The screen door opened. “Letty?”
“I’m here.” She glanced over her shoulder at her husband.
Murphy joined her. “You couldn’t sleep?”
“I was just thinking about Luke.”
He stood behind her, slipped his arms about her waist, and flattened his palm against her rounded tummy. “Although we never met, I would have been proud to call him friend.”
“Luke would have shook his head in wonder over the two of us.” And marveled at the changes love had wrought in them both.
“Hey, from what I read, your brother seemed to know about me.”
Letty sighed softly. “I think he did.” Luke had been right, too. She was truly happy. Despite her concern, Murphy seemed to find contentment outside of Deliverance Company. The security company he’d formed had more business than he could handle.
“What about Jack?” she asked, thinking of the company and Murphy’s proposal. “Will he come to work for you?”
Murphy kissed the side of her neck. “It doesn’t look that way.” He levied a deep sigh that rumbled inside his chest. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say Jack fell in love.”
“What’s so odd about that? You did too.”
“Yes, but I have a wife and Jack doesn’t. He’s been in a foul mood for months. From my experience, when a man goes around self-destructing there’s generally a woman at the heart of the problem.”
Letty didn’t disagree with her husband’s assessment of Jack’s troubles because she suspected he was right. “Jack’s going to be fine.”
“Oh?” Murphy chuckled. “And how would you know that?”
“I don’t, for certain, but I wish him well.” She owed Murphy’s friend a great deal and wanted him to be happy.
“You ready to come back to bed?” Her husband yawned loudly.
“Yeah.” She turned, and together, arm in arm, they walked back inside the house.
As they turned away, a shooting star blazed a fiery trail across the black satin night.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Every now and again a writer is challenged with a hero like Murphy. The man drove me bananas in Someday Soon and refused to leave me alone until I promised him his own book. I knew from the beginning that it would take a special woman to win this chauvinist’s heart. Soon Letty was born in my mind. A woman of grit and faith. A woman with a mission. The story came, but I struggled with the title. Then on New Year’s Eve my husband got tickets for us to see a sixties musical review. Among those playing was Gary Puckett. He came on stage and sang one of his earlier hits. The lyrics leaped out—sooner or later love is gonna get you. My husband assumed I was overcome with memories when I stood up and cheered, but my excitement was because I’d found the perfect title. Sooner or Later. Murphy had challenged the fates and by heaven love got him! I hope you’ll come to love him, too.
My gratitude to those who lent a helping hand along the way. My editor, Carolyn Marino, for her blue pen and her insights. To Susan Wiggs for critiquing the manuscript for me. Irene Goodman, my agent, who either pats me on the shoulder or kicks me in the butt, depending on what I need most. As always to Wayne for twenty-seven years of love and support. I don’t know of any writer who’s been blessed with more loyal readers. Your letters have touched my heart.
About the Author
With 60 million books in print, DEBBIE MACOMBER is a New York Times bestselling author who believes in angels, the power of love, and Christmas. A talented writer and public speaker, Debbie lives with her husband in Port Orchard, WA, and winters in Fort Pierce, FL.
Readers can contact her via her website, www.debbiemacomber.com, or at P.O. Box 1458, Port Orchard, WA 98366.
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By Debbie Macomber
MRS. MIRACLE
ANGELS EVERYWHERE
CHRISTMAS ANGELS
MRS. MIRACLE
SOONER OR LATER
TOUCHED BY ANGELS
SOMEDAY SOON
THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS
ONE NIGHT
A SEASON OF ANGELS
MORNING COMES SOFTLY
Credits
Cover photograph by Comstock
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
SOONER OR LATER. Copyright © 1996 by Debbie Macomber. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
ePub edition January 2006 ISBN 9780061752551
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Debbie Macomber, Sooner or Later
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