{"id":15655,"date":"2013-09-20T01:02:39","date_gmt":"2013-09-20T06:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=15655"},"modified":"2013-09-19T22:04:55","modified_gmt":"2013-09-20T03:04:55","slug":"beyond-these-hills-by-sandra-robbins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=15655","title":{"rendered":"Beyond These Hills by Sandra Robbins"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/div>\n

\u00a0Sandra Robbins<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Beyond These Hills<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Harvest House Publishers (September 1, 2013)<\/span><\/div>\n
***Special thanks to Ginger Chen for sending me a review copy.***<\/div>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

In the romantic conclusion to the Smoky Mountain Dreams series, Sandra Robbins tells a story of love and loss. The government is purchasing property to establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Laurel Jackson fears she\u2019ll have to say goodbye to the only home she\u2019s ever known. Can she find the strength to leave?<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>In the romantic conclusion to the Smoky Mountain Dreams series, Sandra Robbins tells a story of love and loss. The government is purchasing property to establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Laurel Jackson fears she\u2019ll have to say goodbye to the only home she\u2019s ever known. Can she find the strength to leave?<\/p>\n

<\/object><\/div>\n

Product Details:<\/strong><\/p>\n

List Price: $13.99
\nSeries: Smoky Mountain Dreams (Book 3)
\nPaperback: 320 pages
\nPublisher: Harvest House Publishers (September 1, 2013)
\nLanguage: English
\nISBN-10: 0736948880
\nISBN-13: 978-0736948883<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Cades Cove, Tennessee June, 1935<\/p>\n

The needle on the pickup truck\u2019s speedometer eased to thirty miles an hour. Laurel Jackson bit back a smile and glanced at her father. With his right hand on the steering wheel and his left elbow hanging out the open window, he reminded her of a little boy absorbed in the wonder of a new toy.<\/p>\n

The wind ruffled his dark, silver-streaked hair, and a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as the truck bounced along. His eyes held a faraway look that told her he was enjoying every minute of the drive along the new road that twisted through Cades Cove.<\/p>\n

If truth be told, though, the truck with its dented fenders wasn\u2019t all that new. He\u2019d bought it a few months ago from Warren Hubbard, who\u2019d cleaned out a few ditches in Cades Cove trying to bring the little Ford to a stop. Rumor had it he kept yelling Whoa! instead of pressing the brake. The good-natured ribbing of his neighbors had finally convinced Mr. Hubbard that he had no business behind the wheel of a truck.<\/p>\n

Laurel\u2019s father didn\u2019t have that problem. He took to driving like their old hound dog Buster took to trailing a raccoon. Neither gave up until they\u2019d finished what they\u2019d started. Mama often said she didn\u2019t know which one\u2019s stubborn ways vexed her more\u2014Poppa\u2019s or Buster\u2019s. Of course her eyes always twinkled when she said it.<\/p>\n

The truck was another matter entirely. Mama saw no earthly reason why they needed that contraption on their farm when they had a perfectly good wagon and buggy. To her, it was another reminder of how life in Cades Cove was changing. Laurel could imagine what her mother would say if she could see Poppa now as the speed-ometer inched up to thirty-five. Land\u2019s sakes, Matthew. If you don\u2019t keep both hands on the wheel, you\u2019re gonna end up killing us all.<\/p>\n

But Mama wasn\u2019t with them today to tell Poppa they weren\u2019t in a race, and he was taking advantage of her absence to test the limits of the truck. At this rate they\u2019d make it to Gatlinburg earlier than expected. When she was a little girl, the ride in their wagon over to the mountain village that had become a favorite of tourists had seemed to take forever. Now, it took them less than half the time to get there.<\/p>\n

She glanced at her father again and arched an eyebrow. \u201cYou\u2019d better be glad Mama stayed home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father chuckled. \u201cDo you think she\u2019d say I was driving too fast?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurel tilted her head to one side and tried to narrow her eyes into a thoughtful pose. \u201cI\u2019m sure she wouldn\u2019t hesitate to let you know exactly how she felt.\u201d<\/p>\n

A big smile creased her father\u2019s face, and he nodded. \u201cYou\u2019re right about that. Your mother may run a successful business from a valley in the middle of the Smoky Mountains, but she\u2019d just as soon pass up all the modern conveniences the money she makes could provide her. Sometimes I think she\u2019d be happier if we were still living in that one-room cabin we had when we first married.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurel laughed and nodded. \u201cI know. But I imagine she\u2019ll be just as happy today to have us out of the way. She can unload her latest pottery from the kiln and get the lodge cleaned and ready for the tourists we have coming Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father\u2019s right hand loosened on the steering wheel, and his left one pulled the brim of his hat lower on his forehead. \u201cIt looks like business is going to be good this year. We already have reservations for most of the summer, and our guests sure do like to take home some of her pieces from Mountain Laurel Pottery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurel frowned. There would be guests this summer, but what about next year and the year after that? A hot breeze blew through the open window, and she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket. She mopped at the perspiration on her forehead before she swiveled in her seat to face her father. \u201cHaving the lodge and the pottery business is kind of like a mixed blessing, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

He frowned but didn\u2019t take his eyes off the road. \u201cHow do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurel\u2019s gaze swept over the mountains that ringed the valley where she\u2019d lived all her life. Her love for the mist-covered hills in the distance swelled up in her, and she swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. \u201cWell, I was just thinking that we get paid well by the folks who stay at our lodge while they fish and hike the mountain trails, and Mama makes a lot of money selling them her pottery. But is the money worth what we\u2019ve lost?\u201d She clasped her hands in her lap. \u201cI miss the quiet life we had in the Cove when I was a little girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father\u2019s forehead wrinkled. \u201cSo do I, darling, but you\u2019re all grown up now, and those days are long gone. Change has been happening for a long time, but our way of life officially ended twelve years ago with the plan for the Smokies to become a national park. Now most of the mountain land\u2019s been bought up by the government, and there\u2019s a park superintendent in place over at Gatlinburg. I guess we have to accept the fact that the park is a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

A tremor ran through Laurel\u2019s body. She clutched her fists tighter until her fingernails cut into her palms. \u201cNo matter what we\u2019re doing or talking about, it always comes back to one question, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father glanced at her. \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long can we keep the government from taking our land?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they don\u2019t have it yet.\u201d The lines in her father\u2019s face deepened, and the muscle in his jaw twitched. \u201cAt the moment, all the land that borders our farm has been bought and is part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There aren\u2019t many of us holding on in the Cove, but we\u2019re not giving up without a fight. I have a meeting with our lawyer in Gatlinburg today to see how our court case is going. You can get your mama\u2019s pottery delivered to Mr. Bryan\u2019s store, can\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know you had a meeting with the lawyer. Don\u2019t worry about the pottery. Willie and I can take care of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

A smile cracked her father\u2019s moments-ago stony features at the mention of her younger brother, who was riding in the truck\u2019s bed. \u201cYou make sure that boy helps you. He has a habit of disappearing every time I have a job for him. I sure wish he\u2019d grow up and start taking on some responsibility around the farm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurel laughed. \u201cWillie\u2019s only twelve, Poppa. When he\u2019s as old as Charlie or me, he\u2019ll settle down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know about that. He\u2019s always gonna be your mother\u2019s baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before she could respond, the truck hit a bump in the road and a yell from behind pierced her ears. Laughing, she turned and looked through the back window. Willie\u2019s face stared back at her. \u201cDo it again, Pa,\u201d he yelled. \u201cThat was fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father frowned, grabbed the steering wheel with both hands, and leaned over to call out the window. \u201cBe still, Willie, before you fall out and land on your head.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willie stood up, grabbed the side of the open window, and leaned around the truck door to peer into the cab. \u201cWon\u2019t this thing go any faster?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father\u2019s foot eased up, and he frowned. \u201cWe\u2019re going fast enough. Sit down, Willie.\u201d<\/p>\n

The wind whipped Willie\u2019s dark hair in his eyes. He was grinning. \u201cJacob\u2019s pa has a truck that\u2019ll go fifty on a smooth stretch,\u201d he yelled. \u201cSee what ours will do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The veins in her father\u2019s neck stood out, and the speedometer needle dropped to twenty. \u201cIf you don\u2019t sit down and stay put, I\u2019m gonna stop and make you sit up here between your sister and me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just saying you ought to open this thing up and see what she\u2019ll do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The muscle in her father\u2019s jaw twitched again, and Laurel put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. How many times had she seen her no-nonsense father and her fun-loving brother locked in a battle of wills? Her father took a deep breath and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWillie, for the last time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Willie leaned closer to the window, glanced at Laurel, and winked. \u201cOkay. I\u2019ll sit, but I still think we could go a little faster. Jacob\u2019s gonna get to Gatlinburg way before we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The truck slowed to a crawl. \u201cWillie\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

A big grin covered Willie\u2019s mouth. \u201cOkay, okay. I\u2019m just trying to help. I know Mr. Bryan is waitin\u2019 for these crates of Mama\u2019s pottery. I\u2019d hate to get there after he\u2019d closed the store.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not going to close the store. Now for the last time, do as I say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, okay. I\u2019m sittin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willie pushed away from the window and slid down into the bed of the truck. Her father straightened in the seat and shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know what I\u2019m going to do with that boy. He\u2019s gonna put me in my grave before I\u2019m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurel laughed, leaned over, and kissed her father\u2019s cheek. \u201cHow many times have I heard you say that? I think you love sparring with him. He reminds you of Mama.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the first time today, a deep laugh rumbled in her father\u2019s throat. \u201cThat it does. That woman has kept me on my toes for twenty years now.\u201d He glanced over his shoulder through the back glass toward Willie, who now sat hunkered down in the bed of the truck. \u201cBut I doubt if I\u2019ll make it with that boy. He tests my patience every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurel smiled as she reached up and retied the bow at the end of the long braid that hung over her shoulder and down the front of her dress. \u201cI doubt that will happen. You have more patience than anybody I know. There aren\u2019t many in our valley who\u2019ve been able to stand up to the government and keep them from taking their land. Just you and Grandpa Martin and a few more. Everybody else has given up and sold out.\u201d<\/p>\n

There it was again. The ever-present shadow that hung over their lives. Cove residents were selling out and leaving. How long could they hang on?<\/p>\n

\u201cSeems like we\u2019re losing all our friends, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d Her father shook his head and pointed straight ahead. \u201cLike Pete and Laura Ferguson. We\u2019re almost to their farm. I think I\u2019ll stop for a minute. I promised Pete I\u2019d keep an eye on the place after they moved, and I haven\u2019t gotten over here in a few weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ever since Laurel could remember there had been a bond between her father and the older Pete Ferguson. Each had always been there to lend a hand to the other, but now the Fergusons were gone. Their land sold to the United States government and their farm officially a part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.<\/p>\n

She glanced at her father\u2019s face, and she almost gasped aloud at the sorrow she saw. The court case he and Grandpa Martin had waged over the past year had taken its toll on him. He was only a few months away from turning fifty years old, and Grandpa would soon be sixty-five. They didn\u2019t need the worry they\u2019d lived under for the last twelve years. Why couldn\u2019t the government just give up and allow them to remain on their farms in the mountain valley that had been their family\u2019s home for generations? That was her prayer every night, but so far God hadn\u2019t seen fit to answer.<\/p>\n

Her father steered the truck onto the dirt path that ran to the Ferguson cabin. The wildflowers Mrs. Ferguson had always loved waved in the breeze beside the road as they rounded the corner and pulled to a stop in the yard.<\/p>\n

Laurel\u2019s eyes grew wide, and she stared, unbelieving, through the windshield to the spot where the Ferguson cabin had stood as long as she could remember. Her father groaned and climbed from the truck. For a moment he stood beside the vehicle\u2019s open door, his hand resting on the handle. He shook his head as if he couldn\u2019t believe what he saw. Then he closed the door and took a few steps forward.<\/p>\n

Laurel reached for the leather bag that sat on the floorboard near her feet, unsnapped the top flap, and pulled out her Brownie box camera before jumping from the truck. She hurried to stand beside her father, who stood transfixed as he stared straight ahead. Willie, his face pale, climbed from the back of the truck and stopped next to their father. No one spoke for a moment.<\/p>\n

Willie pulled his gaze away and stared up at their father. \u201cWhere\u2019s the house, Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Their father took a deep breath. \u201cI guess the park service tore it down, son.\u201d<\/p>\n

A sob caught in Laurel\u2019s throat as they stared at the barren spot of land that had once been the site of a cabin, barn, and all the outbuildings needed to keep a farm productive. \u201cBut why would they do that, Poppa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father took a deep breath. \u201cBecause this land is now a part of the park, and they want it to return to its wild state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willie inched closer to their father. \u201cAre they gonna tear our house down too?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father\u2019s eyes darkened. \u201cNot if I can help it.\u201d He let his gaze wander over the place he had known so well before he took a deep breath and turned back to the truck. \u201cLet\u2019s get out of here. I shouldn\u2019t have stopped today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurel raised the camera and stared down into the viewfinder. \u201cLet me get a picture of this before we go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father gritted his teeth. \u201cTake as many as you want. Somebody\u2019s got to record the death of a community.\u201d<\/p>\n

None of them spoke as she snapped picture after picture of the empty spot that gave no hint a family had once been devoted to this piece of land. After she\u2019d finished, the three of them returned to the truck and climbed in. When her father turned the truck and headed back to the road, Laurel glanced over her shoulder at the spot where the house had stood. She had always looked forward to visiting this home, but she didn\u2019t know if she would be able to return. Too many of her friends were gone, scattered to the winds in different directions. The holdouts who still remained in the Cove lived each day with the threat that they too would soon be forced from the only homes they\u2019d ever known. If her family had to leave, they would be like all the rest. They would go wherever they could find a home, and the ties forged by generations in the close society of their remote mountain valley would vanish forever.<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

Andrew Brady set his empty glass on the soda fountain counter and crossed his arms on its slick white surface. The young man who\u2019d served him faced him behind the counter and smiled. \u201cCan I get you somethin\u2019 else, mister?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew shook his head. \u201cNo thanks. That cold drink helped to cool me down some. I didn\u2019t expect it to be so hot in Gatlinburg. I thought it would be cooler here in the mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n

The young man grinned and reached up to scratch under the white hat he wore. \u201cMost folks think that, but our days can be a bit warm in the summertime.\u201d He glanced at several customers at the other end of the counter and, apparently satisfied they didn\u2019t need any help at the moment, turned his attention back to Andrew. \u201cWhere you from?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew smiled. \u201cVirginia. Up near Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

The young man smiled and extended his hand. \u201cWelcome to Gatlinburg. My name is Wayne Johnson. My uncle owns this drugstore, and I work for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew grasped his hand and shook it. \u201cAndrew Brady.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long you been here, Andrew?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI arrived Thursday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wayne picked up a cloth and began to wipe the counter. He glanced up at Andrew. \u201cYou enjoying your vacation?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m not in Gatlinburg on vacation. I\u2019m here on business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wayne shrugged. \u201cI figured you for a tourist. Guess I was wrong. They come from all over now that the park\u2019s opening up. I hear that we had about forty thousand people visit Gatlinburg last year. That\u2019s a far cry from what it was like when I was a boy. We were just a wide spot in a dirt road back in those days. But I expect it\u2019s only gonna get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew glanced around the drugstore with its well-stocked shelves and the soda fountain against the side wall. \u201cIt looks like this business is doing okay.\u201d He shook his head and chuckled. \u201cI don\u2019t know what I expected, but I wouldn\u2019t have thought there\u2019d be so many shops here. Mountain crafts are for sale everywhere, and the whole town is lit up with electric lights. It looks like the park has put this town on the map.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wayne propped his hands on the counter and smiled. \u201cI guess folks in the outside world thought we were just a bunch of ignorant hillbillies up here, but we been doing fine all these years. We\u2019ve even had electricity since back in the twenties when Mr. Elijah Reagan harnessed the power on the Roaring Fork for his furniture factory. He supplied to everybody else too, but now they say we\u2019re gonna have cheap electricity when TVA gets all their dams built.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew nodded. \u201cI guess it\u2019s a new day for the people in the mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sure is, and we\u2019re enjoying every bit of it.\u201d He picked up Andrew\u2019s dirty glass and held it up. \u201cYou sure you don\u2019t want a refill?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew shook his head. \u201cNo, I\u2019d better be going. I have some things to do before I head out to Cades Cove tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wayne cocked an eyebrow. \u201cOnly one reason I can think why you might be going out there. You must be joining up at the Civilian Conservation Corps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew pulled some coins from his pocket to pay for his soda and laid them on the counter. \u201cNo, I\u2019m not with the CCC. Just intend to visit with them a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wayne shrugged. \u201cThere\u2019re a lot of CCC camps all over the mountains, and those boys are doing a good job. You can see part of it when you drive into the Cove. They built the new road there. It sure makes gettin\u2019 in and out of there easier than it did in years past. I reckon Roosevelt did a good thing when he put that program in his New Deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it\u2019s giving a lot of young men a chance for employment.\u201d Andrew smiled, picked up the hat that rested on the stool beside him, and set it on his head. \u201cThanks for the soda.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wayne studied Andrew for a moment. \u201cYou never did tell me exactly what your job is. What brought you to Gatlinburg from Washington?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI work with the Park Service. I\u2019m here on a special assignment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wayne\u2019s eyes narrowed, and his gaze raked Andrew. \u201cSpecial assignment, huh? Sounds important, and you look mighty young.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew\u2019s face grew warm, and his pulse quickened. Even a soda jerk could figure out that a guy who looked like he\u2019d barely been out of college for a year couldn\u2019t have gotten this job on his own. But with his father being a United States congressman and a supporter of President Roosevelt\u2019s New Deal, it hadn\u2019t been hard for his father to arrange this appointment.<\/p>\n

The worst part for him, though, had been his father\u2019s command that Andrew had better not embarrass him on the job. He swallowed the nausea rising in his throat and tried to smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess I\u2019m just lucky they thought I was qualified.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, congratulations. Come in for another soda the next time you\u2019re in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat I will.\u201d Andrew turned and headed for the exit.<\/p>\n

When he stepped outside the drugstore, he stopped and stared at the newly paved road that wound through the town. Before long that stretch of highway would wind and climb its way up the mountainsides all the way to Newfound Gap that divided the states of ??Tennessee and North Carolina. He\u2019d heard that spot mentioned several times as the ideal location for the dedication of the park, but the event was still some years away. His assignment here would be one of the factors that determined when it would take place.<\/p>\n

Andrew took a deep breath of fresh mountain air and turned in the direction where he\u2019d parked his car. Several tourists brushed past him, but it was the approach of a young man and woman who caught his attention. Obviously honeymooners, if the glow of happiness on their faces was any indication. Ignoring everybody they passed, they stared into each other\u2019s eyes and smiled as if they had a secret no one else knew.<\/p>\n

Andrew shook his head in sympathy as they walked past him and wondered how long it would take them to face up to the reality of what being married really meant. He\u2019d seen how his friends had changed after marriage when they had to start worrying about taking care of a family. He\u2019d decided a long time ago it wasn\u2019t for him. He had too many things he wanted to do in life, and getting married ranked way below the bottom of his list. Convincing his father of the decision, though, was another matter. The congressman had already picked out the woman for his son\u2019s wife. \u201cThe perfect choice,\u201d his father often said, \u201cto be by your side as you rise in politics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew sighed and shook his head. Sometimes there was no reasoning with his father. He wished he could make him\u2026<\/p>\n

His gaze drifted across the street, and the frown on his face dissolved at the sight of a young woman standing at the back of a pickup truck. Her fisted hands rested on her hips, and she glared at the back of a young boy running down the street.<\/p>\n

\u201cWillie,\u201d she yelled. \u201cCome back here. We\u2019re not through unloading yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boy scampered away without looking over his shoulder. She shook her head and stamped her foot. Irritation radiated from her stiff body, and his skin warmed as if she\u2019d touched him.<\/p>\n

As if some unknown force had suddenly inhabited his body, he eased off the sidewalk and moved across the street until he stood next to her. \u201cExcuse me, ma\u2019am. Is there anything I can do to help?\u201d<\/p>\n

She whirled toward him, and the long braid of black hair hanging over her right shoulder thumped against her chest. Sultry dark eyes shaded by long lashes stared up at him, and a small gasp escaped her lips. \u201cOh, you startled me.\u201d<\/p>\n

His chest constricted, and he inhaled to relieve the tightness. His gaze drifted to the long braid that reached nearly to her waist. He had a momentary desire to reach out and touch it. With a shake of his head, he curled his fingers into his palms and cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. I heard you calling out to that boy, and I thought maybe I could help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Only then did her shoulders relax, and she smiled. Relief surged through his body, and his legs trembled. What was happening to him? A few minutes ago he was mentally reaffirming his commitment to bachelorhood, and now his mind wondered why he\u2019d ever had such a ridiculous thought. All he could do was stare at the beautiful creature facing him.<\/p>\n

She glanced in the direction the boy had disappeared and sighed. \u201cThat was my brother. He was supposed to help me move these crates into the store, but he ran off to find his friend.\u201d She smiled again and held out her hand. \u201cMy name is Laurel.\u201d<\/p>\n

His hand engulfed hers, and a wobbly smile pulled at his lips. \u201cI\u2019m Andrew. I\u2019d be glad to take these inside for you, Laurel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no. If you could just get one end, I\u2019ll hold the other.\u201d<\/p>\n

He studied the containers for a moment before he shook his head. \u201cI think I can manage. If you\u2019ll just open the door, I\u2019ll have them inside in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n

She hesitated as if trying to decide, then nodded. \u201cOkay. But be careful. These crates are filled with pottery. My mother will have a fit if one piece gets broken.\u201d<\/p>\n

He took a deep breath, leaned over the tailgate of the truck, and grabbed the largest crate with Mountain Laurel Pottery stamped on the top. Hoisting the container in his hands, he headed toward the store and the front door that she held open.<\/p>\n

As they entered the building, a tall man with a pencil stuck behind his ear hurried from the back of the room. \u201cAfternoon, Laurel. I wondered when you were going to get here.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled, and Andrew\u2019s heart thumped harder. \u201cWe didn\u2019t leave home as early as we\u2019d planned.\u201d Her smile changed to a scowl. \u201cWillie was supposed to help me, but he ran off.\u201d And just as quickly, her expression changed again to a dazzling smile. \u201cAndrew was good enough to help me get the crates in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Bryan helped Andrew ease the crate to the floor and glanced up at him. \u201cAny more in the truck?\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew nodded. \u201cOne more, but it\u2019s smaller. I don\u2019t need any help getting it inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll leave you two. I\u2019m unboxing some supplies in the back.\u201d Mr. Bryan turned to Laurel. \u201cIf anybody comes in, holler at me, Laurel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will.\u201d<\/p>\n

A need to distance himself from this woman who had his heart turning somersaults swept over Andrew, and he hurried out the door. Within minutes he was back with the second container, but he almost dropped it at the sight of Laurel kneeling on the floor beside the first one. She opened the top, reached inside, and pulled out one of the most beautiful clay pots he\u2019d ever laid eyes on. Swirls of orange and black streaked the smoky surface of the piece. She held it up to the light, and her eyes sparkled as she turned it slowly in her hands and inspected it.<\/p>\n

He set the second crate down and swallowed. \u201cDid you make it?\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed and shook her head. The braid swayed again, and he stood transfixed. \u201cNo, my mother is the potter. I help her sometimes, but I didn\u2019t inherit her gift. This is one of her pit-fired pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n

She set the pot down and pulled another one out. She smiled and rubbed her hand over the surface. Her touch on the pottery sent a warm rush through his veins.<\/p>\n

\u201cExquisite.\u201d The word escaped his mouth before he realized it.<\/p>\n

She cocked her head to one side and bit her lip. \u201cExquisite?\u201d she murmured. She glanced up at him, and her long eyelashes fluttered. \u201cI\u2019ve searched for the right word for a long time to describe my mother\u2019s work. I think you\u2019ve just given it to me. They are exquisite.\u201d<\/p>\n

He swallowed and backed away. \u201cIs there anything else I can do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head. \u201cNo, thank you. You\u2019ve been a great help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad I could be of service.\u201d He searched his mind for something else to say, something to prolong his time with her, but his mind was blank. He took a deep breath. \u201cI need to go. It was nice meeting you, Laurel.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled. \u201cYou too, Andrew. Goodbye, and thanks again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodbye.\u201d He slowly backed toward the door.<\/p>\n

Outside in the fresh air he took a deep breath and pulled his hat off. He raked his sleeve across his perspiring brow and shook his head. What had just happened? He\u2019d felt like he was back in high school and trying to impress the most popular girl in his class.<\/p>\n

He closed his eyes for a moment, and the image of her holding the pottery in her hands returned. He clamped his teeth down on his bottom lip and shook his head. She\u2019d misunderstood. It wasn\u2019t the pottery he was describing when the word had slipped from his mouth.<\/p>\n

Exquisite? The word didn\u2019t do her justice.<\/p>\n

And she had a beautiful name too. Laurel. He straightened, and his eyes widened. He hadn\u2019t even asked her last name.<\/p>\n

He whirled to go back inside the store but stopped before he had taken two steps. His father\u2019s face and the words he\u2019d spoken when Andrew left home flashed in his mind. Remember who you are and why you\u2019re there. Don\u2019t do anything foolish. People in Washington are watching. He exhaled and rubbed his hand across his eyes.<\/p>\n

For a moment inside the store he\u2019d been distracted. He was the son of Congressman Richard Brady, and his father had big plans for his only living son.<\/p>\n

He glanced once more at the pickup truck that still sat in front of the store and pictured how Laurel had looked standing there. When he\u2019d grasped her hand, he\u2019d had the strange feeling that he\u2019d known her all his life. How could a mountain girl he\u2019d just met have such a strange effect on him?<\/p>\n

He pulled his hat on, whirled, and strode in the opposite direction. Halfway down the block he stopped, turned slowly, and wrinkled his brow as he stared back at the truck. The words painted on the containers flashed in his mind, and he smiled.<\/p>\n

It shouldn\u2019t be too hard to find out her last name. For now he would just call her Mountain Laurel. His skin warmed at the thought. A perfect name for a beautiful mountain girl.<\/p>\n

He jammed his hands in his pockets and whistled a jaunty tune as he sauntered down the street.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"divider2\"
\nMY REVIEW:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The third and final book of the Smoky Mountain Dreams<\/strong><\/em> series, Beyond These Hills<\/a> features Laurel Jackson, the third generation of her family to love the life of their home in Cades Cove. Although this book can very well stand on its own without the previous two volumes of the series, the reading experience will be so much richer if the series is read in sequence.<\/p>\n

The time has come for Laurel’s family to face the fact that they can no longer hope to remain in their homes as the government takes its final steps to make their area a national park. Andrew Brady has been sent to persuade the remaining landowners to give up their futile resistance to the government demands. Although Andrew knows the assignment is a test to prove himself to his father, he is confident in his ability to accomplish it. Little does he realize that he will quickly fall in love with the valley, its residents, and one lovely young woman who is unlike anyone he has ever known. Can their differences be overcome in order for them to be friends or perhaps even more?<\/p>\n

Beyond These Hills<\/a> was a fitting conclusion for this wonderful series. The plot contained all the requisite components that included drama, conflict, action, danger, romance, and family love and loyalty. There were some scenes that brought me to tears and others were amusing. I liked how Laurel and her family’s actions inspired him to find the Lord and gave him the faith and strength to do what he needed to do.<\/p>\n

I would heartily recommend Beyond These Hills<\/a> and the entire Smoky Mountain Dreams<\/strong><\/em> series. I hope you will give it a try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,34,41,133,103],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-historical","category-romance","category-smoky-mountains","category-tennessee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15655"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15655"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15655\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15661,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15655\/revisions\/15661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}