A Hero’s Rescue
Ever since the loss of his father, widow Olivia Gray’s son has been acting out. When he’s assigned community service at Zeke Harrison’s ranch, the boy takes to the farm animals—and to Zeke—instantly. As a kid who hid his own troubles behind bad behavior, Zeke seems to understand her child better than anyone. Still, she needs to keep an eye on her son—which means staying close to the handsome veterinarian. But when her time with Zeke begins to break down the walls she’s placed around her heart, will she be brave enough to let go of her past hurts and embrace a second chance at love?
“Dogs? You want me to walk dogs? That’s not work.”
“Here it is. Getting them moving is part of the recuperation process.”
She looked dubious.
“Just like people who’ve had surgery.” Zeke stood, placing the first-aid kit on a lower shelf, then made himself not smile when he turned around. “What were you expecting to do on the first day? Surgery? Deliver a calf? Or something simple like drawing blood?”
Olivia didn’t look amused.
Puzzled, Zeke drew his eyebrows together. “Lighten up. We get enough serious stuff to worry about here. And the dogs and cats in post-op are confused and miss their owners. It’s important enough.”
Olivia’s expression softened. “Of course. I wasn’t thinking.” Again she twisted her blond hair around one finger.
Morning light pooled through the window and he had an immediate desire to reach out and see if Olivia’s hair was as soft as it looked.
BONNIE K. WINN
is a hopeless romantic who has written incessantly since the third grade. So it seems only natural that she turned to romance writing. A seasoned author of historical and contemporary romance, Bonnie has won numerous awards for her bestselling books. Affaire de Coeur chose her as one of the Top Ten Romance Writers in America.
Bonnie loves writing contemporary romance because she can set her stories in the modern cities close to her heart and explore the endlessly fascinating strengths of today’s women.
Living in the foothills of the Rockies gives her plenty of inspiration and a touch of whimsy, as well. She shares her life with her husband, son and a spunky Norwich terrier who lends his characteristics to many pets in her stories. Bonnie’s keeping mum about anyone else’s characteristics she may have borrowed.
Forever a Family
Bonnie K. Winn
Be strong and let your heart take courage,
all ye who hope in the Lord.
—Psalms 31:24
Dedicated to my agent, Danielle Egan Miller, and my editor, Melissa Endlich. You are deeply appreciated.
Acknowledgment
To Dana D. Clark, DVM.
Thank you for your extraordinary dedication and compassion. I am very grateful that you have cared for our pets with such devotion and personal attention, adding years to their lives they would otherwise not have had. Your incredible care for Doolittle will always remain in our hearts.
Contents
Chapter One
Head down, Olivia Gray rushed toward the principal’s office, scarcely able to believe her twelve-year-old son, Joey, was in trouble again. Ever since his father had died, Joey had been in scrape after scrape, getting poor grades, ditching classes, talking back to his teachers and getting in fights. She hadn’t a clue what to do about him. If she couldn’t handle him in Rosewood, what would have happened if they had stayed in Austin?
She flinched at the memory of Ted’s murder a year earlier. His death still seemed surreal, a gaping wound where her heart once had resided. A mugging gone wrong. Their lives had been scattered farther than any wind could blow. And her happy, carefree son, who had adored his father, was now almost unmanageable.
“Watch out!”
Vaguely, Olivia heard a man’s voice and looked up just in time to see that she was about to crash into him. Stepping to her right to avoid the collision, she plowed straight into him when he maneuvered to his left.
The man’s hands were loaded with boxes, and as they each jerked to the other side, her arm whooshed the lid off the top box. She reached out to right the carton, only to collide with him again, tipping the box instead. He knelt, trying to level it. Again trying to help, she grasped one side of the box, offsetting his motion and tipping the entire carton on its side.
Tiny baby chicks tumbled out, running in every direction.
At first unable to believe what she was seeing, Olivia gaped at the fleeing balls of fluff.
“Quick! We have to catch them.” The man held out the box lid. “Put the chicks in here when you catch them and then back in the box.”
Olivia blinked.
With large hands, he scooped up the nearest chicks, depositing them as he went along.
She hesitated another moment.
“Hurry!”