Jill Weatherholt - A Father For Bella

Another roadblock...

or the family she’s looking for?

When single mom Faith Brennan discovers the Virginia inn she grew up in is for sale, she’s determined to make a bid. Even if that means going head-to-head with handsome real estate broker Joshua Carlson. But competing with Joshua would be a lot easier if Faith’s young daughter wasn’t growing so attached to him...and if Faith could stop picturing running the inn with Joshua by her side.

Weekdays, JILL WEATHERHOLT works for the City of Charlotte. On the weekend, she writes contemporary stories about love, faith and forgiveness. Raised in the suburbs of Washington, DC, she now resides in North Carolina. She holds a degree in psychology from George Mason University and a paralegal studies certification from Duke University. She shares her life with her real-life hero and number one supporter. Jill loves connecting with readers at jillweatherholt.com.

Also By Jill Weatherholt

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Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

A Father for Bella

Jill Weatherholt

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08556-4

A FATHER FOR BELLA

© 2018 Jill Weatherholt

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

Version: 2020-03-02

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Joshua shot her a look. “I’m here for the auction.”

Silence filled the room.

Faith fiddled with the guest towels before she finally spoke. “If that’s the only reason you’ve come, you’re wasting your time. There’s not going to be an auction.”

Obviously, the woman was in denial. She’d lose her home and possibly her job. Maybe he could hire her—but really, why would she want to work for him? “What makes you say that?”

“I plan to contact the owner. I’ll make him an offer, so an auction won’t be necessary.”

“And you have that kind of—” He bit his tongue, realizing he’d overstepped his bounds.

She grimaced. “Not right at the moment, but I’ll get it. This property is way too important to me to let it go. I’ll explain it to the owners—they’ll understand.”

If she only knew who she was up against, she’d realize she was fighting a losing battle. His father could care less about her family. He certainly didn’t care about his own. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

—Hebrews 11:1

Dear Reader,

When I was a little girl, the sound of late night sirens sent me running to my parents’ bedroom, seeking refuge underneath their covers. I feared the emergency vehicle was on its way to our house.

Unlike Faith Brennan, who experienced the devastating loss of her firefighter husband that resulted in a fear of hospitals and triggered panic attacks, my distress was unfounded. In time, I outgrew that anxiety, but others took root.

Fear seeps into all of our lives, weaving itself around our heart and mind. It comes in many forms, both big and small. Left unchecked, it can interfere with our daily living and prevent us from being in the will of God. Living apprehensive of what might happen can often create more anxiety than actually facing the fear head on.

The longer we allow fear to linger, the more difficult it is to break free. Faith and Joshua released their fears, and you can, too. Make a decision to step out in faith and live the life God has in store for you. Remember, He is greater than any obstacle you may be facing.

Thank you so much for visiting Whispering Slopes. Having the opportunity to write a second Love Inspired story, set in a fictional town of the Shenandoah Valley, has been another dream come true.

One of the best things about being a writer is connecting with readers, so be sure to sign up to receive my bimonthly blog posts via email @ jillweatherholt.wordpress.comor email me at authorjillweatherholt@gmail.com. You can also find me on Facebook @ jillweatherholtauthorand Twitter @jillweatherholt.

Jill

To Derek, my forever hero.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Bible Verse

Dear Reader

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

Epilogue

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter One

“After a cold day on the slopes, come in for a warm stay at the Black Bear Inn and Ski Resort in Whispering Slopes, voted Shenandoah Valley’s most popular inn .” The radio advertisement warmed Joshua Carlson’s heart as thoughts of his mother filled his mind. The Black Bear Inn—her favorite place. He had to save it.

He hit the turn signal on his silver luxury sedan. The rear wheels spun on a patch of ice as he continued up the steep driveway. A dusting of snow covered the manicured hedges lining the grounds. Puffs of smoke billowed from two massive chimneys and drifted toward the picturesque snowcapped mountains encompassing the property. Mahogany rocking chairs filled the wraparound porch on the two-story brick-and-stone home.