GINA WILKINS - The Way To A Soldier's Heart

A family for her daughter?

Elle O’Meara’s happy being a single mom to her adopted two-year-old, Charlotte. Even so, when Shane Scanlon starts coming in to her bakeshop, he becomes a bright spot in her days. The handsome former army medic even strikes up a friendship with her daughter, making Elle wonder if there’s room in her life for the excitement he could bring.

Then Elle discovers why Shane’s really there: he’s Charlotte’s biological uncle and wants her in his family. Elle prefers to believe he won’t take Charlotte away, but he’s already lied once. Now she doesn’t know if her connection with Shane was real—or just another lie.

Shane reached out as if to take the photo, but Elle jerked back to avoid his hand.

She reached up to snap on the light, then opened the folder. Inside it, she found a second copy of the photograph and a sheet of paper with her name printed on it, her address—both home and business—her age, marital status, even her ex-husband’s name. Charlotte’s name appeared at the bottom of the page. Her full name. Charlotte Michelle O’Meara. Followed by her date of birth, the hospital where she’d been born and her date of adoption.

Elle lifted her gaze very slowly to Shane, struggling to understand. Her insides were knotted, her throat so tight it was all she could do to speak. “What the hell is this? Just who are you, Shane? And why have you been spying on me and my daughter?”

Dear Reader 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 EPILOGUE Extract Copyright ,

I come from a large, scattered Southern family: three brothers, lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and “greats” and a dizzying array of in-laws and longtime friends who have become close as kin over the years. Our family gatherings are filled with chatter, laughter and entirely too much good food as four generations swap stories and memories. We are a widely diverse group in just about every way, but one value connects us all: the importance of family, whether by blood, marriage, adoption or simply love.

In this, my second book of the Soldiers and Single Moms trilogy, I return once again to one of my favorite story themes: the definition of family. Divorced single mom Elle O’Meara loves her little adopted daughter, Charlotte, with all of her heart and soul. But when Charlotte’s biological family shows up in the form of the child’s sexy army-veteran uncle, Shane Scanlon, Elle must confront her secret fears. In doing so, she learns that family has many facets—and that love is the ultimate bond.

I hope you enjoy meeting these two families as much as I loved getting to know them myself!

Gina

The Way to a Soldier’s Heart

Gina Wilkins

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Before she even learned to read, GINA WILKINS announced that she wanted to be a writer. That dream never wavered, though she worked briefly in advertising and human resources. Influenced by her mother’s love of classic Harlequin romances, she knew she wanted her stories to always have happy endings. She met her husband in her first college English class and they’ve been married for more than thirty-five years, blessed with two daughters and a son. They also have two delightful grandchildren. After more than one hundred books with Harlequin, she will always be a fan of romance and a believer in happy endings.

For my precious little grandsons—Ephraim, who showed us how to find joy in “party dots,” and Malachi, the newest member of our family. Gigi loves you both!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A family for her daughter? Elle O’Meara’s happy being a single mom to her adopted two-year-old, Charlotte. Even so, when Shane Scanlon starts coming in to her bakeshop, he becomes a bright spot in her days. The handsome former army medic even strikes up a friendship with her daughter, making Elle wonder if there’s room in her life for the excitement he could bring. Then Elle discovers why Shane’s really there: he’s Charlotte’s biological uncle and wants her in his family. Elle prefers to believe he won’t take Charlotte away, but he’s already lied once. Now she doesn’t know if her connection with Shane was real—or just another lie.

Introduction Shane reached out as if to take the photo, but Elle jerked back to avoid his hand. She reached up to snap on the light, then opened the folder. Inside it, she found a second copy of the photograph and a sheet of paper with her name printed on it, her address—both home and business—her age, marital status, even her ex-husband’s name. Charlotte’s name appeared at the bottom of the page. Her full name. Charlotte Michelle O’Meara. Followed by her date of birth, the hospital where she’d been born and her date of adoption. Elle lifted her gaze very slowly to Shane, struggling to understand. Her insides were knotted, her throat so tight it was all she could do to speak. “What the hell is this? Just who are you, Shane? And why have you been spying on me and my daughter?”

Dear Reader Dear Reader 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 EPILOGUE Extract Copyright , I come from a large, scattered Southern family: three brothers, lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and “greats” and a dizzying array of in-laws and longtime friends who have become close as kin over the years. Our family gatherings are filled with chatter, laughter and entirely too much good food as four generations swap stories and memories. We are a widely diverse group in just about every way, but one value connects us all: the importance of family, whether by blood, marriage, adoption or simply love. In this, my second book of the Soldiers and Single Moms trilogy, I return once again to one of my favorite story themes: the definition of family. Divorced single mom Elle O’Meara loves her little adopted daughter, Charlotte, with all of her heart and soul. But when Charlotte’s biological family shows up in the form of the child’s sexy army-veteran uncle, Shane Scanlon, Elle must confront her secret fears. In doing so, she learns that family has many facets—and that love is the ultimate bond. I hope you enjoy meeting these two families as much as I loved getting to know them myself! Gina

Title Page The Way to a Soldier’s Heart Gina Wilkins www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author Before she even learned to read, GINA WILKINS announced that she wanted to be a writer. That dream never wavered, though she worked briefly in advertising and human resources. Influenced by her mother’s love of classic Harlequin romances, she knew she wanted her stories to always have happy endings. She met her husband in her first college English class and they’ve been married for more than thirty-five years, blessed with two daughters and a son. They also have two delightful grandchildren. After more than one hundred books with Harlequin, she will always be a fan of romance and a believer in happy endings.

Dedication For my precious little grandsons—Ephraim, who showed us how to find joy in “party dots,” and Malachi, the newest member of our family. Gigi loves you both!

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE