Missy stepped back as if sheâd seen a ghost, but then, he imagined, she had. âJonas,â she whispered, putting a hand to her chest as if a bullet had pierced her heart. Pure shock, nothing more. âYouâre supposed to be dead.â
âBetter late than never,â he mumbled as the adrenaline heâd been running on finally fizzled. His legs fell out from under him. He hit the wall, keeled over and collapsed onto the porch floor.
âJonas? Jonas.â Her hands touched his chest. Nice, soft hands. Hands that spread warmth all the way to his limbs. Hands heâd dreamed of more than he cared to remember.
Dear Reader,
I canât believe this is already the fourth in the Mirabelle series. It seems like just yesterday I was writing about Sophie and Noah, and Mirabelleâs islanders were still a mystery to me.
When Missy first appeared in Garrett and Ericaâs story, I had no clue sheâd once been married. But when Natalie came to the island in the third Mirabelle book, Missyâs story started taking shape. Trust me. Jonas was as much a surprise to me as he was to Missy. That timing thing really does make life interesting!
My next book, due out in November, is Kate Dillonâs story. Some of you might remember her as the feisty younger sister in Finding Mr. Right. She and a certain bodyguard have some issues to figure out and it should be fun!
And with any luck youâll have three more Mirabelle stories to look forward to in 2011. I think Sarah is due for her own story, donât you?
I love hearing from readers, and I answer all correspondence. So drop me an e-mail at [email protected], or send your letter to P.O. Box 24107, Minneapolis, MN 55424.
My best,
Helen Brenna
Helen Brenna grew up in a small town in central Minnesota, the seventh of eight children. Although she never dreamed of writing books, sheâs always been a voracious reader of romances. So after taking a break from her accounting career, she tried her hand at writing the romances she loves to read. Since her first book was published in 2007, sheâs won a prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA® Award, an RT Book Reviews Reviewerâs Choice award and a Virginia Romance Writersâ HOLT Medallion. Helen still lives in Minnesota with her husband, two children and far too many pets. Sheâd love to hear from you. E-mail her at [email protected] or send mail to P.O. Box 24107, Minneapolis, MN 55424. Visit her Web site at www.helenbrenna.com or chat with Helen and other authors at RidingWithTheTopDown.blogspot.com.
For Mary Kuryla, my big sis, who never lets me forget she changed my diapers.
I love you!
As usual, I had no plot when I started writing this story. Thank you, thank you, thank you Chris Lashinski and Roxanne Richardson for your brainstorming ideas, critiques, encouragement and, above all, friendship. I could, possibly, do this without you, but it wouldnât be half as much fun.
Once again, heartfelt thanks to my neighbor, George Kyrilis, for his expertise in all things FBI. America is a safer place because of people like you.
Thanks for your service, George!
Thanks to Tracy Dickovich, a very special person who showed me firsthand the benefits of healing touch massage. Are you sure you donât have eight hands?
And I canât forget my agent, Tina Wexler, on this one. Thank you, dear, for helping make Missy and Jonasâs story better and better!
You guys are the best!
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
EPILOGUE
âIâVE ALWAYS LOVED A GOOD thunderstorm,â Missy Charms murmured as lightning crackled outside the front windows of her gift shop and thunder rumbled over the roof of the historic brick building. âThereâs nothing like early summer rain to settle the heat and wash away the dust and grime.â
âSo says the quintessential earth child.â Sarah Marshik jumped as another bolt of lightning momentarily brightened the early evening sky. âMe? I canât stand âem.â
âI think theyâre cool.â Brian, Sarahâs young son, went to stand beside Missy near the front of the store.
Together, they peered through the droplet-spattered windows overlooking the center of Mirabelle Islandâs old-world quaintness. Other than an odd tourist or two caught unprepared in the sudden downpour and running from under one green-and-white awning to the next, the cobblestone streets were deserted. Slim, the black, short-haired cat Missy had rescued many years ago, rubbed against her leg, and she scooped him up.
Another bright and fiery flash lit the sky, and Brian grinned at Missy. âThat was awesome!â
âTotally. It means weâre going to have lots of wind tonight,â she predicted, scratching the catâs ears. âAnd a hotter than normal summer.â