one of them.
“Yes, Dad,” she finally answered, in just as soft a voice as his. “I’ll let you be the one to tell her … unless I witness something like it again. Then I’ll be the one to tell her, no matter what.”
Charles Dunbar nodded quietly before crossing the room. Before opening the door, he turned to his daughter. “I know I’ve hurt you deeply and have let you down, and for that I’m truly sorry,” he said in a broken voice.
Tears slid down Sage’s cheeks as she gazed into her father’s crumpled and tormented face. “Yes, I’m sorry for that, too, Dad.”
He shook his head. “I just hope and pray to God that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me and let me redeem myself in your sight. You are my daughter, and I love you very much.”
Without saying anything else, he stepped out into the hallway and gently closed the door behind him.
The next day Sage returned to work. She was reviewing the document she had just completed, a
Request for Transfer
form. The three locations she had chosen were Florida, Texas and Alaska. Mr. Poole had informed her that morning that due totheir exclusive contract with Landmark Industries and the future projects he had planned for Anchorage, a decision had been made to open an office in Anchorage. Although Sage much preferred relocating to Florida or Texas, at the moment she would be grateful for either of the three.
She looked up, surprised, when her secretary walked in carrying a huge vase containing a dozen red roses.
“These are for you, Ms. Dunbar,” the older woman said, placing them on her desk.
Sage thanked her, knowing word would probably get around the office about the flowers. A number of people were curious as to why she was no longer wearing her engagement ring. She’d been surprised that anyone would even notice, which went to show just how observant some people were.
She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The flowers were from Erol, and the card read,
I hope you’ll soon realize that you and I were meant to be together and find it in your heart to forgive me for what I did.
Love Always,
Erol
Sage stood and walked over to the window, carrying the card with her. She reread it a second time, then closed her eyes, briefly wondering if she would ever be able to find it in her heart to forgive Erol. She also thought of her father. Would she ever find it in her heart to forgive him as well for what he’d done to her mother? For what he’d done to their special father-daughter relationship? And now what about her feelings toward men ingeneral after the two most important men in her life had violated her trust this way? She would definitely find it difficult to let another man get close to her again.
Walking back to her desk, she glanced down at the transfer papers she had completed. She swallowed as she tried to calm her tormented heart. At the moment, she felt incapable of putting the past behind her and moving on … at least not here in Charlotte.
She had thought things through and had prayed about it. She needed to leave town, and whatever place Denmark sent her, she would make the best of it.
Having made her decision, she placed the card aside.
PART TWO
I am radiant in joy because of your mercy, for you have listened to my troubles and have seen the crisis in my soul.
—Psalms 31:7
CHAPTER EIGHT
Anchorage, Alaska
Four months later
T he storm that had threatened to erupt all day finally broke, sending sheets of ice particles pounding down on everything in its path.
Gabe Blackwell stood by the window and watched the turbulent downpour, glad he had returned from his five-day fishing trip to the Kenai River before the torrential rain had broken free.
Moving away from the window, he crossed the room to the fireplace, thankful for the heat it generated. Sitting down on the sofa, he held a mug of the hot chocolate he had prepared earlier, laced with brandy to ward off the January chill. He took a sip and glanced
“Yes, Dad,” she finally answered, in just as soft a voice as his. “I’ll let you be the one to tell her … unless I witness something like it again. Then I’ll be the one to tell her, no matter what.”
Charles Dunbar nodded quietly before crossing the room. Before opening the door, he turned to his daughter. “I know I’ve hurt you deeply and have let you down, and for that I’m truly sorry,” he said in a broken voice.
Tears slid down Sage’s cheeks as she gazed into her father’s crumpled and tormented face. “Yes, I’m sorry for that, too, Dad.”
He shook his head. “I just hope and pray to God that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me and let me redeem myself in your sight. You are my daughter, and I love you very much.”
Without saying anything else, he stepped out into the hallway and gently closed the door behind him.
The next day Sage returned to work. She was reviewing the document she had just completed, a
Request for Transfer
form. The three locations she had chosen were Florida, Texas and Alaska. Mr. Poole had informed her that morning that due totheir exclusive contract with Landmark Industries and the future projects he had planned for Anchorage, a decision had been made to open an office in Anchorage. Although Sage much preferred relocating to Florida or Texas, at the moment she would be grateful for either of the three.
She looked up, surprised, when her secretary walked in carrying a huge vase containing a dozen red roses.
“These are for you, Ms. Dunbar,” the older woman said, placing them on her desk.
Sage thanked her, knowing word would probably get around the office about the flowers. A number of people were curious as to why she was no longer wearing her engagement ring. She’d been surprised that anyone would even notice, which went to show just how observant some people were.
She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The flowers were from Erol, and the card read,
I hope you’ll soon realize that you and I were meant to be together and find it in your heart to forgive me for what I did.
Love Always,
Erol
Sage stood and walked over to the window, carrying the card with her. She reread it a second time, then closed her eyes, briefly wondering if she would ever be able to find it in her heart to forgive Erol. She also thought of her father. Would she ever find it in her heart to forgive him as well for what he’d done to her mother? For what he’d done to their special father-daughter relationship? And now what about her feelings toward men ingeneral after the two most important men in her life had violated her trust this way? She would definitely find it difficult to let another man get close to her again.
Walking back to her desk, she glanced down at the transfer papers she had completed. She swallowed as she tried to calm her tormented heart. At the moment, she felt incapable of putting the past behind her and moving on … at least not here in Charlotte.
She had thought things through and had prayed about it. She needed to leave town, and whatever place Denmark sent her, she would make the best of it.
Having made her decision, she placed the card aside.
PART TWO
I am radiant in joy because of your mercy, for you have listened to my troubles and have seen the crisis in my soul.
—Psalms 31:7
CHAPTER EIGHT
Anchorage, Alaska
Four months later
T he storm that had threatened to erupt all day finally broke, sending sheets of ice particles pounding down on everything in its path.
Gabe Blackwell stood by the window and watched the turbulent downpour, glad he had returned from his five-day fishing trip to the Kenai River before the torrential rain had broken free.
Moving away from the window, he crossed the room to the fireplace, thankful for the heat it generated. Sitting down on the sofa, he held a mug of the hot chocolate he had prepared earlier, laced with brandy to ward off the January chill. He took a sip and glanced
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