âWill you marry me, for a while?â
Adam Santiagoâs always been a lone ranger. But when the detective teams with music therapist Julie Chapman to save two young orphans, pretty soon his heartâs a goner, too! Julieâs willing to do anythingâeven become Adamâs pretend brideâto keep a brother and sister together. But as she falls head over heels for her polar opposite, will this marriage of convenience become an affair of the heart?
âJudy really has a way with Western romances and handsome cowboys!â â#1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller
Since 2002, USA TODAY bestselling author JUDY DUARTE has written over forty books for Mills & Boon, earned two RITA® Award nominations, won two Maggie Awards and received a National Readersâ Choice Award. When sheâs not cooped up in her writing cave, she enjoys traveling with her husband and spending quality time with her grandchildren. You can learn more about Judy and her books on her website, judyduarte.com, or at Facebook.com/judyduartenovelist.
Also by Judy Duarte
Roping in the Cowgirl
The Bronc Riderâs Baby
A Cowboy Family Christmas
The Soldierâs Twin Surprise
Wed by Fortune
From Fortune to Family Man
No Ordinary Fortune
The Boss, the Bride & the Baby
Having the Cowboyâs Baby
The Cowboyâs Double Trouble
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk
ISBN: 978-1-474-09060-5
THE LAWMANâS CONVENIENT FAMILY
© 2018 Judy Duarte
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk
To the amazing women who bore my
precious grandchildren: Bree Colwell, Myrlett Colwell, Sarah Colwell and Christy Jeffries. You are the best mothers ever. Thank you for the beautiful babies and kiddos.
Chapter One
Detective Adam Santiago never wore costumes, unless you counted a disguise for use when he went undercover or on a stakeout. Yet here he was, dressed up as Zorro and attending the Autumn Gala, a local charity event.
The guy at the Halloween store had tried to talk him into getting a fake rapier, but Adam had declined. The costume was kitschy enoughâhe didnât imagine he needed to add any props to complicate things.
He had, of course, gone with the black eye-mask, which was resting on the passenger seat. If he didnât wear the typical Zorro eyewear, people might think he was just wearing a ruffled shirt for no reason. Or maybe that he was a bullfighter.
And speaking of other people, thereâd be plenty of local folks inside whoâd be surprised to see him here, since his idea of fun parties tended toward the smaller variety, something like having a few beers with a couple of friends at his favorite sports bar. Or better yet, a romantic dinner date that ended with breakfast. But tonightâs gala was an exception. Adam had actually gone so far as to pay a hundred dollars to attend the event that would benefit both of his favorite local Brighton Valley charities, the Rocking Chair Ranch and Kidville, a childrenâs home.
When heâd first learned of the gala, heâd planned to make a generous donation and to tell the folks in charge that he had to work tonight. But heâd changed his mind when heâd heard that Lisa Dawson would be here. A mutual friend had shown him a picture of her, although the image was a bit blurry.