A Valentine for Sarah: Hope Valley Romance, #3

By Tess Brennan

Sarah Clancy, raising two children alone after the death of her husband five years before, has a problem. 

 

That problem comes in the shape of her rebellious sixteen-year-old daughter, Ruby, who has been skipping school—along with her friend Dylan, who just happens to be the son of the high school principal, Cam Hyde.

 

Cam has his own set of problems: not only does he have to put in long hours to do the right thing by his staff, the parent body and the students, but he has to mend the rift with his teenage son. 

 

Together, Cam and Sarah face not only the challenge of steering their children back on the right path, but giving the feelings between them room to grow. 

 

Then the kids really start acting out. Whatever happened to a peaceful life?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Gem Publishing
• Release date: May 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9798201475994

Book preview

1

Valentine’s Day

Sarah dumped the last grocery bag on the kitchen counter and glanced towards the living room, her brow creasing. Hey, Ruby? Are you going to help? 

There was no response, and Sarah shook her head. Teenagers. What had happened to the cute little red-haired girl who adored her mom and followed her around like a shadow, who couldn’t wait to help out with any household task? 

Well, maybe she didn’t miss the follow-around-like-a-shadow bit, Sarah admitted, putting the frozen goods away first. But the little girl who thought nothing was better than being with her mom — yes, she missed that. 

Ruby! she called, her tone growing sharper. Come and give me a hand, please. Groceries don’t put themselves away. 

She heard the impatient huff of expelled air even from the next room. All right, Mom. In a minute, right? Just let me finish this text. 

And after that, there’ll be another one, Ruby called back, dumping vegetables and salad in the crisper. And then another. Do it later! 

Ruby appeared in the doorway and stopped without looking up, her thumbs flying across the screen of her phone. Madison has three Valentine cards, and Brooke has two, and so has Hayley. She looked up with a wide grin that made her russet brown eyes dance. And I have four. 

I didn’t know kids even sent Valentine’s cards anymore, Sarah said. I thought it was all Facebook and Snapchat. Don’t you do e-cards now? 

"Oh, Mom." 

Sarah looked at her blankly, with no idea of what Oh, Mom signified, except that she was clearly missing the point again. Which seemed to happen more and more often with Ruby. Sixteen she might be, but sweet she sure wasn’t. Are you helping or not? 

Yes! Impatiently, Ruby shoved the phone in her pocket and started transferring boxes and jars into the pantry. Sarah knew she’d have to rearrange it all later, but hey, some help was better than nothing. 

Making an effort to connect, she said teasingly, "So tell me about your cards. Who are these love-struck swains?" 

That earned yet another eye roll, and Sarah had to work hard to keep a pleasant expression on her face. Sorry, I mean… who are these admirers? 

Ruby wrinkled her nose. Well, how do I know? They don’t sign them. 

Connor called out from the living room, Bet you sent them all to yourself. 

As if, loser! Ruby yelled back. Her phone dinged, and she took it out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. She laughed and sent back a quick message. 

Connor appeared at the door, smugly holding up a couple of cards. Even I got two. 

Sarah closed the fridge and stared at him. Her baby boy, getting Valentine’s Day cards? For Pete’s sake! Who’s sending you cards? Then she waved a hand in dismissal. I know. They’re anonymous. 

One of them is from Becca, Connor said. I know her writing, and she does circles instead of dots over her letters. And it’s all loopy. 

Like you, Ruby said absently, her fingers tapping the screen. 

Sarah leaned against the island bench and surveyed Connor as he read his cards. Her little boy was growing up. Fourteen and long and lanky, like his father, with the same disheveled blond hair and the same jaw — but with his mother’s green eyes. Trying to imagine him from the perspective of a smitten young girl, she could see it. Yes, he had a certain rakish charm. In fact, he probably did turn on the charm. 

She sighed, shifting her gaze to her daughter as she texted away. Ruby was tall, too, with beautiful auburn hair that she spent way too much money maintaining. Red hair, her father’s laughing russet eyes, and a stunning figure. Her heart thumped uneasily. Teenage girls were so vulnerable, no matter how intelligent and worldly-wise they pretended to be. Ruby still needed her Mom, even if she didn’t think so. 

Sarah thought back to her own school days. Until she met Brandon, she’d never received a Valentine in her life. Admittedly, she’d met Brandon just as she had magically transformed from the ugly-duckling, gawky teenager phase into the look-at-me-now stage. She’d filled out, and her skin had cleared, and suddenly the boys started taking notice. But even then, she’d only had eyes for Brandon — and was thrilled to pieces when he returned her interest. 

Valentine’s Day came soon after they confessed their feelings for each other, along with a magical Valentine’s evening out that Brandon had spent weeks saving up for. They were both dazzled and in love and… 

She sighed, remembering. And Ruby had been conceived that night. 

Harrowing weeks followed: the fear of getting pregnant gave way to the terrifying knowledge that she would be a mother. Brandon had been so gentle with her, even knowing everything in their lives was about to change. The two of them had faced up to telling their parents and insisted on keeping the child, even though they didn’t get married until two years after Ruby was born when Sarah was twenty and expecting Connor. That day, when she became Mrs. Clancy… it had been one of the happiest days of her life. Ruby had been their flower girl. She had looked so cute in her little dress, scattering rose petals along the aisle of the church. Sometimes, Sarah still looked through the old photos — with a tissue box handy. She missed Brandon so much.

Brandon had been a wonderful husband. He worked hard, and went to night school, and idolized her and their two children. He worked so many nights after graduating that Sarah often went to bed without seeing him, but when he got home, she felt cherished. His arms were around her, and the children were down the hall sleeping. They were fed, warm, and had a roof over their head. Best of all, Brandon was home, holding her through the night.

They had just been getting ahead in life when he crashed the car, coming home late after a double shift. Just fatigue, the police said. 

Just fatigue … as though that didn’t say everything about Brandon and what he would do for his family.

Sarah’s eyes rested on Ruby again. Every Valentine’s day, Brandon used to take Connor shopping for Valentine’s presents for ‘his girls’, while still allowing Connor to choose something for himself. Brandon had always taken such care with gifts; they had to be just right. It didn’t matter whether he chose jewelry or something inexpensive or just a surprise picnic with Champagne for her and soda for Ruby… it had to be perfect.

Brandon had loved Valentine’s day, and from the moment she met him, so had she. 

No wonder Ruby loved getting Valentine’s day cards. She would remember her dad and what the day had meant to them all. Sarah wondered if Ruby would ever have someone like Brandon to share the day with and make her own special memories.

Preferably without the conceiving-a-child part.

Stop it, Mom, Ruby said without raising her head. I can feel you staring at me. 

Sorry. Sarah gave herself a mental shake. Just thinking how fast you’re both growing up. I mean, I’ve got two great, good-looking kids, so why wouldn’t you both get Valentine’s Day cards? 

They both looked up at the same time with identical pained expressions, and Sarah had to laugh. Will you two stop giving me Mom-is-so-lame looks? she said with pretended angst. I’ll have no self-esteem left. 

What are we having for dinner? Connor asked. 

I don’t know. What are you cooking? Sarah countered. 

Ha, ha. You always say that.

"Well, it will be your turn on Thursday, so I’ll ask again then. Sarah turned to the cupboard to get out a baking dish. Potpie?" 

They both groaned. 

Yuck, Connor said. I’d rather have deep-fried chicken and wedges. 

I need to eat more lean meat, Ruby said. And salad. 

Go and do your homework or something, she said in pretended exasperation. I’ll cook, and you can both clean up the dishes afterward. Thinking so much about Brandon had made her want to be alone. She went to the fridge to pour herself a glass of wine instead of diving straight into dinner preparation. If you’re hungry, Connor, have a piece —

—of fruit, he finished for her in a resigned tone. He snatched up a banana and waved it at her before disappearing into the den to play one of his video games. 

I’ve done my homework. Instead of leaving the room, Ruby came across to her mother and gave her a small smile as she rubbed her arm.