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  Capture Me

  SHERRY KYLE

  Capture Me

  © Copyright 2018 Sherry Kyle

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Scripture quoted is New Living Translation. Public domain.

  Cover design by Nick Delliskave. Cover based on images by Stocksy IMAGE 1721969, and Sarah Heller Photography, used by permission. Background photo by Sherry Kyle

  Edited by Fay Lamb

  Published in the United States of America

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Published in association with the Books & Such Literary Management, 52 Mission Circle, Suite 122, PMB 170, Santa Rosa, CA 95409-5370, www.booksandsuch.com.

  Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1790615209

  To my sister, Cindy—

  What would I do without

  a sister like you?

  You are a kindred spirit

  and friend,

  and one-of-a-kind!

  For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

  ~ Philippians 4:13

  PRAISE FOR CAPTURE ME

  In Capture Me, Sherry Kyle paints an emotional and inspirational story of memories and how they shape us. The delightful ensemble cast makes for an entertaining and thought-provoking read. Highly recommended!

  —Julie Carobini, author of Walking on Sea Glass

  Heartwarming and rich, Capture Me by Sherry Kyle did, in fact, capture me. Ashley and Kayla’s struggles with identity and the meaning of family resonate and remind us to treasure the people in our lives—no matter how flawed. Throw in a glorious beach setting, two sweet romances, a moody teenager, and a lovable Labrador retriever—what’s not to love? Highly recommended.

  —Sarah Sundin, bestselling and award-winning author

  of The Sea Before Us and The Sky Above Us

  It’s rare that I read a book more than once, but Capture Me by Sherry Kyle did just that, it captured me, twice. Kyle has written a story that both charms and touches on deep issues. Reading it once won’t be enough.

  —Ginny L. Yttrup, award-winning author of

  Words and Invisible

  Families are complicated, and Kyle skillfully weaves a poignant tale that touches every aspect of family relationships. Capture Me captures the reader with likable characters learning who they are in the midst of real life situations. Each character evolves through their relational interactions, and together as a family their union strengthens through various trials. Even their family crises and secrets end up drawing them closer. Capture Me offers a warm-hearted story of discovery, true family love and devotion, and the redemption of loss.

  —Laura Bennet, author of Dangerous Ground

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  CHAPTER 34

  CHAPTER 35

  CHAPTER 36

  CHAPTER 37

  CHAPTER 38

  CHAPTER 39

  CHAPTER 40

  EPILOGUE

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Preview: PRAISE FOR THE HEART STONE

  CHAPTER 1: FRESNO, CALIFORNIA

  1

  La Selva Beach, California

  Ashley Stevens stood on the front porch and shaded her eyes from the early morning sun. “Here, boy.” Her voice shook with unwanted emotion.

  She’d grown attached to the young pup she’d found yesterday wandering up and down the street. Poor thing looked like a cast-off when she spotted him, but a good scrubbing in the metal tub brightened up his beautiful tan coat.

  She zipped up her blue sweatshirt, grabbed her car keys off the hook, and slammed the front door on her way out in pursuit of the Labrador. All God’s creatures deserved a loving home, and this pooch was no exception.

  Sliding behind the wheel of her beat-up station wagon, she put the key in the ignition and peeled out of the driveway down the eucalyptus-lined street toward the beach, her teeth biting the inside of her cheek. “Tanner, where’d you go?”

  Once in the parking lot, she scanned the area. A few dogs and their owners were taking their early morning walks.

  Please be here.

  She rushed to the shore and kicked off her sandals. The air was cool, crisp, and smelled of salt, and the waves crashed against the shore. Moist sand oozed between her toes, and a seagull flew overhead. She jogged up the beach, jumping over kelp and keeping her eyes peeled for the stray.

  Ashley loved all the animals at the no-kill animal shelter where she worked and would take home as many as possible. But her grandmother had insisted that no animals were allowed at the beach house and told her as much on the phone the night before.

  “Not just one?” Ashley’s voice rose a notch.

  “Have you heard the saying, ‘If you give her an inch, she’ll take a mile’?” Grandma reprimanded. “I know you too well, Ashley Marie Stevens. You love those animals and won’t be able to stop at one. Pretty soon, the whole house will be filled with living creatures. Besides stinking up the place, you don’t have money to feed them all.”

  “Is it okay to keep an animal overnight if I have to?” Ashley squeezed her eyes shut. She’d been pushing it, but how else would her grandmother understand?

  Grandma had sighed. “One night, that’s all. Remember my allergies—and the reason you need to live in the beach house in the first place.”

  How could she forget?

  The photos all over the dining room table were proof enough she couldn’t afford an apartment let alone to keep an animal. If it weren’t for Grandma’s generous offer of the beach house in exchange for organizing the trunk of photos into scrapbooks, Ashley would still be living in her childhood home.

  Now a half hour into her search, she had to call it quits or be late to work. Her heart sank as she made her way back to the car. At least she was able to wash the dog and give him a good meal. Maybe someone would find him and bring him to the animal shelter where she worked.

  Ashley stepped onto the cool asphalt, brushed the wet gritty sand from her feet, and slid into her flip-flops. Her cell phone buzzed in her sweatshirt pocket. She answered it on the second ring.

  “Hey, babe.” Bryan’s voice was low and husky.

  “I can tell you haven’t had your first cup of coffee.” A smile lit her voice as she pictured her handsome boyfriend with his dark hair askew.

  “You’re the first person I’ve talked to this morning.” He laughed. “Making coffee right now. You want to come over and join me for a
cup?”

  “Tempting but I’ve downed two already.” She sat on the worn upholstery of the driver’s seat. “But I wouldn’t mind grabbing a kiss or two.” Did she dare tell him Tanner ran away? No. Then he’d know she’d named him, which according to Bryan wasn’t a good sign. “Wait. Doesn’t school start in forty-five minutes?”

  “Yeah, and I still need to hop in the shower.” Disappointment laced his tone. “We’ll make up those kisses tonight. I made reservations at Shadowbrook. I’ll swing by and pick you up at a quarter to six.”

  The classy restaurant overlooked the beautiful Soquel Creek in Capitola. Her heart raced at the possible reason he might be taking her there. “I’ll be ready.”

  “I’d better get in the shower. See you tonight, Ash.”

  “Can’t wait. Love you.” She clicked off her phone and started the engine.

  As a schoolteacher, it wasn’t like Bryan was loaded and took her out to expensive restaurants every weekend. Quite the opposite. She counted on one hand the number of times they’d eaten at upscale establishments and those had been for birthdays or other milestones.

  Today signified nothing except for the fact she hoped to find Tanner a good home. And now that wouldn’t happen—unless she called Bryan back and asked him to change their reservation to a later time.

  The minute the thought crossed her mind, she wanted to take it back. Bryan already believed she paid more attention to rescuing animals than to him—a fact that was true on occasion and had been the topic of many strained conversations. He had even teased her for driving a 1988 station wagon, but she needed the space for transporting animals, a completely logical choice for someone who worked at an animal clinic.

  Taking care of abandoned and neglected animals was her passion, her true calling, and filled a deep-seated sense of loss she couldn’t pin down.

  “Ashley, get a grip.” Her words tumbled out as she drove back to the beach house. But why would Bryan offer to take her to such a fancy place? After three years of dating, was he finally ready to propose? A girl could hope.

  No matter what, she’d show Bryan that he mattered more to her than a dog she’d met less than twenty-four hours ago—even if Tanner did pull at her heartstrings.

  2

  Bryan Miller bent over the student’s desk, attempting to help the eleven-year-old girl with a math problem. He glanced at his watch. Almost time for morning recess. Good. The kids were antsy.

  “I still don’t understand it.” The ponytailed child’s voice hitched.

  The recess bell rang.

  The children slammed shut their math books, scurried to grab a snack, and rushed to be first in line at the door, a few shoving and jockeying for position. Some days, thirty wiggly eleven-year-olds were too much to handle. “Chelsea, go outside and get some fresh air. We’ll work on this during lunch.”

  “Okay.” Chelsea smiled, stood from her chair with a loud scrape, and weaved her way to the large trashcan filled with balls of various sizes. She tucked the black-and-white soccer ball under her arm.

  Bryan let out a breath. If only the girl cared about her studies as much as sports. “All right, kids, no pushing. Jack, Cameron, and Tyler, the end of the line, please.”

  “Aww. But, Mr. Miller, I was here first,” Tyler said.

  Bryan shook his head. “I saw the whole thing. You sure you want to go that route?”

  Tyler hung his head and followed Jack and Cameron to the back of the line.

  “Remember to throw your trash away. The janitors have been complaining about how much garbage they’ve had to pick up. Go on now.” Bryan swung the classroom door open wide, and the kids filed out, gaining speed once they hit the asphalt.

  During recess, he needed a few minutes to relax and think about his date tonight with Ashley. He’d hoped to pick up the simple yet elegant half-carat diamond ring at lunch, but now he’d have to wait ’til after school. It suited him fine. Chelsea needed help with math.

  He sat in the chair by his desk and laced his fingers behind his neck. He couldn’t fall asleep last night after talking with Ashley on the phone. A dog had barked in the background, and she admitted she’d found another stray. He loved animals as much as the next guy, but did she have to be a magnet for homeless creatures?

  Now that he thought about it, Ashley had cancelled on him a couple of times in the past few weeks when volunteers at the animal shelter didn’t show up. It had rankled, but tonight, he might welcome more time to contemplate one of the biggest decisions of his life. Call him chicken, but proposing to Ashley would take every ounce of courage.

  Bryan snagged an apple from his sack lunch and took a bite.

  Truth was, any man would be lucky to have a wonderful woman like Ashley by his side. And tonight, he’d prove how much he loved her by putting a ring on her finger. After they married, they’d get a dog or a cat, whatever she liked, and in a year or so, they’d start a family. A smile curved his mouth as he considered the idea and the intimacy needed to make that happen.

  “Bryan, I have a note for you. Seems urgent.” The secretary’s voice boomed through the intercom.

  Bryan sat up straight. “I’ll be right down.” Ten more minutes and recess would be over. He tossed his apple core in the trashcan with a thud and hustled to the office.

  Linda, the school secretary, was busy on another call when he walked in. She handed him a pink slip of paper as she carried on her conversation. The woman had an amazing ability to multitask.

  Bryan glanced at the note. Susan wanted him to call her right away. Apparently, Madison, his fifteen-year-old niece, was in trouble again. He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

  “Not good, huh?” Linda put down the phone. “High school is a tough age. Anything I can do? I’ve been through it with my own kids three times.”

  As much as he appreciated Linda’s kind words, family matters were private. In fact, he was surprised his sister would call the school when she could’ve easily left a message on his cell phone. He pulled it from his pocket. Five missed calls—all from his sister.

  “Thanks, Linda. Madison’s going through a rough patch right now …” He let the rest go unsaid. The secretary didn’t need to know Susan’s husband left and the family was falling apart. His parents didn’t even know what was going on. They viewed life in black and white, right and wrong. The bottom line was, Susan didn’t want to disappoint them and relied on Bryan for emotional support. In a way, he was honored that his sister trusted him. It made him feel good, important. But if he was being completely honest, it made him slightly uncomfortable.

  Growing up, he found himself on the receiving end of his parents’ scrutiny more often than not while his sister skated by. Even as a young adult, he’d had to prove he was capable of making the right decision. Finally, now that his life appeared to be on track, he could help his sister deal with hers. He straightened his shoulders at that revelation, slipped out of the office, and punched in Susan’s number.

  She answered on the first ring. “There you are.” Her words came out in a rush.

  “What’s going on?”

  “The high school called. They’re concerned about Madi. She went to her first and second classes, but then her teacher overheard her talking about leaving school. Sure enough, she didn’t show up for third period.”

  “The day’s not over.”

  “Madi told me about a boy she liked. I bet she’s with him right now. I can only imagine what she’s up to.”

  “Don’t get carried away—”

  “But my daughter’s skipping school. And I have no idea who she’s with and what she’s doing.”

  “Maybe she’ll be back—”

  “It’s all my fault. If Paul and I weren’t divorcing, Madi wouldn’t be lashing out.”

  Bryan leaned back against the side of the brick building. “Don’t blame yourself. I’m sure this is an isolated incident.”

  “But it’s not the first time she’s gotten in trouble. She’s had a han
dful of detentions in the last couple of weeks and picked a fight with a girl who accidentally bumped into her on the way to class. When Madi’s home, she’s like a bomb waiting to explode, and I feel like I need to duck and cover.”

  “Wow, I didn’t know it had gotten this bad.”

  “And I did something I shouldn’t have done. I searched Madi’s room and found her journal. She’s angry, not only with Paul for walking out on us, but also with me for not doing everything possible to make him stay. She wrote that I should’ve promised to take better care of myself, to lose weight, and buy new clothes. Can you believe that?”

  The bell rang above his head, signaling the end of recess.

  Bryan wanted to continue the conversation because his sister clearly needed someone to talk to, but thirty kids counted on him. “Look, sis. I’ve got to go. I’ll call you back the next chance I get—”

  “Do you mind helping me with the boys if she doesn’t come home on the bus?”

  “You know I’ll be there.” As he said the words, he prayed Madi would do the right thing and go back to school. He had Ashley’s diamond ring to pick up, a proposal to rehearse, and a bouquet of red roses to purchase.

  “I’m so glad I can count on you.” Susan sniffed. “Life’s been hard.”

  “I’m sorry, Suz. Gotta run. Keep me posted.”

  “I will. Thank you, bro.”

  Bryan tucked the cell in his back pocket and hustled back to his classroom.

  Madi. The once sweet, caring girl had changed over the last few months since his brother-in-law moved out of the house. Must be rough.

  But did she have to pick the day he planned to propose to leave the school campus?

  With Ashley’s diamond ring in his front jeans’ pocket, Bryan drove to Susan’s house to watch his nephews. His hands grew clammy. The last time he purchased an engagement ring, his heart had been broken in two.

  He pulled up to the curb.

  “Thank you so much.” Susan met him on the walk with quick steps, her purse swinging from her shoulder and keys jingling in hand. A concerned look etched her face. “The boys are inside. I’ll be home as soon as I can. Oh, and if I’m not back in a couple of hours, I have canned soup in the pantry and fixings for grilled cheese—”