Love Inspired January 2016, Box Set 1 of 2 by Carolyne Aarsen

to herself and again he wondered what.
    In spite of his curiosity, he shook off the thought. He had enough going on in his own life. He didn’t need to take on anything Chloe was dealing with.
    * * *
    â€œI miss you, buddy,” Eva said to Cody, holding him close. The murmur of the people visiting after church rose up around the table they sat at in the hall attached to the church. Chloe felt a pang as she looked around the room. She recognized many of the people here, and as she and Eva chatted, a few members of the congregation stopped by to give her their greetings.
    It was home and, for now, she was thankful for a job that kept her there.
    â€œI think he misses you, too,” Chloe said, reaching over to wipe some drool off his chin.
    â€œPoor little motherless guy,” Eva said. She looked over his head at Chloe, her expression curious. “I hear that Vanessa is gone. What do you think that means?”
    That I don’t have to put up with her condescending attitude.
    Chloe simply shrugged. “I think she didn’t like the fact that Grady was on to her lies.”
    Eva shook her head in dismay. “I sure hope we find out who he belongs to. Every baby needs a mother and father.”
    Chloe’s heart skipped in her chest as she took Cody back from Eva. And what of her baby? She swallowed down a knot of panic, reminding herself of the song she had just sung. God was her refuge and fortress. He would guide her through the precarious place in her life.
    â€œAnd Grady is most definitely not the father,” Chloe said, settling Cody on her hip. He tried to grab for her necklace but she caught his hand, kissing his chubby fist.
    â€œI’m sure that’s a relief,” Eva said with a coy smile.
    Chloe pretended she didn’t understand, unwilling to analyze her changing feelings for Grady. Sitting beside him in church had been more difficult than she had expected. She saw how earnestly he had listened to the pastor. How he had seemed to be pondering the message.
    The same message that struck a chord with her. After she’d discovered that Jeremy hadn’t returned to give their marriage another try as she’d believed, but had simply come to toy with her emotions, she’d promised herself she wouldn’t let any man have any control over her again. She wouldn’t let any man make her feel weak.
    Yet now she was in a position of weakness, and though she didn’t like it, she also knew it made her more dependent on God’s guidance and provision.
    All through the sermon she had kept wondering how Grady heard the message. Then she became frustrated that all her thoughts circled back to him.
    â€œSo, barring any other Stillwater coming out of the woodwork, I would guess that leaves Ben as Cody’s father,” Eva continued.
    Chloe pulled her attention back to Eva and nodded. “It would seem that way.”
    â€œI just want to tell you how glad I am that you’re helping at the ranch,” Eva said, moving in closer as if she had some deep secret to impart. “Grady seems happier than when I saw him last.”
    Chloe frowned. “What do you mean?”
    Eva gave her a mischievous smile. “I think you know what I mean. Though Grady has devoted himself to the army, he always said that one day he wanted to settle down at the ranch. Find himself the perfect girl and raise the perfect family.”
    The perfect girl.
    That certainly wasn’t her anymore.
    Then across the room she saw Grady talking to Olivia Barlow, widowed mother of three children. Olivia brushed back her dark brown hair as she caught the hand of one of her triplet sons, frowning down at him as if warning him. She looked tired, and Chloe didn’t blame her. The thought of raising her child on her own frightened her. She couldn’t imagine doing it with triplets. Grady patted Olivia on the shoulder, as if in sympathy, then said something to the young boy. When Olivia