Juliet's Journey To Love (The Great Smoky Mountain Getaways Book 1) Read online

  Juliet’s Journey

  The Great Smokey Mountain Getaways

  Elsie Davis

  © 2021, Elsie Davis

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Cover Design by RockSolidBookDesign.com

  Edited by Beth Hale, Magnolia Author Services

  Proofread by Alice Shepherd

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

  No part of this work may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

  Sweet Promise Press

  PO Box 29

  Glennallen, AK 99588

  **Special Note**

  JULIET'S JOURNEY TO LOVE was featured in the USA Today Best Seller - A Place to Belong. Other authors included: Melissa Storm, Teri Blake, Carolyne Aarsen, Kristen Ethridge, Heather B Moore, Kat Bishop. Ellie Wade, Rose Castro, Sydney Logan, Laura Ashwood, and Nan O'Berry. Many thanks to all the talented authors who shared this incredible journey with me!

  Jeremiah 29:11

  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

  Contents

  About this Book

  Publisher’s Note

  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

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  More from Sweet Promise Press

  More from Elsie Davis

  About the Author

  About this Book

  Escape to the Great Smoky Mountains…

  Juliet isn’t sure of God’s plan for her life, but the opportunity to serve as the leader of the Freedom and Faith small group, helps her to feel needed—like she belongs. The group plans to hike sections of the Appalachian Trail, using the back-to-nature approach to grow closer to God. Determined to succeed, Juliet leads two other women on a hike, but when she falls ill and they’re days away from the exit point of their planned journey, her friends must call 911. But when a man shows up looking more like a grizzly bear than a rescuer, she’s forced to accept his help. Loner extraordinaire, Jake wants them gone. Except when Juliet and her friends are ready to leave, it’s Jake who succumbs to the illness, and this time it’s Juliet to the rescue.

  In the process, she discovers a man with a heart and a past. Her failure to lead the group prompts her to renew her efforts to be needed, and she’s determined to help Jake get through more than his illness. When she learns of an opening at the medical clinic in Hollow Creek, she applies, knowing it would give her a reason to stick around town and give her time to help Jake get his life back on track. Her methods aren’t always squeaky clean, but her heart is in the right place. When Jake finds out the truth, the walls come tumbling down. Can the two of them muddle through the past and their own issues to work out their differences?

  What's our Sweet Promise? It's to deliver the heartwarming, entertaining, clean, and wholesome reads you love with every single book.

  From contemporary to historical romances to suspense and even cozy mysteries, all of our books are guaranteed to put a song in your heart and a smile on your face. That's our promise to you, and we can't wait to deliver upon it...

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  1

  Juliet shivered in the dark of night, pulling the sleeping bag up tighter around her neck. Unfortunately, the chill of a cold August evening wasn’t her nemesis. Her stomach clenched again, another wave of nausea coming over her unexpectedly. She hoped it was simply a case of last night’s dinner not agreeing with her. The only problem with that theory was that yesterday she’d not felt well all day.

  She hadn’t said anything to Laura and Blaire, not wanting to alarm them unnecessarily. The Freedom and Faith small group were five women who met at the First Congressional Church in Memphis, but not everyone had been able to make this trip. The group had systematically divided the Appalachian Trail into sections with three goals in mind: use the time in nature to grow closer to God, become more independent and strong-willed in life, and of course, complete the trail.

  As the leader of the group, Juliet couldn’t afford to get sick. But working as an advanced licensed nurse practitioner in the hospital, she was exposed to a lot of germs. And sometimes, due diligence with washing hands and clothes and being extremely careful just wasn’t enough. Juliet was beginning to think this was one of those times, and the timing couldn’t have been worse.

  They’d chosen this section of the trail in the Great Smoky Mountains since it was the closest to home and a great way to get a feel for what to expect going forward. They were two days into the hike, having started at Fontana Dam, and four days away from the scheduled pickup location at Newfound Gap. They’d planned the trip to include some time to enjoy the beauty of the mountains, including a day of rest along the way.

  Basically, they were in the middle of nowhere.

  Juliet hugged herself and rocked, trying to keep warm. She tried to relax and fall back asleep, hoping whatever was bothering her system would be gone by morning. Judging by her watch, that only gave her an hour or so to recover.

  Minutes passed, the oppressive heat inside the sleeping bag becoming unbearable. She rolled over once again, this time unzipping the bag and flinging back the downy comfort. Tiny pinpricks of heat peppered the back of her neck, down her arms, and across her chest. Sweat broke out across her forehead. Using the palm of her hand, she wiped it away. She was burning up, but the cold of the night clung to the sweat and chilled her. It was as though hot and cold were at war within her body and regulating the temperature was a losing battle.

  Thirty minutes of tossing and turning didn’t help one iota. Instead of feeling better, she felt worse. The pains in her stomach intensified as she clutched her midsection.

  Laura got up, disappeared a few minutes, and then returned. Her friend was big on rising early in order to get a start on the fire and breakfast. Juliet remained quiet, not wanting the others to start asking questions. Somehow, she needed to pull it together enough for them to get back on the trail and cover the seven miles intended for today’s part of the trail.

  It wasn’t long before Blaire was up and joining Laura by the fire pit. Laura glanced her way, and Ju
liet scrunched her eyes shut as she tried to delay the inevitable. The sound of footsteps alerted her that it was a losing battle.

  “Time to get up, sleepyhead,” Laura said, tapping her foot against the bottom of the sleeping bag. “I’ve got coffee.”

  Coffee sounded good. And it might just do the trick to settle her stomach. “Thanks, this might be just what I need,” Juliet said, trying to sound upbeat as she opened her eyes, sat up, and reached for the coffee.

  “Don’t tell me you’re worn out already?” Laura grinned. “We’ve still got four days and nineteen miles to cover.”

  “I’ll be fine. Just sleepy. Nothing a little caffeine won’t cure.” Juliet pasted on a smile, even though the effort cost her.

  “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Laura’s grin slipped into a frown, and she stepped closer. “Your color is a little off.”

  “It’s nothing, I promise. Blaire’s cooking might have done me in,” Juliet teased.

  “Hey, that’s not even funny. Those are MRE’s. Nobody can screw up ready-to-eat meals,” Blaire said defensively, joining in the conversation. “Speaking of eating, our hydrated powdered scrambled eggs and ham are almost finished heating up. We’ve got thirty minutes before we hit the trail if we’re going to stay on schedule.”

  “I, for one, will be excited to reach our next registered stopping point. More specifically, the extra day we have planned to enjoy the scenic spot. It’ll be great if there are others staying at the lean-to and we can trade hiking stories.” Laura laughed, moving back to the fireplace, and warming her hands.

  “Just give me a minute and I’ll join you.” With her friends occupied by the fire and taking up breakfast, Juliet set her coffee down on the cold, hard floor, braving the chilly morning air as she crawled out of her sleeping bag. With one arm still wrapped around her belly, she used the other hand to wipe away the fresh beads of sweat on her forehead.

  Another wave of nausea hit her. Juliet reached for the post at the end of the bed that was normally used for hanging bags off the ground and away from night critters, but in this case, she used it to keep from herself from falling. She shot a quick glance at the others to make sure no one saw or suspected anything and waited for the dizziness to subside. Juliet grabbed her backpack and pulled out a fresh set of undergarments and one of the long-sleeved shirts she’d bought specifically for the hike.

  She changed behind the screen they’d hung for privacy, but the actions proved too much in her weakened state. A fresh wave of nausea hit her, only this time it felt different. It was more than a rolling stomach. As she picked up the bag and righted herself, dizziness overcame her. She grabbed the wall for support.

  “Everything okay?” Blaire said, coming into the lean-to. “It’s not like you to take a long time to get dressed when it’s this cold. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of my cooking this morning?” she teased.

  “I’m…I’m okay. I’m just not feeling myself. I’ll be okay in a few minutes,” Juliet said, struggling to get the words out, the effort costing her. A fresh wave of pain rocketed across her belly. Pasting a hand over her mouth, she ran past Blaire and Laura and into the woods, searching for some sort of privacy. She leaned back against a tree, doubled over. But nothing she did could stop the contents of her stomach from erupting and spilling onto the ground in front of her. Juliet shook, chills racking her body. Her head pounded in a relentless thumping rhythm.

  “Judging by the looks of last night’s dinner on the ground, I’d say you’re not okay. You look awful,” Blaire said dryly, taking her by the arm. “Come on, we need to get you back to your cot and figure out what’s going on.” She reached out to touch Juliet’s forehead. “You’re burning up with fever. Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “I was hoping it was nothing,” Juliet chattered, grateful for Blaire’s support.

  “Laura, come quick and help me. Juliet’s really sick,” Blaire called out.

  Laura came running, helping to support Juliet on the other side. “Let’s get her back to bed.”

  “That’s what I was thinking.” Her friends led her to the lean-to and helped Juliet down onto the cot, covering her with the sleeping bag.

  “What’s wrong?” Laura asked.

  “I don’t know,” Juliet groaned. “I’ve been feeling off since yesterday. I hoped it would pass, but instead, it’s worse. I’m sorry.”

  “Stop. There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m sure you didn’t want to get sick. What do you think is going on?” Blaire felt her forehead again.

  Juliet fought back another wave of nausea, her body shaking uncontrollably. “It could be anything. Bad food.” She tried to shoot Blaire a grin and failed. “Possibly a stomach bug or the flu. There’s a lot of that at the hospital I could have picked up.”

  “What can we do?” Laura asked.

  “Maybe some water would help, or a cold compress on my head. I don’t know.” It’s not like they had very many options. “I’m sorry. As soon as I shake this, we’ll leave. I promise.”

  “Stop apologizing. By the looks of you, we’re not going anywhere. And I’m not taking any chances. Your fever is way too high, something I can tell even without a thermometer. Blaire, stay here and keep a close eye on her. I’m going to take the satellite phone and search out the nearest ridge to try to reach emergency services.”

  “Sounds good. Just hurry,” Blaire said, nodding in agreement.

  “Laura, wait. We have a schedule to keep, and we can’t stop now. I don’t want to ruin this for everybody,” Juliet said, her teeth chattering in the process.

  “Judging by your condition, you’re not in a position to stop me. It’s for your own good,” Laura said, before turning to leave.

  Juliet watched as her friend crossed the creek bridge over the stream and then disappeared down the trail. Another epic fail. From failed relationships to failed leadership responsibilities, it didn’t seem anything was going to go right in her life.

  She wanted marriage and a family, but at the age of thirty, she was finally coming to accept that it wasn’t God’s plan for her life. Her last relationship, like the two before it, were failures. Most of the people she knew were married with children or happily close to it, but Juliet simply picked the wrong guys.

  When she came to the realization that God’s calling might not be for her to have marital bliss, but instead to lead and help others, she’d accepted the leadership role of the small group. The church would be her family. The opportunity had presented itself right after her last breakup, the timing perfect. Now, she wasn’t so sure she’d gotten the message right because this was just one more thing to add to the failure column of her life.

  Well, all except for one thing—having smart friends. Juliet knew Laura’s decision was the right one because although she hated to admit it, she was extremely sick.

  Juliet rolled over and groaned. Twenty minutes passed, and there was still no sign of help. Laura paced the area impatiently while Blaire busied herself cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Both friends took turns checking on her, applying a cool compress to her head, and trying to get her to drink water.

  A sound in the distance caught her attention about the same time as the others heard it. The rumblings of a four-wheeler would be her guess. But what if it wasn’t who they were expecting. Sick or not, it was her job to keep the others safe. Reaching for her backpack, Juliet pulled out the small pistol she’d hidden in its depths. She pushed herself upright using the edge of the cot. Standing took great effort, but once up, she walked slowly, crossing the short distance to join Laura and Blaire, hoping to get a better look.

  “What are you doing? Are you crazy?” Laura asked, glancing down at the gun.

  Juliet clutched her stomach with one hand and the gun in the other. “N-no. J-just s-safe.”

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake. Who else would be out here when we need them most?” Laura huffed.

  “Laura has a point,” Blaire said, shrugging and turning her attention back to th
e new arrival.

  The man driving the ATV skidded to a stop and hopped off the machine. He obviously knew his way around as he started walking the short distance toward the bridge, the only easy place to cross. The three of them waited, Laura, falling silent. The man entered the clearing just as Juliet raised the gun, her hand shaking with the effort.

  He looked up as he stepped off the bridge, shock written all over his face. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting a welcoming committee of four, her gun being the steadfast extra.

  “W-who are y-you?” Juliet asked, her voice as shaky as her hand. The man looked more like a bearded hermit than someone here to help. She clutched the gun tighter.

  “Someone called in an emergency. And I’m the closest thing you’ve got to help, Annie Oakley. I suggest you put that thing down before I turn and walk away. Or judging by your color, you pass out.” The man’s attitude rankled. Juliet considered her effort smart and safe and didn’t give a hill of beans what he said. Except, if he was for real, she couldn’t risk having him follow through with his threat. She desperately needed help.

  “How do we know you’re telling the truth? It pays to be careful nowadays,” Laura asked, apparently not much liking the look of the guy either.

  Juliet clutched her stomach tighter, fighting back the swimming sea of trees speeding by.