Building The Perfect Daddy

Ryder to the Rescue!

On location for his home-improvement show, “America’s Hottest Handyman” Ryder Wallace has his hands full with the station’s contest winner. Lauryn Schulte is a single mom with a falling-down house, a failing business and two kids under four—exactly the kind of woman that has this playboy running for the hills…but not this time. Not when her little girl has him playing tea party, building castles and cuddling her baby brother.

And Lauryn? She torments his libido in ways that should be outlawed. Ryder doesn’t do relationships with strings—but Lauryn has him tied up in knots. He’s got to cut and run. So why does he keep getting tangled up in the most outrageous idea of all—becoming a husband and a daddy?

She felt his eyes on her.

He watched her every move as she came downstairs from putting the kids to bed.

“Thanks for babysitting,” she said. “And for the pizza. I’m sure you have more exciting plans for your Friday night, but I appreciate that you stayed.”

“I didn’t have plans. And I enjoyed hanging out with you and the kids.”

She sat across from him. “You’re my daughter’s new BFF, you know.”

His eyes glinted. “We’re more than BFFs. She asked me to marry her.”

“Well, you gave her flowers and played Barbies with her. Of course she’s head over heels in love with you.”

“Is that all it takes?”

“For a three-year-old.”

He leaned forward and settled his hands on her knees. Even through the denim she felt the heat of his touch—a heat that seared her whole body. “What about the three-year-old’s mom?”

She eyed him warily. “Are you flirting with me?”

“If you have to ask, my skills must be rusty.”

“It’s more likely that mine are,” she admitted, feeling out of her element here.

He lowered his head toward her. “Then maybe we should work on changing that.”

* * *

Those Engaging Garretts —The Carolina Cousins

Building the Perfect Daddy

Brenda Harlen

www.millsandboon.co.uk

BRENDA HARLEN is a former attorney who once had the privilege of appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada. The practice of law taught her a lot about the world and reinforced her determination to become a writer—because in fiction, she could promise a happy ending! Now she is an award-winning, national bestselling author of more than thirty titles for Mills & Boon. You can keep up-to-date with Brenda on Facebook and Twitter or through her website, www.brendaharlen.com.

This book is dedicated to my wonderful husband, who has proved, time and again over the years, he is capable of tackling the various home improvements our various homes have required (with thanks for finally putting up the new trim in the hallway!).

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

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

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

It was raining again.

The sound of the water drumming on the roof woke Lauryn up well before her seven-month-old son. She cracked an eyelid and squinted at the glowing numbers of her alarm clock—5:28 a.m.

Way too freakin’ early.

She rolled over and pulled the covers up over her head, as if that might muffle the ominous sound of the rain. When she’d had a couple of leaky spots patched in the spring, the roofer had warned her that the whole thing needed to be redone. She’d nodded her understanding because she did understand. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the money for that kind of major expense right now, and the sound of the water pounding down felt like Mother Nature beating on her head, chastising her for the foolish choices she’d made.

But she was no longer the idealistic twenty-seven-year-old who had been as much in love with the idea of being a bride as the man who had proposed to her. And she was still paying for that mistake—which was why she couldn’t afford a new roof right now.

She looked up at the ceiling and sent up a silent prayer: Please hold out for just one more year. Just long enough for me figure out my finances and my life.

She didn’t know who she was trying to bargain with—the roof or Mother Nature or God. At this point, she would willingly make a deal with anyone who had the power to change her fate.

Her parents—Tom and Susan Garrett—had given her and Rob the money to buy a house when they’d married. A proper house, like the simple Craftsman-style bungalow in Ridgemount that she’d thought would be perfect for a young couple starting out. But she’d let her charming new husband convince her that they could split the money between a less expensive fixer-upper and his start-up sporting-goods business, The Locker Room.

After six years, the house was still in need of major repairs, the business was failing and she was on her own with a preschooler and a baby. Was it any wonder that she only wanted to stay in bed all day with the covers over her head?