It's finally here!!

It's finally here! Yeah!! Happy release day for A Secret to Die For! You can grab your copy wherever books are sold, including the audio version! Happy reading!!

Psychologist Grace Callahan has no idea she has a secret - one worth killing for. But when she finds out one of her clients has been murdered, she quickly realizes the computer security specialist wasn't simply suffering from paranoia. 

Detective Nate Quinn has just been cleared for active duty after a bombing killed 18 people, including his partner, and left him dealing with PTSD. His first case back on the job involves the murder of Stephen Shaw, and his only lead turns out to be an old friend, Grace Callahan - and her life is in grave danger. Someone believes Shaw gave his psychologist information before he died. Information for which they are willing to kill. 

With her signature pulse-pounding suspense, Lisa Harris takes listeners deep into the heart of fear in this race against the clock.

Grab your copy today!!

                Amazon                                             Barnes & Noble                                          Christianbook.com

A Secret to Die For Teaser!

Hey readers!

Next month brings my newest release! I'm super excited to share Nate and Grace's story with you. in the meantime check out this short teaser. 

Pre-order today! Available September 18th!

Amazon                                        Barnes&Noble                                      Christianbook.com

What do pineapple, pigs and palm nuts all have in common?

We've just returned from a ministry trip to west Africa, where we learned how Laté and Minen Lawson are working to lift up their community and churches through farming. Watch this video to see how you can pray for our ministry as we seek wisdom in how to do a similar project in Mozambique.

Looking ahead ~ African Outreach Ministries from S & L Harris on Vimeo.

Don't miss 'Man vs Women's Chores'

Don't miss this hilarious, yet very accurate look at life in the African bush! 

Into the Bush. . .

The last few months have been a whirlwind of activity. Lots of teaching, ministry, writing, traveling, and company!

Here's a short video of some highlights we took while taking guests through Kruger.

Enjoy!!


Kruger May 2018 from Scott Harris on Vimeo.

Behind the Scenes: Writing as Therapy

Writing has always been like therapy for me. I wrote my first book over two decades ago after suffering from a miscarriage. I felt shattered and lost and completely alone. I ended up writing the fictional novel of a couple and their struggle through infertility as well as a non-fiction study guide stemming from my own search for God in the midst of the pain.

A lot of good came out of that writing therapy.

Like any family, we’ve had plenty of ups and downs over the years. We’re now coming up on the two year anniversary of one of our worst when our family was attacked by armed intruders in our home. Believe it or not, I was actually in the middle of writing a hostage scene for my heroine when the robbers broke in.

Here’s what I wrote about that experience in the Dear Reader letter in the back of the book just a few weeks after the attack. (The letter was later condensed.)

While I was in the process of finishing Desert Secrets, everything changed. Three armed men walked into our house, tied up myself, my husband and my daughter—gave me two black eyes and a mild concussion in the process—and robbed us, including the wedding ring off my finger.

The experience changed how I felt about a lot of things, including writing suspense. Before I could continue, I had to rethink why I write what I write. I was eventually able to move forward and pour my emotions from the attack into this story, which ended up bringing me healing.  I knew that I wanted my readers to never forget that the God who created the universe loves us and wants to be our strength no matter what is happening in the world around us. Jesus came to heal the empty and broken hearted, and those searching for freedom and hope. Psalm 91 says that He is our refuge and fortress. That no matter what we are going through, He will cover us with his feathers and it is under His wings we will find refuge.

I truly believed what I wrote.  But still, after the attack, I found myself seeking answers about God, and pain. Sin and the fallen world we live in. In the next book I wrote, Vanishing Point, I tackled the question that we’ve probably all asked at one time. Where were you, God? I worked through this question in my own life as I was writing conversations between my characters who were responding to their own string of tragedies they were dealing with.

Here’s part of a conversation between. Detective Garrett Addison and Special Agent Jordan Lambert.

“We ask that question—where were you, God?—as if we’re surprised when evil surfaces. We ask it because we want to know why he didn’t show up and stop what happened. We wonder what’s wrong with our world when we watch the news and hear all the tragedies happening around us. We forget that we live in a fallen world. We forget that God gives us the freedom to make choices. We wouldn’t like it if he forced us to follow him. But that means we have to suffer the consequences of our bad choices as well as enjoy the consequences of our good ones. God doesn’t give us free will, then stand over us and fix everything. Does that make sense?”

“It does,” Garret said. “Think of all the times in the Bible when people cry out to God for something. They beg him to rescue them from their enemies or give them something they want. Sometimes God intervenes and steps in dramatically, but it seems like more often than not, he doesn’t.”

“Exactly. And what I’m realizing is that when he doesn’t intervene, it doesn’t mean he isn’t there. I think it means just the opposite. He decided not to just sweep down and fix our problems every time something goes wrong. Instead he chose to redeem us eternally by sending his Son.”

“Immanuel,” Garrett said, feeling a chill go through him. “God with us.”

“Yes. I have to believe that he’s here with us. That he understands what we’re going through and feels our pain far more than we do ourselves.”

“It’s hard for us to understand why a loving God would allow such horror to exist among his creation,” Garrett said. “It doesn’t make sense to us. But God’s intent was never a fallen world. That was man’s choice.”

“But even though he never promised us we wouldn’t feel pain, he did promise that we would never be alone.”

Tragedies like the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and Sandy Hook flipped through Garrett’s mind. The reality of a fallen world was clear. And yet like Jordan said, wasn’t God’s plan really a plan of redemption? Yes, he believed that God was capable of fixing our problems, but he chose instead to rescue and redeem humankind permanently.

“When we suffer a loss,” he said, trying to put his thoughts into words, “some people say that everything happens for a reason. But I don’t think there’s always necessarily a particular ‘reason’ for something to happen. Maybe the truth is that things happen because we live in a world where pain, death, and loss are all naturally a part of life. No one is immune.”

Jordan nodded. “But instead of believing that hardships are the norm, we say that we deserve being showered with God’s blessings. And yet Jesus told us that in this world we’d have many troubles. Sometimes we do experience God’s blessings, but he never promised us that everything would be perfect in this world.”

“Only in the redeemed world to come,” Garrett agreed.

“What he does promise is to walk with us through the bad times. As crazy as it seems, somehow, when bad things happen, we start to see God’s grace. We start to dig deeper. Sometimes it takes trauma to get someone searching for God.”   ~From Vanishing Point

Once again, my writing was therapeutic for me and something I hoped as I wrote it would minister to those who read the book. But there has still been something that has always bothered me. My family and I walked away from the attack on our family. We saw miracles that night, so many we made a list. We saw how things could have turned out so much worse. To this day anxiety that sometimes still lingers, but my family was okay. We were alive. And I was grateful.

There was a moment that night, though, when I didn’t know how things were going to end. When I ran around locking up the house after the robbers fled and didn’t know where my husband was. I remember as clearly as it was yesterday, sitting down in the hallway with my daughter, believing I was facing my new reality. Life without my husband. I was now a widow. They'd made threats and now they’d killed him. And at that moment, I truly believed he was gone.

Not long after that, he arrived back with the police. Little did I know that his leaving to get help was what saved us and scared them off. But what if God hadn’t saved him that day? Would I still be able to praise him? Would I still trust?

A scene from Daniel keeps repeating in my mind.

^“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.  But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18 NLT

Even if He doesn’t we will still serve You.

I suppose I’m a glutton for punishment, but I’m writing a book right now tentatively called Before You Leave Me. It’s centered around a man who loses his wife during a home invasion. I know. What was I thinking? But the spiritual thread of the story is one that dives into that very question. And it’s one I wanted—needed—to explore. What if God doesn’t say yes? What if He doesn’t heal my loved one? What if He doesn’t move mountains or save me from the fiery furnace?

Jesus said very clearly that we would have trouble in this world. Later Peter said: “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.”  I Peter 4:12-13

What if my husband had been killed that night of the attack? What would my response to that have been? Would I have blamed God? Left the mission field? Turned bitter? Honestly, I don’t know. I hope I wouldn’t have. I hope that I would have seen God even in the midst of my pain.

Here is what I do know.

He has promised to be our strength when we are weak, to give us hope when we are hopeless, and to love us when we feel unlovable. It’s never relying on our own strength to get us through difficult times, but leaning on the mighty arm of God and being continuously filled with His Spirit. Isaiah 41:10 says not to fear, because “I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

So what is my response today? Right at this moment. It might not be a crisis, but what about when I have to deal with a rude cashier at the store? A difficult boss or client? Someone who bullies my child, cheats me, or cuts me off in traffic? Like the song below, whether I'm facing tragedy or just a bad day, may my life be filled with His strength and mercy.

Never good-bye, just see you soon

It's hard to believe that our time in the US is over for now. We've been blessed to connect with so many wonderful people, including churches, friends, and family, literally all across the entire US. And we gained a daughter-in-law in the process who we already love like our own. I'm so grateful for the time spent together, and for the encouragement we received. God is so good!

We're packing up now, with the reality that our immediate family will be spread out and in four different time zones. Scott and I will be, for the most part (except for school breaks--already can't wait!) empty nesters! Yes, that's still sinking in. And yet for the most part, I feel at peace, though there are definitely those really tough moments as well!

But God has done so many amazing things these past few months and I know He's not done yet. So grateful for everyone who has hosted us, fed us, prayed with us, encouraged us, and simply loved us. Going home with a new excitement for our ministry despite the tears, and especially knowing it's not good-bye, just see you soon!

Next Up: Vanishing Point!

Hi all! I just put together a short video with an update on my very soon to be released, VANISHING POINT, plus a teaser about a fun giveaway that my wonderful publisher has put together. Giveaway will start Tuesday morning at midnight on my author FB page--release day. I'll post the link on my author page and here on Monday so you won't miss it! Happy reading!!

Universal buy link

Vanishing Point Release! from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #14

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you have just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through the 25 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 3 grand prizes!

• The hunt BEGINS with Stop #1 at Lisa Bergren's site.
• Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).
• There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt--you have all weekend (until Sunday, 10/22 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books.
• Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the clue on each author's scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at Stop #25. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

Lynne and I are so excited to be able to host our long-time friend Elizabeth Goddard. The three of us have been friends for years--since we were each starting out as writers. Here is a brief summary of Elizabeth's newest book Wilderness Reunion. 

MOVING TARGETS

After stumbling on a drug operation, Alice Wilde races through the woods as bullets whiz past, using her skills as a wilderness guide to elude her pursuers. But she doesn't stay safe for long once one of the armed men recognizes her...and starts stalking her. When the sheriff asks her to guide his men and photojournalist Griffin Slater--her ex-boyfriend--to the crime scene, though, she can't refuse. Alice knows Griffin's just there for a story, but after the two of them are separated from the rest of the group, he's the only person who can save her. And with someone willing to do anything to hunt them down, Alice must put aside their past if she wants to survive.

SETTING AS CHARACTER, by Elizabeth Goddard

Wilderness Reunion is the fourth and last book in my Wilderness, Inc. series set along the wild and scenic portion of the Rogue River in southwest Oregon. The epilogue tied up all the characters in the series and was great fun to write. I lived on the Rogue River for five years and spent time hiking trails and admiring the gorgeous scenery.

For me, it's all about the setting, which is almost always a character in my stories. When a location inspires me, I set my story there. Characters and plot come later.

In Wilderness Reunion, wilderness guide Alice Wilde is hiking public lands when she stumbles across an illegal marijuana crop guarded by armed men. She flees for her life. Though some might not believe this is a likely scenario, as I began researching and digging deeper, I was stunned to read just how dangerous public lands can be for forest visitors. Innocent hikers have been killed for coming across such a garden. Stakes are high when we're talking about significant money. What makes it worse is the destruction to the forest and wildlife. 

Knowing this danger exists in the forest shouldn't prevent you from hiking and enjoying God's creation, but always make sure you know what signs to look for. If you come across a marijuana grow the Forest Service advises: Be Quiet and Leave the Area Immediately!

Alice Wilde tried, but danger followed...

ELIZABETH GODDARD is a bestselling, award-winning author of more than thirty romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, The Camera Never Lies--a 2011 Carol Award winner. Four of her six Mountain Cove books have been contest finalists. Buried, Backfire and Deception are finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, and Submerged is a Carol Award finalist. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to home school her children and fulfill her dreams of writing full-time.

Here's the Stop #14 Skinny:

You can order Elizabeth's books online or at your local bookstore! 

Amazon
B&N
CBD
Harlequin

Clue to Write Down: eager
Link to Stop #15, the Next Stop on the Loop: Elizabeth Goddard's own site!

BUT WAIT! Before you go, Lynne and I are offering a fun prize from Africa! Coffee from Ethiopia and two soapstone candlesticks. (US addresses only) All you have to do is sign up to get both of our newsletters (top left of the page, yellow box) or note in a comment below that you are already a subscriber. Winner will be drawn at the close of the Scavenger Hunt.

Happy Hunting!!

Lisa and Lynne

(Fun prize from Africa is for US Addresses only. Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.)

Where are you, God?

It seems as if tragedy after tragedy continues to rock our world. This morning as I was watching the news about Las Vegas, I couldn’t help but be reminded about the night our family was held by gunpoint in our home last year and beat up. It brought up the question that I know people are asking today. Why? Why could God let something like this happen? Because every time tragedy, loss, and evil surfaces, so do the questions.

Sometimes when we ask--Where are you, God?--we ask it as if we are surprised about the evil we see. We wonder what’s wrong with our world when we watch constant news coverage of tragedies without any answers. We ask it because we want to know why God didn’t show up and stop what happened.

The truth is that sometimes God does intervene and dramatically steps in.

But sometimes he doesn’t.

As I began searching for myself after the attack, I was reminded that we live in a fallen world, and that God gives us the freedom to make choices. And what I begun to realize is that while most people wouldn’t like it if God forced us to follow him, we still want help when things go wrong. And here’s what really struck me. With freedom comes choice, but it also means we often have to suffer the consequences of bad choices—both ours and other peoples. God doesn’t give us free will, then stand over us and fix everything that goes wrong.

Maybe that sounds like a cliché, but for me, it struck a cord.

Because here’s the other thing I was reminded of. When God doesn’t intervene, it doesn’t mean he isn’t there. I think it means just the opposite. Because he decided not to just sweep down and fix our problems every time something goes wrong. Instead he chose to redeem us eternally by sending his Son.

Immanuel. God with us.

Tragedies like right now in Las Vegas and recently the hurricanes demonstrate the reality of a fallen world, and it’s pretty clear that none of us are immune from suffering. But God’s plan has always been a plan of redemption. While God is capable of fixing our problems, but He chose instead to rescue and redeem humankind permanently.

There are no easy, pat answers. Nothing that will fix what happened. But what He does promise is to walk with us through the bad times. As crazy as it seems, somehow, when bad things happen, we start to see God’s grace. We start to dig deeper. Often it takes trauma to get someone searching for God. And hard times give us compassion toward others, deeper love, and more courage.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NLT)

Behind the scenes with Lynne and Lisa

Things on my end have been a bit crazy (and thus quiet online) with one kiddo starting university and a second joining the Army and shipping off--all within three weeks! In all the craziness of life, Lynne and I managed to catch a few hours together and made some short, behind the scenes videos about Ghost Heart and writing together. Be sure and sign up here for our brand new YouTube channel and catch a new one each Friday!

Behind the Scenes Part 1 from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

Happy Release Day!

I'm so excited to be able to officially announce that today is the official release day for Ghost Heart! This has been such an incredible journey for Lynne and I as we wrote this book together, something we'd never done. But we are excited to finally be able to share this story with you. To learn more about behind the scenes, visit our Ghost Heart blog!

Ghost Heart Book Trailer from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.


                                             Amazon     Barnes & Noble      Itunes

Happy Release Day!

Destination. . .Italy!

I have absolutely loved the chance to write romantic suspense novels for Love Inspired Suspense, all set in international locations. So far, I've been able to write stories set in South Africa, Paris, islands off West Africa, the Sahara, and today, Fatal Cover-Up, set in Italy, officially releases today.

One of things I loved about writing this story was that I was able to do research in Italy. (Yes, I LOVE research!) Two years ago, on our way back to the US, our family stopped in Italy and visited Rome, Pisa, and Venice as part of my research for the book. Here's the set up for the story that's set primarily in Rome, Florence, and Venice.

Talia Morello moved to Rome for a fresh start—but instead finds herself at the center of a deadly art smuggling ring with everything to lose, including her life. Someone's dead set on retrieving three priceless paintings believed to have been stolen by Talia's late husband. And when his unsolved murder is linked to the bullet that killed FBI agent Joe Bryant's brother during a museum heist, Joe is determined to find out all of Talia's secrets. When she denies any involvement, Joe's gut and heart tell him to trust her. But with the target on Talia's back only growing, there may not be time to uncover the whole truth and save the woman he's falling for…

I've been going through our photos from the trip and thought I would like share some of my favorites with you. And BTW, if you enjoy the international suspense, watch for my next book with LIS will be set in Amsterdam and releases in January, and I'm currently working on Brazil. . .Rio and the Amazon!

ROME

PISA

VENICE

Happy reading!!

Lisa

Brand New Medical Thriller

So much has been happening the past few months that my blog has been completely neglected. We weathered the cyclone that hit in February, but are still involved in community clean up. Right now the priority is several schools that still need roofs. Thanks to those who gave so generously to the ECHO Project, we are moving ahead and doing the necessary repairs. On top of that my wonderful daughter finally finishes her last exam for her senior year--today, actually. Hard to believe I will have two college age kiddos.

Another huge project I've undertaken is going Indie with one of my books. In June, 2008 the Dallas Morning News carried a story on the atrocities committed against albinos in Tanzania. The picture of a terrified albino caught Lynne's attention. As she read about the horrors these fragile people face, she couldn’t believe that such evil existed in the world. She contacted me and asked if I could find out if the genocide of albinos was being carried out simply because of the difference in the color of their skin.

To be honest, until Lynne wrote to me about the article she’d read, I’d never heard of these barbaric crimes. But after doing some further research, I discovered that what she’d read was true. Once we learned that the witch doctors use the pale skin and hair of these fragile people to make good luck charms and potions, we knew we had to tell their story.

The writing--and recently rewriting--of this book has been a long journey, but we believe the timing for its release is perfect. Because while we live in a fallen world, we believe it is possible to bring light into the darkness. The journey of these characters challenged us, comforted us, and pushed us to live life more courageously. But most of all, writing this story opened our hearts to wanting to do our part to create a world that loves no matter what the color of our skin, education, financial status, or nationality. And reminded us that God's light truly does shine, even in the darkest places. We pray this story will do the same for each person who reads it.

I'm excited to announce the the book is up for pre-order as an ebook on Kindle. The book will be officially on sale August 1st on all other platforms including paperback.

Chapter One from Pursued

With today being the official release date of Pursued, book three in the Nikki Boyd Files, I thought it would be the perfect time to share at the first chapter! Happy reading!!

11:24 a.m., Tuesday
Flight 1545 from Houston to Nashville

Nikki Boyd grabbed the armrest of the aisle seat as the plane hit another air pocket and the fasten seat belt light flickered on above row 29 on the Airbus. Her stomach lurched at the sensation, rattling her nerves like it had throughout the past hour of the ight.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has just turned on the seat belt sign again. We need all passengers to return to their seats immediately and ensure that your seat belt is on.”

Nikki frowned, not amused with the fight attendant’s sing- song voice making it sound as if they were on a ride at an amusement park instead of thirty thousand feet above the ground, flying on the edges of a storm. She tugged on the end of her seat belt, then glanced out the window, where rain slashed against the pane and streaks of lightning ashed in the distance. Flying on a commercial airline across the country should be a piece of cake compared to her day job, where risking her life had become routine. If one could ever call risking one’s life routine.

Shooting up another prayer that they’d make it to Nashville safely, she let go of the armrest and slid out the photo of Tyler Grant tucked away in the pocket of the e-reader in her lap. She willed herself to relax. If she were honest, the constant turbulence over the past hour wasn’t the only thing that had her stomach tied up in knots. Even more nerve-wracking than the bumpy ight was the fact that Tyler would be waiting for her once they touched down. 

The plane dipped again, rattling her tray table. The twenty-something brunette sitting in the middle seat beside her snapped shut the book she’d had her nose buried in most of the trip and gripped both armrests. “I thought reading would distract me, but even that’s not helping anymore.”

“You okay?” Nikki asked as the other woman grabbed a couple pills from her purse and washed them down with a half-empty bottle of water.

“I will be once we land.” She shoved the bottle back into the seat pocket. “The next time I have to make this trip, though, I’m going to drive.”

“Hopefully we’ll be through this turbulence soon,” Nikki said, catching a flicker of fear in the woman’s brown eyes. “But I’m sure we’ll be ne. I’ve always heard flying is safer than driving.”

“Maybe, but a lot can go wrong at thirty thousand feet.” She clutched the book between her fingers until her knuckles turned white. “Sorry. It’s just that I was nervous about this trip before I stepped on the plane. Add a turbulent flight and I feel like my heart’s about to burst out of my chest.”

Nikki nodded, wondering how the man sitting next to the window with the military haircut had managed to sleep through the entire nerve-wracking ight without noticing the light display across the darkening skyline outside his window. She icked the edge of Tyler’s photo with the edge of her ngernail, completely understanding the woman’s unease. She wasn’t the only one trying to get her nerves in check.

“Boyfriend? Husband?” the woman said, then shot her an apologetic look. “I know it’s none of my business, but he’s gorgeous.”

Nikki chuckled at the description, but as far as she was concerned, the woman was right. She’d taken the photo of him three months ago, right before Tyler had left for Liberia. As former military, he still wore his hair short. Add to that a five-o’clock shadow and those familiar brown eyes that could always see straight through her, and yeah . . . he was definitely gorgeous.

“He’s . . .” Nikki paused, trying to find a logical response to the question. “Honestly, I’m not sure what to call him. It’s a long story, actually. And a bit complicated.”

Nikki slipped the photo back into the e-reader. She never talked about her personal life with strangers. Or her job and certainly not her relationships. And talking about Tyler was definitely personal. Three months ago, he’d left for Liberia to work with the State Department in an effort to help improve regional stability. That and to gure out how to deal with life as a single dad and widower. But before he left, he’d asked her to wait for him. Something she was still half certain she’d dreamed up. Because not very long ago she would have laughed at the idea of falling in love with her best friend’s husband. Then somehow over the past few months, everything had changed.

“I’ve got time for complicated.” The other woman grinned. “Because by the look in your eyes, I’m thinking you’re already smitten.”

“You can tell that by my eyes?” No. Nikki wasn’t ready to believe that she was actually that far gone.
“Definitely. I’ve always been told I’m perceptive. When it comes to other people’s relationships anyway. My own perceptions of men usually leave something to be desired.”

Nikki laughed, still not ready to admit the woman was right. “For now, he’s just a friend. Well, maybe a bit more than a friend. He’s been overseas the past three months, so we’ve never even been on an official date. I’ve been waiting for him to come back so we can figure things out.”

Three months in Liberia had been the perfect combination of time away to figure out his new role in life, as well as giving him the extra experience he needed that would allow him a foothold into a new career path here in the US.

Nikki’s finger ran along the edge of his photo. And time for him to decide if he was ready to start a new relationship after losing Katie. Something she knew she couldn’t do for him. What she hoped, though, was that after being away for so long, he’d discovered there was a place for her—full time—in his life.

The woman beside her glanced down at the book she’d been reading.“Sounds far more romantic than this story. So no wedding plans yet?”

“Wedding plans?” Nikki felt a blush creep across her face at the personal question. No. They definitely weren’t at that stage. Not that she hadn’t thought about it. When that day did come, she knew her mother would try to talk her only daughter into a large, catered reception in some swanky Nashville hotel ballroom, but all she wanted was a small wedding and reception at her church with family and a few close friends. She brushed away the thought. “No. A wedding—even if it does happen—won’t be for a long, long time.”

The plane hit another pocket of turbulence, rattling the carts in the galley behind them.

Nikki glanced out the window at the darkening sky, wondering if the bad weather was going to follow them all the way to Nashville. The problem was, talking about Tyler was not only personal, it was still new. Something she preferred to think about while she was by herself. And while her mother had a habit of trying to set her up with men she believed to be perfect marriage material, Nikki hadn’t even told anyone in her family about her relationship with Tyler. Which was why saying it out loud made it feel real.

While he’d been in Liberia, they’d stayed connected via Skype and texts. And while they hadn’t exactly skirted around the subject of their relationship, it wasn’t the same as the two of them sitting down face-to-face and exploring their feelings. But she hadn’t minded. Building a relationship that went beyond friendship was going to take time, something she was willing to take. Tyler had gone from being her best friend’s husband, to a grieving widower, to the man who’d managed to completely steal her heart. Completely unplanned. Completely unexpected. And yet she knew for herself, anyway, there was no turning back to just the friendship they’d had for so many years.

She really had no idea what the future held. The only thing she did know was that whatever did happen, she wanted to spend that future with him. But getting to that point—for both of them—wasn’t going to be easy.
If she closed her eyes for a moment, she could feel the lingering kiss he’d given her at the airport the day he’d told her goodbye. Their first kiss had left her breathless and promising she’d wait for him. But the waiting had been harder than she’d expected.

“Is he going to be there to pick you up?” The woman’s ques- tion pulled her out of her thoughts.

Nikki glanced at her watch and nodded as another wave of anticipation uttered through her. She’d been counting down the weeks to his return. Then the days. Then the hours. And now she could finally count the minutes. They’d land in twenty. In another ten or so she’d be at the baggage claim, where he’d promised to meet her. His scheduled return hadn’t exactly meshed with hers. He arrived back in Nashville three days ago. Four days after she’d left for a week of required training in Houston. On the positive side, she knew it had given him time to connect again with his son, Liam, leaving her out of the mix. But that hadn’t taken away her longing to be there with him. With both of them.

“What about you?” Nikki asked, ready to change the subject. “Going to visit family?”

“Now, that’s a long story,” she said with a laugh. “I lived in Nashville for a long time, then moved to Houston because of a guy. I’m coming back to see some old friends and take care of some business.” She glanced at the man next to her, but he was still asleep and wasn’t paying attention to either of them. “Your relationship sounds so romantic. Mine on the other hand . . . well . . . it’s been pretty turbulent.”

Nikki wasn’t sure what to read into the statement. An abusive boyfriend? Cheating spouse?


“Relationships can be complicated sometimes,” Nikki said. Tyler had told her their relationship didn’t have to be complicated, but she still wasn’t sure that was possible.

“Though I am looking forward to one thing while I’m there,” the woman continued. “I’m a bit of a country music fan. I never miss a chance to go to at least a concert or two when I’m in town.”

Nikki smiled, not minding the conversation, but glad the subject had finally shifted away from Tyler. “My brother’s one of the hundreds of aspiring musicians, so I go listen to him play from time to time.”

The plane dipped again, shuddering from side to side.

“I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.” The woman’s face paled as she turned to look out the window. “And on top of that, they booked me in a middle seat. I hate the middle seat.” She leaned over to slide her book into her bag, then groaned as her watch snagged on her red cardigan and dropped into her lap. “Can you believe I just had the clasp fixed?”

Nikki looked at the beautiful detail on the watch. “It’s lovely.” 

“Thanks—it was my mother’s, and—”

A deafening explosion rocked the back of the plane before the woman could finish. Nikki’s stomach heaved as the plane dropped several hundred feet. She glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of the forested ground below. This wasn’t normal turbulence. Something was very wrong.

“This is the pilot speaking. I need everyone to stay calm and brace for impact. We’re expecting a rough landing.”

A coffeepot smashed to the floor as the plane made a sharp descent. Someone screamed behind her. Nikki glanced at her seatmate’s terrified expression as she leaned forward and braced herself on the seat in front of her. The man at the end of the row was now wide awake as the plane plummeted toward the ground. Her mind spun, unable to focus. So this was what it was like to die? To watch her life flash before her during these final seconds? Her parents, her sister, Tyler . . .

Her body strained against the seat belt. Funny how she’d accepted years ago that the possibility of dying in the line of duty was high, but this way—a plane crash—this was never what she’d imagined. And why was it that all of a sudden she felt like so many things had been left undone? So many things she wanted to tell her family. Instead, all that was left was a fleeting kaleidoscope of memories of people she loved. Random thoughts of things she wanted to say to her family and friends.

Like how her parents had already lost her sister. How were they going to survive the loss of another child?
And then there was Tyler—

I’m not ready to die, God. Not yet.

Nikki held her breath as the ground rose up to meet them. Instead of panicked screams, the passengers around her seemed lost in a state of confusion. As if the reality of what was happening had yet to fully sink in. The feeling of weightlessness washed over her as gravity seemed to disappear completely, and the landscape appeared beside them in the window. Then for a few brief seconds after impact there was only silence. 

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