Ruth Herne - A Family to Cherish

A single dad’s mission

Wanting to do right by his impressionable daughters, widower Cam Calhoun knows they need a woman’s touch. But when his high school sweetheart returns to town to open a beauty spa, Cam plans to keep his distance. Meredith Brennan left him without a word over a decade ago. Now talk of hairstyles and nail polish have his tomboy daughters way too excited. Yet when Meredith hires him to make her dream come true, Cam discovers he just might have what she needs most: the love of a family.

Meredith shook each of Cam’s students’ hands.

“I wouldn’t have believed it possible,” she told the kids, “that students could work magic like this. I’d move into this house in a heartbeat.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes.” She grinned at the girl who’d asked the question. “The bathroom remodel is gorgeous—I’d have plenty of room for all my hair stuff.”

Cam and the boys groaned as one.

Meredith tipped Cam a smile that laughed at herself, and he felt his heart flutter once more, a sweet sensation of anticipation. Hope. It was a feeling he’d missed, but why was he feeling it now? Because no way, no how, was he tempting fate by revisiting old mistakes.

Once burned, twice careful.

He wasn’t a starstruck teen anymore. He was a father, a teacher, a son, a home owner. He had responsibilities in their small community and he had no intention of forgetting that.

Although that smile tempted him to do just that.

RUTH LOGAN HERNE

Born into poverty, Ruth puts great stock in one of her favorite Ben Franklinisms: “Having been poor is no shame. Being ashamed of it is.” With God-given appreciation for the amazing opportunities abounding in our land, Ruth finds simple gifts in the everyday blessings of smudge-faced small children, bright flowers, freshly baked goods, good friends, family, puppies and higher education. She believes a good woman should never fear dirt, snakes or spiders, all of which like to infest her aged farmhouse, necessitating a good pair of tongs for extracting the snakes, a flat-bottomed shoe for the spiders, and for the dirt...

Simply put, she’s learned that some things aren’t worth fretting about! If you laugh in the face of dust and love to talk about God, men, romance, great shoes and wonderful food, feel free to contact Ruth through her website at www.ruthloganherne.com.

A Family to Cherish

Ruth Logan Herne

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

—1 Corinthians 6:19–20

I have been threatened with bodily harm if I don’t dedicate this book to our beautiful Lacey, a woman unafraid to get dirty but who cleans up well! Lacey is responsible for any and all family makeovers, she is our fashion guru and knows how to get “the look” just right. She introduced me to Solutions Studio and Spa and the “Fridd” family story, and bought me my first spa pedicure. The fact that she gave me two gorgeous grandchildren should not be overlooked, either!

And to Rachel Burkot, my go-to gal at Harlequin Books, an assistant editor who is always ready with a quick response, a get-’er-done personality and a nature that’s sweet beyond words. Thank you for accepting the job at Harlequin, dear girl!

Acknowledgments

So many! First to the Fridd family for letting me invade their spa, poke my nose into back rooms, get a clue for the busy behind-the-scenes areas that make them operate effortlessly! And a huge thanks to Dr. Michael Haben of the Haben Practice for Voice & Laryngeal Laser Surgery. His cutting-edge techniques reshaped the plotline of this book. How wonderful to have such expertise in our own backyard! Dr. Haben answered my questions, and his honest and quick response gave credibility to an important background story. Thank you so much, Dr. Haben!

To my buds in Allegany County, Don and Karen Ash, who work constantly to promote the area, their businesses and my books! God bless you guys! Dave Evans, retired alternative woodshop teacher from Bolivar-Richburg High School: your work inspired mine, and I thank you sincerely. Your efforts in education are not unappreciated.

Thanks always to my family for their constant work to keep me presentable, somewhat organized and a little bit normal. My eccentricities should not be blamed on them. They’ll get mad if I don’t name them all (bunch o’ babies!!), but in all sincerity I could not do this without their help and belief. Huge thanks to my day-care moms who allow me to exploit their children to sell sweet books. You guys rock!

Dave… Love you, Dude. Keep the tuna sandwiches coming, honey. They’re PERFECT! To my day-care girls, big and small. Sophie and Rachel Calhoun are inspired by my beautiful young friends here in upstate. Yes… Even the “snarky” ones, LOL!

Contents

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

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

Chapter One

Meredith_Brennan@stillwaters.com

Talk about an oxymoron. Nothing about Meredith Brennan put a person in mind of still waters in any way, shape or form. Cam Calhoun ran a hand across the back of his head, wondering why his first love’s name popped up in his business email box after all this time.

The elementary school doors swung wide before he could open the message. Children spilled out in an array of colors, overused outerwear showing the stress of a long winter. Kind of like him these days, more haggard than he’d like.

Need an estimate on building repair for potential new business. Phone 555-AGUA.

Agua?

Cam frowned, scowled, then sighed out loud.

Water.

She couldn’t just key in 2-4-8-2 like a normal person? But then this was Meredith they were talking about, not exactly low-key. Subtle. Quiet.

He set the phone aside as his two girls raced for the backseat door, Sophie edging Rachel by a hair. “I win!”

“You shoved!”

“Did not.”

“Did—”

“Enough.” Cam swiveled in his seat, firm. “Sisters take care of each other. Not everything’s a race.”

Nine-year-old Sophie sent him a doubtful look while Rachel reached forward to soothe the line between his eyes. “It kind of is, Daddy. To us.”

Cam got that. What he had trouble navigating was what to do about the constant competition between two smart, athletic girls, always one-upping each other. Was this normal? How would he know? He’d already consulted half-a-dozen parenting books and the answers were more confusing than the question.

“Belts on?”

“Yes.” Sophie immediately pulled out a book, ready to immerse herself in the wonders of imagination.

“Me, too,” piped Rachel. “And when can I stop using this stupid booster seat?”

“Gotta grow, kid.” He winked at her through the rearview mirror as he wound the car out of the school lot. “Soph, did you have time to brush your teeth after lunch?”

Her guilty look said she might have had time but hadn’t bothered. Would the Wellsville, New York, orthodontist care? Cam glanced at the dashboard clock, weighed his time frame, frowned and figured now was as good a time as any to call Meredith back. A ten-second phone call wasn’t that big a deal, right?

“Meredith Brennan, Stillwaters, may I help you?”

His heart did a fifteen-year-old wrench that inspired memories of blue eyes, not sky-blue, but that shadowed federal blue he’d used on the Kinsler living room. Long lashes, without mascara. And soft brown hair, not dark, not light, like the shell of a walnut, new-penny polished.