Ami Weaver - The Nanny's Christmas Wish

In her debut novel for Harlequin Special Edition, Ami Weaver gives a lonely single dad and his sweet son the perfect holiday gift—a nanny with a secret who just might heal their family in time for Christmas!

Josh Tanner and Maggie Thelan share one unbreakable rule: no romantic entanglements. Period. So the lonely doctor hiring the former teacher as a live-in nanny for his little boy shouldn’t be any kind of threat to their creed. Especially since Josh won’t let go of the past—and Maggie can’t tell Josh who she really is….

But rules are made to be broken, and while Maggie only wants to know the nephew she never knew she had, deeper feelings keep getting in the way! As the holiday season creeps closer, his rules collide with her secret. Can their unexpected love survive the truth?

Did her voice just tremble? “Thanksgiving,” she clarified. “Thank you for the invite.” She turned to go upstairs before she made a fool of herself when the tears came.

“You’re going to cry,” he said softly and there was an undertone of horror that would have made her laugh under different circumstances.

Josh couldn’t help it. Those big blue eyes shimmering with tears simply did him in. He touched her face, the warm satin of her skin. Smelled the fresh, fruity scent of shampoo from her still-damp hair. Heard her sharp intake of breath as her hand came up to rest on his chest, but she didn’t pull away. His gaze locked on her blue one, and he saw his own desire reflected in hers. The wanting twined around them, silky, sweet and hot.

Dangerous.

Dear Reader,

You are holding my very first Mills & Boon Cherish! This book is near and dear to my heart in so many ways. I love Maggie and Josh and Cody and am so glad I get to bring them to you.

Sometimes, we encounter a secret that isn’t ours to carry but in the process of trying to deal with the problem, we make it worse! That’s what’s happened to Maggie as she hires on as her nephew’s nanny—without telling his very hunky father her (recently discovered) link to his deceased wife. While she just wants to get to know Cody and learn a little about his mother, her half sister, she quickly realizes she’s in way deeper than she planned!

Josh’s decision to remain single is iron-clad until he hires Maggie. His guilt over his wife’s death—and the role he feels he played in it—has eaten at him for years. Maggie is wonderful with Cody and, without even trying, makes Josh question the wisdom of keeping his heart locked up tight.

And there’s Cody, of course—an adorable little boy who wants nothing more than for Maggie to be his mom and for them to be a family. Throw in some snow, cookies and the wonder of the Christmas season, and there is magic to be made!

I hope you enjoy Josh and Maggie’s story. I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me through my website www.amiweaver.comor find me on Twitter at @writerlygirl.

Happy Holidays!

Ami Weaver

The Nanny’s Christmas Wish

Ami Weaver

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Two-time Golden Heart ®Award finalist AMI WEAVERhas been reading romance since she was a teen and writing for even longer, so it was only natural she would put the two together. Now she can be found drinking gallons of iced tea at her local coffee shop while doing one of her very favorite things—convincing two characters they deserve their happy-ever-after. When she’s not writing, she enjoys time spent at the lake, hanging out with her family and reading. Ami lives in Michigan with her four kids, three cats and her very supportive husband.

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For Stacy, my long-ago writing partner—

so you won’t forget our early stories.

Thanks for being a good friend for so many years.

Contents

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

Epilogue

Chapter One

Thirty-Eight Easton Street. Maggie Thelan double-checked the address on the big blue Victorian with the sticky note on the steering wheel. Her pulse kicked up a bit as she eased the car to the curb.

She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm the butterflies in her belly. Cody, her nephew, lived here. Her half sister, Lucy, had lived here until her death. It would be Maggie’s home during her stint as Cody’s nanny.

If she got the job.

No way am I missing this chance. She grabbed her purse and keys and checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. Hair behaving, mascara not smeared, all good. She did a quick application of lip gloss and wondered for the millionth time if she shared her Black Irish coloring—dark hair, blue eyes, pale skin—with her half sister.

With any luck there’d be a photo out for Maggie to see. Anticipation quivered through her as she threw open the car door.

She’d gotten through the first interview just fine. Cody’s grandmother, Ellen Tanner, was a lovely woman, warm and friendly and concerned about her grandson’s welfare. This time, she’d meet Cody and his father and hopefully walk away with the job.

She’d staked everything on it.

Not wanting to think about that, Maggie hurried up the walk, her ponytail blowing over her shoulder in the wind. Being October in northern Michigan, the breeze had a bite to it but the sun still held some warmth. The maple trees on the front lawn blazed gold and flame.

A couple of squat pumpkins sat on the front porch. Maggie stepped around them and up to the heavy front door.

She pressed the doorbell and the door opened almost instantly, causing her to take a big step back and stumble over one of the pumpkins behind her. “Whoa,” said a deep voice, and he grabbed her elbow before she ended up smashing the pumpkin under her rear. She pitched forward and felt a firm, broad chest under her cheek. He smelled of clean laundry and soap. Warmth seeped through his blue oxford dress shirt.

Or maybe that was her face, burning with embarrassment.

Smooth, Maggie, real smooth. She stepped back, carefully this time, cleared her throat and promptly forgot what she’d been about to say as her gaze traveled up.

Oh, he was tall, north of six feet and broad, with light brown hair that curled slightly at the nape. And his eyes. Damn if she hadn’t just lost her voice in those whiskey-colored eyes.

“You all right?” His voice, laced with amusement and concern, snapped Maggie out of her trance.

“Yes. Thanks for the help.” She thrust out her hand as she tried to recover her scattered wits. “Maggie Thelan. I’m here for a second interview for the nanny position.”

He raised his eyebrows, arched over those incredible eyes. They weren’t the color of just any whiskey, but the good Scotch stuff her father had favored. Her heart pinged. The man grasped her hand, his palm warm and slightly rough on hers. She sucked in a breath at the unwelcome little shiver that zipped up her arm. “Dr. Josh Tanner. Nice to meet you,” he said as he released his grip.