Jolene Navarro - The Texan's Surprise Return

His greatest Christmas gifts…

“Is that you? You’re…you’re alive.”

An unforgettable family reunion for the holidays.

For three years, Xavier De La Rosa’s family thought he was dead. Now Xavier is back home in Texas for Christmas, and finds a wife he can’t remember and adorable triplets he never knew existed. Can Xavier reclaim his memories and the love he left behind…before he returns to the job that nearly killed him?

Cowboys of Diamondback Ranch

A seventh-generation Texan, JOLENE NAVARROfills her life with family, faith and life’s beautiful messiness. She knows that as much as the world changes, people stay the same: vow-keepers and heartbreakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who shows her holding hands never gets old. When not writing, Jolene teaches art to inner-city teens and hangs out with her own four almost-grown kids. Find Jolene on Facebook or her blog, jolenenavarrowriter.com.

Also By Jolene Navarro

Cowboys of Diamondback Ranch

The Texan’s Secret Daughter

The Texan’s Surprise Return

Lone Star Legacy

Texas Daddy

The Texan’s Twins

Lone Star Christmas

Lone Star Holiday

Lone Star Hero

A Texas Christmas Wish

The Soldier’s Surprise Family

The Texan’s Secret Daughter

Lone Star Bride

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

The Texan’s Surprise Return

Jolene Navarro

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09922-6

THE TEXAN’S SURPRISE RETURN

© 2019 Jolene Navarro

Published in Great Britain 2019

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.

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“Xavier? Is that you? You’re…you’re alive.”

The shock in her voice was clear even though her voice was low.

Xavier’s thoughts whirled. Her voice and the large eyes belonged somewhere in his brain, but he couldn’t link her up to any useful memories. Stuck between confusion and euphoria, he wasn’t sure what to do. “You’re not my sister.”

She gasped. “No.”

He could hear the hurt in that simple word. This was someone he should know, but he couldn’t even see her.

“Xavier.” In slow motion her petite form started crumpling.

He rushed forward to catch her before she hit the edge of the porch.

A heavy beat of blood pounded against his skull, and his vision blurred to the point he had to close his eyes and hold the sickness at bay. But there was a rightness he hadn’t experienced since he’d woken up from the ambush.

Who is she? Should he leave?

No. For that moment she was in his arms, it was right.

He was finally where he belonged…

Dear Reader,

Welcome back to the Diamondback Ranch. In The Texan’s Secret Daughter , I had another secret. I couldn’t wait to tell you that Selena’s husband was alive. I couldn’t wait to get Xavier on the page. I knew it would be a tough journey.

Winning back someone’s love and trust is not easy and it shouldn’t be, but with God, Selena and Xavier were able to reclaim the lives He had meant for them.

Then there were the triplets. I had so much fun doing research into the lives of two-year-old triplets. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.

On a serious note, I want to acknowledge the work that inspired Xavier’s career choices.

The heartbreaking truth is the work Xavier does is very real and needed. It was inspired by a group called Operation Underground Railroad led by Tim Ballard. With the work groups like this do around the world, children are finding liberation.

Thank you for visiting my fictional coastal town of Port Del Mar (Port by the Sea). This is the second book in the Cowboys of Diamondback Ranch. If you missed the first, you can read Elijah and Jazmine’s story in The Texan’s Secret Daughter.

Many blessings,

Jolene Navarro

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

—Romans 15:13

Dedicated to Granner (Jo Ann Hutchinson). You are an inspiration as you go strongly into your nineties. Most important, you have shown me to trust God even when the storms of this world threaten to pull you under. Love you, Granner.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Introduction

Dear Reader

Bible Verse

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

Selena De La Rosa sighed and leaned against the old barn wall as she slipped off her heels. Except for the torturous shoes, the day had been perfect for an outdoor wedding and the family Christmas photos. The love she saw in Elijah’s eyes when he recommitted his life to Jazmine melted her heart in a way she didn’t think was possible anymore.

The weathered wood and the hundreds of tiny white lights, along with the mild Texas temperatures, created the ideal setting for both. Her twenty-two-month-old triplet boys now romped around with the stars of the show. Five baby goats in Christmas sweaters. Who could resist such cuteness?