Back cover description:
When two overcomers find common ground in their faith, they can handle whatever comes their way.
Gina Hernandez is no stranger to hard work—she’s got three jobs to prove it. Trauma in her teens may have left her with severe anxiety and some body image issues, but no one can say she’s not a fighter. It’s made her strong…and maybe a little snarky.
Then she meets youth pastor Jaydon Bennett, a gentle giant with a big beard and an even bigger heart—though he, too, has a few scars. He’s never doubted God could bring him the perfect woman, he just never thought He really would. Until Gina.
United to help a troubled teen whose family is in crisis, Jaydon and Gina set out to discover that the painful pasts they’ve been dealing with just might uniquely equip them to help this hurting family.
The Everyday Love Series is a clean, inspirational contemporary romance series set in Albuquerque, featuring ordinary people in lifelike stories that inspire, uplift, and share hope. Stories in which a very real God shows Himself in everyday ways to carry His people through any circumstance.
Excerpt of chapter one:
A few more minutes of mingling wouldn’t kill her.
Standing here while Josh Davis’s self-important boss droned on and on about the thrilling work they were doing just might, though.
How did he stand working for this guy?
Gina looked desperately around the room for an out. Anyone who might catch her eye and come to her rescue. Nope, as usual, everyone was either engrossed in their own conversations or making gooey eyes at their significant other.
Which was exactly what Gina’s best friend, Brynn, and her fiancé Josh were doing, holding hands and exchanging sappy looks every time they introduced one another. Of course, this was their engagement party. She supposed a little gooey-ness was expected with those two.
Her beautiful, blonde, bestie Brynn (the only B-words that could ever describe her, since she was about the sweetest and most deserving person in the world) had gotten engaged this past Christmas to her boyfriend of over a year, who also happened to be the father of one of the kids in their before & after school care program. They were such an adorable almost-family it was disgusting. Gina was only a little envious.
Okay, maybe a lot envious. Not that she wanted Josh for herself; that guy was definitely not her type. But he was perfect for Brynn.
Much better than that vanilla gringo she’d been dating before Josh. That one was sweet, but Brynn didn’t need a blander version of herself.
Speaking of the guy, Caleb was over in the corner deep in animated conversation with Josh’s sister Jenna. Interesting. Not surprising that Caleb was there, considering he and Brynn had really been more like friends than a couple. But Caleb and Jenna? She could see that. Maybe.
Gina continued her search of the room, trying to keep a plastic smile on her face while hoping she’d spot an excuse to extricate herself from the monotonous bore still yapping in her ear. She only had about fifteen minutes before she had to leave for work, but the thought of wasting those minutes listening to this guy just might send her over the edge straight into insanity.
The doorbell clanged. Brynn’s mother, Marla, hurried to answer it like the happy hostess she was. It had taken a little while for Brynn’s parents to adjust to the idea of Brynn dating a single father a few years older than her. But once they’d met Josh and his son, Brendan, Marla had gleefully embraced the role of step-grandma. Gina loved Brynn’s parents and was so glad they’d come around. Josh and Brynn belonged together.
Whoever had rung the bell stepped through the door and hugged Marla. Gina narrowed her eyes trying to figure out the newcomer’s identity. He turned toward the open room and her breath got stuck in her lungs. Holy moly. Though Gina had never met the guy, she knew him.
Josh had talked about his pastor friend a lot the past year. He’d mentioned how big the guy was, but dang, he hadn’t said he was hot. Well, not that Josh would have said anything about another dude’s looks. But he was, in a rugged, burly, sort of hairy, modern-Neanderthal way. This had to be Jaydon.
Kind of rude for him to show up this late to the party, but whatever. Apparently, the guy was super involved in his church and was always committed to some event or activity, which was partly why they hadn’t met in the year or so Josh and Brynn had been dating.
Brynn made a motion that caught Gina’s eye and indicated she should get over there. Thank you, Jesus. Gina smiled as sweetly as she could to Josh’s boss and excused herself. She sucked in her belly and tried to make her posture better to look a little thinner.
For a girl who used to be considered attractive and had been rather popular in her school days, she now struggled with a conflicting self-image brought on by an unwanted layer of chub that had steadily increased over the past decade.
Gina smiled in greeting as Josh, his arm wrapped lovingly around Brynn’s shoulders, nodded to Jaydon.
“Gina, this is Jaydon. Jaydon, Gina. It’s about time you two finally got a chance to meet,” Josh said jovially. “I know you’re both crazy busy, but I still can’t believe you haven’t met.”
Jaydon looked apologetic as he glanced from Josh to Brynn to Gina. “I know, man. And I’m sorry I’m late. Church emergency.”
She glanced at the time on her fitness watch. Five minutes max before she had to be in the car on the way to work. Darn. She’d love the chance to get to know Jaydon a little better now that they’d finally met.
Too bad she didn’t have time to get a better look at him. Uh, get to talk to him.
“Sorry I have to run, guys, but I’ve got to get to work. Jaydon, it was so nice to meet you, finally.”
Brynn gave her a pouty face that was betrayed by the twinkle in her eyes. Dang it, she saw something. After the hard time she’d given Brynn about Josh early on, Gina knew her friend would just love the chance to get back at her. Well, not this time, girlfriend.
He might be caveman cute, but he was a pastor. And she and a pastor would never work.
Camy here: Jaycee is one of the twelve authors participating with me in the Christian Contemporary Romance anthology, Save the Date, which releases September 15! Preorder now to get 12 novellas for only 99 cents!
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