Let Your Lives Begin Again (A Breath Without Life Novel Book 5)

by Janith Hooper

often showing up with the same outfit without knowing the other had bought it. It still amazed him when he looked in the mirror and saw Bronc.

“You’re twins!” The curly-haired brunette said, stating the obvious. Yep. Another typical response.

Brand tugged her forward, placing her palms on the smooth wood of the bar, then wrapped his big body around the back of her, planting his own hands on either side of hers. The smile on her sweet face showed him he hadn’t offended her by his extreme protectiveness.

She had something, and it...called to him.

One thing he never, ever did. He never went for a girl his brother was interested in. It was a brother’s code, and more so for identical twins.

The people who loved him rejoiced when he was sober. Irascible, grumpy, or the like, they wanted him as himself only.

Brand’s voice. Familiar. Comforting. And annoying as heck.

He was lying face down on the mattress, his body’s favorite way to sleep.

Brand said, dragging him by one arm from the bed until he fell with a loud thump against the floorboards.

Bronc smiled into the small rug his face was currently mashed into. It was good to have his brother here, though he’d never let him know it. But it had been too long. He’d been craving the connection. Another truth to face. He didn’t do well without his twin.

Shut the heck up. Just sit there and look pretty.” “That’s like saying you think you’re pretty.” “No. I’m the rugged twin. You’re the pretty, sensitive one.”

“You can’t B.S. me, brother. We have the same brain, remember? Spill.”

She knew better than to pursue someone who didn’t place themselves under the same ultimate authority as she did. She never wanted to slide into a marriage unequally yoked. All that meant was heartache for both the believer and the unbeliever. Having the same faith was too important not to get it right.

I am him. He is me. So much alike it makes me crazy.

Shelly had scooched over to prop him upright in her arms. He was sound asleep, and she was stroking his hair and singing to him.” “She was what?” “Sweetest sound I ever did hear. An old lullaby. Coulda put me to sleep with him right then and there. Made me envious.” Tony grinned as his eyes drifted off.

When Brand thought he’d kiss her, he instead pressed his forehead into hers and breathed her in for a few breaths.

scratched at his bare chest as he reached a foot out to nudge Bronc in the arm. Still nothing. He got up, stretching for a minute, then swung around to park himself on Bronc’s back. “Hey, get off me!” Bronc bellowed into his pillow.

If you call on God to help, He picks you up, puts you on the high path, and guides you along. Sometimes He carries you when your own legs don’t work. He’s a good, good Father, Bronc. No matter if you think your own earthly father failed you, your Heavenly Father never will.”

Marie gave him a side-look that told Bronc she knew that wasn’t his plan but didn’t like it one bit. “Why do you put up with these men? You don’t plan to ever sell our kids’ and grandkids’ legacy, so why act like you might?” “You know why.” Her sweet face looked to the ceiling as she drew in a breath and sighed. “Yes, I know. I know. You want to talk to him about God.”

Bronc and Brand both nodded the same number of nods, then smiled identically. Norman chuckled, which made Brand and Bronc glance at each other. “Yep. Ready,” they said simultaneously. Even when they were at war, they were in sync.

His twin came up next to him. “Can I have a swig?” That was the difference between him and Brand. He would have just grabbed it out of Brand’s hand. Bronc handed it over. They shared everything. Except their women, of course.

Colt grinned like he’d won a blue ribbon for the champion filly. “That’s my girl. Gad, but I love you.” Colt

If anyone else had attempted to do that, all would have objected. But this was Trevor. So,

all obeyed. They did exactly as his nod commanded. Begin.

He is our Creator. Made us from scratch, He did. Right out of the dust of the ground. And look how well you turned out. God was so pleased, he made a duplicate.” Norman tipped back his head and roared in laughter.

“I don’t have the answer to that. But I hope I explained the choice thing. Yes, God could have prevented me from getting cancer. Or he could entrust me with it.” “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Entrust you with it? That sounds optimistic.” “Exactly!” Norm’s eyes twinkled.

by using that enchanting voice to read the most glorious words ever written.”

As he smiled down at her, she rolled her eyes. Rolled. Her. Eyes. Since when did his charms backfire so completely?

“And there is only one way to Heaven...through belief and trust in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. You can balk at it, you can rant and rave at it, you can ignore it, but you can’t do a thing about it, except believe.

When you receive the gift Jesus offers us, of eternal life with Him, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you. The Holy Spirit is our helper, our guide. If we pray then listen, we hear Him.

The Lord handles each one of us individually. He may communicate with you differently. You just pray, then listen, pay attention.

“Take that look off your face, son. We talked about this. God is there for you. Instead of handling things on your own and worrying over them, ask for His help.”

Norman gazed up at Brand with a pleased expression on his face. “Jesus. In Jesus’s name we pray. He is our advocate and intercessor as well as our Savior and friend.”

The moment Bronc Cooper had set foot on Harper Ranch, she’d been fixated with him. The love of her life had shown up, and all she had to do was reach out and claim him.

Shelly was completely baffled how one identical twin could draw her so, while the other didn’t touch her emotions. Not. One. Bit. She wondered if Julia had the same reaction, only for Brand.

Rabid, hateful words you’d use for someone you’d never had regard for. Brand’s touch caused Bronc’s shoulders to slump into a more relaxed pose. She knew twins had an intimate connection, but she’d never actually witnessed it before now.

“Without Jesus, there is no redemption. I want everyone to come to know Him, to receive His gift of life, for the Holy Spirit to come and live in here.” She tapped at her chest over her heart. “Without faith in Him, we will die in our sins.” “We’d just become dust then. That’s the natural way of things.” “No, Brand. You don’t just become dust again. You have a soul. It either belongs to God or to Satan. There is no neutral position. You either choose Jesus and live eternally with God, now and in Heaven, or you join Satan, his demons, and all unbelievers in hell.”

“It’s not religion, Brand. It’s relationship. Believers have a relationship with Jesus.”

“I’m sorry for that. It seems to me since you have such a strong bond with your brother, you’re the perfect person to pray for him. You’ll know when he needs it most.”

Jesus doesn’t need another person on His team. But He loves you enough to want you there. All it takes is faith, and then what we call a sinner’s prayer, asking God to forgive our sins, believing Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose again to cleanse us from our sins, asking Jesus into our hearts, and then thanking him for the gift of eternity with him. Just that simple...and that profound.”

If only. The saddest words in the English language.

There was no room for doubt or fear when you had faith.

It’s a hard thing to realize God loves Bronc more than you do, and that Bronc recognizes God has taken over the job of watching out for him.”

Discussing the Bible and God was freeing him more every day.

If these twins thought they fooled anyone with their switcheroo, Bronc’s gait alone would tell the truth. His head led the way, while his fists opened and closed, each step longer than the last.

A rich baritone voice merged with hers. Bronc joined her in the second and third verses, like he’d known them his whole life when she was sure he’d only just learned them at rehab. What a joy this was. An absolute joy.

He wrapped both arms around her, looking down into her face. “I saved her, she saved me, Jesus saved us both, and we’re in love.”

“God protects. God loves. God saves.”

He nodded, sucking in a full breath, awed by what he was about to ask the Savior for.

But what he felt inside was so much more than a casual agreement. It was a wondrous miracle. That a mere man such as himself could ask for a gift greater than all gifts combined from the Creator Himself.