Linda Ford - A Home For Christmas

The Cowboy’s Family

Missy Porter knows all too well about losing a family, so she’ll do anything to keep cowboy Wade Snyder and his orphaned niece and nephew together. Even put her own plans of independence on hold—temporarily—to help care for the children during Christmas. But in helping to fix this family, she realizes she wants to be more than just the nanny.

Wade has never recovered from the unexpected loss of his wife. Now he doesn’t think he can be the family man that little Annie and Joey deserve. So he’s determined to find the children a loving adoptive home. But with Missy by his side, his long-forgotten dream of happily-ever-after might just be within reach…

“I would never settle for a marriage of convenience, which is what you are suggesting,” Missy said.

Wade lifted one shoulder. He hadn’t suggested it at all. He simply wanted her to stop hammering on her opinion that he should find a way to keep the children. “It’s what you’re suggesting on my behalf.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

She didn’t get the opportunity to answer as in the distance, the house door banged shut.

She jerked her gaze away. “The children… Are you coming back in?”

When he didn’t answer, she met his look again, her eyes full of hopes and wishes and, as he looked deeper, a hint of a challenge. He averted his eyes before she could see his doubt, the depth of his failure, his sorrow, the emptiness of his heart.

If only he could allow himself to think of marrying again. It would enable him to keep the children.

But both were out of the question.

LINDA FORD lives on a ranch in Alberta, Canada, near enough to the Rocky Mountains that she can enjoy them on a daily basis. She and her husband raised fourteen children—four homemade, ten adopted. She currently shares her home and life with her husband, a grown son, a live-in paraplegic client and a continual (and welcome) stream of kids, kids-in-law, grandkids, and assorted friends and relatives.

A Home for Christmas

Linda Ford

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before Him—His name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.

—Psalms 68:4–6

To my readers: may you find the real joy that Christmas brings.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text The Cowboy’s Family Missy Porter knows all too well about losing a family, so she’ll do anything to keep cowboy Wade Snyder and his orphaned niece and nephew together. Even put her own plans of independence on hold—temporarily—to help care for the children during Christmas. But in helping to fix this family, she realizes she wants to be more than just the nanny. Wade has never recovered from the unexpected loss of his wife. Now he doesn’t think he can be the family man that little Annie and Joey deserve. So he’s determined to find the children a loving adoptive home. But with Missy by his side, his long-forgotten dream of happily-ever-after might just be within reach…

Introduction “I would never settle for a marriage of convenience, which is what you are suggesting,” Missy said. Wade lifted one shoulder. He hadn’t suggested it at all. He simply wanted her to stop hammering on her opinion that he should find a way to keep the children. “It’s what you’re suggesting on my behalf.” “That’s different.” “How?” She didn’t get the opportunity to answer as in the distance, the house door banged shut. She jerked her gaze away. “The children… Are you coming back in?” When he didn’t answer, she met his look again, her eyes full of hopes and wishes and, as he looked deeper, a hint of a challenge. He averted his eyes before she could see his doubt, the depth of his failure, his sorrow, the emptiness of his heart. If only he could allow himself to think of marrying again. It would enable him to keep the children. But both were out of the question.

About the Author LINDA FORD lives on a ranch in Alberta, Canada, near enough to the Rocky Mountains that she can enjoy them on a daily basis. She and her husband raised fourteen children—four homemade, ten adopted. She currently shares her home and life with her husband, a grown son, a live-in paraplegic client and a continual (and welcome) stream of kids, kids-in-law, grandkids, and assorted friends and relatives.

Title Page A Home for Christmas Linda Ford www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before Him—His name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families. —Psalms 68:4–6

Dedication To my readers: may you find the real joy that Christmas brings.

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

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Christmas 1882 Eden Valley Ranch, Edendale, Alberta

“We aren’t having Christmas this year, are we, Uncle Wade?” Joey asked the question, but his sister, Annie, regarded Wade with both anxiety and accusation in her big brown eyes.

“Joey, I’m doing the best I can.” It was Christmas Day and Wade Snyder had failed to give the young children a home and a family. His failure hung about his shoulders like a water-soaked blanket.

Joey hung his head and mumbled under his breath, but Wade heard him. “That means no and we aren’t supposed to be upset.”

Wade had done everything he could to see that his recently orphaned niece and nephew were settled someplace for Christmas, but all his attempts of the past three months had met with failure. The Bauers, a couple from Fort Macleod who expressed an interest in adopting the pair, had failed to appear on the latest stagecoach. Instead, they’d sent a letter saying they would be there at a later date. One they failed to give him.

With that plan scuttled, he’d thought to spend the day with his friend Lane, a single man like himself, but Lane had other plans. He’d been invited to spend Christmas with a family that had recently moved in south of Lane and had a beautiful, marriageable-aged daughter.

As if those disappointments weren’t enough to contend with, Wade had encountered a young lady in Edendale who had overheard him explaining to the children that he would be leaving and they couldn’t go with him.

A pretty young thing with blue-green eyes and a halo of golden hair. Not that he’d given her more than a passing glance. She’d confronted him, her eyes flashing with a whole lot of emotions that he pretended not to notice.

“You need to give these children the assurance they aren’t a nuisance,” she’d said. “They’ve lost their parents. Shouldn’t that be reason enough to make a few sacrifices on their behalf?”

He’d edged past her before she could say more. How had she learned so much about the children in the few minutes he’d been in the store? And what did she know about what he should or shouldn’t do? Or what he could or could not do, for that matter? He hadn’t even been able to look after his wife, a full-grown woman. How could he hope to take care of two children? Besides, one would only have to take a look at his cowboy way of life to know he couldn’t give his niece and nephew a home.