His Best Friend's Wife
A second chance for his first lovePaul Woodward has always known Annie Finnegan was the one. But when she married his best friend, he moved away from their tiny hometown to try to forget the woman he could never have.When her husband passes away, Paul is heartbroken and wants to be there for the love of his life—but how can he, given the way he feels? As he returns to take over his ill father's medical practice, though, it's clear that Annie and her son are the family Paul longs for. As Annie heals and their connection grows, Paul will wait to find out if love really gives second chances…
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A second chance for his first love
Paul Woodward has always known Annie Finnegan was the one. But when she married his best friend, he moved away from their tiny hometown to try to forget the woman he could never have. When her husband passes away, Paul is heartbroken and wants to be there for the love of his lifeâbut how can he, given the way he feels? As he returns to take over his ill fatherâs medical practice, though, itâs clear that Annie and her son are the family Paul longs for. As Annie heals and their connection grows, Paul will wait to find out if love really gives second chances...
âThanks for the coffee.â
âAnytime, Paul. I mean it.â
He placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in as though he was going to kiss her forehead the way he had yesterday at the clinic. As he moved, she inexplicably tipped her head back and looked up at him. His lips made contact with hers. The kiss lasted a millisecond, brief but electrifying. They both pulled back, startled.
Paul was the first to find his voice. âIâm sorry.â
âNo, Iâm sorry.â
âI only meant toââ
âI shouldnât haveââ
âI didnât mean for that to happen,â he said.
Neither had she. Or maybe she had. That would certainly explain why right now she wanted to grab the front of his shirt, pull him close and kiss him again, for real. The mortifying thought made her face feel like it was on fire.
âItâs not a big deal,â she said. Liar.
Welcome back to Riverton, Wisconsin. This fictional small town, steeped in the culture of Americaâs heartland, is home to the Finnegan sistersâAnnie, Emily and CJâand I am delighted to share the second book in The Finnegan Sisters trilogy.
His Best Friendâs Wife is Annieâs story. Sheâs the eldest sister and hers is a story about honoring the past while moving on after the loss of a loved one. Although I consider myself to be a city gal through and through, I am fortunate to have grown up in a rural farming community and will always have an affinity for small towns and the simple life. And while I donât have any sisters, Annie and I do have something in commonâour love to cook for family and friends. I hope youâll enjoy spending time in Annieâs kitchen.
If you read the first book in this seriesâTo Catch a Wifeâyouâll know the Finnegan sisters were raised by a single dad. In this book, their father discovers that while second chances may not happen often, theyâre well worth the wait.
I love to hear from readers, so I invite you to visit my website at leemckenzie.com, where you can send me an email, sign up for my (mostly) monthly newsletter and learn more about my other books, including upcoming books in this series. Happy reading!
Warmest,
Lee
From the time she was ten years old and read Anne of Green Gables and Little Women, LEE MCKENZIE knew she wanted to be a writer, just like Anne and Jo. In the intervening years, she has written everything from advertising copy to an honors thesis in paleontology, but becoming a four-time Golden Heart® Award finalist and a Harlequin author are among her proudest accomplishments. Lee and her artist/teacher husband live on an island along Canadaâs West Coast, and she loves to spend time with two of her best friendsâher grown-up children.
For Willa
Contents
THE RIVERTON HEALTH Center was one of Annie Finnegan Larsenâs least favorite places in the world. A world that was admittedly small and familiar and filled with the people and places she loved. But this place was the exception. Bad things happened here. The only place she disliked more than here was the cemetery.
âIâll need to see your insurance card.â The triage nurse had yet to look away from her keyboard.
Maintaining her outward composure, Annie plucked the card from her wallet and passed it across the counter. What were the odds that she would come to the clinic in a town where she knew everyone and encounter a nurse sheâd never seen before? Anyone who knew her and her circumstances would be rushing to offer comfort and support, but not this young woman. She was fixated on her computer screen.
âDo you still live on River Road?â she asked.
Annie took a deep breath. âAt Finnegan Farm, yes. Iâve never lived anywhere else. Iâm here with my son,â she said. âHe fell off a horse this morning. He could have broken bones, a head injury. He needs to see a doctor. Could we please look after the paperwork later?â She wished she had it in her to be forceful, or at least impatient. Instead, she was polite. Too polite for her own good.
