Alaina Hawthorne - Introducing Daddy

Cover Page

Excerpt1

Dear Reader Dear Reader, What makes a man a Fabulous Father? For me, he’s the man who married my single mother when she had three little kids (who all needed braces) and raised us as his own. And, to celebrate an upcoming anniversary of the Romance line’s FABULOUS FATHERS series, I’d like to know your thoughts on what makes a man a Fabulous Father. Send me a brief (50 words) note with your name, city and state, giving me permission to publish all or portions of your note, and you just might see it printed on a special page. Blessed with a baby—and a second chance at marriagethis month’s FABULOUS FATHER also has to become a fabulous husband to his estranged wife in Introducing Daddy by Alaina Hawthorne. “Will you marry me, in name only?” That’s a woman’s desperate question to the last of THE BEST MEN, Karen Rose Smith’s miniseries, in A Groom and a Promise. He drops her like a hot potato, then comes back with babies and wants her to be his nanny! Or so he says…in Babies and a Blue-Eyed Man by Myrna Mackenzie. When a man has no memory and a woman needs an instant husband, she tells him a little white lie and presto! in My Favorite Husband by Sally Carleen. She’s a waitress who needs etiquette lessons in becoming a lady; he’s a millionaire who likes her just the way she is in Wife in Training by Susan Meier. Finally, Robin Wells is one of Silhouette’s WOMEN TO WATCH—a new author debuting in the Romance line with The Wedding Kiss. I hope you enjoy all our books this month—and every month! Regards, Melissa Senate, Senior Editor Please address questions and book requests to: Silhouette Reader Service U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269 Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

Title Page Introducing Daddy Alaina Hawthorne www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication As always, eternal thanks to Pat Kay, Heather MacAllister, Marilyn Amann and Carla Luan. For Julian Staehely.

About the Author ALAINA HAWTHORNE, a native Texan, has been writing fiction and nonfiction since she was a teenager. Her first Silhouette Romance won the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Best First Book. She lives in Houston with Sallie, her rottweiler, and loves hearing from her readers. Write to Alaina at P.O. Box 820342, Houston, TX 77282.

Excerpt2

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Copyright

His accusation shattered the reverence of the moment. “Well,” Evie said, “I guess I’ll just have to learn to live with that.”

His eyes snapped toward her. “You’ll be moving back into the house, then,” he said. His words weren’t a question, but rather a command.

“My plans haven’t changed. I’ll be taking the baby back with me.”

His voice was quiet, but his words were edged in steel. “I don’t think so. You’re not taking my little girl away from me again.”

Dear Reader,

What makes a man a Fabulous Father? For me, he’s the man who married my single mother when she had three little kids (who all needed braces) and raised us as his own. And, to celebrate an upcoming anniversary of the Romance line’s FABULOUS FATHERS series, I’d like to know your thoughts on what makes a man a Fabulous Father. Send me a brief (50 words) note with your name, city and state, giving me permission to publish all or portions of your note, and you just might see it printed on a special page.

Blessed with a baby—and a second chance at marriagethis month’s FABULOUS FATHER also has to become a fabulous husband to his estranged wife in Introducing Daddy by Alaina Hawthorne.

“Will you marry me, in name only?” That’s a woman’s desperate question to the last of THE BEST MEN, Karen Rose Smith’s miniseries, in A Groom and a Promise.

He drops her like a hot potato, then comes back with babies and wants her to be his nanny! Or so he says…in Babies and a Blue-Eyed Man by Myrna Mackenzie.

When a man has no memory and a woman needs an instant husband, she tells him a little white lie and presto! in My Favorite Husband by Sally Carleen.

She’s a waitress who needs etiquette lessons in becoming a lady; he’s a millionaire who likes her just the way she is in Wife in Training by Susan Meier.

Finally, Robin Wells is one of Silhouette’s WOMEN TO WATCH—a new author debuting in the Romance line with The Wedding Kiss.

I hope you enjoy all our books this month—and every month! Regards,

Melissa Senate,

Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to:

Silhouette Reader Service

U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

www.millsandboon.co.uk

As always, eternal thanks to Pat Kay,

Heather MacAllister, Marilyn Amann and Carla Luan.

For Julian Staehely.

ALAINA HAWTHORNE,

a native Texan, has been writing fiction and nonfiction since she was a teenager. Her first Silhouette Romance won the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Best First Book. She lives in Houston with Sallie, her rottweiler, and loves hearing from her readers. Write to Alaina at P.O. Box 820342, Houston, TX 77282.

Dear Juliette,

Words cannot express how much joy you have brought into my life. I didn’t realize that working eighty hours a week meant nothing without someone to come home to. And now that you and your mother are back in my life, I vow to become the perfect daddy.

I’ve been reading up on fatherhood, little girl, catching up on those months I missed. I’m so sorry I didn’t get to hold you right after you were born, or that I wasn’t there for your first smile. But I do promise to be there for your first word, your first step. We’ll go for walks in the park. I’ll come to all of your ballet recitals. Together we’ll be the best father-and-daughter team around.

Remember, you are the most precious gift I’ve ever received.

All my love,

Daddy

Sheets of rain sluiced against the windows of the shop, and every so often thunder boomed in the distance and rattled the panes. Through the gray rivulets Evie Rabalais could just make out the waists of Houston’s skyscrapers; the tops of the buildings were plunged into the clouds that had hovered over the city for days. The radio said the bayous were jumping their banks. Beneath the streets the storm drains roared with brown foamy water. Evie stood by the front door, arms crossed and motionless, and watched the traffic—wheel-deep in water—crawl miserably down Westheimer. Her mood matched the bleak weather.

Edward and Frank, both of the part-time delivery drivers, had called in saying they couldn’t make it into the shop because of the flooding. Evie wondered if that was really true. She scowled and sighed. Not that their absence would make much difference. This type of weather was terrible for business. There wouldn’t be any foot traffic at all today, and gloomy weather also seemed to affect human generosity: there were always fewer orders when it rained.