Triumphant Love: A Christian Romance (The True Love Series Book 4) Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Foreward

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  TRIUMPHANT LOVE

  The True Love Series

  Book 4

  Juliette Duncan

  Cover Design by http://www.StunningBookCovers.com

  Copyright © 2017 Juliette Duncan

  All rights reserved

  TRIUMPHANT LOVE is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination or are used for fictional purposes. Any mentioned brand names, places, and trade marks remain the property of their respective owners, bear no association with the the author, and are used for fictional purposes only.

  THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

  Foreward

  Note from the Author:

  HELLO! Thank you for choosing to read this book - I hope you enjoy it! As a thank you, I'd like to offer you a FREE GIFT. That's right - my FREE novella, “Hank and Sarah - A Love Story” is available exclusively to my newsletter subscribers. Click here to claim your copy now and to be notified of my future book releases. I hope you enjoy both books! Have a wonderful day!

  Juliette

  Chapter 1

  Hunters Hollow, Montana

  Jayden was stocking shelves when a flash of red caught his eye. Angie! He smiled to himself. This was a bonus—he hadn’t expected to see her until the weekend. He jumped off the ladder and wiped his hands on a rag and waited for her to reach him. The last few weeks had been amazing. His heart beat faster every time he thought about their first kiss, and he still couldn’t believe that Angie Morgan had agreed to be his girlfriend. Her red hair and green eyes were the last thing he thought about before going to sleep every night, and the first thing on his mind every morning. He couldn’t get her out of his head. He didn’t want to.

  And now here she was, but something wasn't right. She didn't look herself, her eyes weren't sparkling and there was a trace of sadness to her usually happy face. What was wrong? Surely she wasn’t about to break up with him? Everything had been going so well.

  “Angie, nice to see you.” He tried not to sound worried.

  “Hey Jayden.” Her voice had lost its spark.

  “Didn’t expect to see you today.” He shoved his hands in his pockets.

  “Can you take a break?”

  Jayden’s heart raced. Something was wrong. He checked the time. Five minutes until lunch break. Charmian would let him go early. “Sure.”

  Jayden followed Angie to a quiet café in the mall. He’d brought his own lunch to work, so he just ordered a soda. Angie ordered the same. She sat opposite him, fiddling with her straw. He hadn’t dared ask why she wanted to see him, but he had a strong feeling she didn’t want to go out with him anymore. It puzzled him, because just last Sunday he’d gone to church with her for the first time, and she’d held his hand right through the service. And her parents had accepted him. Well, he thought they had. So what had changed?

  “Jayden, I need to tell you something before you hear it from someone else.”

  Jayden’s head jerked up. Did she have another boyfriend? Was she sick? “Hear what, Ange?” He gulped.

  She held his gaze; her bottom lip quivered slightly.

  He reached out and took her hand. “Tell me, Angie. I can take it.” I can’t, but I need to know.

  She let out the smallest chuckle. “Oh Jayden. It’s not you. It’s… it’s Jessica.” Her body stiffened as her expression sobered even further. “She’s…she’s pregnant.”

  Jayden straightened. “Pregnant? Your sister?”

  Angie leaned forward and held her finger to her lips. “Shh..”

  “Sorry.” Jayden lowered his voice and glanced around. “She can’t be.”

  Angie let out a heavy sigh. “She is. And the whole town’s about to know.”

  “Can’t she do something about it?”

  Angie pulled back. “Jayden! How could you ask such a question?”

  Yes, how could he? Of course Angie’s parents wouldn’t even hear of it. “Sorry Angie. That was dumb.”

  “School starts next Monday, and Dad’s making an announcement at the school staff meeting today, so word’s going to get around real quick.”

  Jayden’s forehead puckered. “Why would he do that? Surely he’d want to keep it quiet.”

  “That’s what I thought, but he said it’s better they find out from him than hear it as gossip.”

  Jayden shook his head. Amazing. If it was him, he’d probably want to keep it quiet as long as he could.

  “How is she? And what about her boyfriend and his parents?”

  Angie began fiddling with her straw again. “Oh, Blake’s parents are livid. They’ve disowned him. Mom and Dad have taken him in until he goes off to College at the end of the week.”

  Jayden sat back in his chair. “Wow, I can’t imagine my dad doing that. He’d probably be like Blake’s dad and kick me out.”

  “No he wouldn’t, not from what you’ve told me about him.”

  Jayden shrugged. “Maybe.” The letter he’d got from Dad last week had almost made him pack up and catch the next flight home. He probably would have, if it hadn’t been for Angie.

  Jayden sipped his soda. “A baby, huh?”

  Angie’s eyes misted over.

  Jayden sighed. Why’d he say that? “I’m sorry, Angie. It must be hard on all of you.”

  She sniffed and nodded. “I just feel so sorry for Jess.” Angie’s body shuddered as tears rolled down her cheeks. “And finishing school's going to be hard.”

  “She’ll keep going for a while, won’t she?”

  Angie nodded. “As long as she can. And after that, she can study online.”

  “And your parents are being really good about it?”

  A soft smile grew on her face. “Yes, they’ve been amazing.”

  “You’re very lucky to have parents like that.”

  “I know. Most parents would have got really angry. They’re sad, but they’re okay.”

  Jayden finished his drink and checked the time. “I need to get back to work, Angie, but can we catch up sometime soon?”

  “Yes, I’d like that.” She picked up her purse and then angled her head. “Come to Bible Study with me tomorrow night? We could hang out afterwards…”

  Jayden let out a resigned sigh. Angie had been asking him to go with her every week since they’d started dating, but he’d always had an excuse. Now he couldn’t think of any. “I guess I’ll have to come this time. You win.”

  “Great, I’ll pick you up at six.”

  Jayden stood, taking Angie’s hand as they walked out of the café. Once outside, he turned and smiled at her. “I’ll look forward to it, Angie.”

  She returned his smile, and stretching up, popped a quick kiss on his cheek. “And so will I.”

  Jayden returned to the
store, lost in thought. Jessica Morgan, pregnant? Unbelievable. He shook his head and returned to the shelves he’d left half stocked. The Morgan girls were known as good girls around town. This was going to make tongues wag. Good girls didn’t get pregnant, did they? She probably wouldn’t go to Bible Study tomorrow night. Just as well—he wouldn’t know what to say to her.

  Chapter 2

  Bethany Morgan adjusted her husband’s collar the following morning as he prepared to leave for the staff meeting. “Are you sure you want to do this, Robert?”

  Robert placed his hands on her shoulders and gazed down at her. “No, Beth, I don’t want to, but it’s the right thing to do.”

  She drew in a breath and sighed. “I know. I just wish this wasn’t happening; I can already hear the gossip that will go round town.”

  Robert drew her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “It’s going to be all right, Beth. We’ll weather this storm. I agree it’d be better if it hadn’t happened, but it has, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

  Tears pricked Bethany’s eyes. Robert was right, there was nothing they could do about it. Their daughter was pregnant, and abortion was out of the question. They just had to face the music and be strong for Jessica’s sake. “I’ll be praying for you, Robert.”

  Robert released her from his embrace and held her at arm’s length. “I know you will, Beth. Thank you.”

  Bethany stood on the porch of their sprawling home and waved as he drove down the driveway. “God be with you, Robert.”

  “Is Dad really telling everyone today?” Jessica sat at the kitchen table with her arms crossed and a sullen expression on her face. Her eyes, tinged with red, were fixed on Bethany. Beside her, Blake fiddled with his phone. Angie sat opposite, leaning back in her seat, her hands wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate, and fourteen-year-old Simon watched television in the family room to the side.

  Bethany’s heart went out to her daughter—Jessica’s anger was totally understandable. Until a few days’ ago, only two others knew her secret; Angela and Blake. After today, all of Hunters Hollow would know. Well, not quite, but that’s what Jessica had said last night when Robert told her what he was planning, and she probably wasn’t far from wrong.

  Jessica slid further down in her seat. “I may as well be dead.”

  Bethany sighed. Dear God, please help me. She slipped into the seat beside Jessica and put her arm lightly on Jessica’s shoulder. “It’s not as bad as that, Jess. It’s better this way, you know it is. Everyone would know about it soon, anyway. At least this way, people can see we’re supporting you.”

  A lump formed in Bethany’s throat. All night her heart had been heavy as she imagined what it might be like for them all in the days, weeks and months ahead. It was all too raw, too fresh, too vivid, but it was happening, and she and Robert had to be strong and support Jessica. They had to handle the embarrassment of having a pregnant teenage daughter, knowing people would judge them. But how much worse for Jess and Blake? If they hadn’t been held in such high esteem by their peers and teachers, no one would have blinked an eye.

  Tears streamed down Jessica’s cheeks.

  Bethany hugged her. “It’ll be okay, sweet pea. We’re here for you.” She gazed over Jessica’s head. Blake was still fiddling with his phone. Bethany bit her lip. She and Robert were more than happy to offer him a home until he went to college, but he hadn’t seemed quite as contrite as they would have expected. They’d give him the benefit of the doubt for now—he was most likely still trying to come to terms with it all himself, but they hoped he’d soon understand the enormity of the situation.

  Blake must have felt Bethany’s eyes on him, as he put his phone down and straightened. When Bethany released her hold on Jessica, Blake took Jessica’s hand. Jessica turned and leaned against him.

  Bethany stood and rubbed her hands. “Okay, we’ve spent enough time talking, we need to get some jobs done.”

  Three pairs of eyes stared at her.

  “Don’t look at me like that. Being busy will help pass the time.” Bethany glanced round the table. “Or you can go and clean out the cow shed if you’d prefer.”

  “Mom…” Angie rolled her eyes. “You win. Tell us what you want us to do.”

  For the rest of the day, Bethany kept her three children and Blake busy with jobs. Music she normally wouldn’t listen to blared through the house, but at least it was Christian music, or so they said. She couldn’t tell. Teenagers. The only reprieve was when Angie sat at the piano and practiced her exam pieces.

  The day passed and Robert finally arrived home around four o’clock. Bethany waited outside on the porch as he lumbered towards her. He gave her a tired smile and wrapped his arms around her. They remained in silence for several moments. Inside, music still sounded from the upstairs’ rooms, but outside, the sounds of the ranch filled Bethany’s ears. Robert’s brother, John, and his wife, Mary, lived nearby. John looked after the ranch which had been in the family for generations. He must be out in the fields, as a tractor rumbled in the distance. Fall had come early, and they’d need to harvest all the hay they could before the first snow fell.

  Bethany inhaled slowly. She’d stay in Robert’s arms all day if she could, cocooned from the world and all its problems, but that wasn’t the way to deal with things. She slowly pulled away and lifted her eyes. “How did it go?”

  Robert held her gaze. “Amazingly well. They appreciated me being upfront, but there’s no saying what the students will think when they find out.”

  “Oh Robert, how’s she going to cope?” Bethany gazed into Robert’s clear blue eyes, searching for an answer.

  “She’ll be fine, Beth, don’t you worry. She’s stronger than you think.”

  “But it’s going to be so hard for her.”

  Robert ran his hand lightly down her cheek. “It’s not ideal, but it’s not the end of the world. Everyone makes mistakes, Beth, just hers is obvious. Or soon will be.”

  “In the olden days she would have been sent off to a home for unwed mothers.”

  “I guess she would have.” Robert placed his arm on Bethany’s shoulder as they walked slowly towards the front door. He paused and faced her. “I also dropped in at the church on the way home and told Graham. Thought he should know, with Bible Study on tonight. Word might already have gotten out.”

  Bethany sighed. “What are they all going to think, Robert?”

  “It could happen to anyone, Beth.”

  “But I feel I’ve failed her. It shouldn’t have happened.”

  “Beth, don’t start saying that.” Robert tilted her chin upwards as he gazed into her eyes. “You’ve been the best mother a girl could ask for. We’ll stand by her and support her, regardless of what everyone thinks.”

  Bethany nodded, but tears stung her eyes. She swallowed hard, and sucked in a breath. “How can you be so calm, Robert?”

  Robert shrugged. “We can’t change what’s happened, Beth, and it’s no use beating ourselves, or Jess, up about it. Besides,” he wiped her tears with a tissue, “you know what this means, don’t you?”

  Bethany shook her head. “No... what?”

  “You’re going to be a grandmother.”

  Bethany inhaled slowly as a small grin formed on her face. Robert was right. Jess was carrying a baby, a real little person; their grandchild, and right or wrong, they’d support and love her, regardless.

  Jayden raced home from work on his bike, threw a frozen meal into the microwave, and quickly showered and dressed while it heated. He was eating the last bite when a car horn sounded. He peered out the window. Angie’s car was parked just outside the apartment block. He gulped down his soda, picked up the Bible Angie had given him a week ago, and ran down the steps. Before opening the main door, he paused and steadied his breathing, not wanting to appear over eager.

  He sauntered up to Angie’s car, a small Ford Focus she shared with Jess, and opened the passenger door. “Hey Angie. Thanks for picking me up.
”

  Her whole face beamed. She really was the most beautiful girl.

  “No problem, Jayden. I’m glad you’re coming.”

  If only they were going somewhere other than Bible Study, but at least he’d be with her. He could survive a Bible Study if Angie was beside him. “You didn’t give me much choice.” He flashed her a cheeky grin.

  Angie let out a small chuckle before starting the engine.

  “I guess Jessica and Blake aren’t coming tonight?”

  The smile slid off Angie’s face. “No. Dad went through with it, so news will start spreading now.” She glanced at Jayden. “Jess didn’t want to face everyone just yet.”

  Jayden rubbed his forehead. “If some of them know already, you might get asked about it tonight. Are you ready for that?”

  “Since when have you been so sensitive?” Angie flashed him a playful smile before her expression changed. “But yes, I had thought about that. Not sure it would have spread that quickly, but if it has, I’ll deal with it. They’ll know soon enough anyway. Dad told Pastor Graham this afternoon, so he knows already.”

  “Wow.” Jayden drew a breath and faced the front. As he did, he thought he saw Mom driving the other way. He quickly turned his head, but the car disappeared around a corner. Maybe it wasn’t her. Either way, he should try to see her sometime soon, although since he’d moved out of the cottage she shared with Buck, she’d been avoiding him. He really didn’t know what to feel about her anymore. Some days he couldn't care less, other days he felt sorry for her. Today, well, he really didn’t know.

  Angie slowed down and pulled into the parking lot of the Hunters Hollow Gospel Church. After switching off the engine, she turned and faced Jayden, touching his wrist lightly. “They’re a nice bunch, Jayden. You’ll be fine.”

  He’d recognized a few of the young people he’d met at church last Sunday from when he went to school, but no one he really knew. But they seemed all right. Better than Roger and his old group from Austin. “I’ll be okay.”