Pursuing the Paramedic: Small Town Romance in Double Creek, #1

By Regina Walker

Megan left Double Creek fifteen years ago because she wanted to leave her troubled past behind. As a Christian, she turned to her faith to help her overcome her addiction and stay sober. When she returns to her small Oklahoma hometown to take care of her mom, she's reminded of the challenges she faced in the past. Megan leans on her faith to stay strong and face her fears, even as she struggles to forgive herself for her mistakes.

 

Ben has been trying to start over in Double Creek after a string of bad choices and a failed marriage. He's been sober for a while now, but the memories of his past continue to haunt him. When he sees Megan again, he can't believe how much she's changed. Despite the awkwardness between them, he finds himself drawn to her.

 

As Megan and Ben reconnect and share their struggles, they discover the power of faith to heal even the deepest wounds. But Megan's secret threatens to tear them apart, and they must turn to God for guidance and strength. In this heartwarming Christian romance, two people learn that true love and forgiveness come from the grace of God, and that with faith, anything is possible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Regina Walker
• Release date: Aug 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223330318

Regina Walker

Regina Walker crafts compelling characters facing some of life's hardest challenges. Her heart's desire is to always point toward Jesus through the way her characters face challenges, relationships, and adversity. Regina is an Oklahoma import, although she was born and raised in the beautiful state of Colorado. She likes to curl up on the couch and binge-watch crime shows with her hard-working husband. When she's not wrestling with a writing project, she can be found wrangling their children, riding their horses, or working around their small hobby farm.

Book preview

Chapter One

Coming over the hill, Megan saw Double Creek coming into view. The cobblestone walls that lined yards, cobblestone sheds, and even cobblestone homes brought a nauseating sense of nostalgia to her. As Megan slowed the vehicle down, Toby sat up in the backseat and hung his head on the top of her seat. His shaggy white fur hung around his face, and his round brown eyes took in everything.

This is Double Creek, Toby. You’ve never been here, Megan said.

He panted against her cheek and nudged her with his damp nose.

The wooden welcome sign was as broken as she remembered the town being, and her skin crawled with dread as she rounded the corner onto her parents’ street. Well, her mom’s now. How long had it been since Dad passed? Megan closed her eyes against the memories, which only made them more vivid. She missed him as fiercely as the day her sister, Piper called to tell her the news. Five awful years ago.

Her mom’s house came into view, and she eased her dark blue Toyota Highlander to the curb where she stopped it and put the vehicle in park. She stared to her right, at the house she grew up in, and a flood of memories came rushing over her.

Sneaking down the hall with Piper, both girls in their pajamas, to wake their parents for Christmas.

Thanksgiving when Piper ran away because Dad told her to stop seeing the boy that busted her lip. How old were they then? Fifteen and fourteen?

New Year’s when Megan snuck out after the ball drop and...

She shook her head against the memories. She didn’t come here to remember where it all went wrong, or why she never came back.

With her blonde hair flying every which way, Piper came out of the house with her toddler daughter clinging to her neck.

Megan! I was beginning to think you changed your mind about coming. You were supposed to be here yesterday. I’ve been trying your phone for hours. I just keep getting your voicemail.

Megan shoved her shoulder into her car door, silently wishing the windows weren’t down so she could tune out her sister’s yapping. I just took my time. I wasn’t ready to come back.

Megan motioned with her hand and Toby climbed into her seat and then out her door. She gave him another signal and he moved to her side, his eyes moving from Megan to Piper and back again.

But here you are. And it didn’t kill you. Took fifteen years, though. Fifteen too many if you ask me, Piper said. Her daughter buried her face into her neck and held on for dear life. Mom’s real worked up. She’s throwing things. Someone has to go in there. If you can’t, I’m calling 9-1-1.

No, that will only scare her more, Megan said. Hi, Cedar. Auntie Meg is happy to see you. She bent toward Piper and reached her hand out for her niece’s arm.

Toby took a step forward and sniffed in Piper and Cedar’s direction.

Cedar pulled her arm away and yelped.

Cedar! That’s Auntie Me—

Piper, it’s okay. She doesn’t have to be excited. She’s probably scared because Mom was throwing things. Megan tried to use a pleasant voice, but it was touchy with Piper when Megan said anything about how to do something with Cedar.

I know how to handle my own daughter, Piper muttered. Her eyes flashed and Megan saw her temper, thinly veiled by a forced smile.

My bad. I’m going to get inside to Mom, Megan said.

She’s not going to recognize you. Are you prepared for that? You can’t just go in there—

Megan was already walking away, but she looked over her shoulder and said, I’ve got this, Piper.

You can’t take that... that mutt in there. He’ll terrify Mom, Piper hollered louder.

It’ll be fine, Megan said. Toby walked by her side, calm, cool, and collected.

Pigeon is inside. She’s terrified of dogs, Piper yelled.

Megan shrugged. Whether Piper liked it or not, Pigeon was going to have to get used to Toby. All the way to the front door, Megan could hear Piper grumbling. Pushing open the heavy oak door that was in desperate need of sanding and sealing, Megan called out, Mom, I’m home.

Pigeon, the small dilute-calico cat, came trotting out of Piper’s room. With her tail in the air, she came right toward Megan until Toby caught her eye. Sliding to a stop on the faux hardwood, Pigeon arched her back, puffed up, hissed, and then scurried back into the bedroom.

A pot clanged to the kitchen floor and a second later, frail and small, Mom appeared around the corner and said, Megs? Is that really you?

Sure is, Megan said. She choked back her surprise that Mom recognized her and went to the woman. It had been two years since Mom had been well enough to travel to Austin to see Megan.

Oh Megs. I needed you. Mom wiped tears from her eyes with trembling fingers. Megan didn’t realize how beautiful wrinkles made a woman until she watched her mother age. Still as beautiful to Megan as she was years ago, Megan wrapped her in a warm embrace.

I’m here now. Megan stood a foot taller than her mom, so she swooped down while they held onto each other.

Took you too long to come home, Mom said.

Are you sure? Everything looks exactly the same as the day I left. Except more faded, like no one ever loved Double Creek. Like it’s just waiting to disappear, Megan said.

Don’t talk like that. Maybe you should have stayed and loved Double Creek. It’s not too late. You could still love Double Creek and make a difference here, Mom said.

I was making a difference in Austin, Megan said.

I didn’t say you weren’t. Come. Sit. I’ll make tea, Mom said.

How about you sit, and I put on the kettle, Megan said.

As long as you remember how to do it right, Mom said.

Megan laughed then. Sure, Mom had her moments on the phone, and Piper complained all the time about how bad Mom was, but it didn’t seem like dementia had changed that much, if anything, about her. With her back to her mom, Megan rolled her eyes. Just like Piper, always making something out of nothing, Megan thought.

Toby nudged her leg and Megan patted the top of his head. That’s a good boy.

He’s even cuter in person than in all the pictures you send, Mom said.

He’s a sweet boy. I’m sure glad Layla called me when she saw him at the shelter, Megan said.

I like what you’ve done with your hair, Mom said. She reached up and touched the bob-cut brown strands. This looks like you.

It was always up in a bun, so I cut it off. At least what there is of it can be seen this way, Megan said.

Do you like it? Mom slid a chair out and took a seat. Her legs hung down and just the tips of her toes could touch the floor.

Megan mashed her lips together and pushed them to the side as she thought about it. Did she like her haircut? She hadn’t ever asked herself that. It worked, and that’s what mattered. It works.

But do you like it? Mom asked again.

I don’t know. I don’t know what I would like when it comes to my hair. But it has to be practical. It can’t be in my face or in my patients’ faces.

That makes sense. Mom rested her elbow on the table, and it was then that Megan saw the darkness under her eyes and realized how worn out her mom really looked.

Did Piper tell you I’m staying for a long time? I got a job in town and I’m going to move back into my old bedroom. Megan filled the kettle with water and moved it over to the stove where she turned the knob to light the burner.

That old thing quit working. Have to microwave the water now, Mom said.

Megan turned on the faucet and filled two mugs with water. She microwaved each mug separately and put a tea bag in each of them when she pulled them out of the microwave.

Cream and sugar, Mom?

Mom looked around and then looked at Megan, confusion registering on her face. Who are you talking to?

Megan gulped then and tried to maintain a steady, pleasant expression. Sorry, I get my words mixed up. How do you take your tea?

With cream and sugar, Mom said.

Megan fixed the tea the way Mom used to always take it, but then she discreetly added a little ice to Mom’s and stirred it up. She didn’t know if Mom was at risk of burning herself, but she didn’t want to take a chance.

Here’s that tea, Megan said as she set the mug in front of her mom and then took the seat across from her.

Thanks, Megs, Mom said.

Maybe Piper wasn’t being dramatic. Maybe it was really hard to handle when Mom didn’t remember.

Have you called—

No. And I won’t. That’s not why I’m in town, Megan said.

And here I thought you’d come to your senses about him, Mom said.

If only you knew, Megan thought.

I think I’m going to go strip my bed and wash the sheets so it will be ready for bedtime. Holler if you need me, okay?

With her hands curled around her mug, Mom nodded her head and leaned heavily on the table.

Megan signaled Toby with her hand, and he followed her from the kitchen, down the hall, and to