Susan Mallery: Halfway There

Halfway There

A Fool’s Gold Series Novella

Susan Mallery

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Readers have fallen in love with the town and people of Fool’s Gold in Susan Mallery’s New York Times bestselling series. Meet her latest couple in this special Fool’s Gold novella!

Fayrene Hopkins may be only twenty-four years old, but she runs her own business and has big plans—plans that don’t involve falling in love yet. She’s determined to make her mark on the world before settling down.

She thinks she’s got life all figured out—until she meets Ryan Patterson on her latest job. Fayrene senses his interest in her, and she has to admit he gets her pulse racing. Luckily, starting a relationship with Ryan is safe—he’s leaving Fool’s Gold when his work contract is up.

Ryan has goals of his own and a job waiting for him in Texas. He doesn’t expect to get waylaid by a sassy blonde and cozy town. But what started out as temporary is starting to look like the real thing. If only he can convince Fayrene that some plans are made to be broken.

Return to Fool’s Gold in Just One Kiss, Two of a Kind and Three Little Words. Plus, look for the entire Fool’s Gold series—and dozens of other memorable titles by Susan Mallery—available now from Harlequin HQN.

Dear Reader,

I’ve been a romance reader nearly all my life. I discovered the joys of these fabulous books when I was about thirteen and “borrowed” a Harlequin Presents from my best friend’s mother. I couldn’t help myself. She left a stack of them in the family room, and they started calling my name. Who could ignore that?

After college, I turned my love of reading romances into a love of writing romances. My most popular series to date is set in the town of Fool’s Gold, California. Fool’s Gold is a tourist favorite, nestled in the beautiful foothills of the Sierra Nevada. There are festivals and friendly neighbors and California’s longest-serving mayor.

For the past several years, I’ve set a new trilogy in Fool’s Gold each summer. There are also bonus e-reads, like this one, and sometimes a Christmas story.

This year bodyguards are coming to Fool’s Gold. And who doesn’t love a yummy bodyguard! The books that follow this novella are Just One Kiss, Two of a Kind and Three Little Words. Oh, there’s also a Christmas book this year, called Christmas on 4th Street.

I hope you’ll enjoy your visit to Fool’s Gold. If it’s your first time, welcome. If you’ve read the series before, I’ll let you know that Ford Hendrix finally comes home and gets his own book later this year!

Happy Reading,

Susan Mallery

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

CHAPTER ONE

“THE BABIES ARE coming! The babies are coming! Someone call nine-one-one!”

Ryan Patterson glanced up from his computer as a petite blonde raced past his open office. She was wide-eyed, with her hands waving in the air. She looked to be on the verge of complete panic, in case the screaming hadn’t been enough of a clue.

He had to admit, even running around like a deranged chicken, she was kind of cute. He liked how she wore her skirt just short enough to be interesting. Her hazel eyes were big, her mouth full. Early to mid-twenties. Yup, except for the shrieking, she was what his father would call a damned fine example of a woman.

Ryan stood and stepped out of his small glassed-in office. The woman made a complete circuit of the larger central space, then raced back toward him.

“Did you call?” she demanded, wringing her hands together. “I feel sick to my stomach. It’s too soon. At least I think it is. I thought we had another week.” She sucked in air. “Did you call?” she asked again.

“I will, ma’am, as soon as I confirm there’s a pregnant woman in the building.”

It was still early. Just after eight in the morning. Ryan had arrived at six and had been focused on his work. He hadn’t even heard anyone walking into the building. Other than the blonde, of course.

A quick look around the office confirmed that they seemed to be alone. Ethan Hendrix, Ryan’s new boss, didn’t believe in paying his engineers to sit around. Most of them were already on job sites or up at the manufacturing facility just outside of Fool’s Gold. Because Ryan was working on a new design, he was in the main office. He’d been on the job all of a week. Ethan had mentioned something about hiring a temp to handle the phone, but hadn’t given Ryan a name or ETA.

The woman stared at him blankly. “There’s no pregnant person,” she said, as if convinced he was an idiot. “It’s Misty. I’m cat sitting, and she’s pregnant. I told Ethan I couldn’t leave her alone, so he said to bring her in to work with me. I didn’t think it would be a problem because Charity, her owner, said she wasn’t due for a week and they’d all be back by then. They’re in Florida for a charity bike race that Josh is—”

The woman drew in a breath. “None of this matters. Misty is giving birth. We have to get help.”

Ryan shook his head. “Most cats give birth just fine on their own. They know what to do. If there’s a problem, we can contact a local vet.”

“Won’t it be too late then?” She turned and sprinted for the desk by the front door. “I have to do something.” She disappeared behind one of the partitions.

Ryan followed her and found her crouched by a box containing a short-haired tabby and what looked to be one squirming newborn kitten.

“It’s happening!” the woman shrieked. “Misty, stop, please! I’ll call a vet. I can find a vet.”

Misty shot him a look that begged for privacy, along with peace and quiet.

“Okay, then,” he said, grabbing the woman by the elbow and tugging her to her feet. “You need to step back and breathe.”

“How is that going to help? Misty needs me.”

“Misty’s doing fine on her own. Come on.”

He thought about easing her toward the break room, but it seemed like the last thing the blonde needed was caffeine. She was plenty wired on her own.

Instead he took her to his small office and settled her in the visitor’s chair. He took his seat and settled his hands on the computer keyboard.

“Do you know a vet around town?” he asked.

She stared at him. “What? Yes. Of course. Cameron McKenzie. He’s the local vet.”

Ryan typed the name into the search engine and got the link to the veterinary practice. “Here’s the phone number. They opened at seven, and they’ll be there until five.” He studied the address. While he hadn’t been in town long, he thought the office couldn’t be very far away.

The woman twisted her fingers together. “We should go now.”

“So this is about you, not Misty, right? Because she’s doing fine.”

Those big hazel eyes narrowed considerably. “Excuse me? Are you saying I’m being selfish while Misty is doing all the work?”

“Pretty much.”

He leaned back in the chair and prepared himself for a heated discussion. He’d always believed you learned a lot about a person by how she handled a disagreement. When tensions ran high, true character was revealed.

The woman sucked in a breath. He braced himself for shrieking and was surprised when she sagged back in the chair and nodded slowly.

“I’ve never been around a cat giving birth before,” she said with a sigh. “I still think she belongs in a feline maternity ward, but your point is a good one. She seems to be doing fine on her own. I guess I can check on her every five minutes and if she seems to be handling it, leave her to become a mom in her own time.”