Holden's Heart Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  Sweet Home, Texas

  A Devotional Moment

  Thank you

  You Can Help!

  God Can Help!

  Free Book Offer

  Holden’s Heart

  Sweet Home Texas Series #3

  Jayna Morrow

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Holden’s Heart

  COPYRIGHT 2014, 2020 by Jayna Morrow

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or Pelican Ventures, LLC except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. eBook editions are licensed for your personal enjoyment only. eBooks may not be re-sold, copied or given to other people. If you would like to share an eBook edition, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Contact Information: [email protected]

  All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version(R), NIV(R), Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

  Scripture quotations, marked KJV are taken from the King James translation, public domain. Scripture quotations marked DR, are taken from the Douay Rheims translation, public domain.

  Scripture texts marked NAB are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition Copyright 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  Cover Art by Nicola Martinez

  Prism is a division of Pelican Ventures, LLC

  www.pelicanbookgroup.com PO Box 1738 *Aztec, NM * 87410

  The Triangle Prism logo is a trademark of Pelican Ventures, LLC

  Publishing History

  First Prism Edition, 2014; Second Prism Edition 2021

  Electronic Edition ISBN 978-1-5223-9892-9

  Published in the United States of America

  Dedication

  For my creative and talented family.

  So many gifts bestowed upon so many loving souls.

  I’m thankful every moment of every day that God allows me

  to be a part of such an amazing family.

  My cup runneth over!

  ~J.M.~

  1

  “Irelynn? Are you sure you can handle this? It’s not too late to get someone else. Though I couldn’t imagine who it would be...” Gabriel Hearth, having thrust the ultimate responsibility solely upon her shoulders without the slightest hint of doubt, folded his arms across his chest and sat on the edge of his desk.

  Her breathing labored under his intense gaze, and her heart tumbled inside her chest. Her body had gone hollow and numb.

  “Nobody knows the dairy inside and out like you do. You’re my right-hand man.”

  The twist of her thoughts made it impossible for her to grasp one and verbalize it. Her tongue was useless anyway.

  In the past, she’d panicked under pressure, so Gabriel took a different approach. “I’ll only be gone two weeks, and you can reach me by cell anytime you need. Can I count on you, Irelynn?”

  “Let me get this straight. You and Sparrow and the kids and the dog, er, ‘canine son’ are going to Hawaii for two weeks to visit Wren and soak up the tropical sun, and while you’re gone, I’m in charge?”

  “And Phoenix is coming. And the rest of Sparrow’s family. And...”

  “And Garrett and Micara and their baby girl.” Irelynn didn’t make a habit of interrupting her boss, but he was leaving her in a desperate situation. She’d always figured he’d ease her into this role, not leave for half a month, thousands of miles away, taking every member of the Hearth family with him. “You have a lot of faith in my knowledge, but you know I’ve always stayed behind the scenes.”

  “You need to come out of your shell. This experience could be good for you.”

  “I’m a paper pusher. I talk to the cows more than I talk to the humans who care for them.”

  “Listen. I remember when you first came to work for me. You applied for a bookkeeping position and quickly made yourself indispensable. I’m not the type to take orders, but you order me around. I’m smart enough to know when to listen, and I saw right away that you were right for this company. I have faith in you, Irelynn, not just your knowledge. You can do this.”

  “What if I can’t?”

  Gabriel, silenced by her display of vulnerability, waited a moment for her to continue.

  “What if I need help?”

  “Oh, no.”

  “What?” Through the glass that offered a view of the rotary milking parlor below, everything was in working order. Slade managed the floor, and plenty of employees manned their posts while one rotation of cows stepped out of the parlor making way for the next shift. “Everything is in order, Mr. Hearth.” Obviously.

  Irelynn tucked her hair behind her ears before joining Gabriel in a staring match. His lips pressed into a tight frown, neck bent forward, and his eyes fixed in a stony expression. She broke eye contact and sighed, unable to handle “the look” from him. If she even disappointed him in the slightest, it would take days for her self-esteem to recover.

  “Nothing’s going on downstairs. I was talking about you. I’m not gonna stand here and listen to you doubt your own abilities.” Gabriel’s voice remained stern. This was the Gabriel she knew before Sparrow came into the picture. The stern, workaholic Gabriel who meant business. And he had her full attention right now. “Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve doubted yourself. You do amazing work, and you don’t give yourself an ounce of credit. How old are you?”

  “Twenty-six, give or take a couple of years. Don’t you know it’s not polite to ask a lady her age?” She rubbed her temples. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. The closer I get to thirty, the more I stress about my age.”

  “You need to stop stressing and look at all you’ve done in your young years.”

  Her forehead wrinkled. “I’ve always looked at it according to what I have yet to do. I’ve put my goals off until now. I’m almost thirty and accomplished very little.”

  “There are a lot of people who work their entire lives and don’t achieve what you’ve done in...how many years have you worked here?”

  “Six.” She didn’t want to disagree with the one person in her life who had faith in her, but she was having a hard time seeing herself from his perspective. Her head bobbed up and down. “I can do this.” She nodded firmly. “In fact, it should be a piece of cake. I’ll stop worrying.”

  “Worriers don’t pray, and prayers don’t worry, but let’s not get carried away. I didn’t say running the dairy would be a piece of cake. It’s challenging work. I know that you can handle whatever comes your way.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “I can’t tell you how much this opportunity means to me. Giv
e me a run-down of my responsibilities.”

  “Yep, let’s get right to it. No time to waste.”

  “And you’re sure I’m the man for the job?” Irelynn gave him one last chance to change his mind. “This place is crawling with able bodies that’d scramble at the opportunity to run it. Show their worth. I’m not everything you think I am—”

  “No, you’re more. And didn’t I tell you to stop with the self-loathing?”

  “Yes, you did. Lead the way, Mr. Hearth.”

  “You want a hands-on tour instead of a list?”

  “Um, whatever you think is best,” she stated meekly. “I know you’re in a hurry to leave. If I was going to Hawaii, I’d want to leave as soon as possible.”

  “I wish I had unlimited time to go through everything, but this was a last-minute trip. And we head out first thing in the morning.” Irelynn nodded and let him continue. “And there are so many details to cover when traveling with an infant, so I’m giving you the short version. It’s basic stuff. Ready?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.” She sucked in air until her lungs filled, and then held it. Her head spun like a tilt-a-whirl. Her heart beat faster than a clog dancer’s feet doing a solo at a hoedown. She was thankful to be sitting. It wasn’t every day that the head of a multi-million dollar family business handed over the reins to a non-family member and left the state. The entire Hearth family legacy rested on her shoulders. He hadn’t even gone yet, and she was already having chills in July. “Fire away.” She concentrated on her breathing.

  Gabriel picked a file up from his desk. He opened it and perused the contents. “Your lifeline,” Gabriel responded finally, laying his palm flat on the opened file. “On the left is a weekly schedule and a daily list of to-dos. On the right is a list of employees responsible for each of the to-dos. All you have to do is make sure that every item gets done.”

  “You make it sound simple.” She let some air escape her lungs. “Let me see that file.”

  “Of course. Look it over. Let me know if you have any questions.”

  “Quite a lot. What about walk-throughs? Or crisis plans? Or—”

  “How could you have questions already? You’ve only held the file thirty seconds.”

  “I’m a quick reader. But it’s not what’s in this file that troubles me. It’s what is not included in this file. The dairy isn’t the only business you have, and I’m not familiar with anything else. Plus, there’s your home and other properties.”

  Talking about all of Gabriel’s business ventures sent her pulse back into overdrive. Gabriel’s stern look didn’t help either. She’d exasperated him. She could tell, and her hopelessness renewed. She dropped her head, defeated once again. She wished she could disappear into her white lab coat.

  “I know you don’t want me to be negative, but who am I kidding? I’m barely qualified to run the dairy. I can’t run your entire life for two weeks. I’m one of the few females who work here. I’ll be out of place amongst the men, and they won’t respect me.” Reality entered her atmosphere and crash landed. “Everything will self-destruct. As much as I appreciate the opportunity, I cannot accept it.”

  “That’s a bunch of baloney, Irelynn,” Gabriel scolded, with all the sensitivity of a junkyard dog on the night shift. He had a sweet, caring side, but Mr. No Nonsense took over in situations like this. “You are the right person to handle my entire life, as you put it. You are every bit as capable as any man who works for me. I may be going out on a limb here, but I believe you’re even more capable. Women are designed to be in charge. Just ask my wife.”

  “Sparrow is an exception.”

  “Maybe, but you’re not much different than she is. Sparrow is...more...well, in your face about things.”

  Gabriel meant well, but putting her on a pedestal wasn’t helping. It would only make it farther for her to fall. It didn’t help that her own brother had provided years of faithful service and leadership for the Hearth family ventures before moving on to bigger and better things. His picture still hung in the Hearth Dairy Hall of Fame. Sean the Magnificent cast a rather large shadow.

  She’d forever be remembered as Sean’s little sister, Irelynn, the Quiet One. Irelynn, the Wallflower. If she were ever to prove her worth, she’d have to come out of her shell as Gabriel mentioned earlier. “If only I had as much faith in myself as you have in me.” Taking a deep breath, she drew her lab coat tighter. She had a backbone somewhere in the dorsal region of her body. She wiggled a bit to activate it and straightened.

  “I wouldn’t leave you fumbling in the dark, Irelynn. I have a file with detailed instructions for everything.” He reached back and picked up several more files, then pressed them into her hands. “Your fears are unwarranted, but the effect they have on your emotional well-being is far too high a price to pay. Pray, and I’ll be praying for you. I need you to handle it for me. You’re the only one who knows this business inside and out, who knows how I want the business handled. Who else could I depend on to make endless rounds? To obsessively file and organize everything? To coo to the cows on the milking parlor floor?”

  “OK, OK!”

  “If you turn me down, then I’ll have to cancel the whole trip,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I’ll have a talk with Sparrow. Tell her this isn’t the best time to get away. We’ll visit Wren where he’s stationed next. He’s being transferred, which is why we were rushing to visit him in Hawaii. It’s our last chance.” He shook his head, and then dropped to the floor. “I’m on my knees, begging you to say you’ll do this for me, for my family.”

  “I want to help you out...”

  “Then do it, Irelynn. You can handle this.”

  Panic seized control, rendering her mute. A desperate squeak escaped.

  “I’ll take that strange, throaty noise as a yes. Hawaii, here we come!”

  Another squeak, higher in pitch.

  “All the answers you need are in these files, and I’m only a phone call away.” He stood, rounded his desk, and sank into his leather chair. “For your hard work and dedication, I’m prepared to offer you a fantastic incentive package. A raise, a bonus, and perks galore.”

  She’d settle for her picture in the Hearth Dairy Hall of Fame, but who was she to argue?

  “That’s generous of you, Mr. Hearth.” Her voice shook. “I’d still feel better if I had a back-up person I could call upon if I got desperate.” She’d made a lot of excuses, but this time she wasn’t. The thought of a partner made her heart rate lessen.

  Gabriel chuckled. “All right, Irelynn. I’ll meet you halfway. There is another person who could step in if the need arises. I had considered the possibility of you getting sick or having an emergency of your own. I won’t name him, but rest assured that I’ll send him your way if you get overwhelmed. Now, I want you to relax and enjoy this experience. For the most part, it’ll be like a regular day at work.”

  “Only I won’t remain behind the scenes in my comfy office, with an occasional interaction with four-legged furry creatures. The next two weeks will involve—”

  “A lot more than you’re used to, but nothing that you can’t handle.”

  Irelynn sighed and flipped through the files on her lap. “I’m in over my head.”

  “What do you want out of life, Irelynn?” he asked.

  “I want to be accepted. I want to be appreciated. I want to make others proud of me. I don’t want to be a disappointment.” If she was putting herself out there, she might as well start right now.

  Gabriel’s head bobbed. “You’ve got every opportunity to have those things. Sparrow’s an advocate of tough love. She used it on me. She taught me how to use it on Slade, and now I’m gonna use it on you. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new way of life for you.”

  “Sink or swim.”

  “That’s right. Don’t worry, though, you’ll swim like an Olympian. I’ll be your coach. And be comforted in the fact that there’s a mystery teammate who’ll jump in at a moment’s notice.”


  “I’d prefer someone there from beginning to end.”

  “Well, that wouldn’t qualify as tough love, would it?”

  Irelynn summoned up inner courage. How had she managed to get this far gone? “No, it wouldn’t. I know I’m acting like a big baby about this.”

  “Big baby is kinda harsh. You’re letting fear rule your life. There was a time when I fed into something so that it grew bigger than I was and took control. Listen to me when I tell you that you have to stop feeding your fears. Starve them out and take control of your life.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “I’m always here for you, but I ain’t gonna lie to you. Study those files tonight. Report to work at the usual time. Randy Overman, the floor supervisor, will get the first shift rolling. Then go through the checklist.”

  “Have a blast in Hawaii, Mr. Hearth.”

  “I’ll enjoy the beach for both of us, but there’s only so much fun a man can handle.”

  “Good one.”

  “Oh, one more thing.” He reached into a drawer and pulled out a silver ring. “Keys to the kingdom, my friend. They’re labeled and ready to go. And...another thing.” This time he produced a tiny manila envelope and handed it to her. One side was open.

  She slid out a rectangle of glittery, gold plastic. The company credit card. She was a signer on it and had used it many times for various business reasons.

  “I’m entrusting you with this. You never know. Guard it well.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “That’s all I’d ever ask of you.”

  She’d been “tough-loved” into this situation, and stepping out of her comfort zone was an opportunity she couldn’t miss.

  2

  “There’s a man with something heavy weighing on his mind.” The voice of his assistant, Amber, alerted him to her presence.

  Holden Hearth sat upright on his piano bench and stared out the wall of windows that illuminated the baby grand. He couldn’t play a single note, but he retreated to this spot in the house that afforded the best view to reflect.

  “Why do you say that?” His gaze continued to follow a chestnut horse trotting along, as his assistant placed his usual cup of coffee on top of the piano.