Love Enough For Two (Love Inspired) Read Free

child-abuse charge. The D.A. hadn’t stood a chance. In the end, Jerry had gotten a slap on the wrist: two years probation and four hundred hours of community service.
    Maddie had gotten a broken ankle, residual nerve damage in her foot and a lingering fear of men.
    Sierra’s fingers tightened around the business card. When Mr. Dixon had argued the case before the judge, it was as if the only one who mattered was his client. Poor Jerry who didn’t mean to hurt his daughter. Poor Jerry having to answer for what he’d done. Sierra’s heart had bled for her ex-husband…sharp red drops of hate.
    She’d sat in that courtroom and listened to Jerry’s lies and excuses and his concerns about his future. It had taken all of Sierra’s willpower not to stand up and scream that he’d given up his right to a future when he’d taken out his anger on a defenseless two-year-old.
    In the past year, her mother had started encouraging Sierra to forgive Jerry, saying it was the only way she’d be able to truly put the past behind her. Her minister said she needed to forgive as Christ had forgiven her.
    Sierra pressed her lips together. Forgiving wasn’t an option. Not with the memories of Maddie’s sweet little face contorted with pain etched in her soul. Not when Sierra had to watch her daughter struggle to walk again.
    It had only been in the last six months that Maddie had been able to run and play like other children. Maybe it was true. Maybe she did need to forgive Jerry to move forward. Maybe she was only hurting herself by holding on to her anger. But right now she hated him for hurting her baby and hated herself even more for not realizing he was capable of such a thing.
    “I’ll meet with the guy,” Sierra said with a resigned sigh.
    “I know how you feel about attorneys,” Libby said, her tone absolutely serious. “But at least find out what he wants before you let him have it with both barrels. Okay?”
    Sierra laughed at the image but didn’t make any promises. As far as she was concerned, attorneys were barely a step above the criminals, er clients, they represented.
    She’d do her part. She’d listen to what the man had to say. She’d be civil.
    But cut him a break? Or give him the benefit of any doubt?
    Not a chance.
     
     
    Matthew Dixon took a sip of his iced tea and glanced around the rustic interior of the Chocolate Factory.
    It was an unusual place to meet on a bright, sunny afternoon. But he’d made the mistake of letting Elizabeth Carlyle pick the time and location.
    When he’d called he could tell she’d hoped to confine their contact to the phone but he’d persisted, offering to meet her any time, any place.
    Matt had thought she’d suggest one of the many State Street eateries where they could sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Instead she’d picked this out-of-the-way restored warehouse. The time she’d chosen was too late for lunch and too early for dinner. It was almost as if she’d deliberately wanted to ruin his day.
    He ran his fingers along the inside collar of his starched white dress shirt and tried to stifle his irritation. His father had said that Stella Carlyle wanted her daughter to be personally approached and Matt had complied by setting up this meeting. But even though it was all billable time, money wasn’t the issue.
    Matt’s father had only been working at half speed since suffering a heart attack several months ago and Matt had been forced to pick up the slack. Though he’d been busy with his own clients, it had been nothing compared to the load he had now. His calendar was jam-packed and he had little time to waste. He hoped the woman wouldn’t keep him waiting.
    Taking another sip of tea, Matt slanted a glance at the watch his parents had given him when he’d graduated from law school three years ago. Ten minutes left. It seemed as though he’d been sitting here forever. But then, he’d arrived early. Traffic on the freeway hadn’t been nearly as