Bonnie Navarro - Rescuing The Runaway Bride

Wrong Groom, Right Bride

When the beautiful daughter of a wealthy Mexican landowner is injured saving his life, Christopher Samuels must nurse her back to health. Despite their language barrier, Chris grows close to Vicky Ruiz...but she’s betrothed to another man. Can Chris care for the spirited young woman and find a way to take her home in time for her wedding, without falling for her in the process?

Vicky would prefer spinsterhood to her arranged marriage. But while words aren’t necessary to express the growing attraction between them, Vicky can’t make Chris understand her reasons for running away. He seems determined to return her “home” to her father’s hacienda. Why can’t Chris see that the only home Vicky wants is with him?

“When go Vicky?”

The question caught him like a kick to his stomach as he cinched the saddle buckle tighter under his horse’s belly. Surely she didn’t expect to ride a full day and a half back to the hacienda if she hadn’t even been in the saddle once since her accident.

“You need to take things easy still, Vicky. If we try to take you back to the hacienda right now, you wouldn’t make it more than an hour or so.”

“I no ready go hacienda. I ready to ride. When Chris make horse take Vicky in corral?”

A breath of relief filled his chest. “You want to ride?”

“Sí!” She clapped her hands together. “Gracias, Chris!” In an instant she had all but thrown herself at him, squeezing him around the middle. His arms caught her and held her without his permission.

She belonged there. Right in his arms. She fit. As if Chris had been made to protect her and hold her within the shelter of his own arms. Of course, that was nonsense. Thinking that way only spelled disaster.

As soon as she healed, he’d take her back.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for coming on this journey with Vicky and Chris. They have a special place in my heart and hopefully in yours now. Growing up, different cultures and languages fascinated me. The church I attended actively supported many missionaries, and I would pepper them with questions about their foods, languages and customs. In high school, I became involved in tutoring students newly arrived to the United States. Charades and a lot of pointing became a way of communication.

When I went to college, I met a man from Peru, and although he spoke English, he promised to help me learn Spanish by speaking only Spanish with me from then on. This June we will celebrate twenty-four years of marriage, and he still speaks “only Spanish” to me. I guess he’s kept his word. There have been times in our marriage where we have had issues with communication, sometimes because of the language, but most often because men and women are wired differently—for which I am extremely grateful.

As I’ve met people from all over the world or right around the block, I am constantly reminded that we are all God’s princes and princesses. And despite our differences we are all so very much the same. We all have fears, we all need to be loved and to love. We need community. We all want a hero who loves us enough to risk his own life to save us. I thank God that He is our hero. He loves each and every one of us regardless of our race, background, language, economic situation or education. And actually, He loves that we are diverse. After all, He designed each and every one of us and declares His creation “Good.”

I’d love to hear what you think about Vicky and Chris’s journey, or you can share your own. You can email me at bonnie12navarro@gmail.com.

May God keep you and bless you on your journey.

Blessings,

Bonnie Navarro

BONNIE NAVARROlives in Warrenville, Illinois. She and her husband, Cesar, will celebrate twenty-four years of marriage this year. They have four beautiful children, two still in high school and two college age. Cesar has often called their children Amerikicas—a mix of American and Inca. Bonnie works as a trained medical interpreter for a hospital close to home and when not at work, she is either reading, writing or knitting.

Rescuing the Runaway Bride

Bonnie Navarro

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

—Ester 4:14 (KJV)

To my own princesas. Liz and Gaby. You make your mother so proud of the beautiful women you are becoming, both inside and out. I pray daily for you.

And let’s not forget my guapos (handsome men). CJ and David, it makes my heart sigh to see God’s hand in your lives.

I stand in awe of the way my babies are all growing up and how blessed I’ve been. May God continue to bless you.

And none of our darling children would exist without my own hero, Cesar. Te amo and thank God that He placed you in my life so many years ago. Your encouragement to learn Spanish and submerging me in the Latino culture has given me a rich life, a career I never dreamed of and fodder for a few more stories... And when you cook dinner and see to the kids so I can write...I realize, how truly blessed I am.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Mid-January, 1842

Alta California, Territorio of México

Tightening the strap under her chin, she pushed the old wide sombrero back on her forehead as she looked out over the swift stream. Vicky tried to ignore a growing sense of foreboding. Or at least she attempted to as she refilled her canteen. She had never seen this stream before. The fact that she didn’t recognize it could mean only that she had somehow wandered off Hacienda Ruiz land.

Rubbing a gold crucifix between her numb fingers, she tried to pray once more to a God she wasn’t convinced listened. An icy shiver sent fear up her spine and made her tremble as she hauled herself back onto Tesoro’s back. She’d had the chills most of the morning as she had tried to find her way out of the woods. Papá would be furious with her when he finally made it home, not to mention José Luis, who had made her promise to come back by midday if she didn’t catch up with Papá. But she had bigger concerns at the moment.