Sunsets
Authors: Robin Jones Gunn
“Years ago my daughters and wife were inhaling Robin Gunn’s stories and loving them, so I had to take a peek myself to find out why. I did. Robin’s characters are believable, and her stories have just the right blend of hope, broken hearts, disappointments, lighthearted fun, joy, and an eternal perspective. The Lord Jesus always plays a role, whether behind the scenes or in the thick of things. Robin lives the faith that’s so evident in her books. She knows how to tell a story—and the stories she tells make an eternal difference.”
R
ANDY
A
LCORN, AUTHOR OF
D
EADLINE
“When you read a Robin Gunn book, you know you’re going to receive a tender lesson in what it means to belong to Christ—and you will be blessed for it.”
F
RANCINE
R
IVERS, AUTHOR OF
R
EDEEMING
L
OVE
AND
T
HE
M
ARK OF THE
L
ION
S
ERIES
“Gratefully Robin’s warmth, insight, and humor spill over from her heart onto the written page. She delights us with the well-woven fabric of a well-told tale and I’m certain Robin delights the Lord with her obvious passion for him.”
P
ATSY
C
LAIRMONT, AUTHOR OF
G
OD
U
SES
C
RACKED
P
OTS
AND
S
PORTIN
’
A
’T
UDE
“Robin Jones Gunn cares. She cares about her characters, she cares about her readers, and most of all, she cares about their mutual search for a life that pleases the Lord. Her novels are a delight to read—perfectly crafted, heartwarming, and fun. I’m always thrilled when one of Robin’s books appears on the top of my to-be-read stack!”
L
IZ
C
URTIS
H
IGGS, AUTHOR OF
M
IXED
S
IGNALS
, B
OOKENDS
,
AND
B
AD
G
IRLS OF THE
B
IBLE
“Robin Jones Gunn is one of those rare and wonderful writers who infuses her stories with bountiful doses of humor, wisdom, and warmth. Her books have touched and changed countless hearts and given a whole generation of readers a host of fictional characters who feel like dear friends!”
C
AROLE
G
IFT
P
AGE, AUTHOR OF
H
EARTLAND
M
EMORIES
S
ERIES
“Whenever I think of stories that touch the heart, I think of Robin Jones Gunn. They touch my heart and leave me wanting more. Reading a novel by Robin Jones Gunn is like spending time with a good friend … troubles are lighter and joys are deeper.”
A
LICE
G
RAY, AUTHOR OF
S
TORIES FOR THE
H
EART BOOK COLLECTION
“Robin Jones Gunn writes from a heart of love. Her tender stories honor the Savior and speak truth to a world desperately eager to hear it.”
A
NGELA
E
LWELL
H
UNT, AUTHOR OF
T
HE
T
RUTH
T
ELLER
“Robin Gunn is a gifted and sincere storyteller who gets right to the heart of matters with her readers.”
M
ELODY
C
ARLSON, AUTHOR OF
H
OMEWARD
HE
G
LENBROOKE
S
ERIES
1. Secrets
2. Whispers
3. Echoes
4. Sunsets
5. Clouds
6. Waterfalls
7. Woodlands
8. Wildflowers
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
SUNSETS
published by Multnomah Books
© 1997 by Robin’s Ink, LLC
Cover design and images by Steve Gardner/His Image PixelWorks
Scripture quotations are from:Holy
Bible
, The New King James Version
(
NKJV
) © 1984 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Also quoted:
New American Standard Bible
(
NASB
) © 1960, 1977 by the Lockman Foundation
Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc, New York
M
ULTNOMAH
and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission.
For information:
MULTNOMAH BOOKS
12265 ORACLE BOULEVARD, SUITE 200
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80921
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gunn, Robin Jones, 1955-
Sunsets/by Robin Jones Gunn. p.cm. eISBN: 978-0-307-82469-1
I. Title.
PS3557.U4866S86 1997 96-47448
813′.54—dc21
v3.1
To Kevin and his indestructible cat, Chloe
.
May your years together in Pasadena
be graced with exquisite sunsets
.
And they who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Thy signs; Thou dost make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.
P
SALM
65:8 (
NASB
)
C
offee,” Alissa muttered, pushing herself away from her cluttered desk, “a tall café mocha, and I need it now. You want anything, Cheri?”
“No, thanks,” her co-worker said without looking up from her computer. “Are you getting this same strange reading on the Mazatlan cruise package?”
“Yes,” Alissa said after checking the computer screen over Cheri’s shoulder. “I got that reading when I tried to access the Alaska cruise package for the Andersens. But I’m not ready to try again until after I’ve had some coffee.”
Cheri looked over the top of her glasses. “We open in five minutes.”
“I know. I’ll be back in four. Don’t sell any cruise packages until then.”
The line at Starbucks was shorter than usual. Alissa examined the pastries in the case. They had Cheri’s favorite lemon bars this morning and lots of other incredible looking goodies.
She started her familiar mental workout.
Croissant. I want a croissant. But I shouldn’t. Too much fat. I’ll have a muffin. A low-fat blueberry. Or a bagel. I can have a bagel. A bagel with fat-free cream cheese
.
“What can I start for you?” the young woman behind the counter asked.
Alissa hesitated.
The customer behind her spoke up. “Cappuccino and a croissant.”
“Excuse me.” Alissa turned to the casually dressed man behind her. “I was next, and if you don’t mind, I’m in a hurry.”
He wore his long brown hair with a crooked part down the middle. A soft cocoa stubble curved across his broad jaw, and his gaze struck her with intense clarity. Green eyes. Green like the grass after it rains.
“So what took you so long?” he said with a teasing smile.
Alissa raised her eyebrows and decided this must be his idea of a joke. Since she had moved to Pasadena seven months ago, she had met plenty of men who acted as if the world were their footstool, and therefore they could put up their feet whenever they wanted. Southern California was full of that sort.
Turning to the woman behind the counter, Alissa said calmly, “I’ll have a tall café mocha, a lemon bar, and a cinnamon roll. Thanks.”
There was no point looking over her shoulder as she left Starbucks. The man with the intriguing green eyes wouldn’t be watching her. Men used to watch her walk away. She could feel their gazes. Men used to offer to let her go first.