Finding Home Read online

  Finding Home

  By

  Ann Vaughn

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Text copyright @2013 Ann Vaughn

  All rights reserved

  Cover art by Carey Abbott

  Ebookcoverdesignsbycarey.com

  For Shilpa, again, for all your hard work as my Editor-in-Chief. I wouldn’t be here if not for your steadfast support and belief in me. I’m so proud of you for going back to teaching after an eleven year absence. Your students don’t know how lucky they are!!!!

  For the sisters, Kym and Rochele: thanks to you both for all your support and feedback! I believe the feedback I got from you both made this a better, stronger book. Thanks for everything!!!!

  For my outstanding Betas: Tess, Julie, Julie, Denise, Denise and Abbey. Thanks so much for your quick reading and invaluable feedback! Y’all rock!!!!

  For Chelsea at Amazeball’s Book Blog and Christine at Feed My Reads USA…you two ladies have worked harder than anyone to help me promote my debut book Long Way Home. I want you to know that it is deeply appreciated and will never be forgotten

  And finally, to my wonderful husband…thank you for all you do for us everyday. I love you more than you’ll ever really know!

  Also available by Ann Vaughn:

  Long Way Home

  Table of Contents

  Part One

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Part Two

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Epilogue

  Part One

  Chapter One

  It had been one of those days already, and it was only lunchtime. Colt had a splitting headache, a major hassle with a security system he was designing and a few big life decisions to make in front of him and he really didn’t want to deal with any of it. He’d been in court today, testifying his involvement in a recent burglary he’d witnessed, and the suit he was wearing was bothering him, too. He almost missed the days when all he did was get up and follow orders and not think about what to do next. The change from the Army to civilian life was proving to be more challenging than he had anticipated.

  He was going over yet another schematic change brought about by the irritatingly demanding Hollywood starlet he was designing a security system for when the throaty sound of a feminine laugh drew his attention. He looked up and saw four women sitting across the way from him in the restaurant. Two were older ladies, he’d guess to be in their late fifties or early sixties. One was middle aged, he would place her around forty, and one, the one whose laugh drew his attention, was in her mid to late twenties; and she was quite simply stunning. Colt found that he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. There was a freshness to her face that pulled at something inside him that he couldn’t quite explain. He found himself leaning forward to better be able to hear her conversation and learn more about her, and found his gaze continually drawn to her. The sun shifted and a beam shone through the window near where she was sitting, settling over her like a spotlight and catching the highlights in her hair just right. It was a breathtaking view and one he knew he wouldn’t forget any time soon.

  Oblivious to the fact that she had drawn the attention of the man sitting two tables away, Sarah Sauter sat at a table with her co-workers, enjoying lunch together on a mild spring day. These three ladies, Ester, Bernice and Terry were like family to her, especially since the death of her parents six years ago. They had all taken her under their wings and did their best to fill the gaps left by the loss of her parents. She’d worked with them all since she was sixteen years old, almost eleven years now. If not for these three ladies and her next door neighbor, Janine, she viewed them all as her very own Guardian Angels, she shuddered to think where she would be at this point in her life.

  At times she wished she had friends closer to her own age. Ester and Bernice were old enough to be her mother. They both had kids older than her. Terry could conceivably be her mother, if she’d gotten pregnant in high school. Her neighbor Janine was the closest friend to her age, at five years older than her. But these ladies were good to her and she knew she wouldn’t trade them for anything.

  Their waitress stopped by to refill drinks, and it was while looking up at her that the man sitting in the booth two tables behind Ester and Bernice caught Sarah’s attention. The first thing she noticed about him was his eyes. They were really indescribable. At first glance they appeared amber, but when she looked away and looked back, they were deeper, more like melted chocolate...and they were locked on her. The face that went with them was rugged, a couple days’ growth of beard on his cheeks, but as he was wearing a very nice dark suit and tie, it was also refined.

  “Girl, that guy is seriously checking you out,” Terry said in a low tone.

  Ester and Bernice immediately stopped talking, glancing around.

  “What guy?” Bernice asked, her voice carrying slightly.

  Sarah groaned and turned her attention back to her friends.

  “No, he wasn’t,” she told Terry, trying to diffuse the situation.

  “Oh, yes he was...or, is, I should say,” Terry amended. “He’s yummy, you should go introduce yourself.”

  At that, Sarah laughed. “Oh, please! He is so far out of my league it isn’t even funny.”

  “He doesn’t seem to think so.”

  Sarah shook her head. “Just look at him, Terry. He is yummy. That suit he’s wearing costs more than my entire wardrobe. There is no way a man like him would have even the slightest interest in a data entry clerk at Sunday’s Gifts.”

  “There you go, putting yourself down again,” Ester said, shaking her head.

  “Sarah Sauter, you are just as pretty as all these college girls around here,” Bernice scolded her.

  Sarah gave her friends a weak smile, even as she saw the man in question pay his bill and then stand, shrug into his suit jacket, and walk past their table.

  “Was that the guy?” Bernice asked.

  Terry nodded. “Wasn’t he gorgeous?”

  “Honey, the backside looked even better,” Bernice said.

  “Y’all are so bad,” Sarah laughed, shaking her head. “We’d better get our checks, it’s about that time.”

  Bernice flagged the waitress down as they all gathered their purses.

  “We’d like our checks, please,” Terry said when the waitress approached.

  She smiled brightly at them. “Your checks have all already been paid.”

  The women exchanged shocked glances. “What?”

  The waitress nodded. “Yes. By the gentleman who just left,” she dug her receipt book out from her apron pocket. “A Mr. Colton Harris.”

  Sarah then experience
d something she never wanted to experience ever again as long as she lived; three women old enough to be her mother squealing like a group of junior high girls. She shook her head at them and after they left their waitress a tip, they all filed out and into her SUV.

  Back at work, Sarah groaned when the latest batch of vendor orders was deposited on her desk. It was at least three inches thick; she definitely knew what she would be doing for the rest of the day. It was for the best, she supposed; if she stayed busy then she wouldn’t be able to daydream about the absolutely gorgeous Mr. Colton Harris.

  It was nearly 4:30 when she finally was able to find a good stopping point in the orders and come up for a breath of air. She realized by looking at the clock that she’d gotten so engrossed in keying in the orders that she’d totally missed her afternoon break. Deciding she at least needed to get up and stretch her legs, she stood and stretched her back.

  “Hey, Terry, I missed my break you wanna...” she began but stopped when she rounded the corner of her cube and saw that Terry wasn’t in hers. She looked around and realized no one was at their desks. She’d been so busy she hadn’t even noticed everyone leaving. Just as she was going to walk off and look for them her phone buzzed.

  “Sarah?” Ester’s voice sounded through her phone.

  “Yes?”

  “Could you come up front for a minute?”

  “Yeah, sure, be there in a sec.”

  As she left her section and made her way up to the front she noticed several other people were missing from their desks. When she rounded the corner to the reception area where Ester worked, she saw all of them gathered around Ester’s desk, and all looking expectantly at her.

  Her steps faltered and she suddenly knew how the proverbial deer in the headlights felt. It was a bit daunting to be confronted by a wall of her co-workers, and her boss.

  “Um, did I miss something?” she asked a bit frightfully.

  The group parted in the middle, revealing a beautiful vase of white roses on the bar of Ester’s reception desk.

  “These were just delivered for you,” Ester said, smiling.

  Sarah was taken aback. Who in the world could have sent roses to her?

  “For me?”

  Bernice pulled the card. “Unless there is another Sarah Sauter at Sunday’s Gifts we don’t know about. Shall I read the card?”

  Sarah reached for it. “No, no, I can read it. I just can’t imagine who...” her voice trailed off when she saw the definitely masculine handwriting on the card.

  “Well?” Barbara, her boss prompted. “Don’t keep us in suspense. Who are they from?”

  Sarah cleared her throat and glanced quickly to Terry, Bernice and Ester. “It says: For Sarah, I hope you enjoyed your lunch today. Sincerely, Colt Harris.”

  An audible gasp sounded from her three lunch companions.

  “Who is Colt Harris?” Barbara asked.

  While Bernice told the story, Sarah re-read the card, noticing he’d included his email address and phone number.

  “Oh wow,” Barbara said, “you must have made quite an impression.”

  Sarah looked up from the card. “But how did he know my name and where I work?”

  “He must have been listening to our conversation,” Terry surmised. “You said something about Sunday’s Gifts and there at the end, Bernice called you by your full name.”

  It was unbelievable. Things like this just didn’t happen to Sarah. Not outside of her dreams, anyway...and roses! She’d never had flowers delivered to her. As if in a daze, she gathered the vase and without speaking to anyone, carried it back to her cube. The smell of the fresh cut stems was intoxicating. And they looked absolutely gorgeous.

  She sat at her desk and placed his handwritten card before her. He had neat penmanship. It was clearly legible, unlike that of most of the men she knew. Before she lost her nerve, she pulled up her personal email account and opened a blank email, entering his address from the card.

  Dear Mr. Harris:

  Thank you so much for lunch today. The roses are absolutely beautiful. Thank you.

  Sincerely,

  Sarah Sauter

  She read it through a couple of times. It was light and breezy, nothing major. Just what she was wanting. Before she could lose her nerve, she hit send, then sat back and released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. For a moment, she sat staring at the screen, then shook herself and began clearing her desk in preparation to leave for the day. Terry walked back in just as her inbox chimed.

  Hands shaking, Sarah turned back to her computer and clicked on her inbox, seeing that he’d already replied!

  Dear Sarah:

  I’m glad you enjoyed lunch. You certainly brightened mine. I’m sure the roses are nowhere near as beautiful as you.

  I’d like to spend some time with you. Would you meet me for dinner?

  Eagerly awaiting your answer,

  Colt

  “Oh my gosh!” Sarah gasped.

  “What is it?” Terry asked, coming around to check on her.

  Sarah picked up the card, handing it to Terry.

  “He included his email address, so I sent him an email thanking him for lunch and for the roses. Look what he replied!”

  Terry leaned over to read the email.

  “Oh, wow, Sarah!! How exciting! Tell him you’ll go.”

  Sarah bit her lip. “I don’t know, Terry, I mean...I know nothing about this guy. He could be Ted Bundy for all we know!”

  Terry shook her head. “Sarah, come on. You haven’t had a date in, what, a year? And the last one you went out with was a real loser. Take a chance. Say you’ll meet him. If you want, Lloyd and I can arrange to be at the same place, just in case.”

  “I don’t know...he’s seen you. If you were to show up at the same place as us, it would be obvious, don’t you think?”

  “Well, yeah, probably...but come on, Sarah. Take a chance.”

  Sarah took a deep breath then nodded. She hit reply and after an encouraging pat on the shoulder from Terry, she started typing.

  Dear Colt:

  I would love to have dinner with you. Where would you like to meet and what time?

  Awaiting your reply,

  Sarah

  Sarah released her breath and turned to face Terry.

  “OK, well, I guess we’ll...” Her inbox chimed.

  “That was fast,” Terry said.

  Sarah opened his reply.

  Sarah:

  How soon can you leave?

  Colt

  She glanced at the clock then hit reply.

  Colt:

  I can leave now.

  Sarah

  She waited a total of forty-eight seconds before his reply came back.

  Meet me at Diamondback’s downtown in 20 minutes.

  “Oooo, Diamondback’s,” Terry said, her tone indicating she was impressed. Diamondback’s was one of Waco’s exclusive restaurants.

  Sarah looked up at Terry. “I’ve never eaten there.”

  “It’s a steakhouse. Very posh. You’ll love it. And honey, don’t worry about what to order. If you’re unsure, ask him to order for you.”

  Sarah nodded. Terry knew her so well.

  “OK, here goes.”

  See you there. ~ Sarah

  She shut her computer down and gathered her purse and phone.

  “Do I look all right?” she asked Terry nervously.

  “You look lovely. Don’t forget your roses...and call or text me as soon as you get home!!!”

  “Yes, ma’am,” she replied, pulling her keys from her purse. “OK. I’m really going to do this.”

  “Yes, you are and you will have a good time. Just relax and be yourself.”

  Sarah nodded and gave Terry a quick hug before leaving. She googled the address for Diamondbacks and plugged it into her GPS. It was roughly fifteen minutes away, depending on traffic, so she took a moment to touch up her lipstick and fluff her hair in the vanity mirror on her visor.

/>   She had no idea what a man as handsome and obviously successful looking as him would want with a girl like her, but for once in her life, she decided to take a chance and not over-analyze anything. It was only dinner, and the man did pay for hers and three other people’s lunches just to break the ice with her. She felt she owed him dinner in person at least.

  When she pulled into the parking lot, she saw him seated on a bench just outside the restaurant. He still wore his suit jacket but he’d removed his tie and opened his collar. He looked absolutely stunning with the setting sun picking up the bronze highlights in his hair.

  “This is crazy,” she murmured as she grabbed her purse and exited her truck. As if the movement from the door caught his eye, Colt stood, a lazy smile touching his lips as she approached. Good gravy, he was even better looking than she remembered!

  “Sarah Sauter,” he said, his voice deep and rich, melting over her like honey. He took her hand in his and raised it to his lips, kissing her knuckles and sending her heart soaring. “Thank you for agreeing to meet me.”

  “Thank you, for lunch and the beautiful roses, and the invitation,” she replied, smiling up at him. It was a thrill to her to be smiling up at him; at five feet ten inches tall, she rarely looked up at a man, but she guessed his height to be around six four, if not six five, so she was definitely looking up into his face.

  “You’re even lovelier up close than you were across the way,” he complimented her. She blushed, but before she could speak, he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. “Shall we?”