Christyne Butler - A Daddy for Jacoby

“From this moment on, this night is about what you want. So what’s it going to be, Gina?”

Justin leaned in, knowing he shouldn’t touch her, but still he ran the tip of his finger along her jaw.

“I want to dance.”

He straightened. “You want to what?”

“I want to dance,” she repeated softly, “with you.”

He grabbed her hand, and pulled her to her feet as a rock and roll classic pounded through the speakers.

“Justin, are you sure you want do this? Dance with me?”

“More than anything.”

That was a lie. What he wanted to do more than anything was kiss her, but her smile, wide and full of life, captured him. It was the first time he’d seen that smile in almost two weeks. In fact, the last time was when she’d held his son’s simple crayon drawing in her hands.

His son.

Dear Reader,

As a writer there is something magical about creating characters, about breathing life into their souls, hearts and minds. Sometimes the people in our books come to us fully formed and overflowing with personality and charm and troubles that only the writer of their stories can fix.

Then there are those in the background, characters who help tell a story, but not their own. They’re the sibling, cousin, co-worker, or friend who must have their own dreams, desires and plans for the future, right?

Well, Justin Dillon and Gina Steele were those kinds of people.

His sister fell in love with her brother, but if there were ever two people who never needed to come in contact with each other it was Justin and Gina. But then a chance meeting the day they became co-workers in The Sheriff’s Secret Wife started a spark that led to a night neither one of them will forget…or talk about. Now that’s the beginning of a terrific love story!

Then I met Jacoby and I just knew these three very special people needed my help to find their own happily ever after. I hope you enjoy their story!

Happy reading!

Christyne

CHRISTYNE BUTLERfell in love with romance novels while serving in the United States Navy and started writing her own stories six years ago. She considers selling to Mills & Boon ®a dream come true and enjoys writing contemporary romances full of life, love, a hint of laughter and perhaps a dash of danger, too. And there has to be a happily-ever-after or she’s just not satisfied.

She lives with her family in central Massachusetts and loves to hear from her readers at chris@christynebutler.com. Or visit her web site at www.christynebutler.com.

Books by Christyne Butler

The Cowboy’s Second Chance

The Sheriff’s Secret Wife

* * Welcome to Destiny A Daddy for Jacoby

* * * Welcome to Destiny A Daddy for Jacoby * Welcome to Destiny Welcome to Destiny

Christyne Butler

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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For Bretton, Christopher, Meaghan, Benjamin,

Kaitlyn and Alyssa

You came into my life unexpectedly and changed

my world forever

I couldn’t love you more if you were my very own

To my agent Jennifer Schober for believing in me

and all her hard work

And to Jacoby Ellsbury, leftfielder for my beloved

Boston Red Sox for inspiring the name for my Jacoby

He was scared.

He hated being scared.

Jacoby pulled his ragged teddy bear tighter to his chest and wiped his wet eyes on the soft overalls Clem wore.

That was his bear’s name, Clem.

The car swerved and tires squealed. Jacoby shut his eyes tight and buried his face in Clem’s fur. He was glad the seat belt worked.

His mama swore and banged her fist against the steering wheel. She cursed the rain, the dark night, their piece of junk car and her miserable life.

Mama did that a lot.

Cursed.

Jacoby didn’t like it, especially after a teacher pulled him aside at the start of the school year and told him that nice people didn’t talk that way. And he wanted to be nice.

He wished his mama was nicer more.

He wished they were back at Miss Mazie’s house, even if he did have to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag that scratched his legs. But his mama had packed up their stuff, shoved his clothes into the worn pillowcase he used to carry his books and made him crawl out the window.

He’d turned back and watched her take all the money from a jar Miss Mazie thought they didn’t know about. She’d then grabbed two unopened bottles of wine, leaving the almost-empty one where it lay on Miss Mazie’s lap.

It was wrong to steal, but Jacoby didn’t say anything. The last time he’d told his mama she’d done something wrong, his arm had hurt for three days where she’d grabbed him.

So he’d crept into the backseat next to his pillowcase book bag and kept quiet.

They did this a lot. Moved around.

They’d been with Miss Mazie since New Year’s Eve and it would be Easter soon. He’d miss the egg hunt at his school tomorrow and wondered if his teacher would miss him.

He didn’t know where they were going, but he hoped they got there soon. Or maybe the rain would stop when the sun came up and he wouldn’t be so scared.

Lightning lit up the sky and Jacoby waited for the thunder, but it didn’t come. His mama turned back and looked at him, tears on her cheeks.

Now, he was really scared.

She looked silly.

She never looked silly.

Gina Steele studied her reflection in the full-length mirror hanging in the employee break room. She’d been called a lot of s words in her life. Scholarly, serious, studious, solemn.

Even scary, thanks to the jerk who’d sat next to her during her freshman year’s Introduction to Classic Literature class at the University of Notre Dame. It wasn’t her fault at fifteen she’d been the smartest person in the room.

Not to mention the youngest.

Smart was another s word associated her. Until today. Today, silly was the only word that fit.

“Oh, I love it!”

Startled, Gina looked into the smiling green eyes that belonged to Barbie Felton, her best friend and fellow waitress, in the mirror’s reflection. She focused back on her own face and grimaced. “It’s pink.”

“It’s cool.”

“It’s bright.”

With long blond hair, complete with bangs, and her athletic body, Barbie looked more like Skipper, the iconic doll’s little sister, than her namesake. She leaned against the wall. “You can always cover it up. Relax and enjoy it!”

Gina couldn’t help but smile as she twirled the inch-wide streak of pink in her hair.

She’d been excited about rekindling her friendship with her elementary school friend when she returned home to Destiny, Wyoming, last winter. Barbie had been one of the few kids who hadn’t cared that Gina was years ahead of them in the smarts department.