Cari Webb - Single Dad To The Rescue

He offered her help

And he found love

Her home destroyed by a wildfire, Brooke Ellis finds temporary shelter at the home of paramedic Dan Sawyer and his young son, Ben. With the addition of Brooke and her lively fur family, Dan finds his carefully planned routine delightfully turned upside down. And his carefully guarded heart daring to trust in love again. When his ex-wife suddenly reappears, will it be Brooke to the rescue?

CARI LYNN WEBBlives in South Carolina with her husband, daughters and assorted four-legged family members. She’s been blessed to see the power of true love in her grandparents’ seventy-year marriage and her parents’ marriage of over fifty years. She knows love isn’t always sweet and perfect—it can be challenging, complicated and risky. But she believes happily-ever-afters are worth fighting for. She loves to connect with readers. Please visit her website, carilynnwebb.com.

Also By Cari Lynn Webb

City by the Bay Stories

The Charm Offensive

The Doctor’s Recovery

Ava’s Prize

A Heartwarming Thanksgiving

“Wedding of His Dreams”

Make Me a Match

“The Matchmaker Wore Skates”

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Single Dad to the Rescue

Cari Lynn Webb

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09747-5

SINGLE DAD TO THE RESCUE

© 2019 Cari Lynn Webb

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.

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Brooke blinked and focused on him. “Dr. Porter needs to keep Archie at least another night. But he’s stable. Sophie called about Rex.”

Dan stumbled over his relief for a cat. Who was Rex? He had an image of a dog curled in the back of the kennel, more eyes than body.

Ben jumped up, worry flashing across the seven-year-old’s face. “What happened to Rex?”

“He isn’t doing well.” Brooke touched Ben’s shoulder. “Sophie had several more arrivals last night. Dr. Porter and Sophie think Rex needs to be someplace quieter where he’ll feel safe.”

“He’ll feel safe here.” Confidence puffed Ben’s chest out.

Ben’s absolute certainty softened Dan. That was all he’d ever wanted to give Ben: a safe home. One without chaos. One with stability and love.

Brooke shifted to look at Dan.

Again, her dark brown gaze pulled him in. Her wide soulful eyes called to him. Made him want to learn everything about her. Made him want...

Dear Reader,

I’m blessed to have dear friends, lifelong ones and others that feel as if they’ve always been in my life. These are the friends that might be three thousand miles away and yet you feel so close. The friends that know all your backstory—the good, bad and gray areas—and love you anyway. These friends become family and make life more balanced and so much richer.

Family and friends are a large part of the community in my City by the Bay Stories. Fortunately, this community helps my heroine, Brooke Ellis, rediscover the power of love and friendship. Brooke finally starts to heal from a painful past. My hero, Dan Sawyer, has been surrounded by his family and friends, yet he has learned to guard his heart. But love—and guidance from those who know Dan best—opens Dan’s eyes to a fulfilling life he only ever imagined. Together, Brooke and Dan learn that love can be even more precious the second time around.

I love to connect with readers. Check out my website to learn more about my upcoming books, sign up for email book announcements, or chat with me on Facebook ( carilynnwebb) or Twitter ( @carilynnwebb). Remember to hug your friends and family then thank them for making life special.

Happy reading!

Cari Lynn Webb

To Stacey—a best friend who quickly became family. You’re the sister I got to choose myself.

Special thanks to my editor, Kathryn Lye, for pushing me to become a better writer. I’m grateful. To Melinda and Anna for your continuous support. To my husband and daughters for your plot-twist suggestions that always make me laugh and disrupt my stress.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Introduction

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

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

CHAPTER ONE

“CAN I OFFER you a ride?” A man’s deep voice broke through Brooke Ellis’s stupor.

Brooke squeezed Luna’s dog leash and tried to squeeze a sense of composure through herself.

Why were simple questions the hardest?

Maybe they’d always been hard and that was why Brooke had chosen to live alone in the mountains of Northern California for the past five years.

Until two days ago.

Exactly fifty-two hours earlier, a wildfire had ripped through the forest, forced Brooke and her neighbors to evacuate and destroyed lives.

Brooke turned in her gravel driveway and stared at the older gentleman watching her from inside an oversize pickup truck.