Lee McClain - The Soldier's Redemption

A second chance at family...

in this Redemption Ranch novel

Blaming himself for the accident that claimed his wife and son, ranch manager Finn Gallagher vows he’ll never remarry. Yet he’s drawn to his new rescue-dog caretaker, Kayla White, and her little boy. But the single mother’s running from something in her past. And as he begins wishing the little family could be his, Finn must convince her to trust him with her secret.

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 Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright 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 Epilogue Extract About the Publisher

Redemption Ranch

The Soldier’s Redemption

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

Christmas Twins

Secret Christmas Twins

Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch

The Nanny’s Texas Christmas

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

The Soldier’s Redemption

Lee Tobin McClain

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08435-2

THE SOLDIER’S REDEMPTION

© 2018 Lee Tobin McClain

Published in Great Britain 2018

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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www.millsandboon.co.uk

“I should probably bring another bucket of water, right?”

“Just to be sure. I’m sorry I can’t help you.”

“You’re helping, believe me.” She gave her sleeping child a tender glance before taking the bucket back over to the outside spigot.

Finn felt the weight of the five-year-old boy against him as if it were lead. Pressing him down into the lawn chair.

Pressing him into his past.

He’d held his own son just like this. It was such a sweet age, still small enough to fit into a lap and to want to be there.

Leo would soon grow beyond such tenderness.

Derek wouldn’t, not ever.

The knowledge of that ached in Finn’s chest. Outside of the guilt and the regret, he just plain missed his son.

Kayla sloshed another bucket over the fire pit. “There. No sparks left to cause a fire.”

He met her eyes and the thought flashed through him: There are still some sparks here, just not the fire-pit kind.

But although it was true, it wouldn’t do to highlight the fact.

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

Thank you for visiting Redemption Ranch! I’m very excited about this brand-new series, where troubled veterans and abandoned senior dogs heal together...and where romance has the wide-open space to grow. Finn, Kayla and young Leo have plenty of challenges to overcome, but with God’s help they learn to love one another, becoming the happy family God intended them to be.

One reason I love writing Christian romance is that I can delve into big problematic issues. That’s partly because the pages that aren’t taken up by love scenes can be devoted to character development. But mostly, it’s because the difficult problems people face can be best solved by turning to God. Faith and faith communities are the healing forces that let Christian romances dive deep, and still come back for an uplifting, happy ending.

May your summer be filled with faith, love and good books,

Lee

And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

—Luke 9:11

To the staff and volunteers at Animal Friends of Westmoreland. Thank you for letting me work alongside you to learn how a dog rescue operates...and thank you for being a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A second chance at family... in this Redemption Ranch novel Blaming himself for the accident that claimed his wife and son, ranch manager Finn Gallagher vows he’ll never remarry. Yet he’s drawn to his new rescue-dog caretaker, Kayla White, and her little boy. But the single mother’s running from something in her past. And as he begins wishing the little family could be his, Finn must convince her to trust him with her secret.

About the Author LEE TOBIN MCCLAIN read 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 .

Booklist Also By Lee Tobin McClain Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright 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 Epilogue Extract About the Publisher Redemption Ranch The Soldier’s Redemption 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 Christmas Twins Secret Christmas Twins Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch The Nanny’s Texas Christmas Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk