill, we were told he was going to pass away soon. I visited him in the hospital, and as I watched him lying on the bed, I recalled the many things he had done for Christ during his long life. I knew he’d lived a full life with few regrets, and I wanted to be able to feel that way when my life drew to a close. On my long drive home, I decided I was going to stop wondering if I could write a book and just do it. I wrote my first novels during my children’s nap times.
TNF: What was your inspiration for writing
Surrender Bay
?
Denise: My earliest vision of the story was simply about best friends who fall in love. The story evolved as it brewed in my head for almost a year and as I brainstormed with my writing buddies (authors Colleen Coble, Diann Hunt, and Kristin Billerbeck). But
Surrender Bay
truly took on a new dimension when the Thomas Nelson staff suggested making the romance in the story a picture of the romance between us and God. The story grew, bit by bit, from there, with lots of brain-racking, hair-pulling, praying, and rewriting.
TNF: There is no overt Christianity in the story. Why did you
write it as an allegory?
Denise: I love the way Jesus told stories. His parables made His listeners think for themselves and draw their own conclusions. In His story of the prodigal son, Jesus never said, “Listen, folks, the father in the story is God, and the prodigal son is you.” The son never had a “come to Jesus” moment; he simply returned to his father and was welcomed home with open arms. Jesus required the listeners to draw the connection for a reason.
An allegory allows us to see the familiar in a fresh and powerful way, and that’s what I hoped to do with
Surrender Bay
.
TNF: What would you like readers to take away from this story?
Denise: I hope readers walk away from this story with a fresh view of the way God pursues us. I hope women find comfort in the kind of love He has for them, the kind that never fails, the kind that puts our sins as far as the east is from the west. “He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
TNF: Nantucket sounds like a beautiful place to visit. Did you go
there to do research?
Denise: Nantucket is a lovely island, a truly unique place. My family went with me for a brief visit so I could do some research as part of our vacation last year. I was so inspired, I sat on the beach and wrote the first pages of the story while my kids and husband frolicked in the water. The quaint town, the history, the cobblestone streets, and the people really make this an ideal setting for a novel.
TNF: Is
Surrender Bay
part of a series?
Denise: Yes and no.
Surrender Bay
is the first of four books that will be set on Nantucket, romance novels that will reflect the attributes of God listed in Zephaniah 3:17. The books will feature different characters, though, and stand completely on their own. I’m hoping they’ll necessitate another research trip to Nantucket.
W
ith grateful appreciation to all the people who had a hand in making this book happen: Amanda Bostic and all the wonderful people at Thomas Nelson. What an amazing group of talented people! I’m so blessed to be a part of your team. Agent extraordinaire Karen Solem. Erin Healy, who makes me look like a better writer than I am. My awesome brainstorming friends, Colleen Coble, Diann Hunt, and Kristin Billerbeck; I can’t imagine doing this writing thing without you. BarlowGirl, whose song “I Need You to Love Me” inspired me time and time again during the writing of this story. Jim Bell and Cara Putnam, for their help concerning legal matters. Denny and Joy Geiger for help on research. Thanks to my husband, Kevin, and my boys, who had to put up with deadline madness and edits on the way home from vacation. You are a blessing from above!
Reviews for Denise Hunter’s Past Novels
“. . . a romantic adventure about unconditional love and forgiveness.”
—
Library Journal
review of
Surrender Bay
“Hunter’s characters are well drawn and familiar. [W]ill appeal to all women readers with the taste for a good love story.”
—
Foreword
magazine review of
Surrender Bay
“[In
Surrender Bay
], Denise has turned the spotlight on the depth of God’s love for His children in a story that will remain with you long after the last page is read.”