Carol Finch - The Family Feud - The Family Feud / Stop The Wedding?!

DuetsTM

Two brand-new stories in every volume…twice a month!

Duets Vol. #71

Talented Liz Jarrett takes us to Texas for Part One of the HOMETOWN HEARTTHROBS miniseries this month. Leigh Barrett is so-o-o tired of her three overprotective brothers! Her solution? Matchmake and marry ’em off one by one! Liz always writes “a passionate tale with delightful scenes and exciting characters,” says Romantic Times.

Duets Vol. #72

Twice voted storyteller of the Year by Romantic Times, Silhouette writer Carol Finch never fails to “present her fans with rollicking, wild adventures…and fun from beginning to end.” Jennifer Drew returns this month with another fun-filled BAD BOY GROOMS story. This writer “gives readers a top-notch reading experience with vibrant characters, strong story development and spicy tension,” notes Romantic Times.

Be sure to pick up both Duets volumes today!

The Family Feud

Carol Finch

Stop the Wedding!

Jennifer Drew

www.millsandboon.co.uk

The Family Feud The Family Feud

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Stop the Wedding!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Epilogue

“You’re an exceedingly attractive woman, Janna.”

Morgan realized his hormones were in overdrive, but he didn’t care.

Janna smirked. “Don’t try to work your charm on me. I know what I look like.”

“I’m just stating the facts, sweetheart. Are you telling me those big-city corporate types haven’t noticed and panted after you?” he asked.

“Since I work ten-hour days, there hasn’t been time for personal relationships.” She plunked down at his table. “Besides, I learned my lesson about men twelve years ago—with you.”

Morgan sighed heavily as he took his seat.

“I was only eighteen years old then, Janna. You aren’t going to hold me personally accountable for distorting your perception of men, are you?”

“I was sweet sixteen and never been kissed until that night with you. And you must have made a lasting impression on me because I’m still a virgin.” Janna stared at him straight in the eyes.

The comment caused him to rear back in surprise—which wasn’t a good thing since he was teetering off balance in his chair. Morgan yelped when the chair tipped back and crashed to the floor—with him in it.

Dear Reader,

I’m delighted to be writing my fourth romantic comedy because love and laughter are the perfect combination for a story. In The Family Feud, Jan Mitchell is trying to reconcile her middle-age-crazy parents, but her old flame, Morgan Price, lands right smack-dab in the middle of the family feud. Ignoring him is about as easy as ignoring a rumbling volcano. Jan doesn’t need a distraction during her family’s fiasco, but there’s Morgan, handsome and sexy as ever.

So what’s a woman to do but fall head over heels for the first love of her life and hope she doesn’t get her heart broken a second time.

Enjoy!

Carol Finch

HARLEQUIN DUETS

36—FIT TO BE TIED

45—A REGULAR JOE

62—MR. PREDICTABLE

SILHOUETTE SPECIAL EDITION

1242—NOT JUST ANOTHER COWBOY

1320—SOUL MATES

HARLEQUIN HISTORICALS

592—CALL OF THE WHITE WOLF

This book is dedicated to my husband, Ed,

and our children—Kurt, Jill, Christie, Jon and Jeff—

with much love. And our grandchildren—

Blake, Kennedy, Brooklyn and Livia.

Hugs and kisses!

“SHE’S HERE, Morgan. I figured Sylvia would call her in to resolve the family crisis.” Grimly, John Mitchell stared out the hardware store window. “Damn it, I didn’t want my older daughter in the middle of this feud.”

Morgan Price strode down the aisle of his store to halt beside John, who was keeping surveillance on the dress shop directly across the street. It seemed to Morgan that John spent an excessive amount of time staring at Sylvia’s Boutique rather than simply hiking across the bricked street to work out his differences with his estranged wife. For Morgan, it was like being caught in the middle of a war zone during the Mitchell family feud, with one enemy camp keeping close observation on the other.

The Mitchell family feud had become the talk of this small hamlet of Oz that was located in the heart of Oklahoma’s peanut country. Naturally, Morgan’s mother, who delighted in being in the limelight every chance she got, wasted no time in fueling the fire by flirting outrageously with John.

Morgan’s thoughts scattered like buckshot when Janna Mitchell slid one well-shaped, hose-clad leg from the low-slung car and rose to full stature. Wow! The shy, plain-Jane teenager he remembered from high school had obviously been a late bloomer. She’d blossomed into a strikingly attractive, curvaceous woman. Sighing in masculine appreciation, Morgan pressed his nose to the window to thoroughly appraise Janna.

Her chestnut hair was knotted in a tight, sophisticated something-or-other—Morgan had no idea what names applied to feminine hairdos. Despite Janna’s streamlined navy blue silk business suit—that had expensive written all over it—Morgan could tell Janna had filled out in all the right places these past twelve years. The assertive way Janna held herself indicated she’d acquired the poise and self-confidence she’d lacked at shy, uncertain sixteen. That sweet, wide-eyed innocent teenager who’d been self-conscious about the metal braces on her teeth, and rarely smiled, had changed dramatically. She drew Morgan’s marveling gaze and his fascination like a magnet.

“Five’ll getcha ten that Janna hotfoots it over here to talk sense into me within fifteen minutes. Soon as Sylvia tells her twisted side of the story,” John Mitchell muttered resentfully.

“Here’s a thought,” Morgan supplied helpfully, without taking his fascinated gaze off Janna, “why don’t you hightail it across the street to intercept Janna and present your version of the feud first?”

John shook his head stubbornly. “Nope. I’m not going near that damn dress shop. I didn’t want Sylvia to buy it in the first place. She openly defied me and that was the beginning of our problems.”

Morgan slanted the older man a pointed glance. “That, and the fact that you purchased a Winnebago without consulting Sylvia first.”

John snapped his head around to stare belligerently at Morgan. “Well, I couldn’t let her walk all over me, could I? I’ve been giving in to my wife for thirty-three years. When I retired from teaching woodwork at the high school I decided my lifestyle and attitude were going to change.”

Morgan smiled in amusement when John refocused on the dress shop directly across the street. He’d lost count of the number of times the past month that John had stood as sentinel at the window, monitoring the comings and goings at Sylvia’s Boutique. Yet, when Sylvia appeared John commenced muttering and scowling.

Since John had come to work part-time at the hardware store, he and Morgan had become close friends. Therefore, Morgan was well versed in the squabbles that had caused John and Sylvia’s separation. As far as Morgan could tell, John had some legitimate complaints, but he suspected Sylvia had a few legitimate complaints of her own. However, according to John, there was supposed to be give and take in a marriage. John insisted he’d done the majority of giving for years—he, being the minority male in a household of a wife and two daughters. John had declared his independence now that he’d raised his family and put in his time teaching.