Renee Ryan - A Western Christmas - Yuletide Lawman / Yuletide Reunion

A New Family Makes the Perfect Christmas Gift

Yuletide Lawman by Renee Ryan

A Christmas to remember—that’s what Ellie Wainwright wants to provide for Sheriff Caleb Voss’s little girls. But she can’t agree to a marriage of convenience. Ellie wants nothing less than real love. Caleb long ago gave up on love, yet sweet Ellie’s kindness to his children could make a believer of him again.

Yuletide Reunion by Louise M. Gouge

Emma Sharp’s family needs to rebuild their barn before Christmas. All help is welcome—even if it comes from the handsome neighboring rancher who jilted her two years ago. Can Jared Mattson prove that he wants to build not just a barn with Emma—but a bright future together?

Praise for Renee Ryan

“Delightfully charming characters. The heroine’s struggle to do right by her sister and the hero makes for a story of misguided sacrifice and shines a light on the winning power of love.”

—RT Book Reviews on His Most Suitable Bride

“A charming love story with a mystery that keeps readers on their toes. The characters are amazing, bound to each other by their unbreakable love for each other.”

—RT Book Reviews on The Lawman Claims His Bride

“Ryan delivers a great love story. Her characters come from the heart and readers will not be forgetting them anytime soon.”

—RT Book Reviews on Heartland Wedding

Praise for Louise M. Gouge

“The ways the atrocities of the Civil War are shown to affect people years afterward, and their struggle to forgive, is heartrending and well done in this first Four Stones Ranch story.”

—RT Book Reviews on Cowboy to the Rescue

“A sweet love story set during wartime, when everything is up in the air and people are trying to live their lives as normally as possible. The characters are wonderful and are willing to go to the ends of the earth to make their dreams come true.”

—RT Book Reviews on At the Captain’s Command

“An enjoyable blend of mystery, romance and political intrigue.”

—RT Book Reviews on A Lady of Quality

A Western Christmas

Yuletide Lawman

Renee Ryan

Yuletide Reunion

Louise M. Gouge

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Table of Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Praise

Title Page

Yuletide Lawman

About the Author

Dedication

Bible Verse

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

Dear Reader

Yuletide Reunion

About the Author

Dedication

Bible Verse

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Yuletide Lawman

Renee Ryan

RENEE RYAN

RENEE RYAN grew up in a Florida beach town where she learned to surf, sort of. With a degree from FSU, she explored career opportunities at a Florida theme park, a modeling agency and even taught high school economics. She currently lives with her husband in Nebraska, and many have mistaken their overweight cat for a small bear. You may contact Renee at reneeryan.com, on Facebookor on Twitter, @ReneeRyanBooks.

To my twin sister, Robin Anderson, for all the good times we shared growing up and the support you’ve shown me as an adult. I’m proud to call you my family, even more honored to call you my friend.

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

—Psalms 27:14

Chapter One

December 1, 1879 Thunder Ridge, Wyoming

Ellie Wainwright pulled her cloak tightly around her and hurried across the wide street that curved through the center of town. Cold air swirled, nipping at her cheeks. She quickened her steps, careful to avoid hidden patches of ice.

Winter had blown into Thunder Ridge, Wyoming, with enough snow to guarantee a white Christmas this year.

Ellie paused a moment to take in the pristine winter wonderland of her beloved hometown. A smile tugged at her lips, the first since she’d come home two weeks ago, mortified, humiliated and more than a little disillusioned.

Wreaths decorated most of the doorways along Main Street. Gold ribbon and red bows draped hitching rails and horse troughs. Garland hung from the rooftops of homes and businesses, while the occasional redbrick chimney boldly punched into the crisp, blue sky.

The festive decorations helped soothe Ellie’s melancholy.

She was home. She was safe. She was among people who knew the details of her family’s disgrace and accepted her anyway. Besides, she told herself firmly, a failed courtship wasn’t the worst calamity to befall a young woman of twenty-two.

Next time, she would be wiser. She would fall for a man who could look past her family’s shame and love her anyway. In the meantime, she would find another teaching position and give her attention to her students and—

A movement off to her right caught her attention. Her gaze landed on a lone rider and his bay-colored horse approaching from the west. With his hat slung low over his face and his collar pulled up against the wind, there was no easy way to identify the rider. Oh, but Ellie knew that silhouette.

She knew that man. Caleb Voss.

The widowed town sheriff had once been her brother’s closest friend and the center of Ellie’s secret girlhood admiration.

As if sensing her watching him, Caleb reined in his horse and turned his head in Ellie’s direction. She could make out only a portion of his face and the patch of light brown hair burnished copper from the sun beneath his wide-brimmed hat.

“Hello, Ellie.”

The low, husky voice sent a spattering of nerves tripping down her spine and nearly knocked her backward. “Hello, Caleb.”

With two fingers, he shoved his hat off his forehead, the gesture giving her a better view of his magnificent face. Unable to move, to speak, to think , she simply stared up at him.

He stared back, brows arched, eyes soft.

That look. It made her think of girlhood dreams from long, long ago. Ellie stopped breathing altogether. She simply stopped breathing. Worse, she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from that strong, square jaw, those moss-green eyes and the arresting features that had transformed from boyishly appealing to ruggedly handsome.

Caleb’s eyes crinkled around the edges, the precursor to a smile. “Cold out this morning.”

He wanted to talk about the weather? For some reason that made her even more uneasy.

“It’s...why, yes.” She forced her lungs to work one breath at a time. In, out, in, out . “It is rather chilly today.”

“Better get inside. Wouldn’t want you catching cold.” His voice was low and gravelly, with a touch of concern that sounded entirely too brotherly for Ellie’s way of thinking.

Holding back a sigh, she reached for the doorknob behind her. “I’m heading in now.”

A tug on the brim of his hat, a slight movement of stirrups, and that was the end of their very odd, all-too-brief conversation.

Heart pounding wildly against her ribs, she twisted the doorknob and stumbled inside her friend’s dress shop, Kate’s Closet, named for the owner.

“Well, well, well,” came the sly, knowing voice of the woman she’d come to meet. “That was certainly interesting.”

Releasing another sigh, Ellie frowned at her friend. Katherine Riley—Kate to everyone who knew her—was a petite brunette with pretty, waiflike features that included a pert nose and sparkling brown eyes, eyes that were full of amusement at Ellie’s expense.