Kate James - The Truth About Hope

Veterinarians have worked miracles for our furry, four-legged family members. They restored our Malamute’s sight after a congenital disease rendered him nearly blind when he was barely a year old, saved our yellow Lab following a horrific adverse reaction to a vaccination, and years later cured his cancer. When my husband and I had to say goodbye to our last three dogs, we were heartbroken. Then by happenstance we met Harley and Logan—both black Labs. They were eighteen and fourteen months old respectively at the time, didn’t know each other and had only lived in kennels up to that point in their lives. Whether we thought ourselves ready for more dogs or not, they stole our hearts, adopted us and have enriched our lives in so many ways. I offer sincere thanks to Hope’s real-life counterparts—people who care for, rehabilitate and locate forever homes for the animals that find their way into shelters. Thank you for choosing to read Hope’s story. Whether by email, a letter, a comment through my website or a Tweet—I would love to hear from you. Happy reading! Kate Email: readers@kate-james.com Website: kate-james.com Mail: PO Box 446, Schomberg, Ontario, L0G 1T0, Canada

Title Page The Truth About Hope Kate James www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author KATE JAMES spent much of her childhood abroad before attending university in Canada. She built a successful business career, but her passion has always been literature. As a result, Kate turned her energy to her love of the written word. Kate’s goal is to entertain her readers with engaging stories featuring strong, likable characters. Kate has been honored with numerous awards for her writing. She and her husband, Ken, enjoy traveling and the outdoors with their beloved Labrador retrievers. Watch for her upcoming trilogy featuring a K-9 unit.

Dedication To my parents. Acknowledgments Acknowledgments 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 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Copyright I am privileged to have Paula Eykelhof as my editor. Her brilliance, industry expertise and generosity of spirit never cease to amaze me. I can’t thank her enough for both teaching me and challenging me as I strive to perfect my craft. I am also grateful to senior editor Victoria Curran and the entire team at Mills & Boon. They are a dream to work with!

Acknowledgments Acknowledgments Acknowledgments 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 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Copyright I am privileged to have Paula Eykelhof as my editor. Her brilliance, industry expertise and generosity of spirit never cease to amaze me. I can’t thank her enough for both teaching me and challenging me as I strive to perfect my craft. I am also grateful to senior editor Victoria Curran and the entire team at Mills & Boon. They are a dream to work with!

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

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

Canyon Creek, Texas August 2001

“I AM NOT moving to San Jose!” Hope Wilson surged out of her chair and sent it toppling.

Arthur Burrows raised a hand. “Calm down, please. I know this isn’t easy for you.”

Hope leaned forward, bracing her hands on the lawyer’s desk. “Isn’t easy for me?” Her eyes stung and she felt the familiar tightening in her chest, but she refused to let the tears come. The anger somehow made her feel alive again. “My mother’s funeral was yesterday, now you tell me this, and you say it’s not easy ?”

“I know this is all very difficult. No one could’ve foreseen your mother passing away so suddenly. Why don’t you sit down?” he encouraged her. “Let’s finish going over your mother’s will.”

Instead, Hope spun around and moved to the window. Outside, the brilliant sunshine filtered through the high canopy of ash and oak trees. Wicker baskets hung from decorative lampposts, their profusion of flowers spilling over in bold sweeps of color. People strolled along the wide, cobblestoned sidewalks of Center Street, as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

How could everything look so normal when her life was over?

“Hope, please sit down,” Arthur repeated.

She was on the verge of another tirade but stopped herself. She couldn’t blame Mr. Burrows. He hadn’t caused her problems. He was her mother’s lawyer, and if anybody could help her find a way out of this predicament, it would be him. It certainly wouldn’t serve her purposes to antagonize him.

She turned from the window and strode to the chair, righted it and flopped down. Continuing to fight a battle with her temper, she could almost hear her mother’s admonition about being polite and respectful. It made her want to cry again. “Sorry about the way I behaved just now,” she said in a subdued voice. “But I’m not moving to San Jose.”

“Now, Hope.” Arthur sat back. “I’m afraid you don’t have much choice.”

“But my mother wanted Aunt Clarissa to take care of me. You said it’s in her will.”

“That’s true,” Arthur agreed patiently. “However, your father’s rights override your mother’s wishes in this case.”

Hope’s fury began to simmer once more, but it was overshadowed by a debilitating sense of anguish and fear, of being alone. “You can’t make me leave Canyon Creek. I’m not a child anymore,” she cried, but suddenly felt very much like one. Even to her own ears she sounded like one. She blinked furiously to stave off the tears.

“Look, Hope. I understand how upsetting this is for you, but you really don’t have a say in the matter. According to Texas law, at seventeen you’re still a minor. When I notified your father that Rebecca had passed away, his lawyer contacted me immediately. He was unequivocal about the fact that your father wants you to live with him.” Arthur’s voice turned conciliatory. “He’s your father . He’s family . Where better for you to be, with your mother gone?”

“He is not my family!” Hope raised her eyes to the ceiling and took three deep breaths. “He stopped being my father when he walked out on Mom and me, when I was two. I don’t even remember him. Don’t make me go,” she pleaded. “Mom had some money saved, and I have our house. I can work part-time while I finish school.”

“Hope, you don’t have to do that. Your father is a very wealthy man. Financially, he’s prepared to give you a lot more than the allowance your mother was receiving from him. He’s willing to take you in, pay for your education. You can’t imagine how hard that would be for you on your own, even if it was a possibility.”

“What about what he did when he left? Closing down his business and hurting all the people who depended on those jobs? He and my mother grew up with the people who worked for him. What kind of man does that to his friends? How guilty do you think that’s always made me feel? And you want me to go live with a man like that?”

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