Lee McClain - The Nanny's Secret Baby

What she knows will change everything...

at Redemption Ranch

Arianna Shrader’s new nanny gig is more than a job—it’s an opportunity to bond with the infant boy she gave up to her sister for adoption. But widower Jack DeMoise doesn’t know she’s not just his child’s aunt. As Arianna grows closer to the ranch veterinarian and his son, can she find a way to reveal her secret...and become a permanent part of their family?

LEE TOBIN McCLAINread Gone with the Wind in the third grade and has been a hopeless romantic ever since. When she’s not writing angst-filled love stories with happy endings, she’s getting inspiration from her church singles group, her gymnastics-obsessed teenage daughter, and her rescue dog and cat. In her day job, Lee gets to encourage aspiring romance writers in Seton Hill University’s low-residency MFA program. Visit her at leetobinmcclain.com.

Also By Lee Tobin McClain

Redemption Ranch

The Soldier’s Redemption

The Twins’ Family Christmas

The Nanny’s Secret Baby

Rescue River

Engaged to the Single Mom

His Secret Child

Small-Town Nanny

The Soldier and the Single Mom

The Soldier’s Secret Child

A Family for Easter

Safe Haven

Low Country Hero

Low Country Dreams

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

The Nanny’s Secret Baby

Lee Tobin McClain

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09678-2

THE NANNY’S SECRET BABY

© 2019 Lee Tobin McClain

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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Text to speech

“Sammy notices animals more than he notices people,” Jack said.

Arianna looked up quickly. “That must be hard to deal with.”

He nodded. “I’m used to it.” He held up the puppy so Sammy could see it. “Dog,” Jack said.

Sammy didn’t speak.

“Does he know the word?”

“He used to,” Jack said, and pain twisted his heart.

He met Arianna’s eyes and saw a matching sorrow in hers.

The intimacy of their shared emotion felt too raw, and he looked away, focusing on the puppy. “He’s healthy,” he told her, “just too young to be left alone.”

“Poor thing. I wonder what his story is.”

Jack shook his head. “There are all kinds of reasons why a mother can’t raise her pup,” he said.

Arianna drew in a sharp breath, and when he looked up, her eyes glittered with unshed tears. Funny, he hadn’t realized she was so sensitive. He put a hand on hers. “We’ll find him a new mama,” he reassured her.

She swallowed hard and nodded, and then Sammy started to fuss and the moment was over.

Dear Reader,

This third book in the Redemption Ranch series is special to me, because it’s about how we can be free to be our perfectly imperfect selves. Arianna feels shame about mistakes she made in the past; that sense of inadequacy, plus a promise she made to her sister, pushes her to keep a secret that should never have been. As for Jack, he believes he’s too staid and dull for a colorful, flamboyant woman like Arianna. The reality is that both of them are just as God made them to be, their mistakes can be forgiven...and they’re perfect for one another. How wonderful!

The cream-colored puppy, Buster, who shows up on Arianna’s doorstep has a real-life model: my own golden doodle, Nash. If you enjoyed Buster, visit @nash_the_goldendoodle’sInstagram account to keep up with a lot of dog shenanigans.

Thank you for reading, and may God’s blessings follow you wherever you go.

Lee

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

—2 Corinthians 5:17

This book is dedicated to all parents of children with autism, especially my friend Laura, who read parts of this manuscript to help me portray the condition accurately. All remaining mistakes are my own.

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

Epilogue

Extract

About the Publisher

Jack DeMoise watched his eighteen-month-old son bang a block against the doctor’s desk drawer.

“He’s going to need as much attention and support as you can give him,” Dr. Rutherford said. “We’re learning more and more about this condition. His best odds would be to get a TSS—therapeutic support staff—team on board right away. Hope your wife is organized!”

Jack drew in a breath and let it out slowly before meeting the other man’s eyes. “There’s no reason you should remember this from the intake papers, but I’m a widower.”

The doctor’s face fell, just a little. Most people wouldn’t even have noticed, but Jack was accustomed to reading emotions carefully, from small tells. It had been a crucial skill with his wife. “Do you work full-time yourself?” the doctor asked.

Jack nodded. “My job can be flexible, though.” Except when it isn’t. “I’m a small-town veterinarian. I’ve had several good babysitters, but I’m not sure any of them are up to...” He reached down and squeezed his son’s shoulder. “To helping me manage Sammy’s care the right way.”