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Running an ESL school is hard work, but helping immigrants has always been a dream of Gracie Garcia's. When her school is threatened by real-estate developer Jake Peoples, Gracie hopes that getting him to attend a class will change his mind. But a lesson in love was something neither one signed up for. Learning about Gracie's work reminds Jake what family is really about. But just as he's starting to come around, a revelation about his past threatens his future with Gracie. When things look their bleakest, can Jake save her dream…and his place in her heart?
- Sales Rank: #119137 in eBooks
- Published on: 2013-02-01
- Released on: 2013-02-01
- Format: Kindle eBook
Review
4 STARS: Jake Peoples has a development plan to build condos, and it involves closing, or relocating, the Center for Languages, a nonprofit organization run by Gracie Garcia. So Gracie makes it her mission to make Jake understand just how important the school is to the community. But since Jake hopes to be named CEO, Gracie questions his motives and wonders if she is just a pawn. Ethridge makes a strong debut, with two determined leads and a compelling cast of secondary characters. - RT Book Reviews
About the Author
The writing bug bit Kristen Ethridge around the time she first held a pencil. She especially enjoys crafting stories of happily ever after combined with God's love--the greatest happily ever after. Although she loves creating characters, Kristen's favorite people are her family. She lives in Texas with her husband, children and a self-important poodle. Visit her online at kristenethridge.com
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The sun's lazy descent over the Gulf of Mexico began for the evening as Jake Peoples pulled the eviction notice from the glove compartment of his truck. Since he was already parked in front of El Centro por las Lenguas—which his rusty Spanish skills translated as "The Center for Languages"—it made the most sense to just serve the notice now.
The imminent passing of the Maximized Revenue Zones ordinance he'd shepherded through the City Council shortly after his return to town made Jake one step closer to convincing Port Provident that he could run his family's business. And once this building was demolished to make way for the sparkling pool to enhance the new Peoples Property Group condominium development, he'd be one step closer to convincing himself he wasn't the failure he had come to suspect he just might be.
When Jake turned the age-worn brass knob on the remodeled Victorian home's red front door, it didn't budge.
Locked? No wonder this place was a nonprofit. He'd made mistakes in business, to be sure, but even he knew the first rule of running a company was you couldn't make money if the doors were closed.
He raised his fist and rapped on the solid wood.
After about thirty seconds of silence, the distinct sound of the lock turning broke through. A woman of average height stepped into the sliver of an opening.
"Can I help you?" Her brow furrowed across a forehead whose smooth complexion fell a shade lighter than the designer latte he'd polished off this morning.
Jake had faced judges, juries and his own father. He could easily face a schoolteacher. "I need to speak to Gracie Garcia."
"I'm Graciela Garcia de Piedra." Her consonants rolled together with a south-of-the-border accent.
"Jake Peoples." He extended his hand. "Peoples Property Group."
Instead of reaching to shake, her hands flew up and cupped over her mouth. The combination of the vulnerable reaction, combined with the oversized door, further dwarfed her stature. She looked as if she might blow away in a strong gulf breeze. "Oh, no… I know the rent check was a few days late this month. It's been tight lately. I'm so sorry. It won't happen again."
The shock in her voice reverberated in his eardrums. Jake thought of the eviction notice waiting in his back pocket. She might have fainted if he'd held it out to her as soon as she'd opened the door. "I'm not here about that. I need to discuss the City Council's Maximized Revenue Zones proposal with you."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Peoples." The questioning wrinkles returned above the pair of liquid-chocolate eyes. "I teach classes at the same time as the City Council meetings, so I never have the opportunity to attend them. I know there are condominiums being put up next door, but I assumed they would be confined to that large corner lot they're already working on."
He shook his head briefly. Jake needed to break the gaze between them if he wanted to maintain his concentration. Gracie Garcia had the kind of dark eyes that a man—even a landlord here on business—could lose himself in. In his former career as a lawyer, no member of a jury pool ever gave him a stare that shook him like this.
"The City Council will soon be rezoning Gulfview Boulevard to make the most out of the areas in town that cater to our tourist-based economy. Nonprofit businesses, like yours, will need to move to new locations outside these zones. This property will be needed so we can add amenities like a swimming pool and a clubhouse, which will allow us to sell more units and, in turn, direct more tax dollars to the city."
"You're saying I need to close?"
Was there a language barrier between them? Maybe he'd gotten the wrong contact name. Maybe the woman with the magnetic stare was a student, not the owner. The name she'd given was a lot longer than just plain old Gracie Garcia.
"I didn't say anything about closing. Just moving."
"With all due respect, it's not that simple. I'm a nonprofit organization. I operate on a nonprofit's shoestring budget. If the council forces El Centro to relocate, I'll have to close my doors."
Well, she was certainly talking like the owner. Absently, he wondered why she'd given a different name.
"Surely you can find additional funding. The Houston newspaper just did a story last week on unused grant money."
The woman nodded her head in understanding. Her eyes glazed over with sadness, but she didn't back down. She had guts; Jake had to give her that.
He didn't particularly like that his words hurt her, but he couldn't afford to get caught up in the emotions. This vote was nothing more than a necessary step in a business plan. Above all, Jake knew he had to remember why he'd come home to Port Provident in the first place. No more "bleeding heart" stuff, as his father used to derisively refer to Jake's past endeavors. Emotions and business did not make a successful combination, and Jake had returned to Port Provident to take steps at Peoples Property Group that would ultimately prove to a generation of naysayers that he could be successful.
"Can I come in for a few minutes so we can discuss this?" At least he would try to honor the promise he'd made to his friend sponsoring the ordinance, City Councilman Carter Porter. The City Council temporarily postponed their vote until affected businesses could be notified and given a chance to adapt. By meeting the owner of El Centro personally right now, Jake could report back to Carter that the box had been checked. That way there could be no more delays.
She shook her head. "You've caught me at a bad time. I have a class tonight that I need to finish preparing for."
"Okay, Ms. Garcia. Best of luck with your school. Here's the official lease termination paperwork, which will be effective once the City Council passes the measure at their next meeting." He reached in his back pocket and pulled out the document, then something made him pause.
Jake couldn't get the name discrepancy out of his head. He needed to be sure he'd just lowered the boom on the right person. It wouldn't look good if he'd delivered the message to someone else by mistake. "You are the owner of this school, right? You're Gracie Garcia?"
She nodded. "Yes, why?"
"I thought you'd said something else a few minutes ago. Wasn't your last name longer?"
"My name is Graciela Garcia de Piedra. In the Mexican culture, children often have the surnames of both parents. The father's surname comes first, and then the mother's—but children go by their father's last name. So I go by Garcia. It makes things simpler. Do you know much about our culture and language, Mr. Peoples?"
"No." He raked his free hand through his hair. "I'm afraid I don't."
"Then maybe you don't understand just why this school is important and what the impact is of what the City Council is trying to do," Gracie said with a soft, yet deliberate clip to each syllable of her quiet words. She took the offending paperwork from Jake's hand, then slowly closed the door. The rasp of the turning lock brought a clear end to their encounter.
Jake turned to head back to his car, feeling uncomfortable about the message he'd just delivered, even though he knew he had no other option. The passage of the City Council resolution was key to finalizing Port Provident's newest condo development. The project was key to his remaining at the helm of Peoples Property Group. And remaining CEO of his family company was key to restoring his reputation in his hometown.
The less time he spent at El Centro por las Lenguas, the better. His grandmother was being honored at a Port Provident Historical Society dinner this evening, and he didn't want to miss her big night.
As he pushed the button that unlocked the truck's doors, he heard the crunch of gravel under feet behind him. Two fingers tapped lightly on his shoulder. Jake turned and saw Gracie's eyes first, silently pleading with him. Her pupils flared wide, crowding out the brown velvet coloring. He could see the fear within.
He hoped she couldn't see fear in his own eyes. Fear that the City Council wouldn't give him what he needed to just get on with his life and not feel the cloud of failure hanging heavily on his shoulders.
"You said you didn't know much about my students and their heritage—where they come from and why they're here. More than three hundred members of this community have come through my doors in the last five years to better their English skills. I don't provide the city with tax dollars myself, but my students do make an impact every day." Her voice halted.
Jake turned. The gulf breeze gently stirred her hair around to caress her cheek. It appeared to be almost the same deep color as her eyes.
"The ordinance is passing in a few days' time. I'm not a City Council member. I can't stop them from voting on it," he said. "The measure would have passed today except that your representative wanted to give you some time to find an alternate arrangement."
"You said this proposal will maximize revenue for the tourist sector of our local economy, right?" Her eyes locked straight on his, like a magnet pulling to a pole.
"That's the goal, yes," Jake nodded.
"Many of my students work in tourist-related jobs, such as our hotels and restaurants. A skilled labor force is just as important to our city as tax revenue. I believe we can't have the latter without the former. Can you stay for my class in half an hour and see for yourself what I do here?"
Giving Gracie a few more minutes wasn't going to change anything, but it would probably make everyone involved...
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
You Might Save Gracie - But Look Out for Her Sister!!! 5-Star Entertainment!
By Vince
Saving Gracie is a debut novel which had to be very good to be purchased by a major publisher like Love Inspired. If all the details seem very realistic, it's because the author has lived in the area and experienced many of the same things herself.
Kristen Ethridge is an author truly writing about what she knows. It is also a daring topic. It deals with what are most likely illegal aliens and the heroine's effort to keep her private English as a Second language school open. An evil condo developer (aren't they all evil - I was one!) wants to destroy the school to put in a swimming pool for his new condo project. The heroine cannot afford to move the school. In fact, she can hardly afford to pay the rent. The hero must move her out or he may not get to keep his job as CEO of the condo developing company. A job he badly needs.
Now as a condo developer, I would just have my workers move the heroine's furniture and supplies to a new location and I gladly pay six months of her rent to boot. It would be cheap at twice the price. However, the hero has cataclysmic problems of his own which preclude doing this. The heroine and hero actually need to work together to save each other's dreams. In the process they can't help but fall in love. This might seem like an easy and logical process except the heroine's sister is like an avenging angel out to destroy any man not up to her standards. The hero is at the bottom of her standards.
There are some great scenes in the book involving the sister which alone make the book a joy to read.
Bottom line: I loved reading this book. There were things I would change but then I don't think I could make "Saving Gracie" a more enjoyable reading experience.
There may be a sequel about the avenging sister, who is a midwife by the way. I'd like to see the man that will be able to deal with her!
I know, the book is a little rough in parts but it is a 5-Star reading experience. Highly Recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
A much needed HEA for a story as real as the local news
By Sis Steele
Readers often read for escape but often they read inspirational fiction for hope. The story of Gracie and Jake is one easily ripped from newspapers filled daily with stories about the challenges of non-profits, those helped by ESL programs, and how business is often put above people. Not only is this sweet romance about love but it is a great story about being called to help others, healing from old family wounds, and the struggles people rich or poor face when faith is tested. It is written with a fresh voice, fine humor and likable, human characters. Just a great contemporary romance. Do yourself a favor and read it. You will be glad you did.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Authentic characters overcoming real challenges
By R. Winder
This was my first Love Inspired book, so I didn't know what to expect. I was happy to discover authentically detailed characters facing the kinds of real challenges I recognize from my own life. Gracie and Jake are well-dimensioned leads, and the supporting characters are colorful and well-articulated. I'd say the story is more character-driven, but the plot had enough twists and surprises to keep things moving right along. Overall, a very uplifting story, and a good read. I'd definitely recommend it, and look forward to more by this author!
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