A Home for His Heart

By Clover Autrey

From the wrong side of the tracks, Liam Porterfield left Chapel Pines, Texas, never looking back. Until his young nephew needed him. Now they are both picking up the pieces and starting a fragile new life in Chapel Pines, a life Liam hopes won’t shatter like the first one.

Until a spitfire police officer in an unflattering uniform and severe bun, plows into the protective walls he’s built around his heart and shows Liam that letting people in isn’t so terrible after all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clover Autrey
• Release date: Jun 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463051573

Clover Autrey

“Clover Autrey’s books are perfect for the time-constrained reader. They are a quick read jam-packed with action, adventure and emotion.” ...from a reader in Utah.Clover Autrey writes the kind of stories she loves to read, high fantasy and time travels with Scottish Highlanders or magical mermen and shapeshifters, with powerful elements of romance, where the hero and heroine must each make sacrifices to gain something even stronger. She is the author of the HIGHLAND SORCERY series and the ANOINTED series.Clover serves as the current president of the Keller Writers Association and is the past president for the North Texas Romance Writers of America. She is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops.Inspired by her love of Louis L'Amour historical romantic heroes, Clover (yeah, that's her real name), packed up and moved to Texas where she found a real live Texan of her own. She's been there ever since where she and Pat (who else would a Clover marry but a Patrick?) listen to the coyotes howl at the trains each evening.Become one of Clover's LuckyCharmers for exclusive content and free books at http://www.subscribepage.com/luckycharmers

Book preview

A HOME FOR HIS HEART

By Clover Autrey

Copyright 2020 Clover Autrey

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

Published by Red Rover Books

Smashwords Edition

Stock photos legally licensed through depositphotos 2020

All Rights Reserved

Dedicated to my siblings and their kids, some of whom you just might happen to meet quietly in these pages as staff members at the inn or around and about Chapel Pines.

Table of Contents

A HOME FOR HIS HEART

"YOU want to buy my kid. That what you’re saying?"

The jail’s gray visiting room stunk of strong disinfectant. Liam wrinkled his nose, hating that his brother was stuck in here. He needed to be in rehab.

If that’s how you want to see it, fine. Liam didn’t let the jab get to him. His brother always had been crass. Besides, there was a bite of truth to the statement. He was buying the boy in a sense, at least buying the chance for Elijah to have a different road in life than the one the teen was headed down now.

He’s my kid, not yours. Seth leaned back in his plastic chair, hands clasped together like he hadn’t a care in the world. His indifference was a punch to the sternum. Liam hadn’t known Seth’s drinking had gotten this bad. This was the guy that hated everything about their father, swore to never let his drinking get out of hand. In truth, Liam couldn’t remember Seth ever getting drunk in his presence. So what happened?

The chair’s front legs hit the floor as Seth leaned forward. You can’t have him.

I’m already his temporary guardian while you’re here.

So what do you want? Seth looked away.

This was the brother who’d stood between him and their father’s belt. What had happened while he was in the Middle East? Was the divorce that devastating? Seth’s letters and calls revealed nothing about this downward spiral. He’d missed every clue until he’d gotten the call that his brother had plowed into a minivan. At three in the afternoon.

Seth, you’re lucky no one was killed, but you still sent four people to the hospital, including your son. And they tell me this isn’t your first offense. Liam took a breath, let the burning coal building inside his chest cool. No matter which way the hearing goes, you’re looking at jail time.

Then it sounds like you got your way. You get my kid until I’m out. Satisfied?

Liam sighed, more exhausted than after a two day march in full gear. You’d rather he go into the system? Come on, we know firsthand what that is. You don’t want that.

I’d get him back. Your way…this deal you got cooked up… Seth pressed his palm so hard on the table that his fingers whitened. No. I won’t go for it.

Liam rested his arms on the table. You broke his collarbone and his arm in two places.

That was an accident.

He was in the car while you were drunk. You picked him up from school drunk. That can’t happen again. Ever. You’re my brother and I’d do anything for you, but Elijah’s my nephew. He eased back. It won’t be forever. I’m just asking for three and half years, until Elijah gets out of high school. Chances are you might be incarcerated that long anyway.

Seth’s head snapped up. Chances are I’ll be out in ninety days with a court appointed alcohol awareness program and probation. Like you said, I didn’t kill anyone.

He could be right. They’d seen that scenario play out one too many times with their parents. I hope so, for your sake. He meant it sincerely. The proposition still stands. I’ll pay all your court fees, hire a decent attorney. In return, you stay away from Elijah until he’s eighteen.

Seth shook his head and was about to speak so Liam jumped ahead of whatever refusal he’d come up with. Give the boy a chance. Let me give him a better shot than we ever had.

Why? A muscle in Seth’s cheek bounced. Think you’ll make a better dad than me, big shot war hero? You know nothing about being a father.

The round hit. Seth was right. Liam didn’t have a clue about parenting, didn’t have any kind of role models, had never intended on having any kids of his own. But Seth didn’t have any role models either.

I’m sober, Liam said quietly. I have that going for me. He braced for more objections, but Seth deflated. His shoulders slumped, seeming to cave in on themselves.

Three and a half years? Seth squinted through blood-shot eyes.

That’s all I’m asking. By then Elijah can decide for himself if he wants to see you.

What if I get clean and sober before then?

How many times have you relapsed?

Seth looked straight through him to the gray cinderblock wall. Okay.

Liam swallowed thickly. The gravity of taking on a belligerent angry fourteen-year-old hit his gut like a band of insurgents clamoring over the dunes. He’d rather stare down the barrel of an M24.

But he owed it to Seth to take care of his son, whether Seth saw it that way or not. And he owed it to Elijah. He was family and somebody needed to do right for the kid. By default, Liam was the last man standing on legs steady enough to bear the weight.

I have a condition, Seth said.

Wary, Liam nodded for him to continue.

The boy stays in Texas.

Liam’s hands clenched. Did Seth know about his job offer in D.C., putting his skills as a technical engineer to good use? They’d recruited him right before his final tour ended.

No taking him out of state where I can’t at least keep tabs on him.

Liam didn’t bother weighing the priorities between the dream job and the kid. Agreed.

Place was a dump, but it was theirs. A bought and paid for two bedroom, one bath bungalow left to Liam and Seth after their mother’s death. Pneumonia—go figure—he would have bet good money that liver damage would have gotten dear old mom first. He’d been rooting out