Beyond a Broken Dream Read online

  Beyond a Broken Dream

  A Crystal Cove Series: Book Three

  By Kelsey MacBride

  Contents

  Book Description

  AVAILABLE TITLES BY KELSEY MACBRIDE

  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

  Book Description

  If you would like to be notified about sales and new book releases, be sure to sign up for my free newsletter at the following link: http://kelseymacbride.com/newsletter-signup

  This is book #3 and the final one in the Crystal Cove Series. The story continues with Michael's recovery in the hospital after being attacked in the middle of the night. Heather Parks emotional bond with Michael continues to deepen and soon she finds herself battling to keep her love for him in check. Raised to believe that all relationships fail, Heather decides to leave Crystal Cove forever, hoping that with the passing of time her love for him will fade. But months later, God calls her back to Crystal Cove to fulfill the desires of her heart. She arrives back to Crystal Cove to finds the Robbins estate burned to the ground and Michael seriously injured in the hospital. Will Heather's love for Michael remain steadfast in spite of his debilitating injuries? Or will she walk away from their relationship forever? Find out what happens in this riveting Christian suspense romance.

  AVAILABLE TITLES BY KELSEY MACBRIDE

  The Crystal Cove Series

  Secrets of the Heart – Book 1 (Free)

  Shadows in the Night – Book 2

  Beyond a Broken Dream

  The Grand Bay Series

  Second Chance Love (Free)

  Unfailing Love

  The Colorado Springs Series

  Dreams of Gold (Free)

  Heart of a Champion

  The Hawaii Love Series

  Courageous Love (Free)

  Perfect Love

  Inspiration Point Series

  Free to Love (Free)

  Unforgettable Love

  Glen Ellen Series

  Fall From Grace (Free)

  Saving Grace

  Bradley Sister Series

  Choices of the Heart: Lauren’s story (Free)

  Desires of the Heart: Megan’s story

  Passions of the Heart: Tiffany’s story

  Redemption of the Heart: Katie’s story

  Please visit www.KelseyMacBride.com for release dates of future books and to find out how to join my community of followers.

  Copyright © 2016 by Kelsey MacBride

  All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Jimmy Gibbs.

  Book design by Kelsey MacBride

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Kelsey MacBride

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing: December, 2016

  New Prosperity Publishing, Inc.

  ASIN-

  AUTHOR’S NOTE:

  This is the updated version of book 3 in the Crystal Cove Series.

  *Please note that Crystal’s name has been changed to Evelyn and The Crystal Thief is now The Cove Thief. I apologize for any confusion this may cause.*

  There are storylines that started in books 1 & 2 and will follow through to book 3. If this is the first book you’ve picked up in the series, and you want to enjoy this series to the fullest, please begin with book 1 Secrets of the Heart and book 2 Shadows in the Night.

  Chapter 1

  Heather could see the dark side of his personality taking over, but before she could answer, his nurse came in to administer his medication and take his vitals. Heather stepped away from the bed and watched Michael for a moment.

  Was this the same benevolent Michael who had just deeded her the church property? Why did he hate Andrew so much? She could tell he was angry at her for praising Andrew and the fact he made Evelyn happy. It seemed there was another darker side to Michael, an angry side she wasn’t sure she wanted to know about. The nurse scurried around finishing her duties, and Heather made sure to stay out of her way.

  Michael pressed his lips tightly together as he let the nurse complete her scheduled chores. Heather’s words echoed like a Chinese gong in his head.

  Why did his brother capture the attention of every person he cared about in life?

  He knew Andrew was handsome and charming. And it didn’t hurt that he was also a man of God. It seemed that Andrew was a better match for Heather and exactly what she needed. Perhaps she would be happier with Andrew.

  The thought brought an ache inside his belly. He had an insatiable desire for Heather, and the selfish part of his heart desperately wanted her for himself. But deep down inside the recesses of his heart, he only wanted what was best for the nurse. And if that meant sacrificing his own needs and desires, he had no choice but to step back. Heather meant too much to him for him to ruin her happiness. Michael turned and looked over at her. The woman was beautiful, sweet, and good. Too good for him. She deserved someone better.

  When the nurse had left, Michael changed the subject.

  “Tell me about your life growing up.” His eyes remained fixed on Heather’s face as he waited for her response.

  His question caught Heather by surprise. Growing up? She thought for a moment before carefully answering, “My childhood was nothing special, Michael. I’d rather not discuss it, but you can tell me about yours.” Michael could sense the uneasiness in her voice. He knew he had touched on a subject she was uncomfortable with. Was there something in her past, some dark secret in her childhood that made her afraid of relationships? Something that caused her to dismiss the notion of true love? His mind churned with questions.

  “I’ll make you a deal, Heather. I’ll tell you about my childhood, but only after you promise to share yours with me when I’m done.” He gave her a reassuring smile. Being a shrewd businessman, Michael couldn’t pass up an opportunity to challenge the woman and watch the sparks fly. He remained silent as he watched the parade of emotions play out on her face.

  “Fine, I agree, but we’re allowed to ask questions, and each of us has to answer.” Heather made herself comfortable in her chair, ready to give Michael her undivided attention. Michael started by sharing about all the fun experiences he had with childhood friends and the girls he had dated. He told her about his passion for music and how it was his escape when things became difficult growing up. He talked about business and his mother.

  “Your mother is quite wonderful, really.”

  “She is, but she meddles too much.” Michael ran a hand through his hair. “She was always closer to Andrew. Always tending to whatever he needed. His wants and needs seemed to be more important than anything else.” His voice became more serious.

  “What about your father ... and Andrew?” she asked timidly, knowing she was heading into uncharted waters.

  “What about them?”

  Heather saw his lips pull
back into a scowl, but she wouldn’t back down. The facts were: Andrew was good for Evelyn, and Mr. Robbins was his father. Regardless of how much Michael despised them, Heather needed to know the truth.

  “What happened with them, Michael?”

  “I don’t want to talk about that, Heather.” He reached for the glass of water on the tray next to his bed.

  “I know, but I’m asking. So please share with me, I want to help.” She touched his hand lightly. Heather watched Michael’s eyes flinch. Her heart ached at the pain in his eyes.

  Michael forced a deep sigh past his lips before sharing the familiar story about Andrew and the girl. While his version was identical to the one his brother had shared with her, Heather could feel the heart-wrenching pain in his words. When Michael finished, Heather watched as his breathing quickened, and he clenched his fist.

  “Why don’t you believe him, Michael? Why was it easier to believe a girl you barely knew over your own brother?”

  “I wanted it to be true. I wanted a reason to make Andrew look less than perfect. Even when she ran off, I still blamed him. He should have never stuck his nose into any of it. We would have been together.”

  “But then there would be no Evelyn, no Carla ...” she trailed off.

  “No you.” He said it simply.

  Ignoring his remark, Heather went on, “Michael, don’t you think if she wanted to be with you, she would have stayed? Regardless of what your brother said, or of what people found out?”

  Michael thought long and hard about what Heather had said. Andrew had tried to warn him, but he had ignored it. When he found her with that man, he wanted to blame Andrew. But looking back now, he was glad their relationship ended. In the end, she was no different than all the high society junkies in town. But then he met Carla, and now he had a beautiful daughter and the opportunity to rebuild his life.

  “You’re probably right ... but there’s more than that.” He frowned. “My father really wanted Andrew to take over the business. When Andrew chose a different path, he was forced to settle for me. You don’t know what it’s like to feel his disapproval all the time.” Michael pressed his lips tightly together.

  “Your father is an interesting man. He may be a man of few words, but I can tell you one thing, Michael, he has been here every day. He played checkers with Evelyn yesterday and told her the story about the trophy you won years ago. He really does love you. He just has a hard time expressing it.”

  Michael looked up at the ceiling, taking in what Heather had said. So Dad came down. But why didn’t he come to visit? Michael had assumed he would have stayed at home. He closed his eyes and shook his head before gazing into her eyes.

  “Your turn, Heather.”

  Heather cleared her throat. “Well, as you know, my parents both died when I was young.” Then she remained silent.

  Michael waited with anticipation, but when she remained silent, a playful laugh echoed throughout the room as he threw his head back. “Oh no you don’t, Heather; you don’t get out of it that easily. Spill it all.” He rolled to his side, eagerly anticipating her next words.

  Heather responded with a chuckle. She knew Michael wasn’t about to let her off the hook that easy. “Okay, okay. I lived with my nana for a bit before she died ... She was the sweetest nana anyone could have, and she was my favorite person. The one person who really cared about me and how I felt. As a child, the one thing I’ll never forget was her large collection of cat statues. They filled every room in her house. She said it was less work than the real thing.” Heather smiled as images of Nana’s house flashed before her eyes.

  “When she died, I went to live with my aunt and cousin.” Heather took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Her gaze met Michael’s.

  “It wasn’t a pleasant experience.” Her face turned pale, and Michael reached out and took her hand in his.

  “Please, tell me. I want to know.”

  Heather took a breath and continued, “They weren’t just mean, they were downright abusive. I was forced to sleep in the laundry room on an old army cot they recycled from the trash. And whenever there was a rainstorm in the middle of the night, water would drip from a leak in the ceiling and onto my face.” Heather’s face twisted with emotion. “And believe me, it rained a lot.”

  She laughed at the memory before continuing, “They made sure I was their slave. I cooked and cleaned, and if I wasn’t doing that, I was in the laundry room on my cot. I remember the day I found a doll after school and took it home with me. It was missing an eye and an arm, but that didn’t bother me. I treasured it for years. It comforted me during my darkest moments.” She sighed as wetness began to form in her eyes.

  Michael rubbed his hand down the side of her arm. “It’s okay, go on.”

  “One day, they found it and threw it away ... I didn’t even know they had taken it. Then, one day my cousin teased me about losing my doll, and that’s when I knew.” Heather turned and stared at the monitors above Michael’s head. “I was only allowed to eat whatever scraps they left for me at the dinner table.” Heather gave him a shy smile. “Don’t be disgusted, but sometimes when I cooked, I licked the bowl if the dish was tasty. But if I got caught, my aunt wouldn’t hesitate to take a wooden spoon to my knuckles.” She rolled onto her side and stared at the ceiling as Michael eyed her with pity.

  “One day, this girl I knew who lived a few houses down, came into our yard and asked me to go to church with her after my aunt and cousin left the house. As you could probably imagine, I was very hesitant to go. I had told her that I didn’t want to get into trouble, but something spoke to my heart, which I now know was the Holy Spirit, and I went anyways. To this very day, I can still remember the peace I felt worshiping the Lord in music. The pastor’s message touched my heart, and God has been with me ever since. I found strength in Him for every obstacle I faced while living with my aunt. I wore clothes that didn’t fit and woke up with rain beating on my face many times. But I wouldn’t give up hope; I kept praying for something better.” She stopped and looked at him.

  “Did you believe in love when you were a child?” His voice softened with anticipation.

  “Yes ... when I was very young, I wanted a family, and a life, and a prince charming who would love me like no one ever had. But my parents fought so much while I was growing up that I just accepted that it wasn’t real. They stayed together because they knew God frowned on divorce, but they didn’t love each other. My mother would always tell me that marriage wasn’t what it was cracked up to be. She told me to think twice if I ever decided to get married someday.”

  Heather stopped to take a breath. “Living with my aunt wasn’t any better. She would have men around all the time. They would hit her, but she would still tell them that she loved them. They would always try to touch me, but I managed to get away and hide. I knew better ... I knew love wasn’t real. The only person I knew that loved me was God. But now that I’m older, I see love can happen for some people, but I believe finding true love that lasts is about as easy as finding a mermaid in the ocean.”

  “So, you have changed your mind about love then? You told me a few months ago you didn’t believe in it at all. What changed?” He watched her cheeks flush with pink.

  “I’m not sure ... it just has.” Heather looked at everything in the room except for Michael’s eyes.

  Michael rolled onto his back.

  “What about boyfriends and such? I’m sure you’ve had a boyfriend before, haven’t you?”

  “I’ve had some, but nothing serious. I kept them as just friends. When things got too serious in the relationship, I would end it. Love ...” She shook her head. “It complicates things.”

  “I’m sorry your life has been so difficult. It breaks my heart to see how anyone could be so mean to you, let alone hurt you.”

  “Thank you, Michael.” Heather sat up taller. “But I’m stronger now for it. Plus, I’ll always have God. He’s helped me through it all.” Her lips turned up into a smile.
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  “Still, I hurt for you.” Michael said with compassion in his voice. “You know, Heather, not all relationships are like that. Some can be very good. All it takes is two people willing to work at it. You just haven’t been lucky enough to find the right person yet, that’s all.”

  “Lucky?” Heather cocked her head to the side. “How do you know there’s a ‘right person’ out there, Michael? How can you be sure?”

  Chapter 2

  He reached out and encircled her hand between his. “You just need to open your eyes to what’s around you, Heather.” She remained hypnotized by the peacefulness of the moment before pulling her hand away.

  “Did you want to run your father’s business, Michael?” She picked at the pillow under her head.

  “Did I always want to do it? No, not even close.” He chuckled. “To be honest, I had what seemed to be more exciting plans for my life. But looking back in hindsight, it’s obvious this is what fits my personality the best.”

  Heather raised her head up off the pillow and leaned forward as she put her chin in her hand. “Well, tell me. What did you want to be?” She smiled at him encouragingly.

  “Okay, no laughing.” Michael pressed his lips tightly together before continuing, “In my senior year of high school, I wanted so badly to be a professional musician. I played jazz sax, and I was pretty good at it. I was dead set on following my dream. When I went to college, my father indulged me with my musical fantasy and allowed me to take classes in both musical arts and business. But he never put much faith in my musical career. He said it was great for a hobby but not a career. I think it was his way of making sure I attended college. It took a while for me to get my act together. By the time I had, Andrew was next to take over the business, and I was being groomed as a backup. When he got sick in my last year at CSU, I graduated and took over, helping him from home. He couldn’t leave the house for a year, so I thought I was filling in for him temporarily. My father even made it clear that Andrew was being groomed for the position. But it turned out my brother was struggling with his own calling in life. And that calling turned out to be seminary school.”