Introduction

It begins with a little red envelope . . .

. . . the one Jade doesnÆt want to send. The envelope that invites her mother, Beryl, to her weddingùand opens up more of her past than she cares to deal with. Jade has worked so hard to put her hardscrabble childhood behind her.

And sheÆs found everything she wanted in the beautiful green hills of Whisper Hollow, Tennessee. A thriving vintage shop all her own. A lovely one-eyed shepherd dog named Roscoe. And Max, the almost-too-good-to-be-true man she plans to marry in just a few weeks. For the first time in her life, her heart feels at home, and she canÆt wait to step out into their beautiful future.

But can she really have a sweet by and by if she canÆt come to terms with yesterday?

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Excerpt

“And our spirits shall sorrow no more.”
—“The Sweet By and By,”
lyrics by S. Fillmore Bennett, 1868

Prologue
The stage lights were down, but then an electric guitar buzzed from the darkened
stage, igniting the crowd gathered in the Iowa State Fair grandstand.
Chills multiplied down Beryl’s legs as she glanced over her shoulder to a sea
of cigarette lighters raised toward the twilight sky.
She leaned against Harlan as he swayed back and forth with his arm
around her hips. For the first time since Woodstock, she was at a concert
with no intention of getting high-as-a-kite, or leaving with the last man
she’d kissed.
Her senses felt heightened by love, in-tune with the frenetic energy around
her and the music to come.
Rumor had it that this was the largest concert gathering in fair history. Fans
stood shoulder-to-shoulder, cushioned by the heat-infused air.
Whistles pierced the night, followed by cheers and shouts. Stevie, Lindsay
. . . Mick.
Another guitar lick reverberated in the air with a shrill that hit Beryl in her
chest. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled from the deepest
part of her belly. She wanted to be heard.
Harlan’s call for the music bellowed after hers. His warm kiss blessed her
ear, then her cheek.
When a drunken fan stumbled against her, sloshing beer against her sweat
dampened shirt, Harlan grabbed the man by the shirt.
“Watch what you’re doing.”
The drunk moved on without a word.
“You all right?” Harlan asked.
“I’m perfect.”
Until Harlan Fitzgerald, Beryl had been a wanderer, a traveler, a liberated
woman with no visions of picket fences, rocking babies and happily ever after.
Then he came along, a pony-tail lawyer from Des Moines. He rescued her
from legal trouble and stole her heart.
“Ladies and Gentlemen—” The announcer’s mike screeched, settling the
crowd down to a hovering din. “Fleetwood Mac.”
Beryl’s cheer erupted with the rest as she applauded with her arms in the
air. Harlan’s chest swelled as he drew a long breath and let go a deep, resonating
holler.
The lights came up with the opening run of bars of “You Can Go Your Own
Way.” The grandstand seemed to move with a life of it’s own—the crowd
swaying and clapping. Jade moved in time with Harlan and the music.
If I could, baby I’d give you my world. . .
Beryl stretched to see over the fans in front of her.
“Jump up,” Harlan said, catching her mid-motion and hoisting her to his
shoulders.
Lifting her arms, Beryl let them sway freely with Harlan’s motion. When the song ended, she bent forward to kiss his forehead. He was one of the truly
good ones.
Harlan pressed something into her hand.
“What’s this?” Beryl lifted the lid of a small black box. “Harlan—”
He helped her slide down from his shoulders. “It’s an engagement ring, to
seal our deal. Since you’re not a traditionalist, I figured a diamond wouldn’t be
your thing—”
Even in the dim light, she could see the blue spark in his eyes.
“An engagement ring, huh?” He looked cute and shy as he tried to explain
himself. She grabbed his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. “Very cool.”
“It’s a jade stone. The green matches the flecks in your eyes.” He brushed her
fly-away hair from her face, then took the ring and slipped the ring onto her
finger. “Will you marry me, Beryl Walker?”
She didn’t have to ponder her answer this time. “Yes, Harlan Fitzgerald. I’ll
marry you.”
... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. In chapter 1, Jade struggles with sending a wedding invitation to her mother. A deep wound has distanced them. Have you or anyone you've been close to struggled with inviting a parent to a personal and family-oriented event? Is there ever any benefit to not inviting a parent to a child's wedding? Is there a benefit to putting aside the hurt for a day?

2. In chapter 2, Mama-Beryl-struggles to open the back door of her parents' old farm house because her arms are full. What does this symbolize? Are there physical things in your life that symbolize your emotional or spiritual life? Are they positive or negative? Can you change them?

3. In the pastor's office, Jade has an odd experience. What did you think of this experience? Have you ever had something similar happen? How long did it last and how did you respond?

Weblinks

»	Publisher's Book Info
»	Author Sara Evans' web site
»	Author Rachel Hauk's web site

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