Free Finding Hope by Brenda Coulter

another to take his place.
    â€œT.J., how’s my boy?” Hope squealed, thumping him on the back as she hugged him. “Oh, it’s so good to see you guys!”
    She stood back, beaming at each of them in turn, and Charles looked around to see whether there were any more men in line to hug her. He thought briefly about taking a turn himself, but she was already making introductions.
    All three of the men had played high school baseball with Hope’s two middle brothers, Mark and Luke. They treated Hope like an adored little sister, and Charles guessed she had been something of a mascot to the team.
    They chatted for a few minutes, then Hope hugged each of the men and said goodbye.
    â€œThey’re so grown up!” she marveled to Charles as she unlocked her car. “I haven’t seen them since my eighteenth birthday party, when they were just out of college. That was only five years ago, but it makes a huge difference, doesn’t it?”
    â€œNot to me. Five years is merely another drop in the bucket.”
    â€œOh, stop talking like an old man,” she scolded as she slid into the driver’s seat.
    Charles wondered, not for the first time, why a charmer like Hope was uninterested in romance. He supposed that someone had broken her heart. He wondered who. And when. And how.
    But most of all, he wondered why. It was impossible for him to understand how any man could bring himself to hurt Hope Evans.

Chapter Five
    H ope was in the habit of exchanging e-mails with her father at least once a week. In the past three weeks she’d written quite a bit about Charles and had asked her parents to pray for him.
    Now she stared at her computer screen, rereading a disturbing message from her father.
    Sweetheart, I’m glad to know so many of our prayers have been answered regarding Dr. Hartman. It is indeed good news that he’s attending Bible study and talking to you about spiritual matters. But your mother and I are a little worried about your spending so much time alone with the man. We’re quite willing to believe he’s as tenderhearted as you say, but it’s our daughter’s heart that concerns us.
    Hope, there’s no future for you with a man who doesn’t belong to God. We pray you’ll see that before you get hurt.
    Hope clicked the “message delete” button so she wouldn’t have to see the note again. She’d write to her father later, when she wasn’t feeling so sad and lonely.
    She switched off her computer and wandered into the kitchen, where she heated a cup of water in the microwave oven. She unwrapped a bag of chamomile tea, holding it to her nose for a comforting sniff before dropping it into the hot water. The scent reminded her of her mother, who enjoyed a cup of herb tea and a few verses of Scripture each night before bed.
    â€œWhy am I so blue tonight?” The sound of Hope’s voice startled Bob. His ears perked up and his golden-brown eyes studied her face, alert for any sign that she wanted him.
    Hope understood what her father was saying, but she wasn’t dating Charles. She didn’t date, not ever. Not since Trevor Daniels.
    Even now, nearly seven years after the night her heart had been ripped in two, the painful memories invaded her waking hours as well as her dreams.
    â€œNo,” she moaned. She leaned against the kitchen counter for support. “I can’t think about him tonight.” But she did….
    He had a beautiful smile. He turned it on her now, and she caught her breath. He had perfect teeth, movie-star white, and he was smiling just for her. Hope felt a thrill in her chest.
    â€œYou look incredible, Hope. Absolutely gorgeous. And yellow is a beautiful color on you.”
    She was pleased that Trevor liked her new dress. He moved closer and she lifted her arms as his went around her waist. She leaned against him, glorying in the warm, solid feel of him.
    She was not quite seventeen and