This might be his last chance at fatherhoodâ¦
Kendall Montgomeryâs six-year-old son has barely spoken in the past year, locked in his world of silent grief. Then one day, he spots his dead father across a crowded street.
Max Jordan moved to Chicago to be closer to his own son and prove he can be a better father than his deadbeat dad. His striking resemblance to Kendallâs husband and his track record with fatherhood make her determined to keep her distanceâ¦until Max helps her little boy come out of his shell. But can she trust him with their future? How can she be sure he wonât take off just when they need him most?
âYou remind Simon of his father. You kind of look like him.â
Kendall almost laughed at her gross understatement. It felt too strange to tell Max the whole truth.
âSimon told meââ Max paused, shifting his gaze to his feet before peeking back at Kendall ââabout his dad. Iâm sorry for your loss.â
The strain of the day, combined with the way Maxâs face messed with her head, left her speechless and overcome with emotion.
âOh, man. Iâm sorry.â He gently wiped a tear from her cheek with his fingers. The physical contact caught her off guard. It was so familiar, yet not. It made her want to cry harder. âI didnât mean toââ
Kendall shook her head and stepped back, out of reach. She couldnât let him get too close. âIâm fine,â she lied. She hadnât been fine in a long time. âI better get home. Have a good night.â
He didnât stop her from going, but he looked like he wanted to.
Dear Reader,
My career in social work has placed me in the lives of many children and families in the middle of crisis. Iâve worked with children, like Simon in The Better Man, dealing with the death of a parent or struggling with school anxiety. Iâve seen the toll it takes not only on the child but the entire family.
The Better Man is a story about parents trying to do right by their children and ultimately themselves. Kendall and Max both feel lost and are afraid to trust. The pain their kids feel is their pain, as well. Itâs not until they open their hearts that the real healing can begin.
Time and time again, I have witnessed people find their way out of the darkness. I wanted to write a story about characters who do just that. Overcome. Persevere. Start again. Kendall and Max arenât perfect. Theyâre flawed just like the rest of us. But by trusting one another, they find a way to be better than they were.
Thank you for joining me on their journey of love and self-acceptance. I hope you enjoy the story and come visit me at www.amyvastine.com!
Amy Vastine
AMY VASTINE
has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now she enjoys creating happily-ever-afters for all to read. Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart turned husband, three fun-loving children and their sweet but mischievous puppy. Visit her at www.amyvastine.com.
Dedication
To my husband and my dad. Forget about the better man, you two are the best! Jerry, Iâm a lucky girl to have someone who supports me and loves me unconditionally. I will love you forever. Dad, youâve always been my hero. Your big heart and generous spirit are a gift to everyone who knows you.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank everyone at Harlequin for their hard work and dedication to making this book everything it could be, especially Victoria Curran for taking a chance on me, and Claire Caldwell for being an amazing editor. Claire, your encouragement and keen eye make this such a painless process. Thank you for making me look good!
Thanks to my dear friend Jo for her constant support and willingness to hold my hand whenever I need it. I am so fortunate to have you in my corner!
A big thanks to Eden, Lisa, Suzanne and Jen for the friendship and laughter you bring to my life. It also helps that you are so awesome at brainstorming character names! Iâm sure Iâll use one of your suggestionsâ¦someday.
To Christine for being my friend even though I feed my kids Cheetos and refuse to try kale. Lucy wouldnât be who she is in this series if it wasnât for you!
To all of you who have encouraged me. My family and friends, my MSN family, my FIPsters, and every reader, blogger and writer who has supported me and my writing career. I couldnât do it without you.
CHAPTER ONE
A CONSISTENT MORNING routine was the key to a successful day. Toast popped up and the tea kettle whistled. Kendall Montgomery carefully ripped open the instant oatmeal pouch and dumped the contents into a bowl before adding the hot water. Brown-sugar-and-maple was Simonâs favorite. The time Kendall bought strawberries-and-cream had been a disaster. It was a mistake she would not repeat.