Praise for Be My Valentino
Praise for Be My Valentino
“I adored Be My Valentino! Sandra D. Bricker has such a knack for dialogue that I felt as if I were watching a movie. And I fell in love with her characters—Grampy is especially charming! The epilogue is perfect (as is the sneak peek at the next book). Sandra D. Bricker has a new fan, and I can’t wait for the next Jessie Stanton novel!”
—Deborah Raney, author of The Face of the Earth and the Chicory Inn Novels series
“Get swept into the glamorous world of Jessie Stanton! Set against the dazzling backdrop of Los Angeles, Be My Valentino follows Jessie as she struggles to hold her new life together while her ex-husband does his best to tear it apart. With an uplifting faith message, a fun cast, a hunky boyfriend, and sweet Grampy, this book will leave you panting for the final installment of Jessie’s adventures!”
—Jill Kemerer, Harlequin Love Inspired author
“From light-hearted, breezy romance to stomach-churning intrigue, Be My Valentino has a little something for everyone. I particularly enjoyed the exquisite narrative and the sweet chapter openings. Kudos to Sandra D. Bricker for another five-star story.”
—Janice Thompson, author of the Weddings by Bella series
“Dramatic, engaging, romantic—Be My Valentino is all that and so much more. The newest Jessie Stanton novel by Sandra D. Bricker will leave you wanting the next book from this talented author. Novel Rocket and I give it a high recommendation. It’s a must read.”
—Ane Mulligan, President of Novel Rocket and author of Chapel Springs Revival
Other Books by Sandra D. Bricker
Other Books by Sandra D. Bricker
The Jessie Stanton Series
On a Ring and a Prayer
Be My Valentino
From Bags to Riches
The Big Five-OH!
The Love Finds You Series
Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas
Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida
Love Finds You in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Another Emma Rae Creation Series
Always the Baker, Never the Bride
Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride
Always the Designer, Never the Bride
Always the Baker, Finally the Bride
The Quilts of Love Series
Raw Edges
The Contemporary Fairy Tales Series
If the Shoe Fits
Rise & Shine
Title Page
Copyright Page
Be My Valentino
Copyright © 2015 by Sandra D. Bricker
All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission can be addressed to Permissions, The United Methodist Publishing House, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., P.O. Box 280988, Nashville, TN, 37228-0988 or e-mailed to [email protected].
The persons and events portrayed in this work of fiction are the creations of the author, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Macro Editor: Ramona Richards
Published in association with Books & Such Literary Agency
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bricker, Sandra D., 1958-
Be my Valentino / Sandra D. Bricker.
pages ; cm. — (A Jessie Stanton novel ; book 2)
ISBN 978-1-4267-1161-9 (binding: soft back) 1. Chick lit. I. Title.
PS3602.R53B4 2015
813’.6—dc23
2015010424
All scripture quotations unless noted otherwise are taken from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by the Common English Bible. All rights reserved. Used by permission. www.CommonEnglish Bible.com.
Dedication and Acknowledgments
For Eva.
Jessie, Danny, and I are so much better for knowing you.
Thank you for hanging in there with us.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my editor, Ramona Richards;
to my Launchies;
and to my head cheerleader, Marian Miller.
Prologue
Prologue
Ain’t nothin’ on God’s green earth more satisfyin’ than answered prayer. That’s what I got when my Jessie called home to catch me up on the things happenin’ in her life out there in LaLa Land. That counterfeit husband o’ hers might just meet Brother Justice and—if that ain’t enough—Jessie done met the man I been prayin’ fer all these years.
“He’s like no one I’ve ever known, Grampy,” she told me.
But if she hadn’ta said it, I’da known anyways. The good Lord changed my Jessie in her troubles, no doubt about it. I knew them blinders would drop off her eyes eventually if I just took enough blood pressure medicine to keep me prayin’ fer my girl.
“He’s a God-loving man like you, Grampy.”
Course he is.
“He makes me want to be better. And stronger.”
Course he does.
Comes a time in everybody’s life when the prayers of the people that came before ’em start to get answered. And the Lord ’n me been chattin’ for years upon years. All that other stuff was just bumps in the road that took
