Falling in Love (Secrets of Savannah Book 5)

  Falling in Love

  Belle Calhoune

  Secrets of Savannah: Six best friends who have known each other their entire lives. Once as thick as thieves, the friendships among the girls have been splintered by life events, secrets and deceptions. Now, brought together again by an inheritance of an historic Bed & Breakfast on Tybee Island, the women must set aside their differences in order to restore their beloved Savannah House. As each woman finds her special talent and develops it through the renovation of the inn, they also find romance—each of them with an unforgettable hero.

  Charlotte Duvall is a member of the prestigious Duvall family of Savannah. Charlotte has always considered herself the most unremarkable member of the Duvall family. She suffers from low self-confidence and doesn’t view herself as attractive. Charlotte has a deep desire to find love and harmony. A big champion of her older brother, Case, Charlotte has been harboring a big grudge against Marc Cabron, the man who came between Case and his fiancée, Fancy. But when she has to work with Marc on Savannah House business, she finds herself seeing a new side to the man she despises.

  Marc Cabron has recently returned to Savannah after a self-imposed exile. He left Savannah in disgrace after falling in love with an engaged woman, Fancy Tolliver. Now, in light of his father’s terminal illness, Marc has come back to Savannah to support his family and face down the demons of the past. But when the ladies of Savannah House ask for his assistance in a very important matter, Marc must summon his courage to step back into the public eye. Marc finds himself butting heads with Charlotte Duvall, a woman who cannot stand the sight of him. But when Marc and Charlotte begin to spend time in each other’s company, romance blossoms.

  Can the past be put to rest in order for Marc and Charlotte to find true, enduring love?

  Dedication:

  To all the readers of this series who have been following the ladies of Savannah. Bless you for all of your messages and emails. They have kept me motivated. Thank you for your devotion to this series and for caring about these wonderful women as much as I do.

  Acknowledgements:

  In this story the hero is dealing with a family crisis. Sadly, it is one I know far too well. Having watched my mother and brother being diagnosed with terminal cancer, I know the grief, stress and heartache associated with this type of medical firestorm. It makes you feel as if the very ground you’re standing on has been pulled out from underneath you. Along the way I have had numerous family members and close friends who have been supporting me and lifting me up in their prayers. Sometimes as authors we incorporate nuances of our own experiences into the lives of our characters. I have injected the somber reality of cancer in this book to shine a light on patients and caregivers.

  Charlotte is a heroine who deals with low self-esteem. Her journey in this book is to believe. Not only in herself, but in her hero, Marc. More often than not, I discover at the conclusion of writing a novel that the theme is forgiveness. For this book—for Marc and Charlotte—is it Belief.

  About the Author:

  Belle Calhoune is a bestselling author of Christian romance. She lives in Connecticut with her college sweetheart husband and two beautiful girls. A huge lover of dogs, Belle has two of her own—a toy poodle and a chocolate lab. One of the major perks of being a writer is the ability to work in her pajamas. When she’s not creating love stories, Belle loves to travel, spend time in Cape Cod, read and watch classic films.

  Copyright 2016 by Belle Calhoune

  All Rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher and author, except where permitted by law.

  Cover by Elizabeth Mackey

  http://www.elizabethmackeygraphics.com/

  Secrets of Savannah Series:

  Book One: Till the End of Time

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017L5ZPCE

  Book Two: A Moment in the Moonlight

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AARG24A

  Book Three: The Last Kiss

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C1WIPAG

  Book Four: For Love Alone (Morgan and Luke)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GEE5Q8G

  Book Five: Falling in Love (Charlotte and Marc)

  Seven Brides, Seven Brothers Series:

  Book One: The Way Home

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KTCBXSC

  Book Two: Still the One

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M0EUU22

  Book Three: Until You Loved Me

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N15TPFC

  Book Four: Love Me Tender

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OFAVB1I

  Book Five: If only in my dreams

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R6U2PZK

  Book Six: Baby It’s You

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VZ3FCB8

  Book Seven: When A Man Loves A Woman

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011J6ZTE0

  PREQUEL: WHEN YOU BELIEVE

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T52CK1G

  Table of Content

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  Prologue:

  Charlotte Duvall sat on the velvet settee in her aunt and uncle’s library staring at the massive number of books sitting on the shelves. She was supposed to be counting to one hundred so her brother, Case, and her cousin, Luke, could find their hiding places for hide and seek. But the excitement pulsing in the air around her had grabbed ahold of her and wouldn’t let go. She was too nervous to move a muscle. Her life was going to change today.

  She swung her legs back and forth at a steady rhythm as the adults in the room talked in hushed voices. She could hear snippets of their conversation. Most of it she couldn’t understand. Something about papers and signing stuff. Her mother was crying and hugging Aunt Davinia, saying, “I know this won’t make up for the past, but it’s a fresh start for your family. And you won’t ever forget her. She’s in your heart for always.”

  Charlotte knew they must be talking about her cousin, Rachel. Rachel had been Charlotte’s best friend. They’d played dolls together, had sleepover parties, shared secrets and worn the same outfits like twins. And they both had thought that skittles were the single best candy ever made. Rachel had been almost like a sister to her. Definitely a best friend!

  All of sudden she’d been gone without any warning. It had been like watching a twinkly star in the sky and then seeing it disappear behind the moon. Charlotte couldn’t understand how Rachel had drowned. She knew how to swim. A little bit at least. Charlotte knew Rachel hadn’t been the best swimmer, but it made her feel sad that she’d drowned. It scared her to think about it. She’d never known a little girl who’d died before.

  She felt tears welling up in her eyes. She rubbed her eyes to make them go away. Today was not a day for tears. It was a day for celebration according to Uncle Lionel. She didn’t want to disappoint anyone by blubbering like a baby. She wasn’t a baby! She had just turned six-years-old. She was in first grade. Her parents kept telling her she was a big girl now, too grown for sucking her thumb and having accidents in the middle of the night.

  She ducked her head down. She hated wetting the bed. It was icky and embarrassing. Rachel had always told her it wa
s no big deal. She’d never made her feel bad about it. Not one single time. Case and Luke had teased her about it a few times. Boys were like that sometimes, although Case said he was sorry later on.

  All she knew for certain was one thing. Today she was meeting her new cousin. The one who was being adopted from a big city in New England. She didn’t know where New England was, but it sounded fancy. Maybe Callie had a floral tea set and lots of pretty dolls they could play with in her playroom. The name Callie sounded so sweet. Maybe this would be her new best friend. Just like Rachel.

  Suddenly a feeling of sadness swept over her. It felt like Rachel was being erased. This new cousin Callie was going to be taking Rachel’s place. And it wasn’t fair. Rachel was gone forever. No one could take her place! Not ever.

  “Hey!” a loud voice called out, just before Luke appeared in front of her, his face twisted in anger. “You were supposed to come and find us. What are you doing just sitting here?”

  “I-I’m sorry. I guess I forgot,” she mumbled. It was strange to see Luke so angry. Before Rachel died he’d never been so upset. Now, his moods were all over the place. She never knew how to deal with him now. It was like he hated everyone and everything.

  “Leave her alone, Luke,” Case said in a firm voice. Charlotte’s heart threatened to swell to ten times its regular size. Leave it to her older brother to come to the rescue. That was one of the reasons Charlotte loved him so much. He always protected her and watched out over her just like a big brother should.

  “Whatever,” Luke said with a grunt as he stormed away.

  “Don’t mind him,” Case said, giving her a pat on the shoulder. “It’s a tough day for him. Getting a new sister doesn’t mean his heart doesn’t ache for Rachel. Most likely it makes it hurt even more.”

  Charlotte let out a little sigh. She knew how Luke felt. She felt the exact same way. All of the adults thought that a new cousin would make everything shiny and new. But it wouldn’t make the memories of Rachel disappear. She was still in every nook and corner of this house. She still lived in Charlotte’s heart. Charlotte didn’t even need to close her eyes to see Rachel’s sweet face and pixie haircut. And it didn’t seem fair to Charlotte that she would have to wait an eternity to see her again in heaven.

  The sound of the doorbell ringing caused an immediate ruckus. Aunt Davinia let out a shout and everyone began to head toward the foyer. Charlotte didn’t get up immediately. She was the last one to leave the room. As if in slow motion she stood up and slowly made her way toward the foyer.

  She stood next to Case and reached for his hand. He squeezed it, letting her know in their silent code that he wasn’t going to leave her side. She could almost hear him saying, “It’s going to be all right.”

  Charlotte had to peer around adult bodies in order to see her new cousin. She let out a gasp as Callie came into view. She was so pretty. Probably the prettiest girl Charlotte had ever seen. With her long red hair and big green eyes, Callie didn’t look like anyone else Charlotte had ever known. Her full red lips were trembling. There was a look of sadness in her eyes.

  And then it began. Everyone was telling Callie she was beautiful. It was the truth, as far as Charlotte was concerned. But it made Charlotte’s eyes sting. No one ever called her beautiful, except her mother. And the truth was, Charlotte knew she wasn’t beautiful. Not like her friends Fancy, Morgan, Hope and Olivia. And most definitely not like her new cousin Callie.

  Callie had the type of beauty that shone like the sun. It was as clear as day. Charlotte knew there was nothing she could do to dim Callie’s light. If they were standing side by side, she would always be the plain one.

  At that very instant Charlotte decided that she was never going to be friends with Callie. She was going to harden her heart to her. She was going to always remember that Callie was nothing but a replacement for her true cousin, Rachel. That way maybe it wouldn’t hurt so bad to know that Rachel wasn’t ever coming back. Maybe it wouldn’t sting so badly that she wouldn’t ever be beautiful like Callie or Rachel or Olivia.

  The sea of adults parted and her Uncle Lionel began making the introductions. Finally, he stopped in front of her. Uncle Lionel was tall and handsome, just like her father. He had oodles of charm, according to her mother.

  “Charlotte, this is Callie. Your cousin. Callie is a bit nervous. She’s going to need a friend to show her the ropes. I was hoping you could be that friend.” Her uncle’s voice was full of hope and love and something else Charlotte couldn’t put her finger on. Maybe fear.

  Charlotte looked up at her uncle, then swung her gaze to Callie. She was so little. She seemed so small and afraid. There were tears glistening in her emerald-colored eyes. A mean feeling rose up inside Charlotte. Something that felt a lot like jealousy.

  Callie didn’t belong here. She wasn’t a Duvall! She was just some kid who didn’t have parents. Charlotte’s gaze swung to the stuffed animal Callie clutched in her hand. It looked as if it had been through a lot. One of the ears was ripped and some of the stuffing was spilling out of its side. Callie seemed as if she was holding on to it for dear life.

  And then another feeling swept over her. She didn’t know exactly what it was. Kindness. Mercy, like she heard about in Bible class.

  All of her anger disappeared in a single instant. She didn’t want to hurt Callie, not for anything in this world. Charlotte knew what it felt like to lose someone you loved. She could only imagine how lonely and lost Callie felt losing her whole family. Right now all she had was her torn up rabbit.

  Gingerly, she reached out and took Callie’s hand. “Hi, Callie. I’m Charlotte,” she said in a gentle voice. “It’s nice to meet you. I know you might be tired from your trip, but I would love to play with you. What games do you like?”

  Callie looked at her with big eyes and trembling lips. She didn’t say a single word.

  “It’s okay, Callie. We have lots of games. We can start out by playing croquet on the lawn outside. Have you ever played croquet?” Her voice was gentle and soft.

  Callie shook her head and murmured, “No, I don’t think so.”

  Charlotte clapped her hands together. “Oh it’s so much fun. I’ll teach you.”

  The smile that tugged at Callie’s lips was slow in the making. It was really just a hint of a smile, but all of the adults seemed to be very pleased by it. Charlotte couldn’t deny the slight pang in her heart as she watched the looks of adoration as everyone gazed at Callie. Charlotte had the sinking feeling that Callie would be the new princess of the Duvall family. What would that make her? Not that she’d ever been the princess, but it would have been nice to feel like one just for a little bit.

  It doesn’t matter, she told herself. If she couldn’t be the princess she would just be something else. Something good.

  Callie squeezed her hand and held on tight. Charlotte liked the way Callie’s hand felt in hers. It was like she suddenly wasn’t so alone in the world anymore. Maybe her new cousin would be a best friend? She could never replace Rachel, not in a million years, Charlotte thought. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t be wonderful.

  Sometimes wonderful things happened just when you least expected it. That’s what her daddy always said.

  As she headed outside to show Callie how to play croquet, Charlotte knew one thing for certain. She would always try to lead with goodness. And a pure heart. She might never be beautiful, but being good might just be the next best thing.

  “Isn’t life funny? When you least expect it, that’s when trouble rears its ugly head.”

  Miss Hattie Alexander

  Chapter One

  Every time Charlotte passed by the large Christmas tree in the foyer of Savannah House, she wished it could stay up forever. It was one of the most glorious trees she’d ever seen. But it was January now and time to take all the decorations down and stash them away in the attic until next year. Christmas was her favorite time of the year. It had nothing to do with presents or parties. It had everything
to do with the spirit of the season. The hope that hung in the air. The joy shimmering and pulsing everywhere she went. It seemed to Charlotte that anything was possible at Christmas.

  Kids made their lists and checked them twice, which made Charlotte remember all of her childhood Christmases. Her brother Case’s face flashed before her eyes. They’d shared so many wonderful Christmases with their family. This year had been no exception. It had been lovely to celebrate the blessed day here at Savannah House with a house filled with guests.

  And even though Case was getting married to Fancy on Valentine’s Day, she knew that they would always remain close. It was a blessing that one of her best friends in the world would soon be her sister-in-law. And when Fancy and Case had children, she would be the perfect Auntie Charlotte.

  She felt a little pang in the region of her heart. It felt as if she’d almost given up on finding love in her own life. For the most part she was living vicariously through her friends and her brother. So many love connections—her cousin, Callie, had married their childhood friend, Jax Holden, Olivia Renault had fallen madly in love with Hunter Rawlings and married him in a gorgeous ceremony, Fancy Tolliver was engaged and set to marry her brother, Case in a few weeks on the most romantic day of the year. And just recently, her cousin, Luke Duvall had proposed to her friend, Morgan Lucas and they had quietly eloped. Although Morgan was promising to hold a small and intimate post wedding reception in the near future, Charlotte had a feeling her mother, Pearl, might have something to say about that. Charlotte knew Pearl was planning something elaborate, but she wasn’t about to breathe a word of it to Morgan. No way was she getting on Pearl’s bad side. She adored Morgan’s mother, but she was feisty. And she was already bent out of shape about her daughter’s elopement.

  At this point, it was down to her and Hope as the single ladies. Ever since Hope Matthews had come back to Savannah with a baby in tow, there were so many unanswered questions her dear friend didn’t seem inclined to answer. Such as—who was the father of her baby girl? And why was it such a secret? She didn’t want to be a hypocrite since she had her own secrets, but Charlotte prayed Hope would open up and let her closest friends know what had happened during her time away from Savannah.