Heating Up In Texas!
When Justin McCabe hires a master carpenter to help build his ranch for troubled teens, tall, gorgeous blonde Amanda Johnson isnât quite what heâd imagined. But not only can she do the job, she has a thing or two to teach him about judging by appearances. And, more important, she has a knack for reaching the kind of kid Justin wants to help.
Amanda hadnât counted on her new bossâall strapping six foot five of himâbeing so utterly irresistible. Working side by side under the scorching Texas sun, the two of them make a great teamâin every way possible. The heat of summer is no match for the sizzle they generate whenever theyâre together. But when a crisis forces Amanda to face her past, sheâll need to make a heart-wrenching decision about her future...whether Justin is in it or not.
âItâs not a competition, Justin.â
Another rueful smile. âGood thing.â He sighed in something akin to defeat. âBecause if it were, no question, youâd win.â
And that bothered him, Amanda noted. Probably because he wanted to excel at everything he did. Silence and an aching awareness stretched between them. She felt compelled to remind him, âYou know there are no perks that come with my presence here tonight or at any other time.â
He nodded, accepting her boundary. For now, anyway. âHow about we just be friends, then?â
Amanda scoffed. Now who was kidding themselves? âYou and I canât be just friends,â she said drily.
Another lift of his dark brow. âWhy not?â
Amanda was sure he knew, but she decided to demonstrate the pitfalls anyway. She smiled and stepped closer. Keeping her gaze locked with his, she dared to say quietly, âIâll show you why not.â
Dear Reader,
We all have goals and dreams. Some may even seem impossible. Until the day we realize we have no choice but to pursue them.
This is the case for Justin McCabe. He was the kid who did everything rightâthe kid with the great home and happy family, who had every opportunity.
Amanda Johnson had everything working against her: an unhappy home, little familial support, doors closed to her at every turn.
Growing up, both Amanda and Justin thought they knew what the future held. Then things changed. Justin saw a different, less privileged side of life. Amanda found family to love her and show her all that was possible.
Both ended up on a ranch for at-risk boys. The girl whoâd been ânothing but troubleâ and the ârole modelâ of Laramie, Texas, shouldnât have anything in common. And yetâ¦
I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!
For the latest news on these and other titles, please visit me on Facebook, Twitter and www.cathygillenthacker.com.
Best wishes,
Cathy Gillen Thacker
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cathy Gillen Thacker is married and a mother of three. She and her husband spent eighteen years in Texas and now reside in North Carolina. Her mysteries, romantic comedies and heartwarming family stories have made numerous appearances on bestseller lists, but her best reward, she says, is knowing one of her books made someoneâs day a little brighter. A popular Harlequin author for many years, she loves telling passionate stories with happy endings, and thinks nothing beats a good romance and a hot cup of tea! You can visit Cathyâs website at www.cathygillenthacker.com for more information on her upcoming and previously published books, recipes and a list of her favorite things.
Chapter One
There were times for doing things yourself and times for not. This, Justin McCabe thought grimly, surveying the damage he had just inflicted on a brand-new utility cabinet and the drywall behind it, was definitely one of the latter.
Frustrated, because there was little he couldnât do well, Justin shook his head in disgust. Then he swore heatedly at the blunder that further derailed his tight schedule and made it even harder to prove the skeptics wrong.
It was possible, of course, that this could be fixed without buying a whole new cabinet. If he knew what he was doing. Which he clearly did notâa fact that the five beloved ranch mutts, sitting quietly and cautiously watching his every move, seemed to realize, too.
A motor sounded in the lane, and he hoped it was the carpenter whoâd been scheduled to arrive that morning and had yet to actually make an appearance. Justin set his hammer down. He stalked to the door of Bunkhouse One just as a fancy red Silverado pickup truck stopped in front of the lodge. It had an elaborate silver Airstream trailer attached to the back and a lone woman at the wheel.
âGreat.â Justin sighed as all the dogs darted out the open door of the partially finished bunkhouse and raced, barking their heads off, toward the vehicle.