Praise for Barbara Hannay
âBarbara Hannayâs name on the cover is a sure-fire
guarantee of a good read.â âwww.cataromance.com
âStories ⦠rich with emotion and chemistry.
Very layered and lifelike characters â¦â âRT Book Reviews
âBarbara Hannay will take you on
an unforgettable journey â¦â âwww.cataromance.com
Reading and writing have always been a big part of BARBARA HANNAYâs life. She wrote her first short story at the age of eight for the Browniesâ writerâs badge. It was about a girl who is devastated when her family has to move from the city to the Australian Outback.
Since then, a love of both city and country lifestyles has been a continuing theme in Barbaraâs books and in her life. Although she has mostly lived in cities, now that her family has grown up and sheâs a full-time writer sheâs enjoying a country lifestyle.
Barbara and her husband live on a misty hillside in Far North Queenslandâs Atherton Tableland. When sheâs not lost in the world of her stories, sheâs enjoying farmersâ markets, gardening clubs and writing groups, or preparing for visits from family and friends.
Barbara records her country life in her blog, Barbwired, and her website is at www.barbarahannay.com
Also by Barbara Hannay
Molly Cooperâs Dream Date
A Miracle for His Secret Son Executive: Expecting Tiny Twins The Cattlemanâs Adopted Family Expecting Miracle Twins The Bridesmaidâs Baby Her Cattleman Boss
Did you know these are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk
IT BEGAN on an everyday, average Monday morning. Zoe arrived at the office punctually at eight forty-five, clutching her takeaway coffee, a necessary comfort when facing the start of the working week. To her surprise, her best friend Bella was already at work.
Bella was usually a bit late, and as sheâd just spent another weekend away visiting her father in the country Zoe had expected her to be later than ever. This Monday morning, however, Bella was not only at her desk early, but she had a huge grin on her face. And she was surrounded by a semicircle of excited workmates.
She was holding out her hand as if she was showing off a new manicure. No big surprise. Bella had a thing for manicures and she often chose very out-there nail polish with an interesting assortment of decorative additions.
But as Zoe drew closer, curious to check out her friendâs latest fashion statement, she saw that Bellaâs nails were painted a subdued and tasteful taupe. And they were not the focus of everyoneâs attention.
The grins and squeals were for a sparkling ring.
On Bellaâs left hand.
Zoeâs cardboard coffee cup almost slipped from her suddenly weak grasp. She managed to catch it just in time.
She was stunned.
And a bit stung, too.
Struggling to hang on to her smile, she hastily dumped the coffee and her handbag on her desk and hurried over to Bella.
She told herself she was misreading this. Bella couldnât be engaged. Her best friend would most definitely have told her if wedding bells were in the air. Zoe knew for a fact that Bella wasnât even dating anyone at the moment. Together, theyâd been commiserating about their date drought, and theyâd talked about trying for a double date online.
Theyâd even considered going on an overseas holiday togetherâa reconnaissance tour, checking out guys in other countries. Deepening the gene pool, Bella had called it during one of their regular Friday nights together.
Admittedly, for the past three weekends in a row Bella had travelled to her country home on the Darling Downs, and Zoe had been beginning to wonder what the attraction was. Bella had said she was worried about her widowed father, which was totally understandable, as her dad had been in a miserable slump for the past eighteen months ever since her mum died.
Bella had also mentioned her close and supportive neighbours, the Rigbys, and their son, Kentâliterally, the boy next door, whom sheâd known all her life.
Was something going on with this guy? Had he given Bella this ring?
Bella hadnât breathed a hint about a romance with anyone, but it was abundantly clear that the sparkle on her friendâs finger was most definitely a diamond. And the name on her lips was â¦
âKent Rigby.â
Bella was grinning directly at Zoe now, an expectant light shining in her pretty green eyes.
âWow!â Zoe managed, squeezing her cheek muscles to make sure she was smiling and not still looking like a stunned mullet. âYouâre engaged!â
Bella dipped her head ever so slightly, as if she was trying to read Zoeâs reaction, and Zoe cranked her smile another notch while she hunted for the right things to say. âSoâ does this mean you and the boy next door have taken the plunge after all?â