T. McClure - Deal Of A Lifetime

Could this finally be her time?

Serafina Callahan has always been the responsible one, sacrificing her dreams to keep her family’s Pennsylvania farm afloat. Now, after ten years of hard work, here comes someone who could change her life in a major way. All Sera has to do is say yes.

It would mean selling the place Callahans have lived on and owned for almost a century. But Sera’s starting to have major feelings for the big-city lawyer who flew home to negotiate the deal. While there’s a lot Sera isn’t sure of—Alex Kimmel’s motives, his questionable past in Bear Meadows—she can’t forget their kiss. Is it enough to build a brand-new dream on?

“Sera.”

“Alex.”

They both laughed.

Alex grabbed her by the arms and pulled her into an alcove as passengers jostled their way in and out of the city’s bus station. “I had a great time this weekend.”

The heat moved up Sera’s neck and onto her cheeks at the memories. Alex pulled her closer, although the crowds seemed to have thinned. “As far as I’m concerned, this weekend was Cy’s loss and my gain.”

Her body seemed to move toward Alex’s as if she were on a magic carpet. “I think so, too.”

“You asked if I thought you could return to school at your age. Personally, I think anyone can return to school at any age. If the school offers you a scholarship again, I think you’d be crazy not to accept.” His lips were now just inches from hers. And then he kissed her. A proper goodbye kiss. Not a spur-of-the-moment, wish-he-would-stop-talking kiss.

Dear Reader,

I’m happy to share with you Deal of a Lifetime, book number three in the Bear Meadows series. Thank you for sticking with me as together we see where life takes these characters. As always, a special thank-you to the team at Harlequin and your invaluable suggestions for keeping the story on track. Kudos for creating a beautiful book presentation for the Heartwarming line.

I hope you’re enjoying reading about the characters and their journeys as much as I enjoy writing about them. Just like the people we interact with daily, book characters behave a certain way and have unique personalities. We can only begin to understand them once we understand their deepest fears and greatest hopes.

In Deal of a Lifetime, Serafina Callahan feels an obligation to stay on the family farm. If life had played out differently, Sera’s dreams and aspirations would have taken her far away.

Last Chance Farm is only a few years away from receiving Century Farm designation. But today’s family farm looks nothing like the family farm of my grandparents’ generation. Sustaining a family is hardly possible without someone having an outside income or, in the case of Last Chance Farm, reinventing the concept.

The question for Sera is...where does obligation to family end and the fulfillment of one’s dreams begin, especially given her feelings for the hero, Alex?

T.R.

Deal of a Lifetime

T. R. McClure

www.millsandboon.co.uk

T. R. MCCLURE wrote her first story when she was ten years old. A degree in psychology led to a career in human resources. Only after retirement did she pick up her pen and return to fiction. T.R. lives in central Pennsylvania with her husband of thirty-seven years. They share their country home with one horse, one cat, four beagles and Sunny the yellow Lab. T.R. is always up for travel adventures with her grown twin daughters. For more information and updates on new releases, visit www.trmcclure.comor follow the author on Twitter, @trmcclureauthor.

To my husband and daughters, who surprised me with an awesome book birthday party for my first book. You pulled off the surprise!

Blaine, Kristen and Launa, you’re awesome and I’m blessed to have you in my life.

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

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

HER GREAT-GRANDMOTHER MUST have known what she was doing when she named their home Last Chance Farm, because the men in Serafina Callahan’s family were all gamblers of one sort or another, her little brother included.

“What are you thinking?”

Sitting in one of a line of uncomfortable molded plastic chairs in the terminal lobby, Sera linked her hands over her belly and stared out the floor-to-ceiling window at the twin-engine turboprop, its propellers whirling to a stop. “I’m thinking no way would I climb on a soup can with wings in the middle of a hurricane and fly to Nashville.”

Mirroring her stretched-out position, crossed ankles and all, Chance Callahan rested the toe of his boot against the battered guitar case, as if reassuring himself the instrument was still there, even though it was in plain sight of both of them. “We’re going to Detroit first. It’s not raining in Detroit.”

“That makes no sense—” Sera slid her gaze up her brother’s long legs to his mussed black hair “—but neither does April showers in May.”

“Springtime in Pennsylvania. You never know what you’re gonna get. No big deal.” He shrugged.

She wasn’t surprised. Her younger brother had his own theories about life. He did exactly as he pleased. But then the siblings had traveled different paths from the beginning. She would climb into the crook of an apple tree on a summer day to read, and he would swing from the branches, risking skinned knees and broken bones. “You know, I think you’re the milkman’s son. We can’t be related.”

Head leaning against the seat back, he turned in her direction. His eyes had that heavy-lidded look that made the girls scream when he was onstage. “We both have the Callahan hair. Thick, black and totally unmanageable. We’re related.”

Sera smoothed curly bangs back from her forehead and returned her gaze to the activities on the other side of the window. “Tell me about it.”

Clad in a hooded poncho with Ramp written across the back in large black letters, a figure reached up to lower the staircase of the plane. April Madison appeared at the top of the stairs. She wore navy blue suit pants and a crisp white blouse. A red-white-and-blue-striped scarf looped around her neck. With a bright smile, she handed a clipboard to the agent on the ground.

“Did you know April Madison is working for Allegheny Commuter? She might be the last person you see before plummeting to the ground.”

One corner of his mouth edged upward. “I can think of worse things.”

“You hate April Madison.”

“I hated her in high school. She dumped me for one of the Heaster twins. Now that Stan is serving three to ten, she’s probably rethinking that decision.”

Sera chuckled. “Ya think?” As always, she and her brother had reverted to familiar and comfortable conversation, like two neighbors who hadn’t seen each other in a while. April backed away into the dark recesses of the cabin as passengers appeared in the open doorway. The first person off the plane was a young woman with frizzy red hair. Shoulders hunched against the rain, she clutched a portfolio in her left arm and gripped the railing with her hand.