Carolina Grace (Southern Breeze Series Book 3) Read online

  ©2019 by Regina Rudd Merrick

  Published by Mantle Rock Publishing LLC

  2879 Palma Road

  Benton, KY 42025

  http://mantlerockpublishingllc.com

  Printed in the United States of America

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy and recording— without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotation in printed reviews.

  ISBN 978-1-945094-68-2

  Cover by Diane Turpin at dianeturpindesigns.com

  All characters are fictional, and any resemblance to real people, either factional or historical, is purely coincidental.

  Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  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

  Acknowledgments

  From the Author

  Also by Regina Rudd Merrick

  Also From Mantle Rock Publishing

  To my husband, Todd Wayne Merrick. You’re the reason I can write about a girl finding “the one.”

  For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift––not from works, so that no one can boast. [Eph. 2:8-9] NKJV

  Amazing grace! How sweet the sound

  That saved a wretch like me!

  I once was lost, but now am found;

  Was blind, but now I see.

  Chapter One

  Charlotte Livingston’s head shot up when the elevator opened. The hollow sound echoed in the hallway of the hospital adjacent to the Emergency Services waiting room.

  The breath she held left her in a sigh when she saw the doors close behind two nurses with a cart. The late hour meant no visitors, but for those waiting for word, the wide-open lobby felt cold and claustrophobic in its loneliness.

  “How many times, Lord, will I have to sit here and wait to find out if the ones I love are okay?” She got up and stretched, walking around the familiar room, her heels tapping on the shiny tiles. Not much to see that she hadn’t seen before: three-month-old hunting and decorating magazines, various health-related pamphlets for conditions she hoped she never had to face, and a Gideon Bible. When she sat back down, she leaned forward, covering her face with her hands.

  Her nerves were taut, the long day taking its toll on her as she worried and waited for word. Magazines exhausted, phone almost dead and charging at an outlet, she began to pray silently. Maybe that would hurry things along.

  Her phone buzzed: Anything?? Her best friend, Lydia, was chomping at the bit, which was typical.

  Charly sighed and tapped her reply. Nope. I’ll keep you posted.

  As she was settling in to repeat the Lord’s Prayer as a last resort to keep her mind busy, the elevator doors opened, and she heard footsteps rushing toward her.

  “Finally. I thought you would never get here.” She stood and put her hands on her hips in frustration.

  “Sorry, it takes longer to get out of the house these days.” Jared Benton carried a portable car seat holding a newborn, setting it gently on a coffee table and covering the sleeping infant carefully with a soft blanket.

  Sarah Benton went straight to Charly and hugged her. “Charly. Where’s your mom? Have you heard anything?”

  “She’s in with them, and no, nothing. I’m going crazy out here.”

  “I’ll go to the nurses’ station and see if we can get a little info.” Sarah looked at her husband and motioned for him to stay with Charly.

  Jared nodded. “Since you recently had the prettiest baby in the county in this hospital, I think you should have a little pull.” He grabbed her hand for a second, before letting go.

  “Handsomest. I’ll be right back. Don’t worry.”

  “Do you think they’re okay?” She covered her face with her hands and closed her eyes. “I will never forgive myself if something happens.”

  Jared sighed. “Charly, don’t beat yourself up about this.” He looked up. “Here’s Sarah.”

  She looked up to see a worried frown on her face. “Sarah? What’s wrong?”

  Sarah cleared her expression. “I’m not sure. They’re going to let me go back there.”

  “Are you sure you’re up to it?” Jared looked concerned.

  “Lucy asked for me.”

  Charly shook her head in frustration. “Something’s wrong. I just know it.”

  “We don’t know anything.” Sarah checked on the baby, still sleeping. “Keep an eye on Beau Alexander.”

  “You know we will.” When she rushed toward the swinging doors, Jared shook his head and looked at his best friend’s little sister. “Like we can’t be trusted.”

  Sarah paused. “I heard that. I’ll be back as soon as I know anything.”

  Sarah went back to the nurses’ station and a nurse came out from behind the counter to escort her to the double doors.

  A tiny squeak emanated from the baby and both Jared and Charly jumped.

  “He makes that little noise all the time.”

  “What?”

  “Squeak in his sleep. Don’t know if he’s dreaming or what. Must be carrying on lots of conversations in those dreams.”

  Charly grinned slightly. “Do you guys sit and watch him all the time?”

  Jared’s smile grew. “Pretty much.”

  “He’s a keeper, for sure.” Charly looked in wonder at the baby, his tiny hand held up in sleep as if propped up, holding his fingers out reminiscent of a high-five.

  Emmaline Quince took a deep breath. Most days, her job as a wedding planner in Pawley’s Island, South Carolina was rewarding, fun, and carefree. And then there were days like this.

  When Lucy Dixon Livingston became her business partner, she thought her troubles were over and then this.

  Yes, it was a blessing, but four weeks early? Come on. Really?

  Okay, it had to be the frustration talking.

  She walked up to the bride and her mother, who were bickering about which step the bridesmaids needed to stand on, the pastor cracking jokes with the groomsmen, and the groom standing there looking like death warmed over.

  Nothing she couldn’t handle, but with Lucy by her side, she felt more confident, especially as she felt herself getting older and the brides seemed to get younger and more opinionated.

  She walked up to Christy, her bride, and her mother, Barbara.

  “What’s the problem, ladies?”

  “Mom is convinced someone is going to fall off the steps if they’re too close, and I’ve assured her they’ll be fine and that they’ve been walking, talking and standing for several years now, and if they think they’re fine, they’re fi
ne.” The bride practically had steam coming out her ears with her last “fine” and never took her eyes off her mother, who was getting teary-eyed.

  “Barbara, let’s take a walk for a second.” Emma finally caught the pastor’s eye and said, “Everyone, relax and take five. We’ll be right back.”

  She led the emotional mom down the aisle and handed her a tissue. She kept a little packet in her pocket for rehearsals and weddings.

  Her mama always said, “a lady always has a tissue,” and she’d finally learned the lesson. She still rebelled, inside, every time she thought about it.

  “I’m fine. Really, I am.” The mother of the bride was trying to convince herself.

  Emma pulled her friend in for a hug. “Now, Barbara, I know better.”

  “I’m happy,” she said and then began to boo-hoo loudly enough for the bridal party in front of the auditorium to look back in concern.

  “Shhh. It’ll be okay. This is perfectly normal.”

  “But she’s leaving me, and then she yelled at me.” The blubbering answer would have been humorous if it hadn’t been slightly pathetic.

  “Barbara, look at me.” Time to get stern. Ain’t nobody got time for this.

  The red-rimmed eyes of Barbara Turnbow looked at her, a loud sniff accompanying the quivering chin.

  When pressed for time, Emma’s southern accent came out in full force. “Barbara, these kids are gettin’ married tomorrow. Christy needs her mama, and she needs you to be strong for her, or she’ll be the one busting into tears. Do you want those pictures tomorrow to be of y’all cryin’ and carryin’ on? Or do you want those pictures to be the illustration of one of the happiest days of your life?”

  “She’s the one gettin’ married, not me.”

  “Yes and how long have you prayed for that boy up there?”

  Sniff. “Since she was born.”

  “Alrighty, then, your prayers have been answered. Did you do anything to answer your prayer?”

  Head shaking in the negative. “No, it was all God.”

  “Right. If it’s a gift from God, why are you tryin’ to take over and nit-pick?”

  Barbara lifted her eyes to Emma, her lips twisted in a damp grin.

  “Now, mama, look up there at those kids. Don’t they look nice on those steps?”

  She smiled through her tears. “They look wonderful. And with the dresses it will be perfect.”

  “If we spread them out any more, it’ll be uneven, so I think you need to give Christy this one, okay?”

  Barbara heaved a loud sigh. “Okay. I’ll try to keep my cool.”

  Emma patted her on the back. “It’s all right, honey. If you’re going to lose your cool, now is the time to do it.”

  “I miss her already.”

  “I know. Remember, you’re not losing a daughter . . .”

  Barbara blew her nose loudly and chuckled. “I know. I’m gaining a son.”

  “Ready to do this thing?”

  The mother of the bride straightened her spine, stretched her eyes open to minimize the puffiness (it never works, by the way), strode up the aisle, and took her place on the second pew, left side, Emma following at a fast pace behind.

  “All right, Pastor, I think we’ve got a plan, and the girls and guys look perfect where they are. You may proceed to the vows portion of the ceremony.”

  Rance Butler picked up the clipboard off the desk at the nurses’ station. The way his eyes kept crossing, if he didn’t get some sleep soon, he wouldn’t only be seeing blurry lines; he’d be seeing two of everything.

  Go to medical school, they said. Be a doctor, they said. You’ll make lots of money, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.

  At twenty-eight, in his third year of residency at Georgetown General Hospital, he was close enough to the end to push back the burnout, but this rotation in the “high risk obstetrics” elective had been more than he bargained for.

  “Young man, you need to get some rest.” Jackie Warren, the nurse on duty, was his mother-hen.

  He grinned at her and leaned both elbows on the counter. “Tell me something I don’t already know.” Resting his chin on his hands, he closed his eyes for a second.

  “Don’t you be sleeping here on my desk. Find your own.” She twisted her lips and placed another clipboard on the counter next to him. “Got a present, especially for you.”

  He heaved a sigh and raised himself up to look at the medical records in front of her. “Ah, what I always wanted. A last-minute admission with Doctor Price.”

  “He’ll be in here as soon as he can get in from his garden.” She chuckled. “I hear she was in his office this morning and he told her it would be several days. I guess he didn’t give the Livingston baby one of those free wall calendars.”

  Scanning the paper, he twisted his lips in a frown. “Not due for four weeks.” He read on. “I’ll go in and check. Something’s not right here.”

  Adrenalin kicked in, and the bounce was back in his step. When he approached the swinging double doors, he glanced over at the young woman with long, blonde hair and a dark-haired man in the waiting room, smiling over a baby-carrier. He lifted the left side of his mouth in a slight grin. Something inside him bloomed. Nice little family.

  He stopped short when a darker-haired woman he didn’t know rushed out the doors and to the waiting room.

  “Charly, we need you!”

  Chapter Two

  Charly entered the birthing room with trepidation. What had she done, asking her sister-in-law to come to the school to help her with a problem student? As soon as she walked in the door of the classroom, she knew something wasn’t right. Lucy Livingston seemed to have more energy than usual, but she seemed, well, puffy, for want of a better word.

  Tom Livingston, Charly’s older brother, knelt next to Lucy’s head, looking so pale she was worried he would pass out. It wasn’t out of the question, after all. He might be the county sheriff, but when it came to his wife, he was a big, stuffed ball of goo.

  Lucy saw her and reached out for her other hand. “Charly, I need to tell you something.” She paused and strained, her jaw clenched in pain. “Wait a minute. And get out from between me and the tissue box. It’s my focal point.”

  Tom smiled wanly. “I learned the hard way.” He showed her the bruise on his arm. “This was from the first time I got in her way.”

  Lucy relaxed. “That was a big one.”

  “Oh, Lucy, what happened? Was it coming out to the school? Did you fall?”

  Lucy waved a tired hand. “Honey, I came to the school after my appointment with Dr. Price. He told me it would be several days before I delivered. Now, if he doesn’t hurry, he’ll be the LATE Dr. Price when I get hold of him.”

  The hospital resident came in. “Mr. and Mrs. Livingston?”

  Tom rose and shook his hand. “I’m Tom, and this is my wife, Lucy.” He looked over at the others in the room. “My mother, Mrs. Livingston, and my sister, Charlotte.”

  He nodded, acknowledging Charly and Mary Ann. His eyes flickered a little when he saw Charly. “Hello, I’m Dr. Butler. I’ve been told Dr. Price will be here as soon as he can get out of his garden.” His lips quirked up in a brief smile.

  “It’s getting closer.” Tom settled back within reach of his wife.

  “That’s what I hear.” He checked the chart and the monitors. “You’re being awfully quiet.”

  Lucy glared at him. “Not my first rodeo.”

  Charly was still worried, but she couldn’t help noticing the concerned young intern. Were his eyes truly such an intense blue? She switched her attention back to Lucy when she spoke.

  “Charly, the reason I asked for you was that I wanted you to be here for the birth.”

  “Really?” A smile broke out on her face.

  Lucy nodded. “When Hayes was born, we thought you were too young, and you’re a grown-up lady now.” Lucy closed her eyes. “Here it comes again.” She squeezed Tom’s hand until his fingers were turning blue. His
slight grimace was the only indication it hurt.

  Charly grimaced in sympathy and glanced at Dr. Butler. She was surprised at his quick grin when their eyes met. She grinned back before she thought.

  The door swung open, and a nurse, following the obstetrician, rushed to the doctor to help him on with his delivery gown and mask.

  “Do you want covers for those shoes?” She laughed and pointed down at the muddy garden shoes he still wore so he could rush to the hospital. “Might get ’em dirty.”

  Dr. Price chuckled and turned to the resident. “You’re in for a treat, Dr. Butler.” He looked over his glasses and into the face of the delivering mother. “You told me you thought it would be sooner, didn’t you?”

  Lucy glared at him. Uncharacteristic for her, but highly characteristic for a woman giving birth. “I hope you’re happy now. You got here in time to play catch.”

  He laughed as the nurses put her in position. “I’m glad I got the tomato plants in the ground before they called me. Almost ready, looks like.”

  After a few intense contractions, things moved swiftly. How was Lucy living through this? Charly had watched videos of birth but seeing someone you love in this much pain was almost more than she could bear. She couldn’t help wondering if she would ever have the nerve to go through it herself.

  “Bless you, baby. Bless you, baby.” The doctor prayed as the baby was delivered.

  Charly was silent, watching the miracle of birth before her eyes. Tears gathered as she saw her nephew being born. When Lucy relaxed for a moment, she was happy. Now the recovery could begin.