He was silent for a long moment
Abby had the oddest feeling he was assessing herâtruly looking at herâfor the first time. âGo on, get inside,â he finally said.
âThanks, Ethan. For this placeâ¦for the groceries. And for taking care of my dog. I definitely owe you.â
Inside the cabin she locked the door and leaned against it, wondering if the past few minutes had just been in her imagination.
Ethan didnât really want her here. She was at his ranch only to help with meals and stay with his boy, Keifer, when Ethan went off on his late-evening research jaunts.
Which was fine. She had a great job waiting for her in California and she certainly wasnât interested in any casual short-term flings.
Especially not with Ethan Matthews.
Dear Reader,
Writing the BLACKBERRY HILL MEMORIAL series has been such fun! Northern Wisconsin must be one of the loveliest places on earth, especially in the fall, when the leaves of the hardwoods are afire with brilliant color, in contrast to the dark green pines and sparkling, sapphire lakes. Author Lyn Cote lives on one of those stunning lakes, and visiting her and her husband each fall is an annual delight. She and I must hit every bookstore, garage sale and resale shop in the countyâ¦and I donât even want to guess at all the calories we consume! Those Wisconsin visits were the inspiration for this series.
In A Temporary Arrangement, Blackberry Hill Memorial is facing the challenges common to many small-town hospitals, but there are darker problems in this idyllic placeâhidden threats that jeopardize the future of the new director of nursing. And for a wildlife biologist who spends most of his time alone, threats come in the form of someone clearly bent on revenge and a lovely newcomer who just may steal his heart.
If youâve missed the other two BLACKBERRY HILL MEMORIAL stories, Almost a Family and A Man She Can Trust, check for them at www.eHarlequin.com.
I love hearing from readers, and can be contacted at R. [email protected] or Box 2550, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406-2550, or at my Web sites, www.roxannerustand.com and www.booksbyrustand.com. You can find a free, downloadable cookbook at the first Web site, along with a contest, reviews and more. If you send a SASE to the P.O. box, Iâll be happy to send you some bookmarks.
Wishing you the best for your own happily ever after!
Roxanne Rustand
Award-winning author Roxanne Rustandâs love of romance began when a friend gave her a wonderful novel and dared her to put it down. She didâat four oâclock the next morning. Completely hooked, she read romance for several years before starting to write one of her own. Roxanne is a registered dietitian with a masterâs degree in nutrition, and works at a residential psychiatric facility. As a wife and mother of three, she tries hard to balance family, career and writing commitmentsâ¦. even when it means retreating to a hotel for the weekend to meet her deadlines.
With many thanks to my dear friend, author Lyn Cote, and her husband, Steve, for their hospitality during our wonderful âwritersâ retreat weekendsâ in northern Wisconsin. And to Diane, Jacquie and Pamela for your invaluable friendship and support.
I feel so very blessed to know you all.
This one is for you, Emily, with thanks for all the wonderful treats and lunches and suppers you made while I was locked away in my office. Youâre the sweetest daughter ever!
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
ABBY CAHILL breathed in the crisp, pine-scented air, then stepped inside Blackberry Hill Memorial Hospital to start a new chapter in her life.
The retiring director of nursing, Grace Fisher-Edwards, met her inside the door with a broad smile. âI was afraid the tourist traffic would slow you down, but youâre right on time.â She ushered Abby down the hall to her office. âJune can be a real bear around here.â
Abby laughed. âOn par with five oâclock rush hour in Detroit, except the scenery is much, much prettier.â
âIf you can see past the vehicles, that is.â Grace snorted as she settled behind her cluttered desk and shifted a stack of files to one side. âDuring the summer, our population triples.â
âAnd I think every last one of those tourists is on Main right now.â Grinning, Abby searched through her shoulder bag for her notebook and a pen. âI sure wish I couldâve come a few days earlier, but our nursing studentsâ graduation was on Saturday and then I still had to pack.â
âYou must be exhausted.â
âNoâ¦though I do look forward to settling into my new place.â Abby sat back in her chair and uncapped her pen.
Graceâs eyes filled with concern. âI gather you havenât stopped by the Hawthorne Apartments.â