The Truth About Hope

Who is Hope Wilson?

Is she the girl her former hometown thinks she is? Or the girl Luke Carter once loved—and maybe still does?

When Hope returns to Canyon Creek, Texas, to honor her father’s last wishes, there’s only one person on her mind: her high school sweetheart, Luke. The boy she lied to when she had to leave Canyon Creek as a teen, finding it easier to hide what she really felt than deal with the grief of loss. Her father’s fortune could make a big difference to Canyon Creek—but Hope finds that the townspeople have a long memory when it comes to his misdeeds. With a plan to make amends on his behalf, Hope learns the truth about herself. And the truth about love.

“Hope? It’s really you? Ah...hi. What are you doing here?”

Luke reached out. With the utmost care, he clasped Hope’s elbow to help her up.

Hope mumbled a thank-you, and became absorbed in brushing off her legs and her clothes. Drops of blood welled on her knees. When Luke pulled a blue-checked bandanna out of his back pocket and held it out to her, Hope’s eyes shifted from the bandanna to Luke’s hand...free of a wedding ring. Appalled by her own thoughts, she frowned.

“It’s clean,” he assured her. “Go ahead. Use it.”

Her look had nothing to do with the bandanna and everything to do with bumping—literally—into the one person she was least prepared to see.

She didn’t move, so Luke bent down and, placing one hand behind her knee, gently dabbed at the abrasions.

That simple, impersonal touch made her feel as if a two-hundred-and-twenty-volt electric current surged through her body.

Dear Reader,

My heroine, Hope, and I have a number of things in common, most notably our love of animals. Veterinarians have worked miracles for our furry, four-legged family members. They restored our Malamute’s sight after a congenital disease rendered him nearly blind when he was barely a year old, saved our yellow Lab following a horrific adverse reaction to a vaccination, and years later cured his cancer.

When my husband and I had to say goodbye to our last three dogs, we were heartbroken. Then by happenstance we met Harley and Logan—both black Labs. They were eighteen and fourteen months old respectively at the time, didn’t know each other and had only lived in kennels up to that point in their lives. Whether we thought ourselves ready for more dogs or not, they stole our hearts, adopted us and have enriched our lives in so many ways.

I offer sincere thanks to Hope’s real-life counterparts—people who care for, rehabilitate and locate forever homes for the animals that find their way into shelters.

Thank you for choosing to read Hope’s story. Whether by email, a letter, a comment through my website or a Tweet—I would love to hear from you.

Happy reading!

Kate

Email: [email protected]

Website: kate-james.com

Mail: PO Box 446, Schomberg, Ontario, L0G 1T0, Canada

The Truth About Hope

Kate James

www.millsandboon.co.uk

KATE JAMES spent much of her childhood abroad before attending university in Canada. She built a successful business career, but her passion has always been literature. As a result, Kate turned her energy to her love of the written word. Kate’s goal is to entertain her readers with engaging stories featuring strong, likable characters. Kate has been honored with numerous awards for her writing. She and her husband, Ken, enjoy traveling and the outdoors with their beloved Labrador retrievers. Watch for her upcoming trilogy featuring a K-9 unit.

To my parents.

Acknowledgments

I am privileged to have Paula Eykelhof as my editor. Her brilliance, industry expertise and generosity of spirit never cease to amaze me. I can’t thank her enough for both teaching me and challenging me as I strive to perfect my craft.

I am also grateful to senior editor Victoria Curran and the entire team at Mills & Boon. They are a dream to work with!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Acknowledgments

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

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

Canyon Creek, Texas August 2001

“I AM NOT moving to San Jose!” Hope Wilson surged out of her chair and sent it toppling.

Arthur Burrows raised a hand. “Calm down, please. I know this isn’t easy for you.”

Hope leaned forward, bracing her hands on the lawyer’s desk. “Isn’t easy for me?” Her eyes stung and she felt the familiar tightening in her chest, but she refused to let the tears come. The anger somehow made her feel alive again. “My mother’s funeral was yesterday, now you tell me this, and you say it’s not easy?”

“I know this is all very difficult. No one could’ve foreseen your mother passing away so suddenly. Why don’t you sit down?” he encouraged her. “Let’s finish going over your mother’s will.”