The Replacement Wife by Tiffany L. Warren

can afford. I scraped my way through school, but it was the best thing ever. You don’t just go to college to get a job. You go to discover who you are.”
    â€œI know who I am,” Deirdre said. “I’m a trust-fund brat.”
    Montana tilted the girl’s chin upward and smiled at her. “You’re more than that! God’s called you to do something.”
    â€œGod doesn’t care about me. If He did, my mother would still be here.”
    Montana’s heart ached for Deirdre. “I felt that way when I lost my mother, but I hope someday you’ll feel differently.”
    â€œWhatever,” Deirdre said, slowly rising to her feet. “I’m going to bed. My walk has tired me out.”
    â€œWell, don’t you want to know anything about me?”
    â€œNah. You’re the one trying to be friends. Not me.”
    Montana sighed as Deirdre hopped out of the kitchen. Quentin wasn’t the only one in the Chambers family who needed healing. Montana might have to leave his wounds to Chloe, but she would see to it that Deidre got healed.

CHAPTER 14
    Q uentin was having a rough morning. The previous night’s storm had interrupted his sleep multiple times, and his alarm clock was annoying him with its incessant buzzing. When he finally did get out of bed, he stubbed his big toe on the corner of his solid oak armoire, sending ripples of pain through his foot and profanities through the air.
    The last thing Quentin needed this morning was excitement. He just wanted to have his protein shake and go to Transitions for a while.
    He looked all over his bedroom for his cell phone and couldn’t find it. Then he remembered; he’d left it in his office the night before on purpose. He hadn’t felt like talking to Chloe, so if she’d called he could truthfully say he’d missed it.
    Quentin stepped inside his office to take his phone off the desk and noticed a pretty bouquet of flowers. As grumpy as he felt, the blossoms made him smile. It was a pleasant surprise, and he wasn’t used to getting those very often.
    Now in a better mood than when he rolled out of bed, Quentin went downstairs to make his protein shake. It was his normal breakfast, along with some fruit. He ate healthy during the week, for the most part, and let loose on the weekend. It was how he’d avoided that middle-age gut some of his friends had acquired.
    As he neared the kitchen, Quentin’s senses noticed two things. Noise—a lot of it. And the scents of cinnamon and vanilla. All of a sudden that protein shake was incredibly unappetizing.
    When he heard the children’s voices, Quentin expected his mother to be in the kitchen with them, but instead it was Montana. Four of his children, all except Deirdre, were hanging out in the kitchen with Montana while she flipped French toast on the griddle.
    Quentin also noticed the vases on the countertops and on the table, filled with vibrant fresh flowers. But as stunning as those flowers were, they didn’t come close to outshining Montana’s beauty. She was wearing sweats, and her big hair was pulled into a high ponytail. The sight of her caught Quentin completely off guard.
    There was something about her—a glow. Something that radiated from inside. Maybe she was just a happy person. No, Quentin thought, it’s more than that. It looked as if she’d never been sad. It was a quality most people lost when they experienced a heartbreak or suffered a loss.
    The children were playing a game of charades with Montana, and they were laughing and keeping up such a racket that they hadn’t noticed Quentin in the doorway. He quietly observed them from his post and enjoyed the fun.
    Danielle was the first to notice Quentin. She ran over and hugged his waist. “Daddy! Are you hungry? Ms. Montana made French toast. I told her it was your favorite.”
    â€œGood morning, Mr. Chambers. I hope we didn’t wake