âI would have liked school a lot better if my teachers looked like you.â
Gingerâs pulse quickened at the sound of Scottâs low Southern drawl at the classroom door.
âIs this a bad time?â Scott crossed the room and leaned on the edge of her desk. His intense gaze made her blush.
âNot at all. Why?â
Scott smirked, brushing Gingerâs cheek with his fingers.
âYou feeling okay? You look flushed.â
âYes. No. Iâm fine.â
He grinned. âYouâre a lousy liar, but I like that about you.â
Ginger had more than a few sleepless nights lately, wrestling with her attraction to Scott. But a romance with a studentâs father was out of the question, even if he made her skin tingle.
âScott, Iâm happy to discuss your daughterâs progress in class, but we absolutely cannot talk about anything personal.â
âThatâs fine.â Scott smiled. âTalking wasnât exactly what I had in mind anyway.â
MEGAN KELLY is a mom, a wife, a friend and a writer. As a shy girl, reading swept her away to places she still hopes to visit one day. Writing gives her the opportunity to experience some of those adventures (although sheâd make a terrible cabin boy in disguise, couldnât possibly find clues by hiding under her blankets and never plans on doing anything more frightening than public speakingâwhich is scary enough). She loves hearing from readers at [email protected].
Dear Reader,
Telling Gingerâs story in Stand-In Mom has been a project dear to my heart. She started her existence as a secondary character in The Fake Fiancée, but by the end of the book, I wanted to be her best friend. Readers responded the same way, asking me to find her happiness. Gingerâs husband divorced her when they couldnât conceive a child. Now sheâs determined to forget men and find love by adopting a baby.
So, of course, she falls for a guy.
I have to say, I wasnât sure what Iâd do with Scott when he showed up. Heâs not what Ginger wants and seems to be in the way of her finding happinessâwhich made it even more fun for me as a writer. By the second chapter, I was rooting for him. These two have kept me on my toes, and Iâve loved every minute of it. This story made me laugh and cry as it unfolded, and I hope it touches you, too.
Old friends drop in, which was fun, as well. Dylan Ross from The Marriage Solution reappears as Scottâs boss, as does Gingerâs best friend, Lisa Riley, from The Fake Fiancée. It was nice to visit with them again.
Iâd love to hear what you think of Ginger and Scottâs story. Please visit my website, megankellybooks.com, find me on Facebook or Twitter and visit our Harlequin American Romance authorsâ blog at harauthors.
blogspot.com.
Best to you all,
Megan Kelly
For Kimberly Killion, whose patience
and input made this book a reality. Thanks for holding me together at a difficult time;
For my editor, Johanna Raisanen,
whose advice makes me a stronger writer;
For my kids, who make my dream of being
a mother such a joy to live;
And as always, for my husband. I wouldnât know
how to write about Love without you in my life.
As Christmas parties went, it didnât suck, but Ginger Winchester would have given her left eye to be anywhere else. The ballroom in the James Brothers Hotel glittered with decorative touches to put everyone in a holiday mood. A band provided music, and she hadnât lacked for partners in the two hours since sheâd arrived. But sheâd rather have been home with a mug of hot chocolate and a book than dragged along by her best friend and forced to celebrate.
Until she saw him.
The man didnât look familiar, although Ginger didnât know all the employees at Riley & Ross Electronics, her hosts this evening. She sipped her white wine, watching him over the rim of her glass, as the band charged into an energetic version of âIâm a Believer.â Even in a town the size of Howard, Missouri, she could run into a stranger. She smiled to herself. Sheâd like to do more than run into this guy.
He looked up then, directly at her, as though heâd heard her thoughts from fifteen feet away. Ginger didnât blush often and now was no exception. She nodded slightly. He smiled back, raising his beer bottle in a salute. His lack of a wedding ring didnât guarantee he was single.
Short brown hair shimmered with bronze highlights under the chandeliers. His dark suit emphasized his tall, lean frame. Light danced on prominent cheekbones and caressed his full lips, much as sheâd like to. He looked to be in his early thirties, with lines at the corners of his eyes. Laugh lines? She liked the idea of him being a happy person. Sheâd been that way not so long ago. Maybe this stranger could bring some joy to her world tonight.
After the call from the adoption agency earlier that day, she needed some holiday cheer. She hadnât been approved as a foster parent yet, the first step of many in adopting a baby. She thought sheâd have a little visitor for the holidays. Now sheâd be alone. Again.