Second Chance Sweethearts (Love Inspired) by Kristen Ethridge Page A

and Papí’s daughter.
    They’d put a bunch of food in coolers loaded with dry ice before the storm. Then the next day, as crews worked to restore the power, they’d showed love for their community in the best way they knew how—a hot meal. They’d only settled in Port Provident a few years earlier and wanted to support the rebuilding of the place that had allowed them to rebuild their own lives after coming from Mexico.
    “I remember when they did that. Your mother has a heart as big as the sky. And your
papí
has never met a stranger.” Inez opened the door. “Now, come on. It’s going to take the strength of everyone working together to bring back Port Provident.”
    Strength. There was that word again.
    Gloria was beginning to think maybe it wasn’t just a verbal coincidence anymore.
    But why? Why now?
    * * *
    A small crowd of about twenty people stood on the lawn of La Iglesia de la Luz del Mundo. In English, the name meant The Light of the World Church, and it had been a staple in Gloria’s community for several generations. Gloria could make out Pastor Marco Ruiz at the center of the small group. He was waving his hands animatedly, just as he did every Sunday in the pulpit.
    What would he do now? It looked like the church had been hit pretty hard. The landscape had been ripped up and a patchwork of holes showed where shingles on the roof used to be. Based on her observations at Inez’s house and inside her own home, if it was this beat up on the outside, Gloria knew the church had to have taken a knockout punch on the inside.
    “Inez, Gloria! Praise God. You’re safe.” Pastor Ruiz navigated around a few of his parishioners and came to give both women a tight hug.
    “Pastor. It’s so good to see you. I knew the church members who’d stayed would be gathering here, so Gloria and I came to join you.” Inez patted him on the shoulder, then walked over to the group. Gloria recognized several faces from the Bible study group Inez shared with her mother.
    Thinking of her mother made Gloria’s heart ache a little bit. Although she was thankful the rest of her family had evacuated safely to San Antonio, the Garcias were rarely apart. Not knowing when her parents and Gracie and Jake and their new baby, Gabriela, would be able to return to Port Provident only increased the sense of loneliness Gloria had felt since she’d stepped in her home earlier today.
    Her memories were gone, and for the time being, her family was, too.
    “Gloria, come on over. We have drinks and crackers.” Monica Hernandez reached into a cooler and pulled out a plastic bottle filled with purple liquid. Normally, Gloria tried to drink only water and the occasional iced tea, but this second sports drink of the day seemed as good to her as a ritzy sparkling water poured over ice with a fancy lemon twist. It looked divine, and she took it gratefully, gulping it down in just a few swallows after she ate a handful of trail mix and saltine crackers.
    It wasn’t quite the steak she’d shared with the lifeguards earlier, but it settled her mildly rumbling tummy, and it was nice to be surrounded by familiar faces.
    “Have you heard from your sister?” Monica asked.
    Gloria picked up another small bag of trail mix from the table nearby. “She and the baby and Jake were headed to San Antonio with Mamí and Papí when I last talked to them.”
    Pastor Ruiz turned and joined the conversation. “That Gabriela is
muy bella
! Such a beautiful girl. I’m glad they’re all safe. Jake’s family will be busy once the rebuilding starts. There are a lot of houses and buildings that will need to be brought back to life. I’m sure the Peoples Family Foundation, where Jake works, will be active with grants and other programs, too. Maybe I can talk to him about helping us here. From what I saw around the neighborhood, the residents of the La Misión area are going to need a lot of help. And La Iglesia...”
    The pastor waved his hand in the direction