Judy Christenberry - Finding A Family

He ground his teeth in frustration as he listened to his father babble on in praise about the new housekeeper. He’d pleaded with his father to eat, to talk, to smile and he was never able to get a peep out of the old man. Now, this impostor had invaded his home and seemingly won his father’s heart.

Hank ripped open the door and entered his house with every intention of firing the phony widow.

“I didn’t hire you,” Hank said with a snarl as he entered the laundry room.

Maggie Woodward straightened. Her trim figure was shown off to perfection in snug-fitting jeans and a T-shirt, not that Hank noticed, of course.

“I beg your pardon,” Maggie said.

“I didn’t hire you. I hired Maggie, the older lady in the picture,” he said indignantly.

“Oh…” Maggie said, nodding in understanding. “The woman in the picture was my aunt. She was standing beside me in the picture I sent you.”

“I had no intention of hiring someone like…you. You’ll just have to leave.”

But as soon as Hank said those words, he knew he would live to regret them….

Dear Reader,

What does romance mean to you? Sure, it could be sharing a candlelit dinner or strolling hand in hand on a spring day. But to me it’s even the smallest of gestures that tells you the person you think hangs the sun and the moon finds you equally unforgettable. As a lifelong romantic who met her future husband nearly twenty years ago, I’m delighted to be heading up Silhouette Romance. These books remind me that no matter what challenges the day has held, finding true love is one of life’s greatest rewards.

Bestselling author Judy Christenberry kicks off another great month with Finding a Family (SR #1762). In this sweet romance, a down-to-earth cowboy goes “shopping” for the perfect woman for his father but instead finds himself the target of Cupid’s arrow! Watch the sparks fly in Melissa McClone’s Blueprint for a Wedding (SR #1763) when a man who has crafted the perfect blueprint for domestic bliss finds himself attracted to an actress who doesn’t believe in happy endings. This month’s “Cinderella” is a feisty Latina, as Angie Ray continues Silhouette Romance’s commitment to offering modern-day fairy tales in The Millionaire’s Reward (SR #1764). Part of the SOULMATES series, Moonlight Magic (SR #1765) by Doris Rangel features a vacationing nurse who falls for a handsome stranger with a particularly vexing habit of vanishing into thin air.

And be sure to stay tuned for next month’s exciting lineup when reader favorites Raye Morgan and Carol Grace return with two classic romances.

Ann Leslie Tuttle

Associate Senior Editor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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To my daughter, Christina, for her support, assistance and

ideas. Without her, this book would never have been written.

Silhouette Romance

The Nine-Month Bride #1324

*Marry Me, Kate #1344

*Baby in Her Arms #1350

*A Ring for Cinderella #1356

†Never Let You Go #1453

†The Borrowed Groom #1457

†Cherish the Boss #1463

**Snowbound Sweetheart #1476

Newborn Daddy #1511

When the Lights Went Out… #1547

**Least Likely To Wed #1570

Daddy on the Doorstep #1654

**Beauty & the Beastly Rancher #1678

**The Last Crawford Bachelor #1715

Finding a Family #1762

Silhouette Books

The Coltons

The Doctor Delivers

A Colton Family Christmas

“The Diplomat’s Daughter”

Lone Star Country Club

The Last Bachelor

has been writing romances for over fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. She’s a bestselling author for Harlequin American Romance, but she has a long love of traditional romances and is delighted to tell a story that brings those elements to the reader. A former high school French teacher, Judy devotes her time to writing. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two adult daughters.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

“Hank? You mooning over some girl?” Larry had to repeat his query before his boss realized that he’d asked him a question.

“What did you say, Larry?”

“I asked if you’re mooning over some female? You’re sure not paying attention to the cows today.” Larry expected a funny answer. He and the boss bantered back and forth all the time.

Instead, he got a serious answer accompanied by concern on Hank’s face. “I’m worrying about Dad.”

“What’s wrong with the old boss? Is he sick?” Larry crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.

Hank Brownlee shrugged his shoulders. Life had changed since his mother had died last year. “I—I think he’s depressed.”

“Well, hell, Hank, his wife died. Of course he’s sad.”

“But that was over a year ago. I’m sad, too, when I think about Mom, but it’s time to move on.” Only his father hadn’t. The older Brownlee had turned the ranch over to Hank and didn’t seem to care what Hank did with the spread. He never asked about anything. He just sat and stared out the window. He wouldn’t even eat if Hank didn’t come in at night and cook.

“You’d better do something or he’ll die, too.”

Hank gave his friend a disgusted look. “I know that, Larry. But what? That’s the problem. I’ve tried to spark his interest in anything but he just sits there. He won’t budge.”

“I think he needs a woman,” Larry said with firmness.

Hank almost slugged his lifetime friend. “You’re crazy. Dad’s not interested in another woman.”

“He might be if there was one around. Too bad he doesn’t live in a city. I heard there are lots of widow ladies out there looking for nice, mature gents to hook up with. He’d probably have a sweetie in no time. One already trained to cook and clean ’cause she’s had a husband before.”

With a sigh, Hank nodded. “I wouldn’t mind having one of those around, too.” When he saw Larry’s face, he knew he’d misunderstood. “Wait a minute! I’m not looking for a wife. But I wouldn’t mind someone else taking over the kitchen.”

“Hey, you can kill two birds with one stone. Hire a nice widow to interest your dad and she could take care of the kitchen, and even the cleaning, too.”

Hank gnawed on his bottom lip, looking at the suggestion from every angle. What could go wrong? Even if the woman irritated his dad, at least she might get a reaction out of him. That would be better than nothing. And he’d get some better meals.

“You know, Larry, I think you’ve got the right idea. I think I need to go widow-shopping!”