Mary Wilson - A Father's Stake

The ranch should have been his…

To struggling single mom and L.A. waitress Grace Evans, a ranch was a place for horses and cowboys—not a place for her and her daughter to live. Now, thanks to a shocking windfall from her estranged father, she owns one! It’s a crazy notion, but Wolf Lake could be her shot at a whole new life in New Mexico. The only question is: Can she handle it?

Obviously Jack Carson, the handsome and haunted rightful heir to Wolf Lake, doesn’t think so. And he isn’t about to hand over the reins without a fight. But the more he tries to scare her off, the more intrigued she’s becoming….

Grace had done the unexpected. She’d won him over.

“I understand about you wanting the land, maybe needing it—I do, too. It’s beautiful, and you’ve been here all your life, Jack. This is what you know, what you love. It’s just, I’ve never had anything like this. I’ve never even lived in a house, much less one with all this land.” Her eyes looked overly bright. “You’ve got everything. You’ve got family and this town, and friends on top of friends. You’re so lucky, so very lucky.”

Her words almost broke his heart. And they were true about him. He had it all, except a reason to be here, to keep going, to find his way beyond his old life. If there was a woman like Grace in his future... He didn’t want to even think like that. He couldn’t.

“You’re right,” he managed to say, and if she hadn’t touched his arm, he would have ended it there.

Dear Reader 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 CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN EPILOGUE Copyright ,

In Wolf Lake, family and friends are everything.

So when Grace Evans receives a windfall from her now deceased father, who deserted her and her mother years ago, she takes what is on offer—a piece of land in Wolf Lake, New Mexico, that feels like home to her from the minute she sets foot on the property. But one person’s blessing can be another’s source of pain.

The story of Grace and Jackson Wolf, the eldest Wolf brother, is of their struggle to make a life that they both want desperately, and to make that life work in spite of what seem insurmountable odds.

But unexpected love has a way of evening out the differences, giving each person what he or she truly needs, and making a high-stakes gamble become a blessing so incredible that hearts are mended and lives are changed forever.

I hope you enjoy the journey of Grace and Jack as they find their home, together, in Wolf Lake.

Mary Anne Wilson

A Father’s Stake

Mary Anne Wilson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MARY ANNE WILSON

is a Canadian transplanted to Southern California, where she lives with her husband, three children and an assortment of animals. She knew she wanted to write romances when she found herself rewriting the great stories in literature, such as A Tale of Two Cities, to give them happy endings. Over her long career she’s published more than thirty romances, had her books on bestseller lists, been nominated for Reviewer’s Choice Awards and received a career nomination in romantic suspense.

For Emily Vaughn Geisler, an unexpected joy and blessing in my life ten years ago and still making everything brighter and more fun. Love you more than you could ever say you love me!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text The ranch should have been his… To struggling single mom and L.A. waitress Grace Evans, a ranch was a place for horses and cowboys—not a place for her and her daughter to live. Now, thanks to a shocking windfall from her estranged father, she owns one! It’s a crazy notion, but Wolf Lake could be her shot at a whole new life in New Mexico. The only question is: Can she handle it? Obviously Jack Carson, the handsome and haunted rightful heir to Wolf Lake, doesn’t think so. And he isn’t about to hand over the reins without a fight. But the more he tries to scare her off, the more intrigued she’s becoming….

Introduction Grace had done the unexpected. She’d won him over. “I understand about you wanting the land, maybe needing it—I do, too. It’s beautiful, and you’ve been here all your life, Jack. This is what you know, what you love. It’s just, I’ve never had anything like this. I’ve never even lived in a house, much less one with all this land.” Her eyes looked overly bright. “You’ve got everything. You’ve got family and this town, and friends on top of friends. You’re so lucky, so very lucky.” Her words almost broke his heart. And they were true about him. He had it all, except a reason to be here, to keep going, to find his way beyond his old life. If there was a woman like Grace in his future... He didn’t want to even think like that. He couldn’t. “You’re right,” he managed to say, and if she hadn’t touched his arm, he would have ended it there.

Dear Reader Dear Reader 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 CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN EPILOGUE Copyright , In Wolf Lake, family and friends are everything. So when Grace Evans receives a windfall from her now deceased father, who deserted her and her mother years ago, she takes what is on offer—a piece of land in Wolf Lake, New Mexico, that feels like home to her from the minute she sets foot on the property. But one person’s blessing can be another’s source of pain. The story of Grace and Jackson Wolf, the eldest Wolf brother, is of their struggle to make a life that they both want desperately, and to make that life work in spite of what seem insurmountable odds. But unexpected love has a way of evening out the differences, giving each person what he or she truly needs, and making a high-stakes gamble become a blessing so incredible that hearts are mended and lives are changed forever. I hope you enjoy the journey of Grace and Jack as they find their home, together, in Wolf Lake. Mary Anne Wilson

Title Page A Father’s Stake Mary Anne Wilson www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author MARY ANNE WILSON is a Canadian transplanted to Southern California, where she lives with her husband, three children and an assortment of animals. She knew she wanted to write romances when she found herself rewriting the great stories in literature, such as A Tale of Two Cities, to give them happy endings. Over her long career she’s published more than thirty romances, had her books on bestseller lists, been nominated for Reviewer’s Choice Awards and received a career nomination in romantic suspense.

Dedication For Emily Vaughn Geisler, an unexpected joy and blessing in my life ten years ago and still making everything brighter and more fun. Love you more than you could ever say you love me!

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

EPILOGUE

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

IT HAD BEEN almost two years.

To him it seemed an eternity since his life had been torn apart, and now, it had happened again.