A Love Blossoming in Ruins (Preview)

Prologue

Sandy McConnell wasn’t the type of woman who let her circumstances dictate her behavior. She might not have a penny to her name but the sun was shining, wasn’t it? She turned her narrow face toward the bright blue sky and smiled. She couldn’t use that excuse when it was a rainy day or during the winter when it was snowing and dreadfully cold.

But today she could use it. She would think of an excuse on those other days. Not today.

Sandy had tried to work and make the money needed to live a decent life. But she had no home and no way to get a home without working. Not having a home meant she had no clean clothes and could not bathe properly. Nor did she eat or sleep in comfort, which meant she was often late for her job. This resulted in her dismissal from every job that was available to a woman like her with no skills or training or background of any kind. 

Sandy lowered her head and looked down the main street of her hometown – Montvale, Utah. She’d been born in a shack on the corner of two streets and she passed that shack almost every day twenty-five years later. Her parents had nothing to their name and died of disease when she was still a baby. She didn’t remember them. She had fantasies about them, knowing they were utterly false, but clinging onto them anyway. What was the harm in thinking her parents were special and unique and wonderful in their own way?

“Howdy there, girl,” she heard and twisted her neck to look down the alley behind her. She’d been semi-hiding in the alley. If someone had wanted to see her, they would have. Otherwise, she was invisible to most passers-by. 

The person who had spoken was a tall, lanky man named Jerry, who was also without a home or a job. He called himself a drifter but as far as Sandy could tell, he’d only drifted around Montvale. She didn’t think she’d heard of him ever leaving the small town. 

“Hello, Jerry,” she said. She didn’t know his last name. Sometimes she thought he didn’t have one. He was just Jerry. Nothing else. 

“I want to show you something,” Jerry said, waving one hand, his eyes darting from left to right as if he suspected someone was listening to their conversation. Sandy hesitated, recognizing the look of paranoia. Sometimes it was dangerous to follow the direction of someone whose eyes suggested they  might not be fully in control. 

But at second glance, Sandy saw something deeper that made her change her mind. It was excitement. He was delighted and happy and excited. The feeling was contagious and suddenly she felt eager to know what he had to show her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Come on, follow me.” Jerry turned back and hurried down the length of the alley. Sandy moved her eyes from one side of the street in front of her to the other. No one was watching. If anything bad happened to her, it would go unnoticed. 

Shaking off the negative thoughts, she turned and hurried down the alley behind Jerry, who was looking back at her with impatience.

They emerged on the other side of the alley into another street that was narrower than the one they’d left behind. Jerry crossed it and continued into a field and down another road flanked with wooden fencing. 

A bit more than five minutes later, Sandy saw a small cottage in the distance. Her stomach turned a bit. Had Jerry broken into this home?

“It’s at that house. Wait till you see it.”

“I don’t steal,” Sandy said, coming to a complete halt. “I mean, I don’t go into people’s homes and take their things.” She had to clarify because she couldn’t, in good conscience say she hadn’t stolen food or clothing somewhere along the way. But only out necessity.

“The house is abandoned,” Jerry said pointedly. “That’s why I thought to tell ya about it. Besides, we ain’t takin’ from the house. Not takin’ furniture and that. Can’t anyway. No furniture to take. But just take a look at this!”

Sandy was curious as she followed him down the back yard path to the house, where the rear side door was hanging from its hinges. An enclosed portion of the back porch held an enormous wardrobe. 

Jerry stood in front of it and pulled both doors open at the same time. He stood back with a triumphant look on his face. 

Sandy stared. Row upon row upon row of match boxes in brand new pristine condition. 

“We can sell these to get some money for food and maybe some new socks, what do you think?”

Sandy was enormously glad Jerry had brought her to the abandoned house. All she saw when she looked at the boxes was money. Money for food, as Jerry had said, and to put clothes on their backs for the winter – which was only halfway over – and socks on their feet. 

She pulled one of the boxes out and looked down at it like it was a bar of gold. 

“I want to see if I can sell some right now,” she said. “I’m starving.”

Jerry nodded. Sandy watched as he pulled around the oversized bag he always kept slung over his shoulder. He fished inside till he found what he was looking for and pulled out an apple. He handed it to her. 

“You best polish that, Sandy.”

Sandy’s eyes grew wide at the sheer beauty of the fruit she held in her hands. She gave Jerry a smile. “That was really nice of you, Jerry. You continue to surprise me.”

He grinned. “And the best part is, the whole basement is full of them!”

Sandy could not believe her good fortune.

Chapter One

Sandy clutched two boxes of matches to her chest and put two more in the pockets she’d sewn into the dress she was wearing. Sometimes she wore men’s trousers underneath her dress but that was only when it was dead of winter and too cold to be living outside. 

She was so grateful for the matchboxes and the fact that Jerry chose to share the discovery with her. He didn’t have to do that, although she would probably have questioned where he got them if she saw him selling them on the street.

The two separated, with Jerry going toward the west and her going toward the east. He said to meet him in front of the barber shop in a few hours. She agreed to that but wasn’t sure why they had to meet back up. Still, she was grateful for the chance to make some money.

She passed the restaurant and looked in. There was a man in there she often saw and always stopped to observe. He was a strange character – so well dressed and put together. His hair was immaculate. He looked like he had a great deal of money. She knew for a fact that he did. She’d seen him take out that wallet. It was, like him, extremely expensive looking. 

But he looked so sad. He was never with friends or anyone that might be considered family like a wife or children or parents that look just like him.

Sandy couldn’t help wondering why.

And there he was again, in the restaurant, poking his food with his fork, that melancholy look on his sculpted face. She always wanted to ask him what was wrong. Several times she’d been tempted to wait and ask him what was wrong. She wondered if he would tell her. If he would talk to her. She wished he would. She wanted to be his friend. 

Sandy broke out of her dream state and forced herself to live in reality. A man like that would never spend the time of day talking to a woman like her. 

She moved on. In the course of the next two hours, she’d managed to sell all four of the boxes but she hadn’t sold them as boxes. She’d sold ten matches at a time. Ten matches for a penny. Each box held fifty matches. That was five pennies for each box. When she was done, she had twenty cents.

Sandy felt like the rich man in the restaurant as she proudly went to the barber shop to wait for Jerry. She didn’t have to wait long. He was there so suddenly, it surprised her. It made her feel like he’d been watching for her. 

“How did you do?” she asked anxiously, wondering if he’d had the success she’d had. She couldn’t help hoping she’d done better. Jerry could be difficult and a little rude to her sometimes. It was almost hard to believe he’d chosen her to share his bounty with.

“Sold all my matches,” he replied, holding out his hand. He had eight cents. 

“What did you charge for them?” Sandy asked, eyeing the pennies. 

Jerry narrowed his eyes. “Two cents a box. Why? What did you sell yours for?”

Sandy smiled wide, proud of her ingenuity. She held out the twenty cents to show him the results of her hard work. 

“Twenty cents!” she replied excitedly. “I sold them ten matches for a penny and sold all the matches I had and I got twenty cents for it!”

Jerry’s eyes popped. First he stared at the pennies and then his eyes slid up to her face in a slow, menacing way that made a chill run up Sandy’s spine. “I should have thought of that first,” he mumbled. “But since you did, I reckon I get some of that money you made. It was my discovery, after all. I’ll take my finder’s fee.”

Sandy pulled her eyebrows together and scowled at him. He reached for her open hand but she closed it and snatched it back, holding her pennies to her belly, which was turning over in fear. 

“This is my money, Jerry. I don’t owe you anything. You didn’t say I was going to have to pay you anything.”

“Don’t matter,” Jerry responded. “That’s partly my money and I want it. Give it to me.” He used a barking, demanding voice that put fear into Sandy’s heart. She knew Jerry was capable of violence. She’d seen him get in brawls with other homeless folks. 

She didn’t want to give up any of the money she’d made. She hadn’t had twenty cents in her hand for years. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had more than three pennies on her person.

“How much do you expect me to give you for your finder’s fee?” she asked hotly. 

Jerry appeared to think about it for a moment. “I’ll take fifty percent.”

“Fifty percent!” Sandy spat out, astonished at his greed. “That’s half! I don’t want to give you half my money!”

Jerry shrugged, the menacing air gone and one of complacency showing up in its place. “It’s what you owe me. And I know you’re an honest person, Sandy. You don’t like to keep from people what’s rightfully theirs. You always do what’s right, don’t you? I’ve seen you, little miss goody-two-shoes, always trying to do nice things for other people, even though they don’t do anything nice for you.”

Sandy frowned. “What are you talking about?” Maybe if she got the man talking, he’d forget she hadn’t given him the money he was taking from her. 

Jerry scoffed. “I’ve seen how you gaze at Mr. Parker in the restaurant and when he’s walking around town. You like him. I saw you give him that piece of paper he dropped a couple days ago.”

 Sandy sighed, shaking her head. “I helped him and you see so much more. I feel sorry for him. He seems so alone. That’s all. It has nothing to do with anything else like you’re talking about.”

Jerry snorted. “Just give me my money. I’m going to get more boxes. You coming?”

“I don’t want to,” Sandy said, her words stunted by her frustration. She still didn’t want to give him half her pennies. They were hers. She had earned them. She asked strangers to buy her matches so she could get something to eat. Not him. 

He held out his hand. When she didn’t make a move to give him her pennies, his arm snatched out like a striking snake. His hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked her arm toward him. He dug her fingers open while she protested and grabbed some of the coins. A few others fell on the ground and Sandy dove for them, not wanting him to have more than his fair share. 

She scrambled to pick up the pennies. Once she had them all in her hands, she scurried away from him, crouched down like a retreating dog that didn’t want to be whipped anymore. She didn’t look behind her. He probably wasn’t following her. He was going back to get more matches and try to get people to buy them. 

Sandy returned to her favorite alleyway, where she’d found a large equipment crate that she’d turned into a shelter. It had only three sides but it still made her feel protected from the “outside” world. 

She turned her hand so that her palm faced up and uncurled her fingers from around the pennies she had left. One… two… three… four… she counted up to nine. Her heart sank. He’d managed to take more than half.

Sandy’s tears streamed down her face. She lowered her head and covered it with her arms. 

“Are you all right?”

Her breath caught in her throat when she heard a man’s voice speak softly from near her. 

Her head snapped up and she gazed into the eyes of an incredibly attractive man. He was smiling as if she was the most fascinating woman on the planet. 

“Here,” he said softly, pushing paper bills into her hand, the one that held the nine pennies. “Go get something to eat and stay a night in the hotel if you want. Take care of yourself.”

And with that, he was gone. She watched him walk away. She opened her hand and looked at the five one-dollar bills with eyes as wide as saucers.

Chapter Two

Luke Standing thought about the young woman in the alley as he rode to Parker Place to start his new job. He had been hired just the day before and was anxious to start his new adventure.

Luke didn’t have to work, per say. This job on the ranch was just another thing to say he’d done. 

After leaving school at sixteen, graduating at the top of his class, above and beyond students one and two years older than he was, he decided to travel. He left behind his parents, whom he wrote to as often as he could, and his now married sister, who was about to have her first child eight years after Luke left home. 

Old family money allowed him to travel up and down the west coast of America, exploring the sights and meeting new people and making friends. He’d done all kinds of jobs, though if he needed money, he could always go to the local bank and withdraw some. 

He’d gotten his adventurous but hard working attitude from both his parents. His father worked a printing press and his mother taught at the schoolhouse, even though they didn’t need to do either. They’d taught their children the value of hard work and how it was lazy to just sit around because there was money in the bank.

Parker Place took his mind off the woman in the alley right away. It looked like it had, at one point, been the most glorious mansion in the area. Mr. Parker was going through a renovation, it seemed. To bring it back to its former glory, apparently. 

Luke saw so many things he could fix up. He had a good mind for repairs and design. He could come up with correct measurements without difficulty. 

He ran his eyes over the property, watching two large barking dogs run across the field on the right side of the house, men on horseback surrounding a herd of cattle, others standing around the bunkhouse talking as if they had nothing better to do.

Luke wasn’t impressed with their nonchalant behavior. If he was their boss, he’d have something to say to them. 

He wasn’t there to be a foreman or a repairman anyway. He’d been hired to install the new garden on a plot of land behind the house. He had a green thumb that every lady in his hometown had been envious of when he was a teenager submitting his garden produce for display at the fairs. 

Mr. Parker was on the front porch and saw him riding up. Luke was sure he saw a look of happiness on the man’s face, which seemed odd when there was nothing special about him. 

The man stepped down from the porch excitedly, bouncing on his feet. He hurried over to meet Luke, who slid out of the saddle and shook Mr. Parker’s hand.

“Howdy,” he greeted the ranch owner.

“Howdy. Havin’ a good day?”

“Yes, sir. Ready to get to work. Been wondering how much work has already been done to put the garden in.”

“I’m sure you’ll know just what to do. Just want you to know it’s good to have you here. We’ve been… needing some new blood around here.”

Luke thought Mr. Parker’s grip was a bit tight.  

“Glad to be here, sir.”

“Go ahead on back. I’ve got a man out there waiting for you. His name is Alex. He’ll take care of you while you settle in. Again, good to have you here, Luke.”

He held out his hand again. Luke shook it, studying the ranch owner’s face. There was something troubling there but Luke couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. 

After they shook hands, Luke led his horse to the stables to see if there was a stall open. There was and he led Amory to one of the stalls near the front. He would find out soon enough if someone else used that stall, he was sure. 

Leaving Amory in the stables, Luke stepped out with the full intention of exploring the land before he started on the garden. But it was only right for him to go and introduce himself to Alex. He hoped they got along. He’d had to leave several adventures he was keen on experiencing when he’d been encountered by someone objectionable.

Alex, it turned out, was not an objectionable sort. In fact, from the moment he smiled, Luke was sure they were going to get along just fine. 

“You must be Luke!” the man said, approaching with his hand out. He was a fairly large man but he was more soft than muscle. He had a shock of curly red hair on his head and bright, flashing green eyes. 

“Howdy,” Luke said, shaking Alex’s hand. “I sure am. You’re Alex?”

“That would be me. Good to meet ya. We should have a pretty easy time of it, if ya ask me. I reckon this land used to be a garden at some point. Rich soil. Stream nearby to provide moisture to what’s growing.”

As he spoke, Alex led Luke through a waist high iron gate into a plot of land that did look like it had once been a fruitful garden. 

“Mr. Parker hire you?” Alex asked, stabbing the shovel he’d been using into the ground. Luke noticed it went softly in but stood up by itself when Alex let it go. He understood then what Alex meant by the soil being rich. He was almost looking forward to seeing what this land could produce. 

“Yeah.” He lifted his eyes to meet Alex’s. “Does anyone else do the hiring? I haven’t seen Mr. Parker with anyone else. No relatives. Not even any friends.”

“He’s a strange type,” Alex admitted, nodding. “I’ve noticed that, too. I’d almost think he was friendly but the men say there’s something wrong with him.”

Luke frowned. “What does that mean?” he asked plainly. 

Alex lifted his eyebrows, swerving his gaze to the side in the direction of the large main house. “I’ve been here a couple months now. All I know is that there are rumors that he’s real strict, especially with the house staff, not letting them out of the house. Some of the men get mad if they hear it being talked about. So it doesn’t get talked about.”

He wrapped one hand around the shovel handle and held it at arm’s length. “All I’m sayin’ is to watch who you’re talkin’ to about that. It might get back to him.”

“And what happens then?” Luke tried to picture Mr. Parker being a slave driver, cracking a whip on the backs of his men. He couldn’t. Mr. Parker seemed more the type to lock himself in the house and get his foreman to deal with whatever problems there were. 

Alex pulled the shovel closer before gesturing with the handle. “Come on and follow me. I’ll show you the shed where all the seeds and supplies we’ll be using for the garden will be. I’m pretty anxious to get started, if I’m honest with ya.”

Alex continued talking and Luke did as he was told, following the man around the fencing to a pathway that led a few feet into the woods. The shed at the end of the path was fairly large and upon entering, Luke saw it didn’t hold just supplies but also equipment. 

“Let’s start makin’ a plan,” Alex said. “How much you know about gardening?”

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“A Love Blossoming in Ruins” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!

Sandy McConnell was born on a corner of two streets in Montvale into a life no one would call easy. Yet Sandy is naturally optimistic and is always looking for ways to overcome her destiny. When life throws her the opportunity to work for the very wealthy Daniel Parker, she finally sees everything changing. Under his roof, however, things seem a little off to her… Luckily, working in the house she finds the very same man who helped her while she was living on the streets.

Will this man prove to be the true savior she needs?

Luke Standing always loved to embark on adventures and being a member of a wealthy family made that easier for him. His latest trek has taken him to Montvale, Utah, where he has taken a job as a gardener. Seeking adventure and excitement is one thing… but Luke does not expect what lies ahead for him when the fascinating Sandy arrives at the ranch. Desperate to act on the newfound urge to protect her, he seeks to solve the mystery around their employer.

Does he have the strength and fortitude to succeed in the mission thrust upon him?

Through the trials that follow, Luke and Sandy make fast friends. They get embroiled in a mystery that is dangerous to solve, but in the end, what they might find is love. Will their opposite backgrounds prove to be an obstacle for them? Will they survive the threat surrounding them and live to see their love flourish?

“A Love Blossoming in Ruins” is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Get your copy from Amazon!