Runaway Lone Star Bride

“Magnolia McCabe. Are you accusing me of just wanting to spend time with you?”

Maggie flushed at Hart’s low, flirtatious tone.

His smile widening, and with his son cradled tenderly against his chest, he inched closer. Maggie rocked back in her chair and tried to calm the immediate spark of excitement she felt. And instead got sucked in by his gaze. It took every ounce of self-control she had not to rise and join them both.

“Because it’s really not true,” Hart teased gently. He sat on the edge of her desk, facing her. “It’s Henry here who is completely and utterly crushing on you.” He rubbed the toddler’s back. “Henry, whose heart you seem to have captured.”

It was easy to see the staggering resemblance between Hart and his son. Both were incredibly handsome and engaging in their own way.

Maggie felt something catch in her heart.

Dear Reader,

We’ve all found ourselves in a mess of our own making and wanted nothing more than to run away and leave all the trouble behind.

This is exactly what happens to Magnolia McCabe. She and her twin sister, Calla, have always done everything together. So when it comes time to get married, Maggie and Callie want a double wedding. They spend months planning the romantic ceremony. Not until the very last minute does Maggie realize that she’s thought much more about the wedding than the marriage. And that’s a problem. A big one.

Ex-soldier Hart Sanders is on hand that day to help his folks out with their wedding business. Restless to the bone, he has always chafed at life in rural Texas. And he absolutely detests the diva drama that often accompanies weddings. So when he’s forced to chase runaway bride Maggie McCabe into the woods atop Sanders Mountain, the only thing he feels is aggravation. Until they come face-to-face with each other. And then a very different kind of drama starts.

I had tons of fun writing this story. It’s the first of a six-book series called McCabe Multiples (about the six daughters of Drs. Jackson and Lacey Buchanon-McCabe—a set of twins, triplets and the only daughter of a single birth. All of whom have baby fever…!).

For information on this and other McCabe/Laramie, Texas stories, please visit me on Facebook, and at www.cathygillenthacker.com.

Happy reading!

Cathy Gillen Thacker

Runaway Lone Star Bride

Cathy Gillen Thacker

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CATHY GILLEN THACKER is married and a mother of three. She and her husband spent eighteen years in Texas and now reside in North Carolina. Her mysteries, romantic comedies and heart-warming family stories have made numerous appearances on bestseller lists, but her best reward, she says, is knowing one of her books made someone’s day a little brighter. A popular Mills & Boon^>® author for many years, she loves telling passionate stories with happy endings, and thinks nothing beats a good romance and a hot cup of tea! You can visit Cathy’s website, www.cathygillenthacker.com, for more information on her up coming and previously published books, recipes and a list of her favorite things.

Daisy, darling, this one’s for you.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

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

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

One look at her lovely face, and Hart Sanders knew. Magnolia McCabe was going to run.

It didn’t matter that Maggie’s fiancé, plus her twin sister and her groom, and all their families, had taken the coveted Wedding Train to the very top of Sanders Mountain and were now standing in Nature’s Cathedral.

Nor was it important that the minister had gotten halfway through the ceremony that would join Maggie and her intended husband forevermore.

The only thing that mattered to Maggie in that instant was how trapped she felt.

And Hart knew from his years of military training that cornered people did one of two things.

They either cowered and froze. Or said to heck with the consequences and bolted for freedom. His gut told him that the beautiful brunette was about to choose the latter option.

As if on cue, Maggie McCabe shoved her bouquet at her maid of honor and picked up the hem of her wedding gown. She revealed a pair of fancy white cowgirl boots that sure seemed to be made for running as she dashed past the four hundred startled guests and made her way toward the thick woods surrounding them.

A collective gasp echoed through the flower-strewn clearing. “Maggie!” her fiancé, Gus Radcliffe, yelled as the white-satin-and-lace-clad bride disappeared into the cover of green. “What the—?”

“Go after her!” another guest shouted hysterically.

Not about to see one calamity turn into two, Hart stepped forward and lifted a staying hand. “Everyone, stay put! The last thing we need is anyone getting lost in the woods.” He looked out into the crowd reassuringly. “I’ll find her and escort her to safety.”