Melinda Curtis - Marrying The Single Dad

A man called Joe

Building a new life for himself and his preteen daughter brings Joe Messina home to Harmony Valley. That and showing his town that the onetime bad boy is now a responsible single father. His first move is to get his grandfather’s defunct garage up and running. Except now he’s got the FBI poking around, and there’s a beautician with her eye on the abandoned auto parts. An artist who’s happiest turning rusty junk into sought-after treasure, San Francisco transplant Brittany Lambridge is making Joe think they can create something rare and special together. But he has unfinished family business that could jeopardize his fresh start. Is Joe ready to believe in himself as fiercely as Brittany’s beginning to believe in him?

“Why, shaggy-hair Joe...I never expected a beauty compliment from you.”

“Stop talking like that, Brit.” He placed his fingers beneath her chin, tilting her face up to his. “Stop talking and kiss me.”

She froze. A deer in his headlights.

And then she laughed, shaking her head, loosening his hold. “You almost had me.”

He did have her. He had his arms around her and she relaxed. He kissed her.

A simple act. Four lips. Two hearts. One beat.

It didn’t feel simple. It felt complex and intense and terrifying.

He had no right to kiss her. Kissing implied intent. He was broke, with a daughter to provide for. His world was imperfect when she deserved perfection.

He had no right to kiss her. Kissing opened the door to heartbreak. He couldn’t stand to be left or betrayed by another person he loved.

He had no right to kiss her. And yet he did.

And for a moment, everything felt perfect.

Dear Reader Contents Cover Back Cover Text Introduction Dear Reader Title Page About the Author 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 Epilogue Extract Copyright ,

Welcome to Harmony Valley!

Just a few short years ago, Harmony Valley was on the brink of extinction with only those over the age of sixty in residence. Now the influx of a younger generation is making life in Harmony Valley more fun for its gray-haired residents than afternoon television.

Brittany Lambridge dreams of being an upcycle artist. Although she pays the bills by working in her grandfather’s barber shop, she’s been commissioned to make a driveway gate with a luxury car grill. Now all she needs is a luxury car grill. She thinks she’s found one in an abandoned car cemetery next to a closed auto-repair shop. Too bad Joe Messina bought the defunct garage the day before Brit tries picking the place. This single dad refuses to let Brit take anything away until he identifies the owners of the abandoned cars. In the meantime, if Joe wants to make a living fixing cars, he’s got to prove to Harmony Valley that he’s no longer the bad boy they remember.

I hope you enjoy Joe and Brit’s journey to a happily-ever-after, as well as the other romances in the Harmony Valley series. I love to hear from readers. Check my website to learn more about upcoming books, sign up for email book announcements (and I’ll send you a free sweet romance read) or chat with me on Facebook ( MelindaCurtisAuthor) to hear about my latest giveaways.

Melinda Curtis

www.MelindaCurtis.com

Marrying the Single Dad

Melinda Curtis

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Award-winning USA TODAY bestselling author MELINDA CURTISis an empty nester. Now instead of carpools and sports leagues, her days go something like this: visit the gym with her husband at 5:30 a.m., walk the dogs, enjoy a little social media, write-write-write, consider cooking dinner (possibly reject cooking dinner in favour of takeout), watch sports or DIY shows with her husband, read and collapse in bed. Sometimes the collapse part happens before any TV or reading takes place.

Melinda enjoys putting humor into her stories because that’s how she approaches life. She writes sweet contemporary romances as Melinda Curtis (Brenda Novak says of Season of Change, “found a place on my keeper shelf”), and fun, steamy reads as Mel Curtis (Jayne Ann Krentz says of Cora Rules, “wonderfully entertaining”).

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This book is dedicated to those who—like my heroine—dare to dream. Sometimes it just takes one person to have faith to make you believe in yourself.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A man called Joe Building a new life for himself and his preteen daughter brings Joe Messina home to Harmony Valley. That and showing his town that the onetime bad boy is now a responsible single father. His first move is to get his grandfather’s defunct garage up and running. Except now he’s got the FBI poking around, and there’s a beautician with her eye on the abandoned auto parts. An artist who’s happiest turning rusty junk into sought-after treasure, San Francisco transplant Brittany Lambridge is making Joe think they can create something rare and special together. But he has unfinished family business that could jeopardize his fresh start. Is Joe ready to believe in himself as fiercely as Brittany’s beginning to believe in him?

Introduction “Why, shaggy-hair Joe...I never expected a beauty compliment from you.” “Stop talking like that, Brit.” He placed his fingers beneath her chin, tilting her face up to his. “Stop talking and kiss me.” She froze. A deer in his headlights. And then she laughed, shaking her head, loosening his hold. “You almost had me.” He did have her. He had his arms around her and she relaxed. He kissed her. A simple act. Four lips. Two hearts. One beat. It didn’t feel simple. It felt complex and intense and terrifying. He had no right to kiss her. Kissing implied intent. He was broke, with a daughter to provide for. His world was imperfect when she deserved perfection. He had no right to kiss her. Kissing opened the door to heartbreak. He couldn’t stand to be left or betrayed by another person he loved. He had no right to kiss her. And yet he did. And for a moment, everything felt perfect.

Dear Reader Dear Reader Contents Cover Back Cover Text Introduction Dear Reader Title Page About the Author 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 Epilogue Extract Copyright , Welcome to Harmony Valley! Just a few short years ago, Harmony Valley was on the brink of extinction with only those over the age of sixty in residence. Now the influx of a younger generation is making life in Harmony Valley more fun for its gray-haired residents than afternoon television. Brittany Lambridge dreams of being an upcycle artist. Although she pays the bills by working in her grandfather’s barber shop, she’s been commissioned to make a driveway gate with a luxury car grill. Now all she needs is a luxury car grill. She thinks she’s found one in an abandoned car cemetery next to a closed auto-repair shop. Too bad Joe Messina bought the defunct garage the day before Brit tries picking the place. This single dad refuses to let Brit take anything away until he identifies the owners of the abandoned cars. In the meantime, if Joe wants to make a living fixing cars, he’s got to prove to Harmony Valley that he’s no longer the bad boy they remember. I hope you enjoy Joe and Brit’s journey to a happily-ever-after, as well as the other romances in the Harmony Valley series. I love to hear from readers. Check my website to learn more about upcoming books, sign up for email book announcements (and I’ll send you a free sweet romance read) or chat with me on Facebook ( MelindaCurtisAuthor ) to hear about my latest giveaways. Melinda Curtis www.MelindaCurtis.com