Secretly Smitten (47 page)

Her mouth parted. Wasn’t he full of surprises. “Really?”

“Smitten is a mission field too.” Ethan took her face in his hands. “I have an interview over at the airport next week.”

She smiled. “You’re going to fly again.”

“If I get the job.”

Her breath caught at the look in his eyes. They were saying all the things she longed to hear.

“I missed you, Clare.”

She knew the feeling. The past two weeks had felt like a year. “Don’t you ever go away again.”

“Never,” he whispered, drawing near.

She breathed him in, pine and leather. Ethan. His kiss was warm and slow, calling up wispy dreams of happily-ever-after. He pulled her closer, and she went willingly, at home in his embrace. He was the risk she’d been afraid to take, but the real risk had been in letting him go.

He broke the kiss, leaned his forehead against hers. “I love you, honey—in case I neglected to mention it earlier.”

She relished the words she’d longed to hear, the term of endearment, the feel of his arms around her. “I love you too.”

Somewhere in the distance a band struck up a festive tune. Children frolicked and neighbors caught up with one another. But then he kissed her again, and the sounds faded away as other senses took over.

A moment later he leaned back, his arms still around her. “I’m sorry I missed your big birthday bash.”

Clare gave a wry laugh. “I was miserable—worst birthday ever.”

“Turning thirty that rough?”

She swatted his shoulder. “I was missing you, you big oaf.”

His lips twitched, his eyes twinkled. “That so?”

“You don’t have to enjoy it so much,” Clare said, pulling a pout. She didn’t even want to think about that night again, or the last two weeks, for that matter.

“I’ll make it up to you . . . dinner somewhere nice, over in Stowe. Soft music, candlelight, maybe a little dancing . . .” He swayed in time to the band.

Clare relented. How could she help it when he was looking at her like he was thoroughly charmed by her? “It’s a start.”

His eyes went all gentle. “I like the sound of that, Clare Thomas.”

“It does have a nice ring, doesn’t it?”

He was staring right into her, reminding her of the first time they’d met in a dank tool shed on that rainy spring night. It had bothered her then, that intense look, made her feel exposed. But now it only made her feel loved, cherished. There was something beautiful about being seen, right down into the darkest corners where all the secrets hid, and loved anyway. She supposed that’s just the way God intended it . . . just the way a girl should feel when she was completely smitten.

READING GROUP GUIDE

1. Which heroine did you most relate to: Tess, Zoe, Anna, or Clare? Why?

2. We women can be so insecure. We wish we were thinner, blonder, and prettier. Instead of focusing on what you
don’t
like about yourself, what
do
you like?

3. Tess mothered her sisters and everyone else but left little time for herself. What one thing can you start doing for yourself today?

4. Have you ever had anyone in your life who was a manipulator like Ryan’s sister-in-law? How did you handle that person?

5. Zoe didn’t want to go to college, though everyone else wanted it for her. Have you ever gone against the grain because you knew something wasn’t right for you? Was it the right decision?

6. William carries a sea turtle with him to remind him that home is where you make it. Have you ever carried something special to remind you of something? Do you think William really wanted a place to call home and not just a reminder of it?

7. William is a born worrier. Zoe takes life as it comes. Do you have a friend in your life who complements your weakness? How so?

8. Betrayal in Anna Thomas’s life created a fear in her of trusting others. She finally had to let that go and trust God, the only One who never fails. Have you ever struggled with that? If so, what did you do about it?

9. Michael let his life get out of balance with his job eating up much of his family time. That created relationship problems between him and his son. What are some ways we can keep life in balance?

10. Anna didn’t like confrontation for any reason. Sometimes in life, however, there is no avoiding it. When you’re being confronted or you’re the one doing the confronting, how do you handle it?

11. When Ethan confronted Clare about her fear of change, she rejected the truth and became defensive, making a decision she soon regretted. Share a time when you’ve found yourself in a similar situation.

12. Clare discovered that dreams without a plan of action get you nowhere. Is there some dream you’ve had on the back burner for too long? Is it time for you to make a plan of action?

13. After losing Ethan, Clare realized that “sometimes taking no risk is the biggest risk of all.” Have you discovered this to be true in your own life? Share a time when you avoided a risk only to realize it was a mistake.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

W
hat a joy it’s been to work on our second Smitten novel! The idea for
Secretly
Smitten
was conceived in a beautiful Indiana log cabin (we pretended it was Vermont) and met with much enthusiasm by our wonderful editors.

As with every book,
Secretly
Smitten
is the result of a lot of hard work done by many people. We are so blessed to work with Thomas Nelson. They’ve been supportive of the Smitten series right from the start, and their enthusiasm has been contagious. Thanks to the entire fiction team led by Publisher Daisy Hutton: Ami McConnell, Natalie Hanemann, Katie Bond, Kristen Vasgaard, Ruthie Dean, Laura Dickerson, Becky Monds, Kerri Potts, Jodi Hughes, and Amanda Bostic. Love you all!

A special thanks to our editors: Ami McConnell and LB Norton. Their expertise is truly astounding; we’re so glad you have our backs!

Our agents Karen Solem and Lee Hough have been a huge help with this work and many others. Thanks, friends!

We’re thankful for our families, our backbones, as we juggle life and career.

Thanks to you, our reader—none of this would happen without you! We hope you enjoyed coming along on our journey back to Smitten.

Our biggest thank-you goes to God, who brought the four of us together in a bond of unbreakable friendship. We’re all so different, and yet one, in our love for Christ and for one another.

Want more
Smitten
?

Visit

SMITTENVERMONT.COM

* Win free books and prizes!

* Get the inside scoop on the next Smitten book, coming January 2014!

* Hear Sawyer’s song, “Smitten by Love,” written specifically for the novel!

* Go behind the scenes with the Smitten authors!

* Sign up for the Smitten Newsletter!

* Learn more about the town of Smitten and its people!

AN EXCERPT FROM
SMITTEN

N
atalie Mansfield’s heart swelled as she stood on the perimeter of the town square and watched her niece and the other children decorate the town for Easter. A gigantic smile stretched across five-year-old Mia’s face as her Sunday school teacher lifted her to place the lavender wreath at the top of the clock.

Mia saw her and waved. “Aunt Nat, look at me!”

Natalie waved back, her smile broadening. “She’s growing so fast,” she told her great-aunt, Rose Garner. “I love her so much.”

Black threaded Rose’s silver hair, and her smooth skin made her look twenty years younger than her seventy-eight years. “I still remember the first day I laid eyes on you.”

“How could you forget? I was a morose ten-year-old who snapped your head off every time you spoke to me.”

Her aunt pressed her hand. “You changed our lives, honey. Now here you are providing a home for your niece. A full circle, just like that wreath. I’m so proud of you.”

Her aunt’s words made Natalie’s heart fill to bursting. Being part of their family, along with her four cousins, had healed her heart. “You gave me the only stability I’d ever known. I want to do the same for Mia.”

Aunt Rose wasn’t listening. A small frown creased her brow. “Something’s wrong.”

Natalie looked at the men standing a few feet away in front of the hardware store. Their heads were down and their shoulders slumped. The dejection in their stances sent her pulse racing.

She recognized one of her coffee shop patrons, Murphy Clinton, and grabbed his arm as he walked past. “What’s happened, Murphy?” she asked.

He stopped and stared down at her with a grave expression. “The mill’s closing.”

“That’s not possible,” she mumbled. Her thoughts raced. The mill was an institution and the main employer in Smitten. If it closed . . .

He finished her thought. “This town is finished.”