Harlequin Special Edition May 2016, Box Set 1 of 2 by Nancy Robards Thompson

Author:Nancy Robards Thompson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781460398098
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Annabel and West Montgomery lived on a ranch about ten miles out from the center of town. As Nick drove up the long drive to the property, Georgia could see Annabel, West and West’s five-year-old daughter, Lucy, at the fence of the pony pasture a short distance from the white farmhouse. From the way Annabel’s arms were positioned, it was clear she was holding Timmy. A brown-and-white pony sniffed at Lucy’s hand, and as the car got closer, Georgia could see the pony gently taking a carrot.

This was what Georgia dreamed of. Family. Georgia, her husband and their son feeding ponies, chasing after the dog they’d adopt from the shelter, going for a walk to the ice-cream parlor. Family. Sure, Georgia and her son would be a family of their own and she’d do all those things on her own. But what she would give to have Nick by her side, their side, part of that family. To her, family and love were such gifts, maybe even more so because she’d lost her parents. But so had Nick. And family represented something very different to him.

She’d learned a long time ago that there was no one way to look at something, one way to be, that there was no “just because.” But to choose to be on your own when you could have...this, she thought, watching her brother-in-law pull her sister to him for a hug, then swing his daughter up on his shoulders.

“I hear that West’s therapeutic riding program for children is going really well,” Nick said as they parked. “His little girl certainly looks very happy.”

She wondered what he was thinking beyond what he’d said, if it registered that Lucy had lost her mother, that the ponies, along with her father’s love and devotion to her, had helped her through that loss. West had started an official program to help other kids and adults, as well. Annabel, who knew what it was like to lose your parents, volunteered in the program. Georgia would like to, as well. Maybe once Timmy’s mother was found and Nick’s free time was once again his own, she’d bring up the idea of his volunteering in the program.

As West turned toward the car, Lucy excitedly asked to be put down and she raced over.

“Hi, Lucy!” Georgia said with a smile as she got out, holding a big white box containing a strawberry shortcake, a favorite of the little girl’s. “Wait till you see what I brought for you all. I baked it this morning.”

“Ooh, does it have strawberries in it?” Lucy asked.

“It just might,” Georgia said, adoring her new niece. Annabel was crazy about her stepdaughter and working on adopting Lucy with the blessing of Lucy’s maternal grandparents.

“Lucy, have you met Detective Nick Slater?” Georgia asked. “Detective Nick is a police officer.” The little girl had been a regular at Hurley’s Homestyle Kitchen the past few months, but Essie had mentioned that Nick had stopped coming in until very recently. Because of her, she knew.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.