Teach Me to Love

*** Based on Christian Morals--Christian Romance ***

Book 3 in the Three Cross Faith Series: When single mother, Shannon Lucas, comes home drunk, her good-looking single neighbor, Greg Somerset, lets her have it because of her two loud teenage children. After comparing notes, they both find out that Shannon's brother, Mac, and Greg's brother, Eric, are both in the Three Cross Faith band. Since both Greg and Shannon have musical talent, they're invited to join the band.

With the help of the entire community, Shannon learns how to deal with her faith, her family and career, and even her ex-husband who wants revenge.

Excerpt

Shannon Lucas stumbled from her car with a beer bottle in her hand. As she glanced upward, a stray thought made her double over in laughter. A cow jumping over that moon was more than her drunken mind could handle on a Friday night in Three Cross, Texas.

The neighbor's outdoor light went on. "Where have you been?" a man asked.

Shannon stared up at the man standing on the porch beside her part of the duplex. "Who are you?"

"I'm your neighbor. Where have you been?"

"Out." She took a long pull on her bottle and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "What's it to you, anyway?'

"Your kids are loud. I'm half-tempted to call the cops with their loud music."

She staggered closer, smoothing back her hair. "Well, Mr. Neighbor-without-a-name, I was out celebrating my twenty-ninth birthday."

His expression remained rather angry. "Is this the first time you celebrated that birthday?"

"No, but I've lost count." She stepped up onto her porch, watching the man. He was very good-looking, with light brown wavy hair and soft brown eyes. "I just can't believe I didn't notice you before. You're hot."

She reached up to touch his hair, just to see if it was soft, but he grabbed her hand with a stern look on his face and lowered it to her side. "You're drunk. Were you out driving like that? You could've killed someone." He lowered his eyes down over her as he frowned. "You're nothing more than a typical blonde."

She lifted her index finger to make a point. "Ah, but I'm a natural blonde with blue eyes. That's different. Besides, it wouldn't upset me that much if I died. My kids hate me, my ex-husband wants me to drop off the planet, and even my family thinks I'm a misfit."

The man dropped her hand and crossed his arms. "It sounds to me like you need help."

"Naaah. Now tell me what my monster children did."

"Their rap music was too loud. I hate rap music."

She leaned against the siding on the porch and finished her beer. "Kids. What can you do?"

He clenched his jaw, looking very angry. "You could stay home and take care of them. How old are they, anyway?"

"Didn't you meet them yet?"

He shook his head. "No. They wouldn't answer the door. Where's their father, anyway?"

She sighed, feeling the sadness in her soul. "I messed up. I never should've had kids or gotten married—in that order, by the way."

"I'm not surprised," he muttered.

Wow. He was really judgmental. But it served her right, she guessed. "Anyway, their father, the idiot, is in Oregon. He grows organic things, which probably means exactly what you think it means, along with all his mistresses and girlfriends, probably. I have no proof but it's pretty obvious."

His hands flew to his hips. "Illegal drugs?"

She waved him off. "I don't know or care. My parents wanted me here, convincing me when Harmonie started dating up there in Oregon without my permission."

He crossed his arms again. "How old is she?"

"Thirteen. Eighth grade. It's a horrible year to have to relive." Shannon tilted her bottle to her mouth again, but nothing came out. With a sigh, she stared into the empty bottle. "All gone, again. That's been happening to me all night long."

"Is Harmonie the oldest?"

"No. Willough is 14 and a freshman, but they're at the same school because of lack of funding or students or something." Tears clouded her eyes. "My babies are almost grown up and I'm gonna be alone again." She chided herself for her southern accent to come out. If Jerome knew, he'd be upset.

As the neighbor stared, she wondered what was going on behind those soft brown eyes of his.